Lord of the Time: I Can Reincarnate Infinitely

As the trio navigated through the forest, Caleb's sharp eyes scanned their surroundings, his senses on high alert. He motioned for Ed and Mei to halt, his expression grave as he whispered urgently.

"Retreat," Caleb breathed, his voice barely audible above the rustling of the leaves. "Every tree around us is a Sleeping Atacia Sproot. We can't afford to make noise and wake them up."

Ed and Mei exchanged concerned glances, their eyes widening in realization at Caleb's words. The gravity of their situation began to sink in as they carefully stepped back, doing their best to avoid disturbing the slumbering creatures.

"Why did you notice that they are Atacia Sproot?" Ed whispered, his voice tinged with curiosity as they moved cautiously through the forest.

Caleb shook his head, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I have a sensitive perception," he explained quietly. "Their distinctive appearance and behavior are hard to miss once you know what to look for."

Mei nodded in understanding, her expression tense as they continued their retreat. "How far do we need to go to get out of their range?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Caleb glanced around, his eyes scanning the dense foliage for any sign of movement. "We need to put at least 300 meters between us and the nearest tree monster," he replied, his tone serious. "Once we're clear of their territory, we can reassess our situation."

Suddenly, a twig snapped beneath Ed's foot, the sound echoing loudly in the stillness of the forest. The trio froze, their hearts pounding as they waited for a response from the sleeping Atacia Sprouts.

In an instant, the forest erupted into chaos as the trees around them began to stir, their gnarled roots uncoiling from the ground as they awakened from their slumber. Ed cursed under his breath, his eyes widening in alarm as they realized they were about to be surrounded.

"We need to move, now!" Caleb urged, his voice urgent as he grabbed Ed and Mei's hands, pulling them into a sprint as they dashed through the forest. The sound of snapping branches and rustling leaves filled the air as the trio raced to safety, their hearts pounding in their chests.

As they finally broke free from the grasp of the tree monsters, Caleb skidded to a halt, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Ed and Mei stumbled to a stop beside him, their faces pale with exertion and fear. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

"Well, that was too close for comfort," Ed muttered, his voice trembling slightly as he glanced back at the forest behind them.

Mei nodded in agreement, her eyes wide with shock. "We need to be more careful from now on," she said quietly, her voice filled with determination. "We can't afford to let our guard down in this forest."

As they pressed on through the forest, Caleb's keen senses picked up the ominous rumbling of the pursuing Atacia Sprouts. He glanced back over his shoulder, his expression grim as he noted the sheer number of creatures trailing behind them.

"The Atacia Sprouts are still following us," Caleb muttered, his voice tense with urgency. "The rumbling is too strong... there must be thousands of them."

Ed's eyes widened in alarm at Caleb's words, his mind racing as he tried to formulate a plan. "What do we do?" he asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Mic's shoulders slumped in despair, her heart heavy with the weight of their predicament. "Are we about to get eliminated from the trial?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Caleb's jaw clenched with determination as he surveyed their surroundings, his mind racing as he weighed their options. "Voli," he called out to his faithful companion, "summon your Thunderstorm Domain."

Voli hesitated, his eyes filled with concern as he glanced at Caleb. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "It will cause a lot of damage to the environment."

Caleb's expression hardened as he met Voli's gaze. "I'm not an environmentalist," he replied, his voice firm with resolve. "I don't care about the damage. Right now, our priority is to eliminate those annoying flies."

With a resolute nod, Voli raised his paw to the sky, summoning the power of his Thunderstorm Domain. Dark clouds gathered overhead, crackling with lightning as the air filled with electricity. Thunder rumbled ominously, echoing through the forest as the Atacia Sproots hesitated, sensing the impending storm.

With a fierce roar, Voli unleashed the full force of his power, unleashing a torrential downpour of rain and lightning upon the forest. Trees shook and quivered under the onslaught, their branches thrashing wildly as the Atacia Sproots recoiled from the onslaught.

As the storm raged on, Ed, and Mic watched in awe as the Atacia Sproots retreated, their numbers dwindling as they fled from the fury of Voli's Thunderstorm Domain. Relief washed over them as the danger passed, their hearts pounding with adrenaline as they realized they had narrowly escaped elimination from the trial.

"Nice work, Voli," Caleb said, his voice filled with gratitude as he patted his companion's fur. "You saved us back there."

Voli huffed proudly, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as he regarded his master. "Anything for you, Master," he replied, his voice filled with loyalty.

With the immediate threat neutralized, Caleb, Ed, and Mic continued on their journey through the forest, their spirits buoyed by their narrow escape.

'I don't have to reveal much of my secrets with Voli here.' Caleb smiled.

Ed approached Voli, his eyes wide with wonder. "Voli, you're incredibly strong," he said, admiration coloring his voice. "How did you become so powerful?"

Voli regarded Ed with a wise gaze, a hint of pride in his eyes. "It's thanks to my master," he replied, his voice tinged with reverence. "He's trained me tirelessly, pushing me to reach new heights."

Caleb: "..."

Nah, I just fused random ice monsters and you are the result! A newborn with unreasonable power!

Caleb clicked his tongue. Voli was too pretentious. Caleb hasn't trained Voli even once...

Ed nodded in understanding, a newfound respect for Caleb blossoming within him. "Your Thunderstorm Domain is truly impressive," he remarked, awe evident in his tone. "You saved us back there."

Voli's chest swelled with pride at the praise, a pleased rumble escaping his throat. "Thank you, Ed," he replied, his voice warm with gratitude. "I'll always do my best to protect my master and his friends."