God of Souls: Attaining the Strongest System in an Apocalyptic World-Chapter 38: Rescuing the students

Kael panicked, shaking Cole violently on the ground as his eyes widened in realization—Cole had been poisoned.

His mind raced, searching for a solution, but he had no idea what kind of poison it was. Desperation clawed at him as he turned to the system for help.

Silence.

No response.

Kael clenched his fists, his breath hitching. The only person who could help him now was Alistair. But he had no idea where she was.

Even so, he needed to get out of the tunnels. Fast.

He hoisted Cole onto his shoulder and, acting on instinct, summoned the snake.

A large green energy snake materialized before him, forming slowly in glowing successions. As the creature took its full form, its piercing eyes turned to him, awaiting a command.

Without hesitation, Kael climbed onto its massive body, placing Cole in front of him. The snake’s thick, scaled hide provided enough grip to keep them from sliding off.

"If anyone knows these tunnels best, it’s you. Please, take us outside!" Kael pleaded.

He wasn’t sure if the snake would understand or if it retained any memory of the tunnels. But he had no other option. He gambled.

For a moment, the snake remained still, almost as if it hadn’t understood him. But then, it moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

The way it twisted and slithered through the tunnels made Kael’s stomach churn. The turns were sharp, almost violent, threatening to throw them off. He tightened his grip on Cole with one arm and clung to the snake’s body with the other.

I just hope this beast is taking me closer, not farther from the exit.

Minutes passed. The relentless twisting and turning made Kael question if they were actually heading in the right direction. His doubts grew, but then—

A shiver.

Cole trembled ever so slightly. His skin was already pale.

Kael’s heart pounded.

"Please, go faster!" he urged.

The snake obeyed, accelerating beyond anything Kael could match on foot. Holding on became even harder. The guilt clawed at him—this was his fault. Cole had gone down because he had saved him.

Then, finally—

A light.

A white glow appeared at the end of the tunnel. The exit. It was approaching fast.

As they burst through the opening, Kael’s eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. A vast forest stretched as far as he could see.

"Stop!"

The snake obeyed immediately.

Kael knew the consequences of being seen on a summoned beast. If anyone found out, not only would he suffer, but Cole would be rejected—just as he would.

He needed to be careful.

Dismounting quickly, Kael watched as the snake dissolved into thin air, leaving nothing behind but a few wisps of green energy.

He adjusted Cole over his shoulder, his voice low but determined.

"Don’t worry, I’ll get you to Alistair as fast as I can..."

The forest loomed ahead, thick and unwelcoming. He knew the dangers lurking within.

The snake had been an intermediate beast. But out here?

Far worse creatures roamed.

And with Cole in this state, they were easy prey.

---

Meanwhile...

Sir Leonard Walker strode through the forest, his sword drawn, its blade slick with oozing fluids from various creatures he had cut down.

He was close.

Just a few moments before arrival, the students had gotten lost. That meant they couldn’t have gone far.

His plan was simple—search a few kilometers into the forest, look for footprints, find them.

Aside from a few beasts, he had found little else. Just remnants of old battles—dilapidated buildings, their structures swallowed by trees and time. He barely gave them a second glance.

To some extent, we have all forgotten what humanity once was before the Wave...

Leonard sighed, sheathing his sword. He took a moment to scan the ruins, searching for any sign of the students.

Nothing.

No tracks. No bodies.

Disappointed, he turned back toward the forest—

And then—

A sound.

Whimpering.

Running footsteps.

Exhausted, desperate screams.

Leonard’s instincts flared. He charged toward the source, moving through the underbrush with precision. Every movement was calculated—stealthy, cautious.

Then, he broke through the trees—

And stopped.

The clearing before him was a wreck. Trees had been torn down, fresh splinters littering the ground. The devastation was new.

A guttural roar rumbled through the air.

Leonard turned his head and locked eyes with a monster.

A massive soul beast stood on two legs—a grotesque fusion of tiger and human. Spikes jutted from its muscular frame, its bulging form monstrous beyond recognition.

And in its claws—

A student.

The boy struggled weakly, his school uniform half-ripped, his body dangling helplessly. The beast’s maw widened, preparing to feast.

Leonard moved.

In a single, fluid motion, he placed one foot forward, his grip tightening around his sword’s hilt.

A sharp exhale.

Then, like a bullet—

He launched.

His blade sliced clean through the beast’s thick hide, entering through the hind neck and exiting through its throat.

A second passed.

Then—

The head tumbled.

The body collapsed.

And so did the boy.

Leonard exhaled, wiping the blade before sheathing it.

That was too easy.

The beast must have been on the verge of evolving into an intermediate soul beast. It never stood a chance.

His gaze shifted to the fidgeting student on the ground.

"Hey. Are you part of the group that got separated?"

The student took his time, breathing heavily. He sat upright and bowed his head.

"Thank... you, sir..." he stammered.

Leonard narrowed his eyes.

"Answer my question."

The boy hesitated, then spoke, voice shaking.

"They’re all dead. I’m the only survivor. They were killed in the cave... by a snake soul beast."

He turned slightly, revealing a puncture wound in his gut, blood leaking sluggishly.

"A cave?"

Leonard’s thoughts raced. If students had died, he needed to recover their bodies.

But something wasn’t right.

The boy’s aura—

Leonard saw it clearly. A red hue pulsed in his brain, a clear sign of deception.

He’s lying.

And that meant—

This was a setup.

An ambush.

But why?

Leonard’s grip on his sword tightened. His eyes darkened, his mind sharpening.

Who are you really working for?

This just got interesting in the wrong kind of way.

Visit freewe𝑏nove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺 for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience