In the nick of time, Alice had no time to think. Relying entirely on instinct, she lunged forward, sliding like a loach, struggling to crawl into a large, hollow, rotted tree trunk lying on the ground ahead.
"Bang!"
Almost the moment her heels retracted, that huge claw slammed into the tree trunk above the hollow.
Wood chips splattered, and the hard redwood was actually gouged with three grooves over ten centimeters deep.
But the hollow was not an absolutely safe shelter.
Before she could catch her breath inside, a teeth-grinding tearing sound came from above.
"Riiip—"
The rotted bark and the wooden layer were forcibly torn open by another hook-claw, revealing a large hole.
A beam of sunlight shone in, and with it, that terrifying giant eye.
It saw her!
Alice's heart pounded wildly; she dared not stop, so she had to use her hands and feet, crawling forward desperately.
Because she was too panicked, she did not notice that the exit on the other side of the hollow was overgrown with thorny wild roses and brambles.
When she crawled out, her two arms and smooth calves were scratched by the sharp barbs on the brambles, leaving bloody marks, blood seeping out, stinging with pain.
But at this moment, she didn't even take a glance.
Crawling out of the hollow, in front of her was a shallow trench four or five meters wide, with loose stones at the bottom.
Behind her, the wind whistled; the Pterosaur had already adjusted its posture, ready to swoop again.
Alice gritted her teeth, took two steps to gain momentum, and jumped hard.
She stretched her body in mid-air, and in the nick of time, her hands grabbed a branch extending from the other side of the trench.
"Hey!"
Her slender waist, which seemed as if it would break with a snap, twisted violently in mid-air, and using momentum, she swung across the shallow trench like a swing.
Upon landing, she rolled forward to dissipate the impact.
Her toes pressed into the ground and she sprang up, launching herself like a cannonball, rushing recklessly into the dense, wall-like bushes ahead.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Running through the airtight bushes was like swimming in deep water; the resistance was immense.
Alice felt her limbs heavy as if filled with lead, her lungs felt like they were burning with fire, and every breath tasted of blood.
This pampered body had finally reached its limit.
Her physical strength was exhausted; she really couldn't run anymore.
"This is already far from the mountaintop; it should be enough."
The girl could no longer continue; she braced her hands on her knees, gasping for air, sweat dripping down her cheeks, soaking her eyelashes.
She gritted her teeth to keep from collapsing, and turned her head to look back weakly.
Through the gaps in the leaves, she did not see the Pterosaur's massive shadow.
"Looks like I shook it off."
She thought that even if it was just to catch her breath, it would be good, and then she would immediately activate the [Kato Megumi] character card, enter stealth mode, and slowly sneak back.
However, at the very moment she let down her guard.
"Ah!"
Her legs suddenly went uncontrollably weak, and she missed her footing.
It turned out that on the other side of the bushes was a steep slope covered by weeds!
Taken by surprise, she tumbled down the slope like a rolling gourd.
The world spun.
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