The axe hurtled toward me with terrifying speed, a deadly projectile with a single purpose—to take me out.

My survival instincts kicked in, and I spun around, raising my arm in a desperate attempt to block the attack.

In that moment, I entrusted myself to my companion, Blob the Blocker.

With a quick flick of my wrist, Blob shifted into position, his form solidifying as much as it could to take the hit.

The force of the impact was immense, the weight of the axe almost snapping my arm in two as it collided with Blob.

But despite the overwhelming force, Blob managed to push the axe’s trajectory upward, deflecting it just enough for it to slam into the ceiling instead of my body.

The axe plunged deep into the stone, shattering a large portion of the ceiling.

Massive chunks of rock rained down, crashing to the ground and blocking the path behind me.

The way back was now sealed off by the debris, a wall of stone separating me from the enraged looter. But that was fine by me—I had no intention of going back into the jaws of danger.

As the dust settled, I looked down at Blob.

Pieces of him were scattered around me, slowly transitioning from solid form to liquid, indicating that he had given his all in the defense.

knelt down beside the remains of my loyal companion. "Thank you, Blob." I whispered, my voice heavy with gratitude. "You saved my life."

But there was no time to mourn. I had to keep moving. Leaving the remaining slimes behind in the large open area to slow down the adventurers, I turned and sprinted forward.

I knew they would do their job, but I also knew that the brute would not be stopped for long.

The distance between us was a blessing, but it was dwindling by the second.

I felt a pang of disappointment as the effects of the Boots active skill faded away.

The burst of speed that had propelled me so far was gone, and now I was back to running on my own strength.

The difference was stark, and I could feel the strain in my legs as I pushed myself to keep going.

The brute, on the other hand, wasn’t far behind. I didn’t know how long it would take for his Bull Charge cooldown to refresh, but I was certain it wouldn’t be long.

He was relentless, and I had ran out of tricks.

As I continued running, I soon found myself at an impasse.

The paths ahead branched off in multiple directions, I quickly glanced down at Lila, who was peeking out from the bag, helped me stay on mark.

"Lila, which way?" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.

She quickly scanned the area, then pointed to the left. "Turn left!"

I didn’t hesitate. I veered left, my feet slamming against the floor as I followed her lead.

BANG!

The moment I made the turn, a deafening crash echoed behind me, shaking the ground. My heart skipped a beat—I knew exactly what that meant.

A massive, booming voice roared through the tunnels, dripping with murderous intent. "I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

He’d broken through the blocked path.

I didn’t need to see it to know that the brute was on the move again, charging at me with uncontrollable anger.

The sheer force of his wrath seemed to vibrate through the walls, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Keep going straight!” Lila urged, her voice steady despite the tremor of fear I could sense in it. “There’s another turn coming up!”

I nodded, pushing myself to keep going despite the burning in my legs and the searing ache in my chest.

As I ran, veering from one direction to the next, I suddenly found myself face to face with a group of viscous slimes.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

It was a sight I’d been expecting, though I was a bit surprised I hadn’t encountered them sooner.

But there was no time to stop and fight. I had no intention of getting tangled up with these first-floor monsters, especially not now.

They were slow, and with my current physical stats and the movement speed bonus from the boots, I could easily evade them.

I was no longer in the pathetically hopeless state I had been in when I first arrived here. I had grown stronger, though it was minimal in the grand scheme of things.

I ducked and dodged, slipping past their sluggish attacks with ease.

The slimes reached out with their gelatinous bodies, but they were far too slow to catch me. I darted around them, barely losing any momentum as I continued forward.

Lila’s voice piped up from the bag, filled with urgency. “Leon! I see a light just ahead! From the left corner!”

My heart leapt at her words. That light, that familiar pulsating glow—it had to be the exit.

We were so close. I could almost taste the victory. “We’re almost there, Lila!” I shouted, a grin spreading across my face.

But just as I was about to savor the moment, a familiar deafening crash echoed from behind me.

I turned my head just in time to see that bastard smashing into the wall, unable to stop his momentum in time to make the turn.

He hit the stone with such force that it sent cracks through the wall.

Barely even flinched from the crash. He shook off the impact like it was nothing, his eyes locking onto mine with a vicious, bloodthirsty smile. The fury in his gaze was enough to freeze the blood in my veins.

"BULL CHARGE!"

With a roar that echoed through the narrow corridor, he screamed out his Bull Charge skill again, his entire body surging with that terrifying aura.

He launched himself at me, barreling down the narrow path with unstoppable speed.

“FUCK!” I cursed, my heart racing. There was no time to think, only to move. The exit was right there, just within reach, but so was the brute.

I finally reached the corner, my feet swerving as I made the turn.

There it was—the familiar shimmering portal, glowing with an ethereal light that seemed to pull me in, urging me to make a run for it. Freedom was just within reach.

But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something that made my heart drop.

Lying still in the far corner of the room, half-hidden in the shadows, was the young boy I had failed to save.

His lifeless body was a painful reminder of my earlier failure, the promise I had made to at least bring him out of this cursed dungeon, to give him the rest he deserved.

No one had taken him out. He was still here, abandoned in the darkness. Guilt hit me like a punch to the gut.

Should I try to pick him up, carry him through the portal, and fulfill that broken promise? Could I risk it?

But before I could decide, a cold voice cut through the air behind me.

"Got ya!"

I turned around, and there he was, his monstrous frame towering over me, a terrifying grin spreading across his face. The sheer, murderous intent in his eyes made my blood run cold.

For a split second, I hesitated, my heart full of resentment and regret. I had promised to bring the boy out, to do right by him, but the brute was right on my heels. There was no time. The situation left me no choice.

With a heavy heart, I clenched my fists, squinting my eyes shut for just a moment as the weight of my decision settled in. I had to leave him behind again. I had to survive.

I opened my eyes, the regret still burning inside me, and I bolted for the portal with everything I had. The brute wasn’t going to let me go so easily.

"You’ve run far enough. Time’s up—now you die!" His voice was a chilling whisper, and I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck as he drew closer.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat growing louder, faster.

THUD-THUD!

The brute was right behind me, the sound of his heavy footsteps echoing in the narrow corridor.

THUD-THUD!

The walls seemed to close in, the air thick with the stench of fear and desperation.

THUD-THUD!

My vision narrowed, the portal ahead blurring as adrenaline surged through my veins.

But it wasn't just the pounding in my chest that I felt. It was the sheer terror, the realization that this was it—this was the moment where everything could end.

Suddenly, the air around me crackled with a dark, menacing energy.

I whipped my head around, my breath catching in my throat as I saw the man's face inches away from mine.

"Hello!"

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!!!!

At that moment, his aura shifted, morphing into something monstrous, something out of a nightmare.

CRACK-CRACK!

His aura transformed, swelling into the shape of a colossal minotaur, its eyes glowing with a hellish light. The beast roared silently behind him, its massive horns ready to gore, its form pulsating with lethal intent.

My legs felt like lead, the weight of the impending attack almost too much to bear. I tried to move, but it was as if time itself had slowed down, trapping me in this moment of pure terror.

And then, with a savage roar, the brute swung his axe. The weapon gleamed with a deadly, crimson aura, growing in size, in menace, as it descended toward me. It was more than just a swing—it was a death sentence.

"MINOTAUR'S MIGHTY CLEAVE!!!"

https://i.imgur.com/nhDPCJq.png [https://i.imgur.com/nhDPCJq.png]

[Minotaur's Mighty Cleave]

[Minotaur's Mighty Cleave allows the user to channel a powerful, rage-infused aura that takes the form of a fearsome minotaur. This aura enhances the user’s strength and the destructive power of their weapon. Upon activation, the user delivers a devastating cleave with their weapon, capable of crushing through armor and defenses with ease. The sheer force of the attack is so overwhelming that it creates the illusion of the weapon being wielded by the mythical Minotaur itself, amplifying the psychological terror in the target]

[Usage: Primarily used for dealing massive damage in a single, decisive strike. Most effective against heavily armored opponents or in situations where a high-impact attack is needed to break through tough defenses.]