The heavy impact sent vibrations coursing through my body. I couldn’t help but feel stunned for a mont—like my body had gone temporarily numb. I don’t know what exactly that was, but one thing was clear: whatever had slamd into the soil just now had to be enormous. The weight and force behind it were overwhelming, reverberating through the ground as if the very earth itself had shifted beneath .
Hmm, it definitely didn’t feel like an earthquake for sure. In any case, I just knew that it had to be sothing massive—whatever it was, I couldn’t quite figure it out. Maybe the floating city collapsed? Maybe sothing else entirely. Who knows?
However, the impact was too overwhelming to ignore, and the sheer force of it made can’t help but feel a shiver run down my spine.
Out of nowhere:
Ding!
[Warning! This world is on the verge of collapse and ending. Please evacuate quickly before it’s too late!]
This was rather confusing. I still don’t understand what the system ant by that. In any case, I knew I couldn’t afford to waste any more ti— I had to dig my way up faster, even at the cost of using up all of my stamina.
"Raargh!!! Hurrah!!!"
Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig!
Digging faster, I clawed and scraped at the dirt with every ounce of strength I had, clawing my way upward through the soil. My fingers, now fully healed, dug into the soggy ground, tearing away at the mud and dirt with relentless desperation. My lungs burned, my muscles ached, but I couldn’t stop. The weight of the soil above felt heavier with each passing mont, pressing down as if the world itself wanted to trap here.
"Co on! Co on! Just a little more!" I muttered through gritted teeth, my voice barely audible beneath the layers of earth. My body, though fully healed, still felt fragile in this confined space. There was no telling how deep I had been buried, but every inch of progress felt like a small victory.
Dirt clumped beneath my fingers, and the leftover rainwater continued to pour down from above, making it harder to hold on. The worms that had once crawled over were long gone, probably washed away by the relentless downpour. But my hunger persisted—gnawing at my insides, reminding that survival wasn’t just about escaping this prison of dirt. It was about finding food, finding clean water, and finding a way to survive in this unknown, collapsing world.
After a few hours of clawing my way upward, the soil around began to feel drier. It was then that I realized I was finally making progress, though I wasn’t entirely sure if I was nearing the surface or if my sense of direction was deceiving in the dark. I had to rely on my sense of gravity to determine whether I was ascending or descending. Regardless, my gut feeling told I should be nearing the surface by now, and a wave of overwhelming joy washed over as I knew I was almost there.
As I kept digging, the dry soil now crumbling beneath my fingers, I could feel the weight of the world lifting off —slowly, agonizingly, but steadily. Every scoop of dirt removed brought a fresh wave of hope. I kept at it, driven by the certainty that above the surface, freedom—or at least escape—awaited .
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I broke through the surface. Blinding sunlight burst into my eyes, making wince and shield my face. I coughed, the taste of dirt still lingering in my mouth as I gasped for air, swallowing large gulps of it. My lungs heaved as I dragged my weakened body upward, the soil giving way beneath as I pulled myself out into the open.
"Aaaaaaaaaaahhh!!! Finally, I’m free!!!" I celebrated.
For a mont, I lay on the lush green grass, the dry ground firm beneath , and the cool fresh air brushing against my skin—a surreal contrast to the endless hours of confinent I had endured. The ground beneath trembled slightly as if the world itself was still shifting and unstable. But I didn’t care; I was simply relieved to have finally escaped from underground.
"Ha...! Hah...! Hah...!" I panted, still trying to catch my breath. My vision blurred as the bright sun burned down on , but I didn’t close my eyes. I had to stay awake, had to stay alert. The system’s warning was still in my mind. A collapsing world? Not sure what the system ant by that, but now wasn’t the ti to question it.
I struggled to my knees, brushing dirt from my body, wiping my face and eyes clear. The horizon stretched out before , vast and teeming with nature—grasses, trees, and a stunning array of colorful flowers. I couldn’t help but be in awe.
Then, suddenly, the system warning notification appeared again, reminding :
[Warning! This world is on the verge of collapse and ending. Please evacuate quickly before it’s too late!]
Ah, I really don’t understand what the system is saying—what am I even supposed to do in order to escape this collapsing world? I know I need to escape, but how do I even begin? There doesn’t seem to be any clue at all.
It was then at this mont, I looked up at the vast sky and spotted a floating island far in the distance. W-Wait a minute! Isn’t that the floating island where the floating city is?! It then hit that John didn’t bury after all. Instead, he must have thrown off the floating city, and sohow I landed down here. I’m not entirely sure if that was the case or not, but it seed to be the only logical explanation for now.
Then suddenly, I rembered about the Blue Crystal Altar. According to the alien soldier, there should be a portal there that I could use. I’m not entirely sure if the portal is still there, but I figured there’s no harm in heading up there to find out.
Alright, fuck it! I’ve made up my mind—there’s no ti to waste! I need to get out of here fast! Without wasting any ti, I bent my knees, feeling the pressure build as I prepared to launch myself. The floating island in the sky was my target—it was really far, but I didn’t care. Taking a mont to position myself, I pushed off with everything I had, sending myself soaring upward in one big mighty leap. The wind rushed past , and for a split second, I wondered if I’d actually make it.
WHOOSH!
As I was flying toward the floating island, I couldn’t help but hope that the portal at the Blue Crystal Altar was still there, that it hadn’t disappeared yet. I knew that portal was my best shot at getting out of this collapsing world, at least for now.
Please, just let that portal still be there!
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