"Ahhhhhhhh!" Mike screamed as he flew rapidly through the forest. He had no idea why, but the red-and-blue fox was carrying him as it flew dangerously close to the ground. This only amplified Mike's panic, as countless times he thought they would crash into branches, rocks, trees, or even other animals. The fox’s flying speed was simply insane for the boy to handle.

  After some time, Mike realized screaming was pointless since the fox wouldn’t let go of him no matter what. Resigned, he "enjoyed" the ride, all while praying they wouldn’t collide with something and meet an untimely death. Despite the high speed, the journey seemed endless to Mike. All he could see were blurred landscapes as they darted through the dark forest like it was nothing. Eventually, Mike began to notice changes in the scenery around him. They had exited the dark forest and were now flying over an expansive, empty plain.

  As they traveled at breakneck speed, Mike began to wonder if the fox had any intention of letting him go, and if it did, whether it would release him to live freely or something far worse. Unfortunately for Mike, he would soon discover where the fox was taking him.

  The speed of their flight began to slow, and Mike could make out his surroundings more clearly. However, since it was already nighttime, visibility was limited. Soon, Mike felt his body come to a complete stop mid-air. The fox released its grip on his shirt, and Mike looked down to see he was still several meters above the ground. Knowing what was about to happen, Mike shut his eyes and braced for gravity to do its job.

  POFT!

  "Fuck!" Mike cursed as he got up, feeling a bit sore. This was the second time he had fallen face-first into the ground that day, though he was far from getting used to it.

  "Yip!" Mike heard the bark of the red-and-blue fox but paid it little attention. After all, he couldn’t understand what it was saying anyway. Besides, something else had caught Mike’s attention: a large flame burning a few meters away. Without hesitation, he began walking toward the fire to see what was burning. As Mike approached, the fire illuminated his surroundings enough for him to see a bit more clearly. However, too focused on identifying what was burning, Mike failed to pay attention to the ground beneath his feet. As he walked, his foot struck something hard, and he heard a strange sound as the object rolled across the ground.

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  Curious about what he had kicked, Mike moved toward the object, only to be greeted with a sight far beyond anything he could have imagined.

  "AH!" Mike screamed, stumbling backward in shock. The object he had kicked was a human head, its long purple hair splayed across the ground. Mike instantly recognized the face: it belonged to the "professor" who had been with him and Rock in the magical car. The sight of her lifeless head made Mike tremble with fear. Panicked, Mike kept stumbling backward.

  This was the first time he had ever seen a decapitated human head, and it was no surprise he was terrified. Unfortunately, the surprises weren’t over yet.

  POFT!

  As Mike stumbled back, he tripped over something and landed on his rear. Turning to see what had caused him to fall, he found himself face-to-face with a bloody, headless corpse. Unable to take it any longer, Mike turned his head to the side and vomited "Urghh!".

  "Yip! Yip!" The fox’s barking reached Mike’s ears, but he was too shaken to pay it any mind. Seeing a dead body, especially in such a gruesome state, for the first time had left him completely rattled. On top of that, realizing the professor, who was supposed to be administering his exam, was now dead only added to his growing panic.

  Mike began to wonder if this was all part of the royal academy’s test or if he was truly in a life-or-death situation. Regardless of the excuses or explanations his mind tried to conjure, one thing was clear: Mike knew he was in danger.

  "Yip! Yip! Yip!" The fox barked again, this time louder than before. Mike could sense a trace of impatience in its cries, so he forced himself to regain composure. He quickly stood up and looked at the red-and-blue fox. It was jumping and barking in his direction, as though trying to warn him about something. Unfortunately, Mike couldn’t decipher its barks.