Chapter 55: Sudden Ambush

Jackson quietly observed his surroundings as the group continued deeper into the Blood Demon Forest.

After listening to Bitter Rain’s explanation, he finally had a clearer understanding of how the team was structured and what role each member played.

Locke was the squad’s scout.

His primary responsibility was to stay ahead of the group and make sure the path was clear of monsters before the others advanced. With his exceptional perception, he was also responsible for detecting hidden enemies and warning the team before they could launch a surprise attack.

The other two men were not useless either.

One of them was named Jack.

Jackson glanced at the man’s broad back and thick arms. Jack’s body was built like a fortress, with muscles that seemed capable of absorbing tremendous force. His role was straightforward but essential. He was the team’s main shield, responsible for intercepting sudden attacks and protecting the others whenever something broke through their formation.

Alchemist Dawn and the final member also had their own responsibilities.

During the earlier explanation, Alchemist Dawn had briefly introduced his role to everyone.

He was the team’s main damage dealer.

Jackson couldn’t help but muse inwardly.

The main damage dealer, huh?

It wasn’t particularly surprising.

Bitter Rain had already become famous throughout the sector because of his ability to instantly kill enemies. Anyone who had watched his battles knew that his offensive power was frightening.

Naturally, having another member focused primarily on dealing damage would only make the team’s overall combat ability stronger.

When Alchemist Dawn announced his role, none of the other hunters objected.

The arrangement was simple.

Locke detected enemies.

Jack defended the team.

Alchemist Dawn provided overwhelming firepower.

The remaining members filled their respective roles.

It was a fairly balanced formation.

They continued moving through the forest.

The ancient trees surrounding them grew so densely that their enormous branches intertwined overhead, forming a natural canopy that blocked most of the sunlight. Only scattered beams of pale light managed to penetrate the leaves, illuminating patches of moss-covered ground.

The deeper they went, the quieter the forest became.

The occasional cries of distant monsters had gradually disappeared.

That silence did not make Jackson feel safer.

If anything, it made him more alert.

In a place like this, silence could be more dangerous than the roar of a monster.

After another stretch of rapid movement, Locke gradually fell back until he was walking beside Jackson.

He glanced at him before speaking.

"Hey, Bitter Rain. If you can’t continue anymore, just tell us. We can take a short break."

There was genuine concern in his voice.

Everyone knew that Bitter Rain had only recently awakened in the latest batch of awakeners.

Having an extraordinary talent did not automatically mean possessing an extraordinary body.

The group had been moving at a rapid pace for nearly an hour without stopping. Even a talented young hero would normally begin feeling exhausted after maintaining such a pace for so long.

Locke naturally assumed Jackson was no exception.

Jackson understood his good intentions and smiled faintly.

"I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me."

And he genuinely wasn’t tired.

After reaching the Second Sequence, his physical abilities had undergone an earth-shattering transformation.

Every part of his body had been strengthened.

His muscles were more powerful, his endurance had increased tremendously, and the magical power constantly circulating through his body provided an endless source of vitality.

Running continuously for an hour at this speed had barely qualified as a warm-up.

Forget sweating.

Jackson felt as though he could continue running for another hour without slowing down.

Unfortunately, Locke clearly didn’t believe him.

From Locke’s perspective, Bitter Rain might possess an incredible talent, but he was still a young and inexperienced awakener.

Young people were often unwilling to admit when they were tired.

He’s probably just putting on a brave front.

Locke didn’t expose him.

Instead, he simply nodded and continued walking beside him.

The brief conversation was soon interrupted.

Alchemist Dawn suddenly slowed down ahead of them and turned his head.

"Enough of the chit-chat."

His expression had become considerably more serious.

"We’re entering deeper into the Blood Demon Forest."

His eyes swept across the surrounding trees.

"From this point onward, we’ll be entering the territory of the mutated Shadow Cats."

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Everyone instinctively became more vigilant.

Alchemist Dawn continued.

"Those creatures are excellent hunters. They’re extremely skilled at hiding within shadows, and their presence is difficult to detect even when they’re close."

He paused.

"Sometimes, one can be standing right beside you without you realizing it."

His words caused Jackson’s eyes to narrow slightly.

A monster capable of concealing itself so effectively was indeed troublesome.

Jack’s expression also became serious.

Among the Second Sequence monsters capable of posing a fatal threat to him, the mutated Shadow Cat was undoubtedly one of them.

It wasn’t because the creature was overwhelmingly powerful.

The problem was its method of attack.

If a Shadow Cat caught him off guard, he might not even have the opportunity to use his Golden Brush.

And against a monster capable of killing him before he could react, even the strongest defensive ability would be meaningless.

Jack subconsciously tightened his grip.

The group continued forward.

Step by step.

The forest seemed to grow darker around them.

Even the wind had disappeared.

Suddenly, Locke stopped.

His eyes narrowed.

A faint golden radiance appeared within his pupils.

His perception ability had detected something.

His head snapped toward the enormous ancient tree beside them.

"There!"

But his warning came too late.

A black blur exploded from the darkness beneath the tree.

The creature moved so quickly that it was almost impossible to see its body clearly.

Only two cold eyes flashed through the shadows.

Its claws tore through the air as it lunged directly toward Jackson.

Everything happened in an instant.

Jackson had barely turned his head when the Shadow Cat was already in front of him.

Its jaws opened wide.

Rows of razor-sharp teeth flashed in the dim light.

Too fast.

Jackson’s pupils contracted.

He had no time to dodge.

No time to activate a skill.