26 A new journey (1)

Even though they agreed on the next course of action, it was easier said than done. The campus alone was as large as a city, and they were way away from the entrance. Needless to say that it would take them a long time to reach there. And even more so with the countless monsters roaming around.

Sure all monsters weren't able to be a threat to Enzo and Rose, but who knows when a foe strong enough to wipe them at the same time will appear.

And yet Enzo and Rose navigated through the eerily quiet and desolate campus, their senses alert for any sign of danger. The ruins of what used to be a prestigious educational institution were a great reminder of how much the world had changed. Nature had started to reclaim the once-manufactured cured lawns and gardens, and the buildings themselves stood as decaying shells of their former glory.

As they made their way cautiously through the campus, Rose's avatars were dispersed strategically to scout the surroundings and keep an eye on potential threats. Enzo's butterflies flew ahead, their keen senses helping to detect any nearby monsters. They moved silently, communicating with each other through a deep understanding that had developed over time.

But even that wasn't enough. When they took ten steps ahead, they had to retreat eight steps back. Meaning that their advance was very slow. And it happened several times.

Indeed every time they tried to reach further, a terrifying monster will appear. Be it a beetle, a tiger, or even an elephant.

Enzo didn't know where they came from. Heck, how would he know? And yet they were just in front of him, but too deadly for Enzo to manage to kill them.

"This is insane," Enzo muttered, his frustration mounting with each setback. "It's like the more we try to move forward, the stronger the monsters become."

Rose shared his exasperation but remained resolute. "We can't give up, Enzo. We have to find a way through this. There has to be a path that leads us out of here."

"I know, but it feels like we're trapped in a nightmare," Enzo said, his voice tinged with helplessness.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in Rose's mind. "Maybe we're approaching this the wrong way," She took a pause to have Enzo's full focus. "What if we try to force our way through, instead of finding a safe route?"

Enzo looked at her, dumbfounded by her suggestion. "Rose, is everything alright in your head? Do you seriously believe that we will be able to win against those abominations?"

Rose held her ground, her eyes determined. "Enzo, I know it sounds risky, but think about it. We've been retreating and avoiding confrontations with the monsters, but it's only leading us in circles. We haven't made any significant progress toward the campus entrance. What if we change our approach and take a more offensive stance?"

"But Rose, those creatures are incredibly powerful," Enzo argued. "They could easily overwhelm us, and if we're not careful, we could end up getting killed."

"I understand the risks, Enzo, but we can't keep running forever," Rose replied. "We have to face these challenges head-on if we want to get through this. I believe in your abilities, and I trust my avatars to fight alongside us."

Enzo sighed, conflicted. He knew Rose was right to some extent. Avoiding confrontations had only prolonged their journey. A few days had passed already, and he couldn't deny the growing sense of frustration and desperation inside him. He wanted to break free from this cycle of constant danger and find a way out.

Seeing that Enzo was on the verge of giving up, Rose said one more thing. "And Enzo, if we want to survive, we'll have to fight stronger enemies anyway. So we might as well do it now to not be overwhelmed in the future, right?"

"Okay, let's say we try a more offensive approach," Enzo said, fully convinced. He felt so dumb at the moment to have forgotten about this fact that he could bury his head under the ground. Nonetheless, he still wanted to be cautious. "But we have to be smart about it. We can't take on every monster we encounter, especially the stronger ones."

Rose nodded in agreement. "Agreed. We'll pick our battles carefully and focus on using strategy rather than brute force. And we'll use my avatars and your butterflies to gather information about the monsters before engaging them."

They didn't need to go far to find one of the monsters that made their journey a slow one. A tiger as big as a truck was walking down the street, before sniffing something in the air.

"Well guess we'll have to fight now." Enzo said sarcastically before rushing toward the tiger. He might as well slow the momentum it could gain by going ahead first.

"You could have waited for me your dumbass." Rose sighed and shook her head before sending ten of her clones.

Suddenly, the initial two versus one transformed into a twelve versus one, not counting Enzo's butterflies, of course.

Finally smelling them, the tiger roared before running toward its first snack: Enzo. With every step it took, the ground underneath shook as if there was an earthquake.

Enzo darted forward, his movements agile and calculated, while the tiger lunged at him with frightening speed. His butterflies fluttered around him, acting as a distraction and occasionally delivering swift strikes at the beast's vulnerable spots.

Meanwhile, Rose's avatars worked in perfect harmony, coordinating their attacks to confuse the tiger and prevent it from focusing on any one target. They moved with fluidity and precision, their combat skills showed clearly the countless hours they had fighting against other monsters.

Enzo's blades shined in the dim light of the sun as he struck at the tiger, aiming for its joints and vital points. Each strike was executed with precision and speed. However, the tiger's body was stronger than it looked.

Sure it didn't have any big muscles, but it only made it even more deadly because it was easy to underestimate it.

And right when Enzo jumped back after a quick strike, a giant paw came at him, threatening to crush him into a pool of goo.