Crash!

My fleeting hope was crushed, much like the metal cage the monster barreled through.

It had no intention of navigating the maze. It smashed through the enclosures with sheer brute force, clearing a straight path behind me.

Cages toppled like dominos, sending beasts of all kinds spilling out in waves. Some of them now blocked the path ahead, crashing into the bars with renewed vigor.

This... This is insane!

Bang!

Before I could fully process the chaos, a cage door in front of me burst open. A snarling hound leaped out but was trampled almost immediately by the stampede behind it.

Four smaller hounds now blocked my path.

"You stupid animals!"

I clenched my teeth, rage bubbling beneath my panic.

But this was no time to lose focus.

The collapsing cages behind me were growing louder, closer.

Flashes of memory from earlier—of the items scattered around the cargo hold—raced through my mind.

Now... there was only one option.

I skidded to a halt, pivoted, and sprinted toward another direction.

"Woof! Woof!"

Sure enough, the four hounds chased after me without hesitation.

I didn't spare them a second glance; the towering monster behind me was the real threat.

Left here... then a right!

My body was screaming in exhaustion, my lungs barely keeping up with the pace I demanded.

But the hounds were relentless, closing the gap with every step.

Boom! Boom!

The sound of the monster smashing through the last cage roared in my ears.

Ahead lay the final turn.

Without slowing, I grabbed the corner post for support, using the momentum to swing myself around.

This is it—the place I needed to be.

A dead end.

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The narrow space was packed with cargo—specifically, barrels of alcohol.

Smash!

I swung my hammer with all my strength, splintering the nearest barrel.

Wine gushed out in a torrent, flooding the floor and destabilizing the barrels above.

Crash!

The barrels tumbled, rolling backward in an avalanche of wood and liquid.

"Yelp!" "Yip!"

The hounds were swept up instantly, their panicked cries drowned beneath the wave.

Can it make it over?

I didn't wait to find out.

Climbing up the collapsed barrels, I scrambled to the top.

Beyond this pile lay the slave area—freedom from being trapped between enemies.

"Woof!"

But one hound had escaped the deluge.

It lunged, its jaws sinking into my leg.

"Argh!"

I screamed, the searing pain nearly overwhelming me.

Gritting my teeth, I kicked at the hound's head with all my strength.

Yelp!

It released me, falling back into the mess below.

Boom!

At that moment, the monster shattered the final cage, charging straight toward me.

I was one step away from escape.

But I knew—I couldn't make it over the pile before it reached me.

Its burning eyes locked onto mine, its jagged teeth glinting in the dim light.

This damned beast...

Feeling the alcohol-soaked floor beneath me, I made a split-second decision.

If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!

Click.

Without hesitation, I pressed the button and hurled the device toward the beast.

A silver explosive arced through the air.

Boom!

Flames erupted, engulfing everything in their path.