The thread of my sanity stretched thin, bordering on a snap. My brain screamed at my legs to bolt, yet my body remained frozen in sheer terror. The monster lunged with terrifying speed, the pungent stench of blood and decaying breath hitting my nostrils full force. In that split second, as its claws came within centimeters of my chest, a desperate thought flashed: ( I'm dead for sure! )
BOOM!
A brilliant turquoise light suddenly erupted from behind me, where Yashu was standing. The glow wasn't blinding; instead, it carried a frigid authority that swept across the casino floor.
Instantly, the madman before me froze solid. His predatory pounce halted mid-air, and the droplets of blood spraying from his skin hung suspended, as if locked in time. Yashu swiftly tucked a strange artifact back into her pocket, her face etched with grim determination instead of her initial fear.
Exerting every ounce of her strength, she shoved the casino doors open with a resounding "CLICK" and shrieked:
-"RUN! THIS WON'T HOLD FOR LONG!"
The scream hit me like a bucket of cold water, snapping me out of my daze. I came to my senses and lunged toward the exit. As we sprinted through the hallway, I was stunned to see the hulking guards outside had been reduced to motionless stone statues. They stood towering, eyes staring straight ahead but void of any soul, completely unresponsive to our escape.
It felt as though an invisible hand had hit the pause button on the entire world, sparing only the two of us in this race against death.
The other players were still reeling, unable to process the chaos that had just unfolded. Seeing us dash past like maniacs, they could only stand there, wide-eyed. I didn't look back, only used the last of my breath to roar one final warning:
-"RUN! RUN NOW!"
Immediately following my shout, an ear-splitting howl tore through the air from behind. The casino owner had broken free from the freeze; his fury seemed to shake the very foundations of the building.
I poured everything into my legs, eyes locked forward. At the end of the corridor, the golden sunrise filtered through massive glass panes, radiant and warm. That aura felt like a saving hand, igniting a fierce surge of hope in my chest. We bolted, our footsteps thundering against the floor amidst flashes of brilliant light. As our shoulders slammed into the glass doors and we burst outside, a sensation of weightlessness washed over us-as if every chain and pressure of the casino had been left in the dust.
THOOM!
A thunderous roar shook the earth. Dust and debris billowed up, masking our vision.
The Demon Gate appeared, looming large as it crashed down directly in front of us. I looked back in horror and stood paralyzed: the casino doors, the lavish hallway, the entire colossal structure that had existed moments ago... had vanished without a trace. The whole high-stakes gambling zone was like a mirage dissolving into nothingness, as if it had never existed in this world. Around us now was nothing but a dense, ancient forest, as silent as if no human foot had ever stepped there.
But there was no time for questions. Yashu and I dived straight into the Demon Gate. As the signature crimson glow of the portal enveloped my body, I felt a strange surge of energy flooding my veins.
My consciousness began to blur, melting into the infinite void...