Haah…! Haaah!
Each breath burned in Hajey's lungs as he sprinted through the dense forest, branches snapping and leaves scattering behind him.
His boots barely touched the ground before he kicked off again, weaving between trees with desperate precision.
Where did it all start to go wrong!?
His heart pounded so hard it drowned out every other sound.
Sweat and blood mixed on his cheek as he grit his teeth.
Shit—!
FOOOOSH!!!
A violent blaze roared past his side, slamming into the trees ahead and erupting into a wave of golden-red fire.
The explosion tore through the forest, scattering embers that clung to the bark and ground like burning snow.
The air itself screamed.
Hajey dove to the side, rolling behind a large boulder as another streak of flame blasted by.
The heat singed his arm, his mana barrier hissing and crackling like it was about to melt away.
He glanced at the aftermath—the place he'd just been standing was now a crater of molten earth and ash.
