Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

When Lara Cavalcanti’s name replaced Klaus’ on the leaderboard, Klaus and Emma exchanged surprised glances, and Klaus couldn’t help but smile wryly as he looked at Emma.

“Now that’s what we call an exciting turn of events,” said Klaus.

Emma flashed a mischievous smile in his direction. “There’s still time, Klaus. I’m not going to let you settle comfortably into second place, I’m sending you to third.”

The crowd was erupting in shouts and applause once again, now recognizing Lara Cavalcanti’s incredible comeback.

As the competition continued, the tension increased in proportion to the short time remaining and finding the creatures through the forest became an even more tense task.

Amidst the tangle of trees, bushes and uneven terrain, Klaus, who had already separated from Emma, advanced cautiously. His steps were light, almost as if he were trying to blend in with the sounds of nature around him. The early afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees, casting shadows on Klaus’ face, who held his bow tightly, the muscles in his arms tense, ready to react to any movement.

Klaus had always been a competition-hungry person, because he didn’t feel pressure, and it was clear that this hadn’t changed, because even with just over 20 minutes left until the end of the grand final, he was walking calmly, even though he was now even outside the TOP 3.

As he made his way through the forest, he was busy thinking about something.

‘I thought the black wolf would be the creature that could give the most points in this grand final, but since Lara managed to kill a creature that gave her enough points to even beat me after I killed the wolf, that means there’s another creature worth more.’ He thought.𝒐𝒱𝗅xt.𝑪𝒪𝑚

So, advancing through the dense vegetation of the forest, his mind was in a whirl of questioning. He was determined to regain his position in the rankings and, to do so, he needed to find the mysterious creature that had so far escaped his attention. The atmosphere in the forest was charged with anticipation, because of the attention the audience at the SoFi Stadium was devoting to this place. Time was running fast, and every minute counted.

Then, as Klaus walked along, a gentle breeze blowing between the trees, making the leaves rustle, suddenly a strange noise caught his attention. It was an unusual sound, as if something was moving among the foliage.

Klaus stopped abruptly, his expression becoming more serious, and bent down. He raised his bow, nocked an arrow and stood still, his eyes scanning his surroundings for any sign of someone nearby. His ears were alert, picking up every slightest sound in the hope of locating his prey. Suddenly, a quick movement occurred in the bush to his left and Klaus turned his head in the direction of the movement. His eyes narrowed and he saw something, there it was: a creature in a silver coat, with glowing eyes that seemed to emit a glow of their own.

“A silver stag…” muttered Klaus to himself, looking at the creature whose antlers seemed to be made of crystal.

He hadn’t seen the creature on the big screens, which was why he was so surprised. The silver deer had an impeccable, untouchable appearance and its ability to camouflage itself was almost nil, as if it were in fact the most obvious target.

With his heart racing, Klaus adjusted his aim, aligning the arrow with the walking creature. He knew he couldn’t miss this shot, so he took a deep breath, blocked out all the distractions around him and released the arrow.

The arrow sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, aiming precisely at the silver deer. But, almost as if it had a supernatural intuition, the creature detected the imminent danger. Its glowing eyes fixed on the approaching arrow, and at the last moment, the silver deer lowered its neck, causing the arrow to skim over it.

The sound of the projectile cutting through the air seemed to echo in the deer’s ears, and like a spark, the creature took off at a breakneck run. The speed with which it moved was almost unbelievable, its silver paws hitting the ground with perfect cadence. Klaus watched with wide eyes as the silver stag gained distance in the blink of an eye, its agility rivaling or even surpassing that of the previous black wolf.

“What is that creature?” Klaus muttered to himself, a mixture of admiration and determination shining in his eyes. He knew he couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. With his bow still in hand, he began to run in the direction in which the silver stag had disappeared.

The forest turned into a blur of colors as Klaus advanced, jumping over roots and dodging obstacles. His muscles were tense, adrenaline pulsing through his veins, and he was determined to pursue the creature to the end. The silver deer was like a mirage in his peripheral vision, a silver figure that seemed almost intangible.

The race turned into a frantic chase, with Klaus pushing himself faster and faster, fueled by the need to win this tournament. The density of the forest seemed to be working against him, but he was rested, so his body was responding perfectly.

And then, in an instant, the stag’s silver legs seemed to float in the air. Klaus barely had time to understand what was happening when the silver stag disappeared in a burst of silver light.

Klaus stopped, panting, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath and understand what the hell had happened. It was all so sudden that he didn’t even realize what had happened directly. His gaze was fixed on the spot where the silver deer had disappeared and he saw someone approaching. Who? Someone Klaus wished he wasn’t punching right now: Andrew.

“Klaus? What are you doing, man? You almost let that handsome deer get away,” said Andrew.

“Ha… Haa… I was going to catch up with him.” Klaus replied, very tired now.