10 Saved by a Fireball (1/2)

Oli didn't have much time to think. He was being pressured nonstop by the baboons slowly closing in on him.

He always changed directions seemingly at random and did his best to obstruct their path using the underbrush, but his pursuers handled it all without too many issues. They all had reached the first level of cultivation.

When they first started to chase him, he thought he should try to head deeper into the valley but not aiming for the center.

Oli thought that he may be able to scare them off due to the threat that revealed itself to everyone earlier, but he also didn't want to get near it if he didn't have to. His reasoning was simple.

What's more dangerous? Three clear opponents a level higher than him that sought his doom or a supreme beast that would view him as less than an ant and may not bother to even glance his way? Oli was betting on the latter.

After five minutes of chase, he was only a couple dozen krin in front of the baboons, with them gaining on him.

The once excited baboons now had faces of anxiousness and worry. They had expected to quickly capture Oli and drag him back to Zetro with pride because the one who caught him would be guaranteed one of the gorilla's mortal cores. To their dismay, they only felt frustration and the target of that frustration was this tiny ape.

One of them began calling out to him, ”Hey, little buddy! No need to run. We just want to talk. All of us juniors can't do much here on the battlefield, so we just wanted some company is all.”

”Yeah!” another joined in, ”Besides, this place is dangerous. You should stick with us. We'll look out for each other.”

”You've got to be careful out here, yeah? Who knows what you might run into? It's much safer with us big bros. We'll take good care of you,” the third finally added his two cents.

This back and forth continued for quite some time but Oli never once responded. He had his goal in mind and wouldn't let anything stop him from escaping. Oli trusted in the strength of Rathe and his father, but he didn't know if he could last long enough for them to save him.

”Hey, little bro. Let's head back, it's dangerous out here.”

”Your parents are probably worried, too.”

”Hey brat!” one finally snapped, ”Hurry over here! We gotta take you back. You want to see mommy and daddy, right? Well if you don't hurry back you may never see them again!”

”Yo kid! We're gonna be in trouble if we don't bring you back. You don't want that right? Come on,” the others gave in to impatience as well.