The metal claw flew, drawing a sharp line across the rain. Axel kept his eyes peeled, watching as the claw reached over the tree branch and started to fall.

"Now...!"

And with perfect timing, he started pulling on the line.

Since they were getting dragged by the current, the rope was pulled at great speed. It started to swing down, past the branch, but with the rope getting pulled short, the spinning motion sped up. The faster they got pulled, the faster the claw wrapped around the branch!

"Ugh!"

Finally, the claw locked onto the branch, wrapping nice and tight.

The friction of multiple wraps allowed it to remain firm without sliding, and able to help pull Axel and Eve against the currents.

Though since it was a sudden motion, Axel could feel that his right shoulder had been dislocated by the impact. It was like falling off a three-story building with a stiff bungee cord on one arm, after all.

Axel grit his teeth through the pain as he wrapped his arm around the rope.

"Hold... tight...!"

Using his other hand, he carefully wrapped the other end of the rope around himself and Eve. This way, they no longer were getting dragged by the current, but instead were stuck in place!

Although their situation improved a little compared to before, it was still dangerous nonetheless. And they had no idea how long the branch could support their weight.

But Axel didn't stop thinking.

Despite all his panic and the adrenaline in his system, he was still thinking straight.

'We can't stay here for long. Before the rope gives out, my arm will get ripped off first instead...!'

Of course, by then, he already had a few solutions he could try.

The simplest way was to swim across, using the rope as a guide. Although simple, it was hard to implement. The strong currents were near-impossible to go against. It was basically keeping them right in the middle of the river, no questions asked.

The second option was to temporarily create a blockade against the river, giving them enough time to move across to safety.

This one was easier to implement, but came with a risk. If the thing he brought out ended up getting pushed by the river before it could "settle" at the bottom, then Axel and Eve could get crushed by its weight instead.

With those in consideration, Axel had no choice but to go with the third and final option.

Through the shop, Axel bought two wall pieces—the same ones protecting their camp right now—and set them on either end of the river, a little ahead of them.

It was barely in range of his inventory's function, but thankfully, he succeeded.

With them being placed horizontally—flat face against the currents—with half on land and half in water, Axel created a situation where the river water got "funneled" into the middle.

Thinking normally, this was dangerous, as the pressure in the middle would get stronger...

"Hold your breath!"

But Axel was technically "tied" to the tree to their right.

He turned his back against the currents just in time as a powerful blast hit him. The force was enough that the branch, even the rope, started to creak in anguish, but...

"GAH!"

The current itself pushed Axel around like a pendulum, carrying him into the "calmer" side protected by the wall. Of course, Axel ended up slamming against the riverside, but he made sure Eve wasn't hurt as much, cushioning the crash.

"...Let's move."

And even with pain assaulting his entire body, he still waded across the edge of the muddy river, reaching the bank in a few steps. He climbed over the rocky ledge before finally stopping a few meters away from the water and... falling face-first onto the ground.

"S-Sir Axel...!"

Eve, kneeling beside him, looked sapped and cold, like a poor puppy left in the middle of a stormy night. But her eyes still burned with will and worry for Axel. Seeing her fine, energetic, and mostly unharmed, he could only smile before closing his eyes.

Still, he couldn't feel anything but pain.

After spending all his energy... as soon as relief came in, Axel finally blacked out.

"Sir Axel!"

Eve gasped, seeing Axel fall limp.

With trembling hands, she quickly grabbed his arm to check for a pulse.

"...Great! He's still alive!" she cheered, but soon enough, her expression darkened. "But at this rate, he might die from the cold..."

Axel had no external injuries.

Apart from his dislocated shoulder and the blunt trauma to his back, he was fine. Thus, he was in no danger of bleeding out or dying from internal damage, at least.

Eve began to think fast.

At the rate the weather was going, it wouldn't stop anytime soon.

"We need somewhere to take cover from the rain..." she whispered.

As she desperately looked around, she noticed a faint silhouette from afar. "That is...?" She squinted her blurry eyes, trying to figure out if it was really what she thought it was.

"A cave...!" And sure enough, she was right.

About a hundred meters away, on the side of a small ledge, a cave could be seen. She couldn't tell how big it was, but she was sure they could take cover from the rain in there.

However, there was still one problem left.

"But Sir Axel is unconscious..."

He couldn't move, as he had fainted. In short, Eve had no choice but to carry him to the cave. Her expression was filled with anxiety for a brief moment before turning into resolve.

"No," she said firmly. "Sir Axel saved me. Now it's my turn to save him!"

With her dainty body, she tried to carry Axel, who was about 50% bigger than she was. She pulled his arm over her shoulders, pulling him up the best she could.

It was heavy enough for her that it hurt.

Still, she gritted her teeth and whispered words of comfort. "Don't worry, Sir Axel. I won't let you die...!"

With great struggle, and even after slipping on the ground a few times, she succeeded in carrying him into the cave.

"Please wait here for a moment."

She whispered as she leaned Axel's body against the wall beside the entrance.

"I'll go and check if the cave is safe first," she added.

Caves seldom stay empty.

Animals usually either discover and use them first, or monsters could've stayed in them for cover. Thus, Eve carefully picked up a stick beside her, holding it like a sword as she inspected the cave.

Just a few steps in, after accidentally kicking a loose pebble...

"No...!"

All of a sudden, a black figure sped toward her face.

Eve raised a shrill scream.

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