The group cautiously looked around while trying to see if any enemies were nearby. Silver was good at what he did, the forest looked like a playground to him. He could easily identify tracks, and if any monsters or abyssal’s were nearby.

Lily was trembling while walking, she was scared by the situation, and was not comfortable with what was happening. Lana tried to comfort her and calmed her down after some time.

The forest was quiet, oddly quiet. No insects were buzzing, or animals nearby. Silver said that all the animals in the region had evacuated to a faraway place because they were following their instincts. I wish I knew where there was a safe place in this hell as well.

We followed through the predetermined route, and everything went well, at least for now. The day passed, and the red sun was setting on the horizon.

“We should find a place to stay, the abyssal’s are going to keep chasing after anyone at night, and if they find us, we will be handicapped by the darkness.” Suggested Silver.

Lana nodded her head and said. “Let’s find a place to rest then.”

They looked around, and after some search, found a small cave that was used by some animal. The animal had abandoned its cave and probably ran away to a faraway place.

We covered the entrance with shrubs and I began to ponder about everything that happened these last fell days. Things were progressing too quickly, and death was once again near me. It was a good thing because the concept of death was advancing pretty well, but being threatened all the time was not good.

I seated on the ground while meditating over everything that happened these last few days. I felt the heat coming from a flame that Lana was using to prepare the meal and the heat of our bodies.

I began to feel the concept of fire, and everything that came with it. Life came out of fire, just like destruction. A flame could give heat in the cold or could burn someone.

A million thoughts passed through my head, and I felt my concept of fire slowly breaking from the mortal realm, and entering the domain realm. The air around me began to get hotter. Lana looked in my direction and her eyes opened like a full moon. She knew that my concept of death was at the domain realm, and now, another one was breaking through.

Time passed slowly, and after consolidating my understanding of the fire at the domain realm, I opened my eyes.

I looked at my palm, and a black fire was lit on it. The fire of destruction was even more powerful now. It could burn even hotter.

I heard a smirk and looked up. Beirut was looking at me and said. “You are quite a talented boy.” with a smile on his face. I could feel the happiness coming from his smile, I knew that he was not only happy because I broke through, but because know we had more chances of surviving, after all, the strength of an individual belonged to the group as well.

I gave him a cheeky grin and got up. “There’s food left for me?” I looked at the pot and saw that there was still some soup left on it.

“I left enough for you boy! Be grateful!” Lana said while smiling.

“Thank you, OH, great leader!” I bowed to her with exaggeration and threw a small fire in my direction. I hastily evaded and laughed.

***

I ate my meal and rested. We divided the group into shifts, and I was left with Beirut this time. I slept for a bit, or tried to, and got up to watch the entrance of the cave.

I seated on a rock beside the huge man, and he looked at me.

“Hey boy, tell me something. What are you doing here on the fourth floor at such a young age?” He looked at me with a seriousness that I had never seen.

I breathed and said. “I’m trying to become more powerful. Power is the only way to control my destiny.”

“Humph…. You know nothing.” He said while looking to the exit. “Power is good, and it can lead someone to greatness and glory, but let me tell you a history.”

I prepared myself and straightened my back so that I could concentrate on the history.

“A long time ago, a genius appeared in a small village. He wielded a sword like no one, and could even defeat adults by the tender age of 8. Some day, when the boy was 10 years old, a swordmaster passed through the village and saw the boy, taking great interest in the boy’s talent. He stayed in the village for a year and trained the boy in using ki while teaching him some arts as well. The boy progressed very quickly that year, becoming a Tier 3 in no time. The years passed and the boy left the village when he was 16 years old. By this age, he was already a tier 6 Ki user, on the verge of breaking through the seventh tier.”

“He went to the place where the talented trained, the abyss fortress. He arrived there and made a huge commotion, quickly passing through the floors, and smashing the abyssal’s like they were ants.”

“Like I said before, that boy came from a backward place, where there was no powerful people. He just wanted power to become famous, and be like the heroes in the histories. However, he underestimated himself, he and his team arrived on the seventh floor, a place where no one had ever stepped on since the creation of the abyss fortress. He overestimated himself and ended up dead. No one ever heard of him and his team ever again.”

There was a longing look in Beirut’s eyes while saying this. I could feel the sadness in the man’s heart.

“That man was my brother.” He said with a deep voice. “I learned how to cultivate Ki and fight with him. He was truly a genius, and he gave me a lesson, never, ever, underestimate others and overestimate yourself. Everything has its time in this world.”

I felt the wisdom in those words, and they truly impacted me. I was too hasty sometimes, waiting to descend the floors like a madman, and breakthrough to gain power. Everything had its time, and I would someday become powerful as well.

“Thank you,” I said to him. There were no other words that needed to be said at this moment.

He patted my shoulder and said. “Keep these words boy, sometimes, it's better to do things slowly, and taking longer to achieve your goals than go fast and never achieve them.”

***

The night was quiet. No abyssal came to botter us that night. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. A good thing because it meant that they were still behind us, and we had some space to run. Or a bad thing because they were ahead of us, and waiting in ambush.

We packed our things and got ready. We left the cave shortly and proceeded through the forest.

The air was oppressive today, the abyssal energy was even thicker in the air. This could boost the abyssal’s power while suppressing ours. Of course, the suppression was minimal, but every bit of power mattered in this situation.

Everyone walked in silence along the forest. Silver guided us with expertise while looking for enemy signals. Silver raised his hand with his fist closed. It was the signal for stopping.

Everyone froze in place and waited for him. He lowered his ear to the ground and listened….

Moments passed, and the group was becoming nervous. We knew that if there was nothing, he wouldn’t be taking so long. He was trying to identify how many the enemies were, and their position.

He stood and said in a low voice. “Scouts are approaching us, there are three of them, and they are coming through the trees.” He looked up.

Lana pondered for a while and asked. “Can we avoid them?”

Silver shook his head and said. “I don’t think so. They are already following our tracks, although we didn’t leave any obvious clue, they can smell us.”

“They are here to find us and report to the main group. Our best shot would be to ambush them so that none could go back and report.” I said after hearing what Silver said.

Lana looked around the group, and after seeing both Beirut and Silver nodding to my idea, she said. “You’re right, that is our best option.” She pondered for a moment and said. “However, we need a bait for it to work, and that’s going to be me.”

Beirut was about to raise his voice in protest, but after receiving a fierce glance from Lana, he shut his mouth.

“I was the one that suggested the plan, that person should be me,” I said.

“Ullach, there are some responsibilities that the leader must take, one day you’ll understand me.”

I saw the determination in her eyes and realized that it didn’t matter what I said, she wouldn’t back down.

This would be very dangerous for her, although the team would be waiting to help her, there would be three fourth level abyssal’s hunting her.

We quickly planned how we would proceed, and headed forward to a place where the ambush would happen, while Lana stayed behind.

We climbed the trees and waited. The minutes passed, and nothing happened. Cold sweat flowed through my back, and I could feel my hands trembling while holding the spear close to me. The trembling came from the uncertainty of the situation, from nervousness, not from fear.

Lily was even worse than me, she was trembling from head to toe. At least she was quiet, and her nervousness wouldn’t let the enemy see where we were, or so I hoped.

Beirut and Silver were quietly waiting, there was no signal of nervousness or fear, I realized that experience would help in those circumstances. Even though Silver and Beirut were not geniuses, they had experience to cover that. Being a genius would only give someone an initial boost in cultivation, but later, the effort was worth much more than talent.

After a few minutes, we could finally hear some sounds from the distance, Lana had met the scouts. She was alone, and that would lead the enemy to pursue her.

I heard noises coming from that direction, they were getting even closer. We couldn’t see where they were exactly because I was hidden behind the tree, but as soon as they appeared, I would take action.

We decided that both me and Silver would attack one abyssal each, and Beirut would take care of the last one with support from Lily. I could hear the footsteps approaching us, I concentrated my origin energy in my weapon and got ready to strike.

Lana passed through us, and I could finally see the abyssal’s that were pursuing her.

They had slender bodies and sharp claws. The creatures greedily advanced upon Lana, but she was defending with easy. After the three abyssal’s entered the formation, we took action.

I lightened a black fire on the tip of my spear and stabbed toward the abyssal closest to me. I didn’t even look at the others and concentrated on my foe.

The abyssal felt the danger and tried to defend itself with its claw, fortunately, that was the last mistake it would make. The spear clashed with the claws, and the destruction fire exploded forward, charring the creature, and killing it instantly.

After making sure that the abyssal was dead, I looked around and saw that the others had succeeded in their missions.

Lana approached the group and said. “Now that the scouts are dead, we have won some time. Let’s get the hell out of here!” She turned around and gestured for silver to guide the way.

Everyone got ready and left the place, I was finally relieved.