Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 95: A Cozy Camping Trip!

Sweat pours down Alex's face. "Five hours... five frigging hours!" he grumbles. They've been trekking through the dense forest for what feels like an eternity. Alex is only sweating a bit, but the other players look like they're dying—literally. Eirini, Patricia, and Emma are barely keeping up with the navigator and Alex, who stays close behind the guide. The other four players, however, are nearly crawling along at the back.

"How big is this freaking Sinerva Forest, anyway? No wonder there's no sign of civilization—this place is insane!" Alex thinks, wiping his brow. "I keep having flashbacks to the anime... in the second phase of the exam, players had to walk through terrain like this too. People got eaten by giant creatures, lured into deadly traps, and tricked into falling to their deaths by those creepy ravens that could mimic voices. Not to mention those dangerous butterflies and the apes with human faces..." He reminds himself that this forest is on a completely different continent from the Milsy Wetlands where those monsters lurked, but the memory is enough to keep him close to the navigator, following him like a loyal assistant tailing the CEO.

The navigator suddenly stops and turns, an irritated look crossing his face. "If the playerssss would rather resssst than participate, you may sssstay behind," he hisses. "However, I can't guarantee your sssafety if you do not keep up."

"BREAK! WE NEED A BREAK!" one of the female players shouts.

"Five minutessss, firsssst and final break," the navigator says, surprisingly agreeing to the request.

Immediately, everyone except Alex and the navigator slumps to the ground, exhausted.

Alex takes the opportunity to strike up a conversation with their guide. "Mind if I ask you a few questions, Mr. Navigator?" he says politely.

"Ssssure, my friend... in return, I'm curioussss. Ssshow me Mussstrano," the navigator replies.

Alex steps aside with the navigator and summons Mustrano's Malice Mauler lvl 3. An eye and mouth appear on the claw, and suddenly Mustrano speaks. "Hee hee, oh, it'sss the leader! Jealousss of the power I've obtained, are you? I'm free, while you're forced to rot and ssserve in thisss cursssed foresssst."

The navigator studies the claw with interest. "You let him speak and act freely? That isss quite a rissssky move, player."

After last night's events, Alex responds boldly, "I trust him with my life. We're a team now!"

To his surprise, the navigator smiles faintly, then turns away and murmurs, "Take care of my ssson..."

Stunned, Alex quickly dismisses the claw, his mind racing. Mustrano... the son of the navigator? He'd always assumed Mustrano was just a violent, unhinged outcast. "So, he was the leader's son? Hard to believe—they couldn't have taken more different paths," Alex thinks, mulling it over. "Well, I'll ask Mustrano about it later... he doesn't seem to care or even acknowledge their relationship."

"Hey, wait a minute! I didn't get to ask my questions!" Alex complains, realizing he's been completely bamboozled.

As Alex and the navigator return, the players groan in dismay. "Come on, just a few more minutes!" a male player begs.