“That wasn’t the super boss... was it?” I muttered, already knowing the answer but hoping Malice would tell me otherwise. The dread creeping up my spine felt suffocating.

[Close. That was one of its babies that had eaten the corpse of Elric.]

I gulped, trying to swallow the fear clawing at my insides, but it only sank deeper, twisting like a knife in my gut. My heart hammered against my ribcage as if it were trying to escape. A baby? I hadn't even thought through my actions. I just kept pushing and pushing, too damn stubborn to stop. Now look where I am—barely surviving something that wasn't even the real threat.

The room reeked of blood and rot. The metallic tang of gore mixed with the stench of decay clung to the air, heavy and suffocating. I stumbled to a chair at the blood-soaked table and collapsed into it, my body feeling like it weighed a thousand pounds. The grotesque remains of the creature littered the floor, half-formed limbs and viscera dripping from the walls. I tried not to look—don't look, don't think about it—but the images were already burned into my mind.

I wiped a trembling hand over my face, fingers brushing against the damp strands of hair sticking to my forehead. Exhaustion pulled at my eyelids, but I knew I couldn't sleep—not here, not now. I'd already slept once, and that was dangerous enough. According to the Book of Blood, sleeping in a room like this could invite one of the floor challengers, and those things... those were the real monsters. Insanely dangerous. A death sentence if I wasn't prepared.

I couldn't afford another fight right now. I no longer even wanted to try going after the final boss.

I stood up and began pacing the room, my boots squelching in the blood-soaked floor with each step. The sound was sickening, but the movement helped keep the rising panic at bay. "Malice, I noticed you haven't been counting the rooms on this floor," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Is there a reason why?"

[There are certain floors in this dungeon that do not have traditional dungeon rooms. Didn't your book teach you that?] Malice's tone was infuriatingly casual.

I froze mid-step, my breath catching in my throat. "What?" I whispered, turning slowly. "No... no, it didn't," I admitted, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin. A chill ran down my spine as I clutched my arms around myself. Why wouldn't the book mention something like that? It didn't make sense. Had I missed it?

My hands shook as I rummaged through my inventory, finally pulling out the worn leather-bound Book of Blood. I flipped hastily to the section on floor mechanics, pages fluttering under my unsteady fingers. "Come on... come on..." I muttered under my breath, scanning the text. The symbols and words seemed to blur together, my vision swimming with anxiety.

The book explained that each floor was shaped by the deity who sponsored it—a fact I already knew. The first floor, for example, was a generic dungeon layout, reflecting the god's domain. Aurentum, the god of rot, warped spaces into vile sewers filled with filth and despair. Malikap, the god of betrayal, twisted the homes or cities of his chosen penitents into hellscapes, mocking their pasts. But Rellum—Rellum was different. His floors were never fully documented. The god of mystery kept his secrets well, and no one knew what he did with his penitents. The few who tried to record their findings never survived long enough.

Of course, it had to be Rellum.

I let out a shaky sigh, sinking back into the chair. My fingers drummed anxiously on the book's cover. The anxiety that had been simmering beneath the surface was now boiling over into frustration. I ran a hand through my tangled hair, pulling it away from my face. Each floor operated differently depending on the god's whims. Some were sprawling, open spaces favoring exploration and combat. Others were confined to rooms, each one a new trial or challenge. But the most dangerous floors... they didn't follow any rules. These floors could yank you out of the dungeon entirely, dropping you into real-world scenarios where the stakes were higher than any in the dungeon. The consequences were irreversible—actual, lasting damage to the universe itself.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. Those floors... they weren't just games anymore. Whatever happened in those spaces could ripple out, changing everything. How the hell did I not know this?

I closed the book, pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes. "Idiot," I whispered to myself. "How could you miss something so crucial?" If I'd missed this, what else had I overlooked? What else had I gotten wrong? The weight of the dungeon—the endless fights, the constant danger—it all felt crushing. A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard, refusing to let tears come.

Malice was silent, an unusual stillness that only heightened my unease. He was always quick with a snide comment or sarcastic remark, but now? Nothing. I glanced upward, half-expecting some glimmer or sign of his presence, but there was only the oppressive darkness of the room.

I couldn't afford to make mistakes like this—not when every wrong move could get me killed. Or worse.

A flicker of anger sparked within me. "It's all your fault," I muttered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the stone floor. "If you hadn't told me to kill Elric, none of this would have happened!" My voice echoed harshly in the empty room.

I began pacing again, fists clenched at my sides. "And the fact that you didn't have a clear answer on why the floor hadn't ended yet, and you're refusing to help me find my way out—it's beyond frustrating!" I kicked a piece of debris across the room, the clatter echoing. "The key is supposed to be the way out of this floor, and yet you haven't once been able to help me."

I stopped, taking a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My heart was racing, anger and fear swirling together. It wasn't like I could just go searching through the Book of Blood to find all the answers...

Wait.

My eyes widened as a thought struck me. "The Book of Blood..." I whispered. Of course. Maybe there was something I missed, something that could help. I hurriedly flipped the book open again, this time more carefully turning the pages.

My gaze fell upon a passage discussing the various keys associated with each floor. "Certain keys are used in different ways," I read aloud, "but every key has to be used at the entrance to the floor." My finger traced the lines as I continued. "The key for the first floor is called the Severance, and it is capable of severing soul-bound entities, including crystals."

I paused, heart pounding. Severing soul-bound entities... including crystals. Including Malice.

A mix of hope and fear surged through me. I snapped the book shut, hugging it to my chest. But then I froze. Malice had occasionally shown the ability to read my thoughts. If he knew I was considering this...

Just like when I was under constant threat from the mind mages, I needed to separate my thoughts. I closed my eyes, focusing on erecting mental barriers, pushing the revelation as far from my mind as possible. There would be time to consider it later, safely.

I exhaled slowly, opening my eyes. My gaze drifted to the remnants of the creature still scattered around the room. The frustration and anger I felt toward Malice were bubbling to the surface. He had purposefully refused to be helpful, despite all the assistance he'd given me on the previous floor. It was beyond infuriating.

I clenched my jaw, feeling a knot of resentment tightening in my chest. You're nothing but a charlatan, I thought carefully, shielding my mind. A manipulative, self-serving parasite. I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back from my face. I'm done being driven toward your nature. I'm tired of it.

Silence hung heavy in the air. For once, Malice had nothing to say.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I knew where I needed to go now. I needed to find the entrance to this floor and use the key—the Severance. And maybe, just maybe, I could free myself from Malice's influence once and for all.

I had a decision to make. Now that I had the key, it didn't matter if I died or not. While the other penitents could theoretically prevent me from making any progress by killing me every time I made it to the floor, they also didn't know about my spawn point. I wasn't sure how the process of taking the power of the magical mural would go, but I could spend a run if the life-drain proved too perilous.