Chapter 65: Slipping away
Nick was already slipping away.
Not literally through the teleporter or anything, that would be too suspicious.
But in the moments after Dido’s rallying words, when everyone started moving, shouting orders, organising supply lines, inspecting gear, or forming scout groups and team leaders...
Nick stood up, stretched lazily, made a show of yawning and then casually strolled toward the outskirts of the gathering like he was just trying to get some air.
No one paid him any mind.
Not at first.
Everyone was far too preoccupied with the looming threat of hunting and searching for a Star Rank beast than to follow the movements of a nobody like him.
His figure melted naturally into the crowd, then drifted beyond it, heading for the treeline that marked the end of the plains that separated the Sanctuary from the wilderness of the Beast Domain.
His thoughts were racing despite his calm expression.
’What do you mean "We’ve got days to do the impossible"? I’m not trying to do anything impossible! I’m just trying to not die horribly in the middle of the Beast Domain just because some Star beast decided I looked the tastiest amongst a bunch of gruff men!’
He knew full well what happened to people who got caught up in this kind of madness. Either you die pathetically early, or you lived a bit longer but still died in the end — becoming a cautionary tale for more rational people like himself.