My mind throbbed. My hand trembled. My breathing came in ragged gasps.

  I stared at the black mass in front of me and exhaled sharply.

  The thing turned its gaze toward me—or at least I felt it did. One of its tentacles rose slowly, quivering in the air before hardening into a sharp point and lunging like a spear.

  Only one thought passed through my mind.

  I raised the bone and blocked it.

  A strange force surged through my body, like invisible arms wrapping around me.

  "Arghh!"

  The tentacle deflected with a metallic shriek. I pressed forward, swinging the bone toward the abomination.

  My weapon clashed against another tentacle, the impact loud, ringing like metal on stone.

  The tentacle curled around my weapon. Another shot out, aiming for my gut.

  "Damn."

  I twisted back. The edge of the tentacle grazed me, tearing a piece of my shirt and leaving a shallow, burning red line on my skin.

  Biting down on the pain, I stomped on the tentacle and swung again.

  "Kieeeeek!"

  The monster screeched as my bone sliced through it. Its flesh was soft—too soft—easy to cut.

  I didn’t know what it was… but watching that thing writhe in pain gave me a strange satisfaction.

  Another tentacle struck me from the side, sending me flying.

  My back slammed against the wall. I crumpled to the ground, my vision flickering.

  My whole body protested. I was sure something inside me had cracked. That’s what happened when you didn’t train.

  Groaning, I raised the bone just in time to block a vertical strike.

  I rolled and jabbed the mass of flesh at its core.

  There was barely any resistance… until I hit something hard.

  It felt like stone.

  The creature shuddered violently and collapsed.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Its limbs gave out, and it fell like a discarded sheet of flesh.

  "Did I hit a weak point?"

  No time to wonder—I stabbed again. And again. And again.

  Purple ichor poured from the creature, splattering the floor like spilled ink.

  It twitched one last time… and then lay still.

  At its center, a small purple stone began to glow faintly.

  A core.

  It pulsed, radiating the same horrific presence I’d felt earlier.

  Gripping the bone with both hands, I slammed it down.

  The stone cracked with a hollow snap and broke apart into a small pile of shimmering violet dust.

  Then, the voice returned, echoing directly into my mind:

  [You have killed a low-tier entity.]

  [As a reward for your first kill: +1 to all base attributes.]

  I collapsed backward, the fatigue crashing down all at once.

  Every inch of me screamed to sleep, to rest, to stop.

  My limbs twitched with random spasms, muscles cramping, joints burning.

  But I smiled. A wide, exhausted grin.

  I’d done it.

  I killed it.

  Rising slowly, I retrieved the bone and walked to the small pile of dust left behind.

  It shimmered softly—mostly white, but with thin threads of deep violet running through it.

  [Powder of the Cursed: A byproduct of a cursed core. Has various uses in alchemy, enchantments, and rune crafting. Can be applied to weapons to grant Curse Damage.]

  Curse Damage?

  What would that even do?

  I didn’t know. But I’d find out later.

  Gently, I scooped the dust into my pocket and steadied myself.

  My vision swam.

  Still… I fell.

  Right there, on the ground of that foul room.

  And as I lay there, staring up at the sickly golden glow above, I let my thoughts unravel.

  This morning, I’d woken up like it was any other day.

  Then something hit me—an urgency I couldn’t explain. I needed to find the others. I had to bring them.

  I had no idea why.

  I just knew it had to be done.

  And now I was here.

  In some twisted world.

  In a living labyrinth of flesh.

  Alone.

  "I’m really living the dream, huh?"

  I laughed softly to myself, every breath hurting just a little.

  With a groan, I forced myself to my feet, each movement heavier than the last.

  I limped toward a doorway set into the wall beyond the corpse.

  "Please," I whispered. "Let this be the exit.

  The door loomed in front of me—plain, made of some blackened material that looked halfway between stone and charred flesh. My hand trembled as I reached for it. I could barely stay upright.

  I pushed.

  With a deep groan, the door creaked open, revealing nothing but darkness beyond.

  No light. No sound.

  But something in my gut told me—it was the exit.

  I stepped through.

  At first, there was nothing. Just cold air and silence. Then, like I had broken the surface of deep water, a rush of warmth hit me.

  Light bloomed.

  I squinted, raising my hand to shield my eyes. I stumbled forward as the door behind me slammed shut with a final, echoing thud.

  The oppressive feeling of the labyrinth was gone. The stench. The walls that pulsed with breath. All of it vanished.

  I was in a narrow corridor made of smooth white stone. Ancient symbols were etched into the walls, pulsing faintly with light, but they didn’t feel hostile.

  Just old.

  I exhaled, letting the tension bleed out of me.

  Then, the voice returned—clear and emotionless, speaking inside my skull once more:

  [You have escaped the Lesser Flesh Labyrinth.]

  [System Update: Congratulations, survivor.]

  [Two system abilities have been unlocked.]

  The air around me shimmered faintly. My body tensed. Then… warmth surged through me again—gentler this time, like a soft current flowing beneath my skin.

  [Unlocked Ability: Tongue of Babel.]

  [A passive ability. You are now able to understand and speak all known intelligent languages, written or spoken. Unknown or magical languages may require decryption.]

  [Unlocked Ability: Hunter’s Intuition.]

  [An instinct-based sensory upgrade. You are now able to sense hostile intent and danger within a short radius. Improves the more it is used.]

  My eyes widened slightly.

  I could… understand any language now?

  That was insane.

  And the other one—Hunter’s Intuition—it made sense. I’d felt it back there, when I blocked that tentacle at the last second. A pull. A feeling.

  So that’s what it was.

  The system was real. The danger was real. And now… I had proof that surviving meant growing.

  Still panting, I leaned against the wall. Every muscle still ached, and the cut on my stomach stung like fire. My shirt was half torn, my bones felt like jelly, and my legs threatened to give way again.

  But I didn’t collapse this time.

  I’d survived something—something ancient and cursed and wrong.

  And I was still here.

  Alone, yes.

  But alive.

  I turned to look down the corridor.

  It stretched forward, seemingly endless, though the glow of the runes painted a clear path.

  “Alright,” I muttered under my breath. My voice sounded dry. Hollow.

  “But what the hell is next?”

  No answer came. Just silence.

  Gripping the bone tightly in my hand, I began to walk.

  Step by step, into the unknown.

  But I wasn’t just some lost soul anymore.

  Now, I had power.

  A little… but enough.

  Enough to take the next step.