Chapter 344

**Chapter I**

I hate sitting here like a waiting duck. It’s just me and Tabby while everyone else went to search for more flags. Tabby was staring out at the ocean, watching the waves crash against the shore.

We needed three canoes to leave the island. That was just enough for our team to get back to base.

We had been sitting there for a few hours. The sun was shining down on us, making our work feel even harder.

The heat was intense and the day was tough. I could feel the sun burning my skin, and I knew I would end up with a sunburn before I left this place. I really disliked having such fair skin.

With a sigh, I lay back on the sand and looked up at the sky.

The sky was a bright blue, dotted with a few clouds, but they didn’t provide any shade.

“When do you think we’ll get to go back?” Tabby asked, turning away from the ocean to look at me.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the rustling of a bush caught my attention. I quickly sat up, narrowing my eyes as I stared into the forest. Tabby was also alert, standing beside me with her eyes focused intently on the same spot.

Her breath became shallow, almost stopping altogether.

Someone was nearby, but they didn’t smell like a teammate.

Neither of us said a word. We just stared and listened for any signs of movement. Then, it happened again. This time, I was ready.

I stood on my feet, my heart racing with both worry and excitement. Maybe this job wasn’t as boring as I thought; perhaps Sherry was right, and the other teams would actually try to take our flags.

Before long, several different competitors began to appear around us.

In the forest, a group of creatures watched us with narrowed eyes and determined expressions. One of them, the largest of the group, scanned the area for a moment. Then, a smirk appeared on his face when he finally noticed us.

“They…”

“Did they really leave the two smallest girls on their team to watch over their flags?” He laughed, and the others joined in with chuckles. One of the guys I had fought with before turned completely pale at the sight of me. I couldn’t help but smirk at his reaction.

He had a sly smirk on his face.

He opened his mouth to speak to the others, but then he closed it tight. Quietly, he slipped away without any of his teammates noticing. It was a smart move; he knew exactly what he was doing.

I knew what I was capable of, but the others didn’t see it that way. They only noticed me in passing, too caught up in their own struggles to pay attention to what I could do. I never had the opportunity to fight against them, which was okay because they were preoccupied with their own battles.

Today, we are about to learn something new.

“It’ll be easy to get their flags, just like it was easy to get the other team’s flags,” he laughed. The others chuckled darkly as they began to close in around us.

What were they thinking? At least the other team had a fair chance. They had a couple of strong players and some who were keeping a close watch. I don’t see anyone else from their team for miles.

Another player shook his head in disbelief.

A man laughed and shook his head.

“Surrender now and give us your flags. You don’t have to get hurt,” a woman said, crossing her arms over her chest. She was tall and slender, but her presence was commanding.

Her muscles were strong and defined. She wore her hair short, and her face was decorated with warrior markings that made her look almost exotic. I hadn’t met her yet, but I could tell she was a skilled fighter.

I just stared at her, silently challenging myself to approach her.

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my eyebrows, ready for her to confront me. I glanced at Tabby, who looked just as amused as I felt. She was trying hard to hide her laughter, but it was clear she was enjoying the moment too.

“Or we’ll have to deal with it ourselves,” I said, trying to keep a straight face.

She looked at us calmly, noticing that neither of us was moving.

“If they want a fight, we can give them one,” the first guy said with a smirk as he got ready in his stance.

“It won’t take long to take them down,” she said confidently. “Then we can grab their flags and get off this island.”

“As soon as the rest of our team gets back with our flags, we can leave,” the girl added, rolling her eyes.

“Which they should, soon enough,” one of them said.

The others nodded in agreement.

“Hey, where did Marco go?” one of the guys asked with a frown. He noticed that the guy who had recognized me was now gone.

They looked around, searching for any sign of Marco.

I was just as confused as everyone else, but I didn’t feel motivated enough to go look for him. He had left his teammates to fend for themselves. Even though we were supposed to work as a team, we also had to think about our own interests, so I couldn’t really blame him for what he did.

“Maybe he went to find the others,” someone suggested, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Perimeter,” the girl said with a shrug. “We don’t need him for this anyway, so it’s fine.”

Everyone laughed.

“Yeah, this will be quick,” the first guy added, stepping closer to me. He looked confident, his eyes shining with excitement.

His eyes flashed dangerously as he glared at me. “You should have surrendered when you had the chance.”

The others stood by, watching as he lunged at me, trying to grab me. But I was faster. Before he could reach me, I was already behind him.

He frowned, not even noticing me move. When he turned around to look at me, it was already too late. I had him on the ground in just a second. It was easy because he wasn’t expecting it, so he didn’t put up much of a fight.

It started as a fight. But then, when he finally realized that I was really fighting him and that I had the upper hand, something changed. His mind switched to survival mode. Suddenly, he began to fight back fiercely.

I’m sorry, but it looks like there is no text or story for me to rewrite. Please provide the text you’d like me to simplify and clarify, and I’ll be happy to help!