Is this really a Game?!

The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun, with the three monsters lying motionless on the ground, defeated. The group took a moment to catch their breath, then continued on their journey, wary of any further threats that might lie ahead.

As they ventured deeper into the city, they encountered more monsters and obstacles. They had to navigate through crumbling buildings, dodge falling debris, and avoid traps set by other survivors. Despite the challenges, they pressed on, determined to reach their destination.

After what seemed like an eternity of navigating through the treacherous streets, they finally reached the outskirts of the city. Here, the landscape was different – vast open fields stretched out before them, with the occasional cluster of trees and ruined buildings dotting the landscape.

According to the map they had been given, the faction they were looking for was located in a heavily forested area not far from where they were. They set off towards the forest, eager to finally reach their destination.

The forest had sprung up here the day the game started, just like the one that appeared around the university.

Trees appeared where once was nothing but cement and buildings, and soon, a large area was turned into a forest, one where you could see many buildings and houses.

As they entered the forest, they were struck by its beauty. Towering trees stretched up towards the sky, their leaves forming a dense canopy overhead. The air was cool and fresh, a stark contrast to the stale, polluted air of the city.

"This is more like it," Tank said, taking in a deep breath. "After all that time in the city, it's nice to be surrounded by nature again."

"It's beautiful," Mia agreed, her eyes wide with wonder. "I never thought I'd see something like this here, I mean look, there's still so many buildings and houses around here, the trees had grown around them."

The forest they entered was a marvel of nature reclaiming the land. Towering trees, some with trunks so wide it would take several people holding hands to encircle them, stretched towards the sky, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy overhead. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor below.

The ground was covered in a thick carpet of moss, ferns, and wildflowers, creating a soft, lush undergrowth that cushioned their footsteps. Vines and creepers wound their way up the tree trunks, reaching towards the sunlight in a never-ending quest for growth.

As they walked deeper into the forest, they came across the remnants of civilization that had been swallowed by nature. Buildings and houses, their walls partially collapsed and their roofs caved in, stood as silent reminders of the world that once was. Trees had grown up through the structures, their roots breaking through walls and floors in a testament to nature's unstoppable force.

Despite the decay and ruin, there was a strange beauty to the scene. Nature had woven itself into the fabric of the city, transforming it into a wild, untamed wilderness that teemed with life. Birds flitted through the trees, their songs filling the air with a symphony of sound. Small animals scurried about, their movements quick and furtive as they went about their business.

The streets that once bustled with life were now nearly invisible, covered by a thick layer of moss, leaves, and grass. Nature had reclaimed these man-made paths, blurring the lines between city and forest. It was a surreal sight, one that spoke of the resilience of nature and the impermanence of human civilization.

The sound of running water could be heard in the distance, adding to the melody of the forest. It was a peaceful and serene place, a far cry from the chaos and danger of the city.

Of course, what one could see was not always what it was.

The forest looked peaceful and safe, but it was definitely not a safe place.

Monsters were still present here, and there were some powerful monsters that had come to live here after the barriers between the regions and areas had disappeared.

Once, the forest was a place where low-level monsters could be seen. Usually, those who had just started hunting would be able to find suitable opponents here, all the way to the first Tier, making it a very good place to level up for newbies, but now, that was no longer the case.

The forest was now filled with monsters that were Tier III, Tier IV, and Tier V.

There hadn't been sightings of Tier VI monsters in the forest yet, but that could very well change in the future as well.

"Uncle sure did find a nice spot for his base." Reign commented as Shadow smiled as they walked through the forest.

"Yeah, Newark has definitely changed a lot since the last time I saw it." Shadow said as he stared around them.

"I wonder what the parks look like right now," Tank added from the side.

Yes, the forest they were now in was actually Newark, or what was left of it.

Nature had taken everything back, completely covering the entire area, making it unrecognizable.

The group continued to make their way through the forest, following the map that Shadow's father had provided. The journey was slow and arduous, as they had to navigate through thick undergrowth and around fallen trees. The sounds of wildlife surrounded them, adding to the eerie yet beautiful atmosphere of the forest.

After what seemed like hours of walking, they finally arrived at their destination – a clearing in the center of the forest where Shadow's father had established his base. The base was a marvel of engineering, with buildings made of wood and stone that blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings.

And right on the walls of the base, they could see people who had already noticed them and were running around.

Soon, they got near the city and stopped as many people appeared on top of the base's walls and were staring at them with their weapons drawn, the long-range attackers and the mages were ready to fire at them, but Reign and the others didn't feel any pressure as they could sense that none of the people present were Tier VI.

The most powerful were a couple of peak Tier V combatants, and that was all.

"Turn around and leave, we won't ask you a second time!" One of the men shouted as he stared at Reign and the others.

"Wait, we're not here to fight, I'm here to see-"

"I said!"

"TURN AROUND!"

"AND LEAVE!"

Shadow stared at the young man who was staring down at them while his aura was flared up, showing the power of a peak Tier V.

"Listen here you little bastard, shut the hell up for a moment and let me speak, otherwise it's not going to be good for you," Shadow said with a smile as the man's eyes widened while his expression turned dark.

"As you wish, fire at them!"

Before any of the people on top of the wall could attack, Shadow and the others all released their auras, suddenly creating an immense pressure that bore down on all the people on top of the walls.

"Maybe we should have notified Uncle that we were coming." Reign said as he stepped forward and stood next to Shadow who sighed and nodded his head.

As for the people on top of the wall, they were all staring in shock and fear at Reign and the rest.

They could clearly sense that the people in front of them had the same aura as their boss, and they all looked so young, and there were so many of them.

"Now that you have finally gotten quiet, I can finally speak."

"You see, I have come here to see-"

Before Shadow could continue, a powerful aura appeared from within the base before the gate opened and a blur passed through it, speeding at Reign and Shadow.

'Don't interfere.' Reign quickly notified the others before he and Shadow glanced at each other with helpless smiles and charged forward, engaging the figure.

The sound of fists hitting flesh and kicks whipping about was heard as the three figures started fighting without using any weapons.

Wolf and the others spectated the battle with interest while those on top of the wall stared apprehensively. Their boss was strong, stronger than anyone they knew, but could he go up against so many enemies at once?

And why did he yell at them to not attack under any circumstances?

And why were the enemies standing there and letting two of their guys fight?

What the hell was going on?

The 'battle' continued for a couple of minutes, during which nobody intervened and the three men all fought only by using their fists.

At times, Shadow would be thrown back, Reign would be slammed on the ground, the man who was fighting them would be pushed back, and sometimes taken down as well, but none of them seemed to be fighting seriously, it was more like … sparring.