"Oi! Kid!"
The voice was sharp, forceful—cutting through the haze like a blade.
"Get up! Now!"
What... who... Roland's thoughts crawled, heavy and dazed.
"Move, damn it—Bang!"
A violent sound cracked through the void, snapping his mind closer to consciousness.
Roland's eyes snapped into focus. In front of him lay a bloodied corpse.
What… what is happening? If he had still been half-asleep a moment ago, he was fully awake now.
"Roar!" A deafening roar tore through the air ahead, the ground trembling beneath Roland.
Roland snapped his head up, eyes darting to the source of the roar. The moment he saw it, his blood ran cold.
"What the hell is that!?"
He scrambled backward, heart pounding like war drums. His limbs shook uncontrollably.
In all three of his lifetimes, he had never felt fear like this.
The creature towered at three meters tall—a monstrous imitation of a lion. But this was no ordinary beast.
Three long, serpentine tails whipped behind it, each hissing like live wires. Blood-red scales armored its hulking frame, glinting menacingly under the dim light.
Then its head split open three ways. Each section lined with rows of teeth as long as Roland's arm, gnashing and twitching like they had minds of their own.
The monster crouched low, its front legs bending like a coiled spring, ready to strike.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Move, damn it! Roland screamed inwardly, forcing every ounce of strength into his limbs.
The beast launched itself with explosive force, the ground beneath its feet erupting into shards.
Come on! Move! Roland looked at the rapidly apporaching beast.
"Bang!" It landed with a thunderous crash, the floor splintering like glass.
Roland, his body just beginning to respond, threw himself to the right—rolling hard—barely escaping the crushing impact by a hair's breadth.
Without giving Roland a moment to breathe, the beast lashed out, its massive front leg slashing toward him with deadly precision.
Instinctively, Roland's body reacted, his memories of Anderson's combat training kicking in. He twisted his torso, sidestepping the blow, and sprang back to his feet in one fluid motion.
But the beast's strike was too fast. A searing pain erupted in his right abdomen as the claws raked across his flesh, leaving a deep gash. Blood spilled out, and Roland gasped, barely holding himself together.
Dammit, am I really going to die again? Roland thought, gritting his teeth as he turned to scan his surroundings.
His eyes locked onto the faint light illuminating the darkness. Judging from the jagged walls and uneven ground, he was definitely inside a cave, or something close to it. Luckily, the light source wasn't far. The entrance was just ahead.
He rolled across the ground, narrowly dodging another fatal strike from the beast as it crashed down behind him.
Clutching the bleeding gash on his right abdomen, Roland bolted toward the entrance—running like his life depended on it. Because it did.
The exit isn't far... I can make it—
His thoughts were violently cut off as he felt himself plummeting onto the floor.
"Argh!" Roland let out a guttural grunt as he slammed into the cold, unyielding stone. He'd barely managed to brace with his arms, sparing his skull from a fatal impact.
But pain shot through him—not from the fall alone.
His eyes darted down.
Wrapped tightly around his left leg was a thick, muscular red tail, coiling with crushing force.
"Shittttt!" Roland screamed as the tail yanked him backward, hurling him into the air like a ragdoll.
In the next moment, he was dangling upside down—face-to-face with the beast's gaping, triple-split maw lined with rows of jagged teeth.
"No! No! No! Why the hell do you want to eat me?! I'm frail, weak—I probably taste like crap!" Roland shouted in panic, thrashing wildly as he struggled to break free from the beast's tightening grip.
The beast opened its monstrous maw even wider, a guttural growl rumbling from deep within its throat. Thick strands of saliva dripped down like syrupy ropes, splattering against the stone floor.
"Fizz..."
The moment the slime touched the rock, it hissed violently—eating through the surface with terrifying ease and releasing a pungent, acidic stench that burned Roland's nostrils
"... Great, I'm about to become human soup," Roland grumbled, panic flaring behind his voice.
Roland was slowly brought closer, inch by agonizing inch, until the heat of its breath singed his face and the tips of his hair began to wither from the corrosive fumes.
"Just! Let! Go! You overgrown cat!" Roland shouted, thrashing wildly. He kicked at the sinewy tail wrapped around his leg, but it was like striking iron—useless.
Grrrrr…
"No you don't!" Roland roared, slamming his palm against the creature's teeth. The moment his skin made contact, a searing pain flared up—his flesh blistering as acidic saliva sizzled against his hand. Gritting his teeth, he held his ground, muscles straining as he desperately kept the beast at bay.
At that moment, Roland felt a sudden surge of energy rise within him. It was cool and sharp—like ice coursing through his veins.
Frost began to form on his palm, quickly spreading over the beast's jagged teeth and then crawling up to envelop its snarling face.
"Grrraaagh!" The monster thrashed violently, letting out a muffled roar as it shook its head, desperate to break free from the rapidly growing ice.
Similarly, the tail that had been holding Roland flailed wildly, hurling him toward the ground.
He slammed into the rocky floor with a heavy thud, pain shooting through his body—but he gritted his teeth and pushed through it, forcing himself to his feet.
This is it! My chance! Without a second thought, Roland sprinted toward the cave's entrance, refusing to look back.
His body felt heavy, his vision beginning to blur as blood trickled down his forehead. Still, he pushed himself to run.
He reached the entrance of the cave and squinted into the outside world. Below him, a dense forest sprawled at the base of a small hill. He quickly scanned the area, spotting a narrow path winding down toward the forest.
Yes! Hope surged within him, until it was immediately shattered by the unmistakable sound of the beast breaking free, charging toward him.
What do I do now? Roland's mind raced. He knew he couldn't just dash down the narrow path—the beast was several times faster than him.
His eyes darted upward, locking onto the loose stones hanging precariously from the cave roof. And then, an idea struck him.
I've got it!
Focusing on the strange, icy power now coursing through his veins, Roland took a deep breath and visualized a weapon—a spear, sharp and strong. Ice began to form in his hand, swirling and solidifying into a gleaming lance of frozen energy.
Roland had no idea where this newfound power came from—but he didn't have the luxury to ponder it now.
He shifted his stance slightly, muscles tensing. Then, with a sharp twist of his body, he hurled the icy lance straight at the loose stones hanging from the cave roof.
The spear struck with a resounding crack, shattering the weak support. A thunderous rumble followed as the roof began to collapse, massive chunks of rock crashing down in a cloud of dust and debris—sealing the beast inside.
"Hah... Hah..." Roland panted heavily, his chest heaving with every breath. Relief washed over him, and the tension in his body finally gave way. His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed onto the rocky ground.
"I... I did it!" he cried out, a shaky smile spreading across his face.
"Does this mean I pass the—"
Before he could finish the thought, the world tilted. His vision spun, blurring into a dizzying swirl of light and shadow. A wave of exhaustion crashed over him like a tide.
He slumped forward, the chill of the stone seeping into his skin.
With one last breath, he let his blue eyes drift shut.