BAAM.
The door lifted upward and crashed forward to the ground.
It was loud.
Far too loud.
The sound echoed down the corridor.
For a heartbeat—
I didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
I just stood there, frozen in the awkward silence left behind after the impact.
"Shit."
A curse slipped from my lips.
'I didn't think it would be that loud.'
Then—
Realization hit.
Someone had heard it.
Guards.
They would come running any second.
If I stayed—
My body moved before the thought finished.
Step.
I ran out of the cell.
The corridor was dimly lit.
It stretched long and wide. A pile of wooden crates was ahead, and behind them, the corridor split at a crossing.
Step.
My boots struck stone, harder than they should have.
Step.
Every step felt loud—too loud.
Then—
Step.
The sound of footsteps.
Step.
Not mine.
Step.
Someone else's.
The sound came closer.
Fast.
Step.
My mind raced.
In a desperate move, I threw myself down beside the crates.
Thud.
My body hit stone, pain flared up, my hands were barely able to stop me from slamming into the crates.
Hah—
I sucked in air, then closed my mouth shut.
Step.
The footsteps were clearer now.
Closer.
Step.
Just around the corner.
I curled in on myself, knees pressed tight to my chest, making my body as small as possible.
The wood scratched against my back as I pressed myself against it.
Step.
The next step was closer.
I held my breath, eyes squeezed shut.
Step.
Silence.
Except—
Bathump.
My heart pounded, loud enough for others to hear.
Bathump.
Step.
The steps halted directly next to me.
'Please..'
I prayed.
For whoever was there to walk past me.
Seconds stretched.
Then—
Step.
The footsteps moved on.
Further away.
Step.
My lungs burned. Hands pressed hard over my mouth and nose as I fought the urge to breathe.
Step.
Just—
Step.
A little longer.
Step.
I couldn't hold it anymore.
My eyes snapped open.
Ha—
I stopped mid-breath.
There he was.
A guard.
He stood a few meters away, his back facing me, sword unsheathed, held low but ready.
Step.
He stopped in front of the cell.
His gaze dropped to the metal door lying on the floor.
A curse left him as he stared at it.
"Fuck. The boss will kill us."
Step.
He lifted his leg, stepped over the fallen door, and disappeared into the cell.
Now.
I moved.
Hands pushed me upright. My mouth opened as I took a short, sharp breath.
Hah.
I sneaked around the crates and toward the crossing.
Step.
The moment I entered the next corridor, I ran.
Haah.
My lungs burned as air rushed back into them, vision dimming at the edges.
I forced the dizziness down and kept moving.
Step.
Then—
A shout rang out.
"An escape!"
It felt like it came from right behind me.
I didn't turn.
'Run.'
It was the only thought in my head.
I sprinted down the corridor.
There were no places to hide. Only cells lined the walls, and far ahead—
Something that looked like stairs.
'Please..'
I prayed to no one.
My feet carried me forward.
Another shout.
"Get him!"
'Did they see me?'
I didn't know.
I didn't think.
I just ran.
From the cells I passed, hands thrust between the bars, fingers clawing at the air as pleas flooded the corridor.
"Open my door!"
"The keys!"
"Save me!"
I ran past them all.
Ignoring every voice.
Their cries shifted—from begging to shouting.
"Get him!"
"He went that way!"
Step.
I reached the stairs.
Stone steps spiraled upward, walls pressing close.
I moved, taking three steps at once.
Haah.
My breathing turned ragged, exhaustion dragging at my limbs. My legs felt heavy, as if weights were holding them down.
I tried to push mana into them—just a little.
It scattered instantly.
Step.
The stairs ended.
Another corridor stretched before me.
Three paths.
Left.
Right.
Straight.
All identical.
My head snapped from side to side.
Then—
Step.
Footsteps echoed up from below.
The guards.
I didn't wait any longer.
I dove straight into the right corridor, aiming for the crossing a dozen meters ahead.
If I didn't make it around the corner before they climbed the stairs—
Step.
Their steps grew louder.
The crossing was right in front of me.
I jumped forward, arms taking the impact as I rolled around the corner.
Thud.
My feet scraped against stone as I pulled them after me.
Haah.
I lay there for a second, breathing heavily.
My arms throbbed.
My legs burned.
Haah.
"Find him!"
The shout made my body tense.
Thud.
Somewhere, a door slammed open.
Another voice answered.
"An Escape?"
"Yeah, from the lower cells!"
"Which way did he go?"
"I don't know! We need to find him before the boss hears about it."
"You go left. I search the right."
My heart stopped for a moment.
'Right side?'
I had to move.
I forced myself up, legs shaking beneath me.
Haah.
I took one deep breath, then ran.
Step.
Footsteps echoed behind me again.
My eyes shifted left and right, searching for something, anything.
There, a few meters ahead—
Another crossing.
I pushed harder, body swaying with each step, vision narrowing, and threw myself into the crossing.
Thud.
The crossing.
It was short—a connection to the straight corridor from the beginning.
My head peeked out.
To my left—the stairs I'd come from.
To my right—
Another staircase.
There were no guards in sight.
I dashed forward.
"Where are you!"
Another shout carried through the corridor.
It came from behind.
'Faster.'
I was only a few meters away from the stairs.
When—
"Check the stairs!"
'Fuck.'
The corridor split again.
Left.
Right.
And—
The stairs in front.
I was only a step away when my head turned instinctively.
There—
A guard stood in the right corridor.
His back faced me.
Hope flared up.
But—
He shifted as if turning.
My strength vanished at that moment.
I fell forward.
Toward the stairs.
My hands shot out just in time, stopping my head from smashing into the ground—but my knees slammed down.
Thud.
My body rolled forward, back crashing against the stairs.
Pain shot through me.
The world turned white for a moment.
I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, forcing down a scream.
'Not now.'
Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself upright.
My legs shook like they might give out at any second.
I leaned one hand against the wall for support and climbed.
Step.
I heard them behind me.
Step.
I staggered into the next floor.
My vision swam.
Another crossing.
Left.
Right.
I turned left and ran.
Another shout came from behind.
"Find him!"
I heard their voices and footsteps all around me.
They were everywhere.
I needed—
Something to hide.
Anything.
If not—
A door appeared on my right.
Not a cell.
A wooden door.
My body moved toward it before I knew it, legs trembling, breath shaking.
Their steps grew louder as I stood in front of the door.
'Please...'
My hand reached for the knob.
Click.
The door opened.
The stench of cigars and alcohol reached my nose, followed by a dull yellow light.
Creak.
The door opened completely.
And—
My heart stopped a second later.
Inside the room stood a large table, glasses, and cards were scattered on top of it.
Sitting around the table on wooden chairs were four guards.
Their hands stopped mid-motion of laying cards down, and all eyes turned toward me.
Every one of them stared at me, frozen in confusion.
Then—
"Escape!"
A shout echoed down the corridor.
'Fuck.'
Thud.
I slammed the door shut and turned, sprinting toward the next crossing.
Behind me—
Thud.
The door burst open.
"Get him!"
I turned the corner—
Bam.
—and slammed straight into something hard.
Thud.
I stumbled back, crashing down to the floor, back hitting stone, pain shooting up my spine.
My jaw clenched tight, forcing the pain away before I pushed myself up to run again.
I barely turned—
When a fist filled my vision, aiming directly for my head.
The last thing I heard was his voice.
"Got him."
Smash.