God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 603: Sharing a Tent: Take Off Your Coat

Gabriel and Sophie sprinted at high speed across the wasteland.

Both moved swiftly, kicking up billowing clouds of dust in their wake. The fierce wind howled past their ears as withered grass and scattered stones on either side of the wilderness blurred and receded behind them. They did not pause, pressing onward with determination, heading steadily west.

As he ran, Gabriel sorted through the intelligence about the World Tree in his mind.

Because he had played through the late game content of Realm of Ascendency, he knew things that most players currently didn’t.

The World Tree did not stand in any kingdom’s garden. It was rooted deep in the heart of an immense forest, a forest so ancient that human maps simply ended at its borders, marking all that lay beyond as blank wilderness. That forest was far from empty. The number of monsters roaming within it surpassed that of any ordinary hunting ground. Beast tribes occupied this monstrous forest, and their strength was several times greater than that of normal monsters.

Although he hadn’t been there personally, he knew enough to understand that the journey ahead would be anything but peaceful. And he was already prepared for it.

In leaving the camp this time, he actually had two objectives.

One was to help Sophie find the World Tree and uncover the origin of the fragment within her. The other was to use this journey to continuously hunt monsters and accumulate EP. He was still far from the fifty thousand EP he needed. Only once he had saved enough could he deal with the Death God’s Beating Heart.

After the two had been running for half a day, a group of wandering Rock Demons appeared ahead.

These creatures were massive, their bodies covered in thick, stony carapaces. The moment they spotted the two figures, they let out deep, rumbling roars and charged.

Gabriel did not slow his pace. With a casual wave of his hand, seven black iron spikes tore through the air behind him, shooting forward at the speed of a railgun. The spikes pierced straight through the foremost Rock Demons, and before the monsters behind could even get close, they were cut down one by one by the onslaught that followed. The entire process took less than ten seconds.

Sophie watched from the side, her mouth slightly agape.

Before long, they encountered a second wave of monsters. This time it was a pack of horned wasteland beasts, more numerous and faster. But Gabriel merely drew his sword again, sweeping through them with several consecutive slashes, and the entire pack was annihilated. Flesh and corpses scattered across the ground, and a faint metallic scent of blood drifted through the air.

Sophie couldn’t help but speak. "You’ve really gotten so much stronger."

She gazed at Gabriel’s back, a trace of wonder in her voice.

"Before, you were already formidable, but now... those monsters in front of you... it’s like they’re made of paper."

Gabriel simply replied flatly, "Just practiced a bit more."

Sophie said nothing further, only continued following behind him.

Deep down, she knew very well that the change in Gabriel went far beyond simply becoming stronger.

From the moment she had met him, she had watched him grow step by step. At first, though he was already a fierce warrior, he still got injured, still got out of breath, and still needed rest. Now, he didn’t even need to get serious. Those monsters that once required several people working together to bring down were utterly insignificant before him.

Sophie recalled the days when they had gone on dungeon runs in Stellar City when they first met. Later, they had gone through so much together, facing danger side by side and protecting the camp together. From him, she had learned quite a lot about leadership and staying calm in the midst of pressure.

Looking at his broad back, the feeling in her heart grew heavier and heavier.

She understood that her feelings for him were no longer just simple dependence or trust. She liked him. Liked him so much that sometimes she couldn’t help stealing an extra glance, so much that even she thought it was becoming a little obvious. And she knew that Gabriel had probably noticed long ago. He simply hadn’t said anything about it.

But she didn’t mind.

She just wanted to follow him, always. She wanted to face every obstacle with him. The camp was important, but in her heart, Gabriel mattered more than anything.

Sophie tightened her grip on her weapon and quickened her pace to catch up to him.

She didn’t want to let him walk too far ahead alone.

The sky gradually darkened.

Gabriel looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were rolling in from the east, thick and low, carrying the oppressive weight of an approaching storm. The humidity in the air was rising rapidly, and the wind already carried the mingled scent of earth and rain.

"It’s going to rain." He stopped walking and surveyed the surroundings. "We’ll camp here tonight."

Sophie nodded and immediately sprang into action. She pulled a sturdy leather tent from her storage and set about unfolding the frame with practiced efficiency.

Gabriel, meanwhile, laid down a few simple beddings. The two worked in seamless coordination, and in less than a quarter of an hour, a tent large enough to accommodate two people stood securely in the wilderness.

Almost at the exact moment the tent was finished, the first drop of rain fell.

The drop struck the tent roof with a muffled, heavy thud. Then a second drop, a third, and then the sky seemed to tear open, and a torrential downpour came crashing down.

The rain pounded against the ground, kicking up countless splatters of mud. It hammered against the tent, producing a dense, drumbeat rhythm. The distant wasteland blurred and faded behind the curtain of rain, as if the entire world had been swallowed by the storm.

Gabriel and Sophie hurried inside the tent. The interior was not particularly spacious, but it was enough for two people to lie down side by side. A moisture proof animal hide mat covered the ground, reasonably comfortable. A small illumination crystal hung from the top of the tent, emitting a soft, warm yellow glow that carved out a small space of reassurance within the darkness of the rainy night.

Gabriel removed his rain dampened outer coat and hung it on a hook in the corner of the tent. He casually brushed back his wet black hair, droplets of water sliding down his jawline. The faint light of the crystal outlined the sharp angles of his profile. Sophie inadvertently glanced over, then quickly averted her gaze, her heart inexplicably racing a few beats faster.

"Your clothes are wet," Gabriel said without turning his head. "Take off your coat. Don’t catch a cold."

"Take... take off my clothes?" Sophie’s eyes widened, and her ears burned when she heard those words.