Chapter 96

Feeling as if someone had grabbed her foot, Hana stumbled and fell on the spot.

Looking down, she saw that her ankle was entangled with several layers of vines.

This made it impossible for her to stand up.

"Vines? Why are they on my foot...! No, I need to untangle them quickly and catch up with everyone!"

However, while she was struggling to free herself from the vines, the others continued to move forward.

If this continued, she would be left behind.

Thinking this, Hana tried to call out to them to wait.

"Everyone! Please wait a---!"

But to her dismay, the vines now covered her mouth, as if to prevent her from calling for help.

(No! I can't be doing this now! The distance between me and everyone else is getting bigger! I need to untangle these quickly---)

As she desperately tried to free herself, the vines suddenly slipped off as if they had lost their strength.

"Cough, cough, cough. Why did they suddenly come off? No, I need to catch up with everyone---!"

The tragedy didn't end there.

As Hana stood up and was about to run, a massive wall suddenly appeared in front of her.

No, it wasn't a wall; it was a Tarent!

"Step back!"

"!"

--Upon hearing those words, Hana instinctively leaped backward.

The Tarent's heavy blow then landed where she had been standing just moments ago.

"…Pant, pant"

Just thinking about what would have happened if she had been a split second slower made her body tremble uncontrollably.

Next to her, Yanagi appeared.

"I'm sorry. The Tarent suddenly changed its target from me, and I was too slow to react."

"…Y-Yes."

"It's very regrettable, but the path to the others has been blocked. Given the situation, it will be difficult to catch up with them…"

"Such…!"

Yanagi furrowed his brow and said this with a regretful expression.

Hearing his words, Hana's heart raced.

If what Yanagi said was true, she wouldn't be able to leave this place. She would have to witness the battle between Yanagi and the Tarent while being exposed to the danger of her life.

Hana felt despair.

But Yanagi, with a determined look on his face, opened his mouth.

"Amamiya-san, I have a request for you."

"…Eh?"

Then, he said something unbelievable.

"To get out of this predicament, could you lend me the power of your unique skill---Skill Imitation?"