CHAPTER 27: FLOOR 21

Zaa...

The sound of running water. A cool breeze brushed against his cheeks, making him shiver. His face pressed against something hard and cold, and an icy chill gnawed at his lower body.

A groan escaped his lips as he stirred awake.

"Urgh..."

Every nerve in his body screamed when he tried to sit upright. His joints felt like rusted metal grinding against itself.

"Ow... damn it. Where the fuck... am I?"

Clutching his pounding head with one hand, Oliver squinted at his surroundings.

Dim light filled the cavern, emitted by glowing blue stones embedded in the jagged walls. The chamber was enormous, its rocky ground tinted red like rusted iron. A faint mist lingered in the air, and in the middle of the space... a pool of water shimmered faintly.

His throat tightened instantly.

Without thinking, Oliver staggered forward and dropped to his knees at the pool’s edge. He scooped water with trembling hands and gulped it down greedily.

The metallic tang of blood mixed with the water, burning his throat.

"Blegh—!" He coughed, spitting crimson into the pool. His cracked lips twisted in a bitter laugh. "Oh yeah... forgot I got beaten half to death back there."

Shaking his head, he rinsed his mouth and drank again, slower this time. The cold water numbed his throat, easing the fire of thirst.

But then his foot slipped on the slick edge.

"Shit—!"

He toppled into the pool with a splash. The icy water swallowed him whole, soaking him from head to toe.

When he surfaced, gasping, the frigid air bit into his wet skin like knives. He hugged himself, teeth chattering.

"Perfect. Just fucking perfect."

The cavern felt colder by the second. If he didn’t do something, hypothermia would get him before monsters did.

He dragged himself out of the pool and sat shivering on the rocky floor.

"...Fire. I need fire."

Basic elemental magic was something even bottom-tier students had been drilled in. He’d never been good at it, but right now it was his only lifeline.

He stretched out a trembling hand, focusing mana into his palm.

"Gather heat, form flame—ignite, Kindle!"

A tiny spark flickered, then bloomed into a fist-sized flame hovering above his palm. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

"Haah... haah... finally."

He fed mana into the ember until it stabilized, then set it down on a pile of loose stones and scraps of broken wood lying nearby. The flame flickered brighter, casting shaky shadows across the cavern walls.

He stripped off his wet clothes, wrung them out, and laid them beside the fire. Hugging his knees, he leaned close to the warmth, letting the heat seep into his frozen skin.

"...Warm. Thank god."

Gradually, the tension drained from his body, replaced by exhaustion and a creeping heaviness in his chest. His shoulders trembled—not from the cold, but from the pressure welling inside him.

He wanted to cry.

For a moment, he let the tears prick at his eyes, blurring the flickering fire. His throat tightened, a sob nearly escaping.

But he clenched his jaw.

"...Not now. If I break down now... I won’t get back up."

He wiped his face with the back of his hand and slapped his own cheeks, leaving red marks.

"Get it together, Oliver. You’re not dead yet. Keep moving. Find a way back."

Staring at the small flame, he whispered the words like a prayer until they became a promise.

After twenty minutes, his clothes were dry and warm again. He dressed quickly, stamping out the fire with a final glance.

"...Alright. Time to move."

He turned toward the massive tunnel that yawned deeper into the dungeon.

The darkness beyond seemed endless, and the faint echoes in the distance told him monsters were out there, waiting.

But Oliver clenched his fists and stepped forward anyway.

Because stopping here meant dying.

~~~

The passage stretched on like a twisting cave, winding and jagged. Unlike the neat, bricklike corridors of the upper floors, this place was primal and raw—natural stone walls protruded everywhere, creating countless blind spots. The air was damp, carrying a faint metallic tang of blood mixed with the stench of beasts.

Oliver moved carefully, ducking from cover to cover, keeping low behind boulders and stone outcrops. His sword trembled slightly in his grip, both from the cold and from nerves. Every sound of his boots scraping rock echoed too loud in his ears.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been walking before the path suddenly widened into a massive crossroad, its open chamber nearly twenty meters across. He crouched behind a large boulder, catching his breath, and studied the paths.

"Left... right... or straight... tch, figures it wouldn’t be easy."

That’s when movement flickered in the corner of his eye.

Oliver instantly ducked behind cover and pressed his back against the stone, heart hammering. Slowly, he peeked out.

In the middle of the straight passage, a single monster crouched over something—raw meat, half a carcass of gods-knew-what. Its shoulders twitched as it chewed, tearing flesh with sickening crunches.

Then its head turned.

Two hollow, pale eyes stared directly at him.

Oliver froze, breath stuck in his throat.

The creature rose onto all fours. Its hunched back stretched unnaturally high until it loomed at nearly two meters tall. Patches of matted fur clung to a body covered in cracked, gray skin. Its claws dripped with blood, fresh from its last meal.

"...Just my shitty luck—"

Before he could finish cursing, the beast lunged.

"Shit!"

Oliver rolled to the side as its claws slashed down where his head had been. Stone shattered like glass under the strike. He barely raised his sword in time for the follow-up slash—metal screeched as the claws slammed against steel. The impact sent a shockwave up his arm.

"Argh—!" His hand went numb, and his knees nearly buckled.

The monster’s jaw gaped wide, rows of broken teeth snapping shut at his face. Oliver jammed his blade against its maw, straining with every ounce of strength he had. The creature’s weight pressed him down until his boots cracked the ground beneath him.

It snarled inches from his face, rancid breath washing over him.

"Fuck off!"

He twisted his body, shoving with all his strength. The beast staggered just enough for Oliver to stab toward its exposed stomach. But the monster twisted unnaturally, avoiding the blow, then pounced again.

Oliver stumbled backward—one step, two steps—then his heel struck loose stone.

He fell flat onto his back.

The beast loomed above him, jaws unhinging as it dived down for his throat.

At the last second, Oliver thrust upward with both hands. His blade pierced deep into its stomach.

"Die already—!"

He roared as he twisted the sword inside, tearing through flesh. Blood sprayed out in thick gushes, drenching him in hot crimson. The monster let out a guttural screech, thrashing, before its strength faltered. Its weight collapsed onto him.

"Gghk—!"

Oliver gagged under the bulk, blood soaking his clothes, burning his eyes and mouth. With a desperate shove, he rolled the corpse off and lay there, gasping.

"...Haa... Haa... Haa... Fuck..."

His arms trembled violently. His ribs screamed every time he breathed. His mana reserves, already drained from earlier, were empty—he couldn’t even muster a spark to finish the fight cleaner.

"At least... physical training didn’t go to waste..." He coughed, dragging himself up.

He yanked his blade free from the monster’s corpse with a wet squelch, groaning as pain shot through his ribs.

But the dungeon wasn’t done.

A rustle echoed ahead.

Oliver ducked behind another boulder, peeking out carefully.

From the right passage, something lumbered into view.

It looked like a bear—but twisted. Its massive frame was swollen, muscles bulging unnaturally. Thick veins of glowing dark-red lines ran across its body, pulsing like molten lava under skin. Patches of fur were missing, replaced with cracked, stone-like flesh. Its eyes glowed faintly, hollow pits burning with malice.

"...Fuck me sideways..." Oliver whispered, clamping a hand over his mouth.

He froze, barely daring to breathe.

The corrupted bear sniffed the ground, its long tongue sliding across jagged teeth. It lumbered closer to the crossroad, sniffing... sniffing...

(If I move now, I’m done for. Just wait... wait for an opening...)