CHAPTER 18: INTO THE ABYSS
Kieran hit the ground hard. Pain flared through his limbs, but he barely had time to react before the floor shifted beneath him.
He rolled to the side just as a jagged stone spike shot up from the ground where he had landed. A trap.
His heart pounded. Elias dropped me in here on purpose.
The air was thick, damp, and wrong. He could barely see—only faint blue light from bioluminescent veins along the walls illuminated the underground cavern. This place was alive.
A system message flickered.
[Unknown Zone Detected: Subterranean Ruins]
[Hazards Present: Unstable Terrain, Limited Visibility, Hostile Lifeforms]
Hostile lifeforms?
A deep, guttural clicking echoed through the tunnels.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Kieran’s breath caught. The sound wasn’t human.
Slowly, he turned his head.
A shape lurked in the darkness—a humanoid figure, but wrong. Too tall, its limbs elongated, its movements unnatural. It clung to the cavern wall like an insect, its head twitching toward him.
Kieran’s instincts screamed.
[Threat Identified: Abyss Lurker – Class D]
D-rank? That was stronger than the mutant he barely survived.
The Lurker moved.
Kieran reacted. He threw himself backward as clawed fingers slashed through the air, barely missing his throat.
He hit the ground and rolled, pushing himself up. No hesitation. No relying on the system. Just instinct.
The creature lunged again—this time, Kieran was ready.
He dodged to the side, his body moving before he even thought. Then, without stopping, he countered—his fist lashed out, a surge of red and blue energy crackling around it.
BOOM.
His strike connected. The Lurker screeched, its chest caving inward from the force. It skidded backward, twitching violently.
Kieran’s breath was ragged, his hands still sparking. He had hurt it. For the first time, he had truly landed a decisive blow.
But the Lurker… was still moving.
Kieran tensed. This wasn’t over.
And somewhere in the shadows, Elias watched.