The sound of chirping and screeching resounded across the vast jungle, removing the silence from within.

The countless tall trees and branches around covered the moonlight leaving them in complete darkness.

Gray's eyes glowed yellow in the dark, he could see clearly despite the darkness thanks to the night vision trait he had gotten from evolving.

Delta also didn't seem to have any trouble seeing as whenever he'd glance back, he'd always see her following behind.

She was an odd person in his eyes, she barely expressed herself yet he constantly felt a fierce aura being emitted from her.

they hadn't exchanged any words at all since they were on the platform.

This was good for Gray since he actually focus on organising his thoughts.

Or at least that's what he initially thought.

With all the quiet and darkness around him, Gray couldn't help but recall the time he spent growing up.

Whenever he was home alone doing the chores, it would always be either this quiet or dark.

Gray had forgotten this feeling because ever since they had joined him, things were always lively and filled with noise, even in the apocalypse.

Especially Lita, she was always so full of energy.

*Stab*

Gray was forced out of his thoughts as something suddenly bit into his leg.

He reflexively glanced down to the source and the instant he did - he paused it as fast as he could.

[Pause!]

The figure of said thing with its fangs impaled into his leg had halted right then and there.

He felt chills go down his spine as he stared at it.

It's mouth open wide as it was stuck onto his leg.

It was a Black Cobra with a red gem on it's back.

It was small, the size of his arm, but just the sheer deadly vibes he got from it.

'SHIT!' Gray cursed inside of his mind. 'System, was I able to pause it before it could inject the poison?!' Gray asked.

[You were a tenth of a second too late - Pause the bottom half of your leg, within the next second second.]

[Pause!]

'Open the shop, buy a health potion or antidote which can help.'

[Confirmed.]

[Would you like to buy a restoration elixir?]

[It will cost 500 coins.]

[Balance: 800 coins.]

'Just buy it!' He shouted inwardly.

Not realising what had happened, Delta's pupils dilated as she watched a mysterious bottle with strange alluring golden patterns running through them manifest ahead of Gray with a golden glow.

He chugged the bottle down in seconds only to crouch down and pull something out of his legs.

When she saw what it was, she instantly out her blade ready to strike it down.

Gray beat her to it however, in a single swing, he cut it's head off.

"Was that a black cobra?"

"Yeah, but I-"

Gray was interrupted as she suddenly stepped in to check on him.

"Did it bite you?!" She asked with a troubled look as she began inspecting him.

"Nope, I'm fine... And stop with the inspection." He said as he placed his hand on her shoulder to stop her.

He looked around and notice glowing red eyes approaching them from every direction.

"We have bigger things to worry about right now..." He muttered as he rose his guard.

.

.

.

In the middle of the New York City, USA, Planet Earth.

The young black-haired man with purple eyes watched as the fleets vanished away into the portals.

With an amused expression, he watched as he stared at the object levitating over his hands.

"So this is what you get after completing a Labyrinth... I wanted to use it against the King but it looks like someone beat me to it." He muttered.

He let out a sigh before looking up at the starry sky.

"Gray, huh... Maybe I should set-up a pleasant welcome for you when you come back. If you can survive in another world that is..." He added.

After saying such, the person's figure vanished into thin air.

*Swoosh* *Wham!*

Gray's swayed left and right, allowing him to barely avoid the two figures which lunged at him.

As the figure blew by, it's body was slit in half, causing it's wooden organs to spill out and seep into the ground.

[You have slain a Druid Wolf.]

A druid wolf was a spiritual wolf made of wood, they were known to be neutral, unless you'd step into their territory.

[You have gained 10 XP]

[XP required to level up: 640/1000]

The other wolf which had gone past, leapt into the tree behind him.

As Gray turned to the tree, his eyes widened as through the corner of his eyes he could see the wide opened, fanged mouth of the wolf lunging towards him at high speeds.

It had come out of a completely different tree -

[Trajectory Shift.]

Gray, bent his back as far back as he could, avoiding it's bite in the process.

The instant, it's figure passed by him, he swung his leg up kicking it right at the core of it's stomach.

A pained expression could be seen on the wooden spiritual wolf's face as it halted in the air.

[Pause.]

*WHAM!*

The muscle in Gray's arms bulged out as he rammed his left fist right into its face

[Pause Martial Arts: Pause Blow.] - Martial art skill, strike dealt to target using the user's strength. Damage multiplier by 1.5x if target is paused.

Gray's attack was so powerful that it ended up partially piercing into the wolf dog's face.

[Unpause.]

*Crunch*

It's head was blown to pieces, as it's wooden body dropped down and was absorbed into the ground.

[You have slain a Druid Wolf.]

But at the same time, the roots of the trees around him on the ground wrapped themselves around his left leg to prevent him from moving.

Another root with a pointed edge extended out of the ground towards said leg, aiming to pierce it.

[Pause.]

The instant it touched his skin however, it halted in place.

Gray gripped tightly on the katana in his right hand before swinging it down at the root.

{Unpause]

*Slash!*

In a single motion, the roots were all cut off.

Gray leapt up into the air knowing that not even the ground was safe before inspecting his surroundings.

It was still night out, a normal person would have barely been able to see anything.

After all, the tall trees and leafs were covering the little light the moon provided.

It was thanks to Gray's eyes that he could even so much as see the monster's in the dark.

More and more of their figures began to manifest around Gray, his eyes glowed yellow as they looked from left to right.

He glanced over at Delta who was fighting two on her own. They were keeping their distance as they circled her.

Her dark flames coated her body and slightly lit up the surroundings providing just enough light for her to see and keep the wolfs away.

Surprisingly enough, her control over her flames were unnatural.

Gray had told them not to use them as it might start a forest fire but she reassured him that she could keep it all under control.

'Looks like she wasn't chatting shit... Black flames, that's quite a useful ability.'

He rubbed the back of his head, before leaping straight towards the wolf, slamming his knee into the middle of its jaws..

[Pause Blow.]

It's head burst and another four Druid wolves lunged out towards him from the trees around.

[You have slain a Druid Wolf.]

[You have gained 10 XP]

They let out an ear-piercing growl as they drew closer to his figure.

Without a doubt they were fast, Gray swung his katana at the same time that they had leapt and yet before the swing could even reach the first one - the other three's fangs were right before him.

[Pause Level 3: Chronos Field.]

A field was deployed around him, and their figures instantly froze and their momentums were cancelled.

Veins bulged out of Gray's hands as he gripped down on his Katana swinging it as he suddenly spun around.

A slice had dragged along across the area that Gray's sword had slashed.

[Unpause.]

In that instant, their bodies split cleanly in half.

[You have slain a four Druid Wolfs]

[You have gained 40 XP].

Gray deployed another field halting their body parts in the air and preventing them from being absorbed into the ground.

Despite doing so, a nervous smile grew on his face as he took a step back.

"You're kidding me, right?" He asked.

Once again, more and more the of Druid Wolfs began to manifest around.

He glanced over at Delta and saw her surrounded by a swarm of druid wolfs which were drawing closer and closer.

"Even If i stop their pieces from being absorbed back into the ground, there's still no end to them." He muttered.

'Still it's free XP, and I've been stuck on level 5 for long enough now... System.'

Gray hung his head and took in a deep breath.

"I could run and move along, but the more I think about it, the more I realise how better it would be to just keep killing them.. I need the level up." He said.

Gray slowly raised his head.

A strange glowing puzzle-like pattern formed on the middle of his forehead, the puzzle began solving itself on it's own.

[Are you prepared to face the after effects?]

"Yeah... I still haven't gotten to testing this out properly."

[Mark Of The King Stage 1: Activated.]