The forest guardian badger stood only waist-high to the hunters. But its eyes glowed like molten gold, and its claws left smoldering marks in the dirt. It didn't roar or charge recklessly.
Instead, it circled the hunters with the cold precision of a predator toying with prey.
A hunter took out a crossbow aimed shakily at the badger.
"Flank it! Don't let it—"
The badger lunged. Not at the maksed leader, but at the scout clutching a dagger. It darted between the man's legs, raking its claws up his thigh. He screamed as his pants caught fire, the spiritual flames searing flesh.
"Idiot! Aim for its head!" the leader snarled.
The second hunter swung his sword, but the badger vanished into the underbrush. A beat later, it reappeared behind him, biting down on his boot. The man howled as the badger yanked him off-balance, dragging him into a thorny thicket.
Nice!
Michael grinned. The badger was smart—smarter than the hunters. It used the terrain like a weapon, herding them into natural traps.
On the Environmental Scan, two red dots blinked out as the scout and sword-wielder collapsed. Only the leader and one armored guard remained.
00:02… 00:01…
The badger dissolved into golden sparks just as the armored guard fired his crossbow. The bolt thudded harmlessly into a tree.
"Cowardly spirit!" the leader spat, reloading.
"Search the area! The slave can't have gone far!"
Michael's hands were slick with sweat. The hunters were battered but still dangerous.
He had $1,052.15 left—no more big purchases. He still need to be creative about it.
Aiko crouched behind the rocky outcrop. Her body felt like lead.
"Kami-sama… I'm failing you."
No, you're not, Michael thought fiercely. He zoomed in on the map. The guard was stomping toward Aiko's hiding spot, his sword hacking at bushes.
The guard limped behind him, crossbow raised.
He scrolled the store.
[Tripwire Trap - $0.99]
[Creates an invisible wire that trips enemies.]
[Acorn Grenade - $1.99]
[Explodes with concussive force when stepped on.]
[Mud Slick - $0.99]
[Makes the ground slippery for 30 seconds.]
Perfect.
Michael bought all three, dropping his balance to $1,048.28.
First, he placed the Tripwire Trap across the guard's path. The man didn't see the faint glint of magic until his boot snagged it. He crashed face-first into the mud.
"Get up!" the leader snapped.
The guard pushed himself up—only to step on the Acorn Grenade Michael had planted.
BOOM!
The blast wasn't lethal, but it sent the guard flying backward into a tree.
He slumped, dazed, his armor dented. His crossbow was swirled to the side, and was picked up by the maksed woman.
Michael dragged the Mud Slick icon under the leader's boots.
Her next step slid sideways. She windmilled her arms, crossbow firing wildly into the air. The bolt ricocheted off a branch and stabbed into her own thigh.
"Aaargh!" She collapsed, clawing at the bolt.
Yes! Michael pumped his fist. But the guard was now slowly getting up.
His eyes darted across the map. A cliffside loomed above the guard's position. A cluster of boulders perched precariously on the edge, held in place by a rotten log.
Bingo.
Michael bought a [Fire Arrow - $2.99] and shot it at the log.
The arrow struck true. Flames licked up the dry wood.
"What's that?!" The guard staggered to his feet, spotting the fire.
The log snapped.
The boulders rolled.
CRASH!
One massive rock crushed the guard's legs, pinning him screaming to the forest floor. The leader, still writhing with a bolt in her thigh, could only watch in horror.
"Damn you, witch!" she screamed at the sky. "Show yourself!"
Aiko peered out from her hiding spot, trembling. The hunters were all incapacitated.
Michael checked the Environmental Scan. No other red dots nearby. Good enough.
He moved the tent again, spending another $4.99 to relocate it deeper into the woods, near a waterfall. The rushing water would mask noise, and the mist hid the tent's glow.
Aiko gasped as the world blurred around her.
When her vision cleared, she stood inside the tent again—this time, the sound of cascading water filled the air.
"Kami-sama…"
Kami-sama had saved her again…
If helping her escape wasn't enough to dispell her doubts completely, but getting her a tent, and now helping her to escape a band of enemies who wield 10 times more power than her…
She felt like something warm was being awakened insider her body.
A very strange warmth, a warmth that she'd only felt when she was a little girl, when father was still the father that she remembered: strong, reliable, and kind.
Aiko knelt in the tent, head bowed.
"You've shown me undeserved mercy. I… I don't understand."
Michael's remaining hand stopped as he stared at the screen.
He wanted to reply, but could not as the game still blocks direct communication, which makes him wonder how much more he'd have to spend so that he can finally talk to Aiko.
He wanted to something simple, may be just to say four simple words:
"Because I want to."
A few raindrops fell on Aiko's tent, it'd sudden became very beautiful but…
Wait, what is this?
The red dot labeled [MASKED LEADER] kept inching closer.
She'd somehow clawed her way out.
How?!
His thumb jabbed the leader's dot, but no profile popped up.
"No way."
The Environmental Scan flashed warnings. The masked leader was now 100 yards from the cave.
Need to slow her down. Cheapest options… Michael scrolled the store.
[Thorn Barrier - $2.99]
Creates a wall of brambles to block paths.
He bought it and slapped the icon over the cave entrance. Thick vines erupted from the ground, weaving into a snarled barrier.
[Remaining Balance: $1,020.22]
Aiko jumped at the sudden rustling outside. "K-Kami-sama?"
On the Scan, the leader's dot halted. For a moment, hope flickered. Then the vines sizzled. Smoke curled through the tent's pixelated fabric.
She's burning through it?!
Michael's stomach dropped. The thorn barrier's health bar plummeted. He had minutes before she broke in.