"They were actually still following me!" Angel cursed inwardly. That snake was far too persistent.
Could it be that Toby had raided its nest?
Angel lowered his head and glanced at Toby, whom he had placed in the pocket of his physical body's clothes. Ever since he had rescued Toby from the mountain wall, Toby seemed to have realized that he was safe. He had thus fallen asleep without a care, sinking completely into sweet, dreamless slumber.
While fleeing earlier, Angel had also checked Toby's condition. There were no external injuries. The reason he remained unconscious was perhaps exhaustion.
Retracting his gaze, Angel saw that the giant snake was about to burrow out of the cavern, forcing him to run again.
The terrain of the cavern and underground riverways was complicated, making it difficult for Angel to go all out. But now that he had reached the surface, with Watchtower Fortress not far away, he refused to believe he could not escape.
With that thought, gray vapor curled around Angel's body as he charged without hesitation into the blizzard.
At the same time, the giant snake's enormous body emerged from underground.
The moment it left the cavern, it was shrouded by a cloud of white mist and floated into the air. Its cold, sinister eyes turned toward the direction in which Angel had vanished, and it shot away like a streak of white silk.
Angel found time to glance back. He had to admit, the giant snake looked quite imposing as it leaped and soared amid the rolling clouds. Half-concealed by the mist, its already terrifying body appeared even more colossal.
It was one thing for the giant snake to pursue him.
But when Angel looked back, he discovered that the giant troll drifting through the underground riverways, as well