Both Oliver and I stayed seated for a while, trying to catch our breath as much as we could. We had no idea when we'd get another chance to rest—or what was waiting for us ahead.
The air was still thick with tension, and behind me, I could hear Oliver's breathing slowly starting to calm. My mind wandered, searching for something to say, and I ended up blurting out the first thing that came to mind. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ N0velFire.ɴet
“By the way, what was that just now? That was you, wasn’t it? I was totally caught off guard when that giant rat’s head just exploded out of nowhere”
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting an answer. I asked mostly because the words just came out. Still, without the slightest sign of worry, Oliver answered calmly, taking his time: “That was one of my skills. I think I can fire off six or seven shots like that in a row before my mana runs out”
I was genuinely a bit surprised. From my perspective, both assassins and archers were supposed to be support classes. But clearly, things worked a bit differently. If I caught enemies off guard with my [Precise Strike] skill, there was almost a 100% chance of instant death.
Oliver, on the other hand, also seemed to have a surprisingly powerful skillset for an archer. I mean, the rat’s head literally exploded right in front of me—so brutally and suddenly that I was left speechless for a moment.
“So, what do you wanna do now?” Oliver asked, his voice soft and almost distracted. He moved closer, and I felt his back lightly press against mine: “We could explore a little more, if you're up for it”
Hearing him, my eyes drifted toward the dark hallway in front of us. A strange chill ran down my spine, and no matter how much I tried to push the feeling away, uncertainty crept in.
I honestly wasn’t sure if it was the right decision. If we got lost, finding our way back to the others would be difficult—almost impossible. Still, looking around, I realized we hadn’t gone that far yet.
The sense that we still had some control gave me a bit of confidence. My first instinct was to say we should keep exploring. Maybe this was a good chance to level up a bit more, get better prepared before heading back.
But then, a scowl formed on my face, wiping away every thought I’d just had. The reason was simple: my field of vision had split again—one side showing my male self, the other my female form. But that wasn’t what darkened my expression.
A second later, Oliver seemed to notice something was off. He stood up slowly, his hand tightening around his bow like he was bracing for something. His expression shifted—confusion mixed with concern.
He looked at me for a moment before breaking the silence with a question, curiosity evident in his voice: “What’s wrong? You suddenly got all tense”
“We need to go back. Now!” I said, urgency sharp in my voice. Oliver gave me a confused look, blinking like he couldn’t understand what the rush was about.
I didn’t have time to explain. The reason was clear: through the eyes of my female self, I could see the train was about to be breached. About six huge, furious rats were desperately trying to break in, slamming their heads against the doors and windows—each impact making a harsh, threatening thud.
The condition of the glass didn’t help—thin cracks were already spreading across the surface, and I knew it wouldn’t hold much longer. It was only a matter of time before it shattered.
Even though it seemed confusing, Oliver just nodded—no words, but a spark of determination shining in his eyes. A moment later, we took off running—him gripping his bow tightly, ready for any threat that might come our way, and me with my dagger raised, feeling the cold blade press against my palm.
As we sprinted across the terrain, I made a quick gesture with my hand and checked my Mana reserve: 160/227. That number brought an unexpected sense of relief. It was still over half, and considering how many times I had already used my abilities, it was surprisingly comforting.
Still, even running full speed, it would take a while to get back to the train. That’s why I focused all my attention on my female self. After all, the real danger was unfolding right next to her. And honestly, I wasn’t ready to find out what would happen if one of my bodies got swallowed up by those giant rats.
From Noa’s side—my female body—the situation was even worse than I’d imagined. Ethan was positioned near one of the train’s doors, while at least two of the giant rats charged against it with everything they had, looking for a weak point.
The rest of the horde, scattered across the car, were slamming against the windows in a frenzy. I could hear the muffled sounds of the impacts—a pounding that made me wonder how long that glass could hold.
“Shit! Where the hell did these damn things come from all of a sudden?” Ethan shouted, bracing the door with all his strength, muscles tight with effort.
The metal door creaked under the pressure, and he was barely keeping the rats—with their sharp claws and glowing eyes—from bursting into the compartment. It was obvious Ethan couldn’t hold them off much longer. The giant rats were going to break through—and it would probably happen before Oliver and I reached the train. Time wasn’t on our side.