With the pup's warmth in my arms as my only comfort, I turn and look around.

About the little wolf, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, it's the son of a she-wolf that got me into this situation; on the other, it's just a baby that doesn't know what it's doing and is totally adorable. That's why I feel some warmth in my chest while hugging it.

And as for my surroundings... behind me is the stone wall occupying what was once the opening of a now nonexistent spiral staircase. As I turn, I see I've arrived at a quite large cave. The chamber doesn't seem to have any exits. Unlike the corridor from the dungeon's previous level, it's not empty. I'm at one end of what reminds me of a Roman circus, one where gladiators fought to the death. I'm standing on what would be the circus arena, in this case a reddish packed earth floor, which contrasts with the dark brown of the walls and stone ceiling of the cavern. I don't move. Several dozen meters in front of me is the cavea. The stands are C-shaped, covering more than half of the arena's circle. With steps high enough to be stone seats and some boxes decorated with fabrics in the upper central part, I feel like I've stepped into an ancient Rome movie. Fortunately, they're empty. I advance carefully, don't hear any noises or see any changes. At the foot of the stands, which rise a couple meters above the arena, I see three thick iron gates. Heavy bolts I don't know how to open keep them closed. Nothing can be seen on the other side. Three levers, one beside each door, catch my attention. I avoid touching them. Somewhat calmer suspecting that while I don't pull them no monster will come for me, I let my curiosity win and carefully climb up to the stands. Once there, I see two wooden doors also closed. One seems to be the access for common folk spectators and the other, behind the boxes, for nobles and rich people. There are no levers or any kind of switches here.

Perfect. I look for a place to get comfortable and go to sleep.

Warning. You have one minute to activate a lever. Otherwise, one will be activated at random.

The popup message before my eyes makes me jump. Seems like no, they won't let me sleep. I run down to the arena and try to think which lever is better to activate. I can't decide. The counter before my eyes is about to reach zero. I grab the central one, the one near me, and pull it down. It's hard, not because it's stuck, but because it seems to be activating something heavy.

As soon as I've changed the lever's position, the countdown, which was already at four, disappears. Several metallic sounds indicate that the iron gate in front of me isn't the only thing opening. I step back to center myself in the arena. I can see skeleton mages with staves making their way into the stands and an improved version of these creatures entering the boxes. These last ones are only three, carrying wizard staves decorated with gems and their body bones hidden by much more elaborate robes ornate with golden threads. I sharpen my vision and read in the labels above their heads that they are three level 5 Skeleton Archmages. The others are level 5 Skeleton Mages.

Seriously?, I think. Too much.

The strength and will to fight for survival abandon me suddenly.

I have no mana. If I had to give it my all... all... for several level 3 skeleton warriors and archers and barely survived... now I'm dead. Let them fry me with their spells, I don't even feel like moving to try to dodge them anymore. What's the point?

However, despite me only lacking throwing myself to the ground to finish demonstrating my total defeat, they're silent, watching me with the blue embers they have for eyes. I hear footsteps approaching, strong and heavy, like some animal. I look below the stands, at the stone tunnel that's no longer blocked by the metal gate. Something's coming. A small flame of hope shakes me. Is it possible I don't have to fight against the mages?

The pup barks. A huge bear appears and lunges at me.

Zombie Bear, level 5.

Unlike the skeletons, this one smells bad. Really bad. A stench of decomposing flesh, caused by what covers its bones and muscles and is patched with brownish fur. By instinct, I jump aside before one of its claws sweeps through the air right where my head was. The next swipe, so fast I barely manage to react, I block it with my sword. The hit is so strong it throws me backward, slamming my skull against the ground and making me lose a health point. Luckily, not consciousness. The pup, which had been in one of my arms, must have fallen to the ground when I grabbed the sword. It's in front of me, between me and the bear, barking furiously.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

For some reason, maybe because it's the end, time seems to dilate. I see the zombie about to lunge at me, with saliva dripping from its rotting jaws. The little wolf tries to drive it away and will probably get run over. The warm feeling towards it intensifies. It's so cute, trying to defend me as if it could do anything.

"Run," I try to tell it, but the words don't leave my mouth. Maybe because actually only tenths of a second are passing.

I should close my eyes, to not see my end approaching, maybe that way it'll hurt less; but I'm not capable of that either.

Then time returns to normal speed and the little wolf is glowing like a dark star about to explode. The bear stops, seems to be reevaluating its enemies. I see confusion in its dead, whitish eyes. My heart starts beating faster.

"Little pup?" this time I manage to whisper.

I don't know if it hears me. Maybe better, because it's getting bigger. I pass the back of my left hand over my eyes. I'm seeing right. The pup that fit in my two hands is glowing and growing at great speed before my astonished eyes. In the video game I never saw anything like this. I don't know if alchemists made gigantism potions but, certainly, no creature did this.

The seed of darkness is evolving into a shadow wolf.

What?

Before me is the back of a beast more than two meters tall, three if you count the head. It's even bigger than the bear. Without giving the zombie time to react, it launches forward. I hear sounds of bites, many and very fast; the creature's decomposing flesh falls to the ground, the putrid smell increases. The wolf is so fast I can't follow its movements, just see a dark blur attacking the bear from all sides and punishing its enemy while effortlessly dodging what in comparison seem clumsy and slow attacks. In a few seconds, the battle is over. What remains of the bear lies lifeless on the arena and the wolf looks at the stands with its fur bristling. I stand up. I get beside it. It has long, sharp teeth. Their pristine white is stained with brownish dirty fluids. I shudder. I hear sound in front of me and raise my gaze. The skeletons have stood up and are chanting. Are they going to flood the arena with fireballs?

Before panic can flood my head, the shadow wolf swiftly lunges at the stands' occupants. It doesn't give them time to finish their spells. It crushes skulls with its paws, rips heads off with its teeth and throws them with enough force that they shatter like piñatas when hitting the stone seats. The last ones are the three archmages at the back, whose spells, more powerful, possibly required more casting time. Several magical shields protect them from the wolf's first attacks, which it breaks with its claws. The archmages go next, interrupted without being able to finish their spell chants. The blue lights in their eye sockets go out and their bones fall lifeless.

I shudder.

The sight of the seed of evil fighting has been glorious. I would never have been able to finish them off. Maybe one or two mage skeletons from the hundreds in the stands before the others' spells hit me. I don't even want to imagine what they would be. But I do: fireballs charring me, darkness balls, chasms that bury you and crush your bones before you can die suffocated, curses that weaken your body and poison your spirit and leave you ready to be sacrificed on some dark altar... The wolf's howl pulls me from my thoughts. It heads toward me, enormous, powerful, bearing a dark and majestic aura. It looks down at me.

"Thank you," I first whisper and then repeat louder in case it didn't hear me.

The shadow wolf nods its head and starts glowing again emitting a dark light that seems to absorb that of the numerous torches illuminating the arena. Then it starts getting smaller, until returning to being the puppy, which spits out a piece of zombie that occupied almost its entire mouth now that it fits back in my arms.

It jumps into them and I catch it.

"Ugh, you stink," I laugh when it sticks out its tongue and tries to lick my face.

It may have saved me, but I don't let it.

"Let's first give you some water from the backpack."

It squirms protesting. It's adorable, but at the same time I can't forget the terrifying creature it transformed into.

This world's game system called it seed of darkness. If it can transform into such a powerful creature, maybe I shouldn't have saved it. Darkness usually means demons and evil.

I shake my head at the thought. It was a pup that adult wolves wanted to kill. The cruel thing would have been to let them.

I give it water from my canteen to drink and wash its mouth and then yes, I let it give me licks. I look at the levers, two remain. As if reading my thoughts, a popup window appears.

You have twenty minutes to activate a lever or one will be activated at random.

Okay. I imagined something like this. I lift the wolf a bit so its little head is at my height and ask it:

"Can you do that again?"

For all response I receive a lick and a bark.

Better be able to.

Another window appears.

The seed of darkness wishes to bind with you.