The members of the Crystal Cross gang were looking everywhere for Erik as he continued to move through the crowd. At some point, he arrived at a place called 'Skyview,' which was located near a park. It was a vast plaza circled by skyscrapers that were placed to leave the sky unobstructed, hence the name.
Several small restaurants, fast food places, bars, and stores offered various things such as clothes, accessories, and even weapons. Some of these establishments were very popular with students because of their location close to school; in fact, Erik could see how many young people were there eating something and talking with their friends.
Erik walked cautiously through the crowded street, his eyes scanning the faces of the passersby, searching for any sign of danger. Many Crystal Cross gang members were around, and he had to pay attention.
He kept his head down and weaved in and out of the crowd, trying to keep a low profile. He avoided eye contact with anyone and kept his hands in his pockets. He could feel his heart racing with each passing second, as he was nervous about being caught by the gang members.
Erik saw a group of Crystal Cross members patrolling the area, looking for him. He dove into a nearby alleyway, leaned against the wall, trying to calm down, and waited for the patrol to get far away from him.
He knew he couldn't stay there for long, so he quickly took his chance to get back into the crowd again, where the patrol had already passed and where they wouldn't search for him.
"Where the hell did he go?" one of the gang members said.
"I don't know; I lost track of him." another answered. "We should split up!"
The two separated and searched for him. They were both wearing hoodies but weren't quite as skilled as Erik when it came to hiding themselves, and Erik kept observing them from afar. It would take them time to find him if they did it at all.
The young man quickly reached the park; there, hidden by the vegetation, it was unlikely the Crystal Cross gang would find him.
As soon as he entered the park, he started running toward the center, heading straight into the dense park forest. He knew that the place had a vast area full of trees, and he was counting on them to provide him with enough cover to make a getaway.
He went through trees and bushes and hid from the gang members, who were searching for him inside the park too. Few people were there, mostly couples holding hands while strolling along the grassy paths.
Erik felt relatively safe now. The only ones who could harm him were the Crystal Cross gang members, but they hadn't spotted him yet. He kept moving deeper, making sure not to leave any tracks that could lead the gang members to him.
As he kept moving further into the forest, he noticed that the trees were getting thicker and the foliage was becoming denser. He had to slow down and be more careful, as he didn't want to trip or make any noise that could give away his position.
He tried to remember the map of the park he had seen online and hoped that he was going in the right direction. He knew that if he could make it to the other side of the forest, he could reach a busy street, blend in with the crowd, and disappear again. After that, reaching the school was just a matter of time.
However, the awakener felt a shiver run down his spine as he heard footsteps approaching. He turned around and saw two Crystal Cross gang members walking toward him. He quickly ducked behind a large tree, hid within a bush big enough to cover him completely, and tried to make himself as small as possible. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel the sweat on his forehead.
He tried to calm down and control his breathing, but it was difficult. Judging by the amount of mana these two released, they were powerful. Erik tried to suppress his mana output, hoping that wouldn't give him away, but he was having problems with that. He could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer, and he knew that he had to move quickly if he wanted to avoid being seen.
<System, can you hide the mana I naturally release?> Erik asked.
[ANSWER: THE SYSTEM CAN; DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT?]
<YES!>
[UNDERSTOOD. GATHERING THE SURROUNDING MANA TO COVER THE USER]
The System finished before the gang members could notice him. The mana quickly shrouded him in such a way that it felt like he didn't even exist, and since he was well hidden, it was unlikely they would see him, but the risk was still there.
As they passed by, Erik held his breath, hoping they wouldn't notice him. He could hear their voices as they talked to each other, and he knew that they were close. He peeked out from behind the tree and saw them walking away; their backs turned to him.
Erik let out a sigh of relief, but he knew that he couldn't let his guard down. He stayed hidden behind the tree for a few more moments, waiting until he was sure that the gang members had moved on and couldn't hear him.
Finally, he stepped out from behind the bush and started running through the park. He could feel his heart racing as he ran, his eyes darting around, searching for any signs of danger.
He could hear the sound of footsteps around him, but luckily they were just ordinary people having a walk inside the park.
As he walked away, Erik couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with fear. He was aware that the Crystal Cross gang members had narrowly missed catching him, and he questioned how much longer he could continue before they caught up with him.
With these thoughts in mind, Erik emerged on the other side after a few minutes of navigating through the dense forest. He looked around, trying to get his bearings, and realized that he was now a few blocks away from school, but there were still many Crystal Cross gang members around.
Erik started to feel worried. He had hoped there weren't so many members from this side, but the truth was that these motherfuckers were doing all they could to get him.
Erik quickened his pace, determined to put as much distance between himself and the park as possible. He kept moving, so he walked through the busy street, trying not to gather attention and putting as much distance between himself and the Crystal Cross gang members as possible.
He kept his head down and walked furtively but without rest, avoiding eye contact with anyone and trying to blend in with the crowd of people, which was growing sparser as he got closer to the school, but so did the Crystal Cross gang members.
After a short while and a couple more streets, Erik finally managed to reach his destination, Thornton High School's building, relieved that he had lost the Crystal Cross gang members that had been hot on his trail. The giant metal structure looked imposing, but the unique shape of the walls gave it a particular attractiveness.
The gate was tall and imposing, as always, and many students were still around the place. Some students were seen training on the school's outdoor training grounds, honing their skills with their brain crystal powers.
Some were talking to their friends, laughing and joking around, while others were spending time with their love partners, enjoying each other's company, and enjoying the many activities and opportunities that the school had to offer. The atmosphere was lively and energetic, and it was clear that the students were passionate about their studies and their abilities.
"I finally got here..." The young man said to himself. He took a deep breath as he started to feel anxious as he observed the scene around him. He quickly realized only bad memories were tied to this place, and even after some time passed, the wounds on his soul were still fresh.
<System, deactivate all cameras!> He whispered to himself, determined to erase any evidence of his presence.
He then sped toward the gate and went past it, as he knew the system did as instructed, quickly glancing to his left and seeing a corner of the training grounds with a group of students practicing hand-to-hand combat, sparring against each other in pairs.
They moved quickly, their bodies rough and unclassy as they exchanged blows. He then quickly entered the building. The sight of the students brought back memories of his own training, but he quickly pushed them aside and focused on his mission. He knew he had to find the file before anyone saw him.
As he walked across the usual corridors, he marveled again at the natural light that flooded them through the massive skylight on top of the building. It was a particularly impressive feature. He had always admired the architecture of the building, and the skylight was just one of its many impressive features.
The air inside was fresh and crisp, and he could feel the slight temperature difference between the outdoors and indoors, as it was fresher compared to the summer temperatures.
The long corridors seemed to go on forever, and he couldn't help but feel a little lost, despite having walked through them for several years. He then went toward the Principal's office while avoiding the students that were still inside the building.
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