Far beyond the opposite side of the river. Something enormous dominated the horizon.
The clouds there had gathered into a colossal vortex. A gigantic whirlwind stretched from the earth itself all the way into the heavens, connecting the ground to the swirling storm clouds above.
Lightning continuously danced throughout the massive column. It looked less like a natural storm... And more like a catastrophe given form.
"That’s...Impossible."
Noah stared in disbelief.
The sheer scale of it dwarfed everything around it. It wasn’t stationary either. The entire storm slowly advanced.
Toward him.
"Damn...It’s coming this way."
Lightning flashed endlessly inside the colossal vortex, illuminating it over and over again.
Drip.
Something cold landed against Noah’s cheek. He reached up instinctively.
Rain.
Drip.
Another drop followed. Then another. Within seconds a gentle shower spread across the forest. The rain intensified rapidly.
What began as scattered droplets transformed into a relentless downpour. Rain hammered the ground so heavily that visibility shrank dramatically.
It resembled a cloudburst.
"No time."
Blue mana surged from Noah’s hands. Four thick pillars of ice erupted from the earth around him.
Immediately afterward a broad slab of ice formed above them like a roof. The makeshift shelter protected him from the worst of the rain.
Water crashed against the frozen surface overhead.
Yet Noah barely noticed. His eyes remained fixed upon the approaching storm. The rain had grown so heavy that the colossal vortex was becoming difficult to see. Only the constant flashes of lightning revealed its terrifying outline.
Then his heartbeat changed.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
It became faster. Much faster. An overwhelming sense of dread suddenly gripped him. The feeling crawled across his skin like thousands of tiny insects.
Every instinct within his body screamed.
Danger.
Noah unconsciously took a step backward.
"...I need to leave. I need to get as far away from that thing as possible."
At that exact moment another bolt of lightning split the heavens.
For a single fraction of a second. The storm was illuminated.
Noah froze.
There within the heart of the gigantic vortex...
He saw it. A silhouette. Something unimaginably massive. Its true form remained hidden behind the swirling clouds.
Only its outline could be seen. Then another flash erupted. Blue lightning briefly traced the shape of two enormous eyes.
They glowed within the storm itself watching him. Every hair on Noah’s body stood on end.
His blood seemed to freeze.
"Fuck!"
That single word escaped his lips almost instinctively. The next instant he moved. Without another glance behind him, Noah spun around and exploded into a sprint.
Mana surged through his legs, reinforcing every muscle. His speed increased dramatically despite the injuries that still lingered throughout his body.
He didn’t care where he was running. He ran to left then right. Didn’t care about the pain all over his muscles.
Deeper into the forest. It didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was getting as far away from that storm as possible.
Rain lashed against his face. Branches whipped across his body. Mud splashed beneath his feet. His clothes were all drenched.
Still he never slowed behind him. Thunder roared again. His heartbeat pounded in his ears like a speeding bullet train.
For the first time since arriving in this mysterious land.
Noah wasn’t running from monsters.
He was running from something far, far worse. Something his instincts refused to even comprehend.
----
Noah didn’t dare look back.
He simply ran.
Branches whipped against his arms and shoulders as he forced his exhausted body through the storm-ravaged forest.
His breathing became increasingly ragged. Every injured muscle screamed in protest. Yet he ignored the pain. The image of those enormous lightning-formed eyes remained burned into his mind.
’Run. Keep running.’
That single thought echoed endlessly inside his head.
Minutes passed.
Noah had completely lost track of time. The storm continued roaring behind him, thunder shaking the very earth beneath his feet.
"Haa..."
"Haa..."
His vision gradually blurred. The healing potion had restored only a fraction of his strength.
After everything he had endured inside the labyrinth, his body was already at its limit. His foot caught on a thick tree root hidden beneath the rain-soaked grass.
"...!"
His balance vanished.
Thud!
Noah crashed hard onto the muddy ground. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs. Cold mud splashed across his face, his hands, and the front of his clothes.
He simply lay there, breathing heavily.
"Damnation!"
His entire body ached. Rain continued pelting his back without mercy. He clenched his teeth and slowly pushed himself upright. One trembling hand pressed against the ground while the other wiped the mud from his eyes.
"...Get up... I can’t stop here..."
Using a nearby tree for support, Noah forced himself back onto his feet. He took a deep breath before finally looking ahead.
His expression froze.
"...Huh?"
The dense forest abruptly ended. Beyond the trees lay a wide clearing.
Nestled quietly in the middle of it. Stood a single wooden house. It was neither grand nor luxurious. A simple, one-story home.
Its architecture resembled that of a traditional Japanese countryside residence. Dark wooden pillars supported a gently sloping tiled roof.
Wide wooden verandas surrounded the house. Sliding doors in the front wall, while a small stone pathway led toward the entrance. There were no papers used on house door.
Despite the violent storm surrounding the forest. The clearing itself felt strangely peaceful. The rain seemed lighter here. The wind no longer howled with the same ferocity. It was almost as though the storm deliberately avoided this place.
Noah remained motionless. His blue eyes carefully studied the house. "Someone lives here?"
The thought sounded absurd. Everything he had experienced since entering the mysterious portal suggested this place was isolated.
Yet the house showed signs of being maintained. The wooden walls were clean. The roof appeared undamaged. No weeds overgrew the stone path. Nothing about it looked abandoned.
His instincts immediately became conflicted. One part of him warned him not to approach.
The other reminded him that he was injured, exhausted, and standing in the middle of an unknown land with a supernatural storm closing in behind him.
"I don’t really have many choices."
He glanced over his shoulder. Another distant clap of thunder rolled through the forest. The storm was still advancing.
Noah let out a slow breath.
Then, with cautious steps and one hand pulled out sword from storage ring.
He began walking toward the mysterious wooden house, every sense sharpened for whatever—or whoever— might be waiting inside.
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