Chapter 180: Trapped (1/2)

Leonel's face slightly twisted in pain. No matter how used he was to injuries by now, the feeling of having his hand practically explode from the inside out left him wanting to cry out.

The other three youths looked toward him with fear evident in their eyes. It was just a simple touch, but Leonel's ending had actually been so terrible. If he held on for just a fraction of a second longer, just how much worse would his injuries be?

Leonel took several deep breaths.

Maybe the worst part about all of this was the loss of his hand. A Force Crafter's hands were the most important part of their body. With his left hand in this state, it simply wouldn't be possible to craft anything.

'… I'm too reckless…'

Leonel clenched his jaw.

”Retreat.”

Leonel ordered this the moment he saw how helpless the situation was. That break in his Force Skin had shaved off more than half the remaining time the Force Skin treasure he had forged had. It wouldn't be long before it shattered completely. By then, there was no telling how horrible his ending would be.

However, just when he wanted to retreat, Leonel's expression changed.

It had been so easy to walk in, but he found that the way out made him feel as though he was walking against quicksand.

Leonel's expression immediately became ugly. What the hell was going on?

”What's going on? I feel like I can't take a step back no matter how much I want to.”

Roaring Black Lion's voice held a rare instance of trepidation and fear. This was the very last thing they expected to happen. Why was it so easy to enter but not easy to leave?

”It seems I've underestimated this Force Eruption again…” Leonel smiled bitterly.

There were all sorts of natural traps in the world, even before the Metamorphosis. All of them were easy to enter but difficult to leave.

A Venus flytrap wouldn't have any qualms about allowing a fly onto its petals, but would it so easily allow one to leave? A beast wouldn't hestiate to allow its prey into its mouth, but would it so easily release it?

This trap in particular reminded Leonel of a phenomenon that could happen in rivers and dams. Anyone swimming near a dam would be asking for death. The interaction between the rushing water suddenly met by an immovable force would cause a pattern of currents that would easily allow a human in, but make it impossible for them to leave.

The number of people who had died to such a phenomenon were too many to count. Leonel had just never expected that the flow of Force here would be able to replicate such a thing.

Leonel smiled bitterly. ”Sorry guys… It seems I was still a bit reckless.”