The creature's body dissolved slowly into dark particles, not the usual blue system light I was used to. Even the rewards felt different here. No cheerful chime. No flashy level-up animation. Just a quiet notification in black text.
[Void Energy Gained.]
"That's it?" I muttered, wiping blood off my shoulder. The bite mark was already closing. Not fully healed, but enough that I could move without wincing. I stared at my hand for a moment, flexing it. The strength didn't feel borrowed. It felt… earned. Like the abyss had watched me survive and decided I was worth keeping.
I took a few careful steps forward. The darkness shifted as I moved, like it was making space for me. "Don't start imagining things," I told myself. "It's just a dungeon." My voice echoed faintly, and the sound made the place feel less endless. Talking helped. Silence made my thoughts louder.
After a few minutes of walking, I found a narrow stretch of stone that looked stable enough to rest on. I sat down slowly, placing the broken shield beside me. For the first time since the castle, I let myself breathe without pretending I was fine. My hands were still shaking. Not from fear of the monster—but from everything before it.
"They didn't even hesitate," I whispered. I thought about Arin's face, calm and certain. Dain's indifference. Lyra's soft voice trying to make it sound reasonable. I pressed my fingers against my eyes until colors burst behind my eyelids. "Stop thinking about them," I muttered. "It doesn't matter anymore."
But it did matter. That was the problem.
I leaned my head back against the cold stone. "If I was really that weak… then why did I survive?" The question hung in the air. I had fallen into a hidden zone. Almost died from the impact. Fought a monster at critical health. And I was still here.
A small notification appeared again.
[Passive Skill Acquired: Abyss Adaptation Lv.1]
[Survival in extreme environments increases resistance.]
I stared at it for a long time. "So the more I endure… the stronger I get?" I let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like a laugh. "That's funny. That's exactly what I was doing the whole time."
Enduring.
Taking hits.
Standing at the front.
And they called that weakness.
A low growl echoed from deeper within the abyss. More monsters. I slowly pushed myself to my feet, picking up the cracked shield. It felt lighter now, or maybe I just did. My body still hurt, but the pain wasn't overwhelming anymore. It was manageable. Familiar.
"Alright," I said softly, rolling my shoulders. "If this place wants to test me, fine."
Another growl answered from the dark, closer this time.
I stepped forward instead of back.
"Let's see how much I can survive."