That very second he cringed ' Man I should have not said that. I'm not some main character to a isekai revenge story. Honestly if I was I'd probably have an elf girl chasing me around by now. Honestly I haven't met a hot elf even once since I got here. In fact I haven't seen even a single drop dead gorgeous person at all. Guess beauty doesn't matter here '

The exit opened and Travis walked out. He sat down and began drinking the hunger potion while he thought about his whole experience in the Dungeon. So far he's been breezing through every floor like nothing.

He hopes the other levels will be harder though, which is what he's most excited for. But for now he'll just have to do with whatever the Dungeon throws at him. He stood up and walked towards the next sixth floor. He prayed for a challenge as he he was pulled inside.

As Travis opened his eyes, the intense heat hit him first, prickling his skin and making the air feel heavy. The room around him was unlike anything he'd encountered before—a cavernous expanse of volcanic ruins illuminated by the fiery glow of molten rock. Rivers of lava snaked through jagged cracks in the obsidian floor, their orange and red hues pulsing like liquid fire.

The walls, blackened and scorched, bore ancient carvings partially melted and warped by the intense heat. Every breath carried the acrid scent of sulfur, and the distant sound of bubbling lava filled the oppressive silence.

'What the fuck!!' was the only thing he could think of in this situation. Sweat dripped down his forehead, tracing the curve of his temple before falling to the cold, stone floor. His eyes darted around the dimly lit chamber, the flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows on the walls. There was no exit—just an unbroken expanse of stone encasing him. He wasn’t surprised by this revelation; still, his stomach churned with unease. Right now, more than anything, he wanted to see a way out.

'Am I going to fight a dragon or something?' The thought pierced through his mind, his pulse quickening at the mere idea. 'I hope that actually doesn’t happen. At least not anytime soon.' The mental image of claws, scales, and fire made him tighten his grip on the hilt of his sword.

Travis stepped forward cautiously, his sword held ready, the steel catching faint glints of light. Each step echoed in the suffocating silence, the sound bouncing off the walls like a countdown. Nothing occupied his mind—just the rhythm of his own breathing and the feel of the stone path beneath his boots. The air felt heavy, pressing against his chest, as if the room itself wanted to weigh him down. Yet, he continued, his gaze fixed ahead, unblinking and unshaken.

He was then stopped as he saw a monster up ahead. A massive Fire Salamander blocked his path, its scaled body shimmering like molten lava. Heat radiated from the creature, making the air around it waver like a mirage. Its eyes glowed a fierce amber, and its maw dripped with magma-like saliva, sizzling as it hit the ground.

Travis tightened his grip on his sword, his knuckles turning white. The creature's tail, long and tipped with flame, lashed the ground with a crack that echoed like a whip.

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'Of course, it’s fire. Why not something less deadly, like a rabbit or a turtle?' he thought bitterly, sweat now pouring down his face.

The salamander roared, the sound reverberating in Travis's chest. Without warning, it lunged forward, its massive body moving faster than he anticipated. Travis barely dodged, throwing himself to the side as the creature’s fiery claws raked the ground where he’d just been standing. Sparks flew, the heat singeing his arm as he rolled to his feet.

He charged, aiming for the salamander’s side, but the creature twisted, its tail whipping around. The blow caught him in the ribs, the heat searing through his clothes and into his skin. Pain exploded in his side, and he stumbled, gasping as the acrid smell of burnt fabric and flesh hit his nose.

'Stay focused,' he told himself, gritting his teeth.

The salamander loomed over him, jaws snapping as it tried to end the fight with a single bite. Travis threw up his sword, the blade catching the creature’s teeth with a screech of metal against bone. Sparks flew as he pushed back, his muscles screaming from the effort.

He managed to twist free, sliding under the salamander’s belly. With a desperate swing, he slashed at the softer scales beneath it. The blade bit deep, and the creature let out a deafening screech, flailing as lava-like blood poured from the wound.

The salamander retaliated, its claws slamming down toward him. Travis barely evaded, but not before one claw caught his shoulder, tearing through flesh. He cried out, stumbling back as blood soaked his sleeve. His vision blurred for a moment, the heat and pain threatening to overwhelm him.

'Not yet,' he thought, forcing himself to focus. 'I didn’t come this far to die here.'

Summoning what strength he had left, he lunged again, aiming for the salamander’s neck. The creature reared back, flames bursting from its mouth in a wild arc. Travis ducked, feeling the intense heat singe the hair on the back of his neck.

In one swift motion, he drove his blade into the base of the creature’s throat, twisting it with every ounce of strength he had left. The salamander let out a final, guttural roar before collapsing, its massive body hitting the ground with a resounding thud.

Travis staggered back, clutching his bleeding shoulder as he gasped for breath. The creature’s body smoldered, the heat still radiating from its lifeless form. His side throbbed, and every movement sent jolts of pain through his body, but he was alive.

'Now that was a battle!! If that’s the first monster, I don’t want to imagine what’ll follow after,' he thought, the smirk fading slightly as the sharp sting in his shoulder reminded him of the cost.

Travis looked down at his armor—once pristine, now scorched and torn, barely clinging to his battered body. He adjusted it as best he could, wincing as the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his ribs and shoulder. Blood still seeped from the gash, staining the fabric beneath, but there was no time to dwell on it. Survival was the only thing that mattered.

The air around him was heavy, the residual heat from the salamander lingering like a ghost. Every breath felt like fire in his lungs, but he forced himself to keep moving. His legs trembled beneath him, but he gritted his teeth, his determination outweighing the agony. He couldn’t afford to stop.

'Focus,' he thought, narrowing his eyes at the darkened path ahead. The stone floor stretched onward, disappearing into shadows that seemed to whisper of new dangers.

'I need to fight smarter next time,' he mused, the memory of the salamander’s claws tearing into him replaying in his mind. 'Less damage, bigger blows. No playing around.' He tightened his grip on his sword, still smeared with the glowing blood of the creature he’d slain.

The sound of his boots echoed in the silence, each step deliberate, each step heavier than the last. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to close in on him, as if the walls themselves were alive, watching, waiting for him to falter. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

Travis steeled his mind, forcing himself to push forward. The stone path felt endless, but stopping wasn’t an option. With every step, his resolve hardened, and despite the throbbing pain in his body, he kept his head high.

He muttered under his breath, "If I can handle that overgrown lizard, I can handle whatever else this place throws at me." The words felt hollow, a thin veil over the unease creeping up his spine, but he repeated them like a mantra.

The shadows ahead seemed to ripple, the faint sound of movement reaching his ears. He stopped, his muscles tensing, and raised his sword. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared into the darkness.

'Here we go again,' he thought, his grip tightening. 'This time, I’m ready.'

TO BE CONTINUED