Floor ??? — Labyrinth of the Deadly Embrace
The air in the labyrinth was thick with the stench of blood and decay. The monstrous creature before Adonis was a nightmare given form—its elongated limbs twitched with unnatural speed, and its jagged claws tore through the stone walls as if they were parchment. Adonis barely managed to evade the onslaught, his body moving on pure instinct. Each slash that missed him by inches sent debris flying, the sound of crumbling stone echoing through the twisting corridors.
*One hit. That's all it would take.*
The thought burned in his mind as he rolled to the side, his muscles screaming in protest. He couldn't afford a single mistake. The monster's claws gleamed with a sickly sheen, and Adonis knew—if those talons found their mark, his fate would be sealed.
*Think. There has to be a way.*
His eyes darted to the creature's spindly frame, its movements erratic yet precise. Fire. Fire could disrupt its balance, even for a moment. That was all he needed.
Gritting his teeth, Adonis summoned his strength and unleashed his skill: "Annihilation Beam!"
A flicker of flame materialized at his fingertips, condensing into a searing orb before erupting into a blazing laser. The fiery projectile struck the monster square in the chest, the impact sending it stumbling back. its spindly legs buckling under the force. For the briefest moment, it was vulnerable.
*Now!*
Adonis lunged, his sword flashing in a deadly arc aimed straight for the creature's neck. The blade connected—but instead of cleaving through, it lodged itself deep into the monster's flesh, refusing to go further.
*What?!*
The creature's head snapped toward him, its hollow eyes burning with fury. Before Adonis could react, a clawed hand seized him by the throat and slammed him into the ground with bone-shattering force.
**CRACK.**
White-hot agony exploded through his spine. Blood filled his mouth as he coughed, his vision swimming. The monster wasn't done. It grabbed his arms and—
**SNAP.**
Adonis's scream tore through the labyrinth, raw and guttural. The pain was unbearable, but the creature showed no mercy. Its claws descended again and again, carving into his flesh, peeling away skin and muscle like layers of parchment. His guts spilled onto the cold stone, his ribcage exposed to the damp air.
Yet, somehow, he still lived.
Tears mixed with blood as his vision blurred.
*Is this the end? Is this how I die?*
The baron's betrayal flashed in his mind—the debt unpaid, the vengeance unfulfilled. Powerlessness gnawed at him, worse than any physical pain. His breath came in ragged, wet gasps. He closed his eyes, surrendering to the inevitable.
The monster loomed over him, its breath rancid, its claws dripping with his blood. Adonis closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow.
But it never came.
A wet, gurgling sound filled the air. The monster staggered, the sword still embedded in its neck. With a final, shuddering motion, it yanked the blade free—and a torrent of black blood erupted from the wound. The creature collapsed, its body twitching before falling still.
Silence.
Then, in the darkness of Adonis's fading consciousness, a crimson progress bar materialized in his mind. It surged forward, filling rapidly until it reached its zenith.
A voice, cold and mechanical, echoed in his thoughts:
**"You have leveled up."**