Rick cursed at again.

"What was the point of all that work? I am never going to come to a library again! Never!"

Rick had just climbed all the way to the eighth floor of the library. Nobody ever walked up all the floors, leaving the entire place to himself. But just as he was getting settled a searing pain shot through his body leaving him unconscious on the floor. He did not want to believe the voice in the sky at first. It was an impossible thing to happen. But when screens started floating before him eyes, congratulating him on surviving, he had no other choice but accept it.

“Goddamnit!” he got started as a screen appeared before his eyes. It was still hard to believe it was happening.

 [GUIDE TO THE EVOLUTION SYSTEM]

A blue screen floated before him. He mentally nodded yes, and a short document appeared.

“A bloody guide, really?” Rick chuckled darkly.

It annoyed him god would treat things as a game right after announcing that the world was coming to an end! But despite his frustration, he continued reading the rest of the document. The entire thing looked like the Terms & Conditions for opening a new email. But if everything that the voice spoke of was true, this could be life and death.

‘I can’t just skim through,’ he thought.

Rick pulled up a chair and started pouring over dystopian HUD mounted text. The document was fairly thorough. The language was grandiose and emphasized repeatedly ho it was the Lord’s mercy that the Evolution System was granted to humanity. But overall it ‘claimed’ to be completely harmless and passive now that the integration was complete.

Rick sighed dismissively, ‘Not like anyone could sue this God even if everyone turned up dead.’

Next he moved on to the functions. That was the real deal here afterall.

“So, if I think status and do this,” he said pensively reaching up with his hand towards his right temple and immediately jumped back as a different screen appeared.

[RICK HANIQUE]

Strength: 12

Stamina: 9

"Damn I hate this!" Rick cursed again looking at the abysmal numbers on the screen.

The stat points reflected his body's condition as they were before the mutation occurred. From what he had read up on the guide, the average adult had 15 points in both the stats.

“If I knew this was coming, I would have spent on the track. What am I supposed to even do in one year’s time!” he mumbled.

Rick considered himself to be in quite a good shape, considering he had not done any real workout since he joined college two years back. And now it seemed like all his hard work studying was for naught.

He closed the screen with a swipe and picked up his bag, sprawled on the floor. He thought of his next move and immediately panicked.

“I should head back home. Please be there sis.”  

Just as Rick started walking towards the stairs, another message blinked before his eyes. Tentatively, he opened it.

[You have entered The Eighth Floor of the Curse Reader Dungeon]

[Dungeon Level: 98]

[The dungeon will be locked until it is cleared out.]

Rick silently read the three lines of text and immediately felt his body stiffen.

"You must be kidding me! What the hell?" Rick screamed under his breath, the initial shock was replaced by anger. "Why did you call the Library a dungeon? And what's with the level? Shouldn't it start from one?" 

He got no reply.

“Why do you want me to die so bad?” Rick snarled angrily looking at the Library’s ceiling.

This didn’t look good for him. Even with his limited exposure to videogames, it was immediately clear to him that he was in some deep trouble.

Rick looked around him and immediately grabbed the closest chair he could find. It was only a rickety wooden chair, but atleast it was something. Even though he was completely clueless how the world could turn upside down over night, he could still comprehend the severity of the words.

'Is this where I die?' a grim thought surfaced. He hunched down and pressed his back against the wall. His eyes looked around frantically, finding enemies among the shadow.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Although Rick did not know what he had to do to 'clear' the dungeon, he was pretty certain he could not do it, especially since he was pushed into it at the first hour of the yearlong training period!

Looking at the stairs leading back down, a plan started forming in his mind.

"Even if I can't leave this place, I should at least be able to reach the ground floor reception. It will definitely be safer there than out here on the eighth floor"

With that he continued inching to his left towards the spiral staircase carefully, the wooden floor creaking under his feet. Right as he reached to grab the rail, first his knuckles and then his head crashed into something he could only describe as an invisible barrier. After a quick inspection, he was sure – there was some magical barrier had sealed off the stairs making it impossible to leave!

"Damn it! What do I do now!" Rick mumbled with a grave tone, "Maybe the windows."

He ran up to check the windows nearby but after a quick pounding realized that they too were sealed as well. Defeated and out of ideas, he took a moment to calm his racing heart.

"There should be a fire exit on the other end," he racked his brain looking around. There were no doors on the three walls around him and that left him with only one other option.

Rick hyped himself and picked up the chair. “Okay let’s do this.”

Just then another message greeted him.

“Please be a way out of this place!” he prayed

[Skill: Tranquil Heart has been learnt]

[Tranquil Heart (Veteran)]

Proficiency: 12%

You remain steady and unwavering at the face of danger.

Rick wanted to punch the screen, but his arm only hit air.

"Useless," Rick gave his verdict, dismissing the screen. "What do I do if someone rushes at me with a sword? Tranquil Heart my foot!" 

His hopes dashed, he picked up the chair with both hands. The rickety old furniture was much lighter than he expected it to be. He tested it with a few swings first before carefully moving forward.

The rows of shelves cast deep and long shadows.

“The corner one,” he tiptoed carefully and reached the corner most row. With one row of shelves pressed against the wall, it limited his exposure to ambush as well.

Pleased with his choice, Rick carefully crawled his way forward. Moving deeper into down the row, Rick had a distinct feeling that the Library felt… different. There was an eerie feel to the place – the place gave an ominous vibe. Even though he was still on the eighth floor everything its dimensions looked much bigger. It was as if the library had suddenly become longer and larger. He wanted to say it was all in his head, but he feared it was actually all real!

Rick pressed his body close to the shelf make himself as little as he could. With light footsteps, he waded forward at snail’s pace.

His efforts bore fruit and a he received another message. 

[Skill: Stealth Walk has been learnt]

[Stealth Walk (Novice)]

Proficiency: 1%

Meld with the shadows around you. There is a lesser chance of enemies spotting you.

‘This might come in handy,’ a sigh of relief escaped.

After the last skill Rick didn’t expect much. He could not immediately make out how useful the skill would be, but he was not complaining, this was definitely more practical than the other skill [Tranquil Heart] skill he had received.

As he slowly crept his way forward, a clearing appeared ahead of him.

‘That’s new,’ Rick stopped a little way behind. He was certain there was no hall at the end of the shelves. He walked a step forward to get a better view – the sight left him slack-jawed. It was literally impossible for the hall to exist. It was bigger than the width of the Library itself!

“Holy shit!” he gulped.

Although even cell in his body said otherwise, he took another step forward. His only way out was that way. He slowly poked his head from behind the shelf. He scanned around quickly but could not see anyone there.

“It’s empty?” Rick sighed in relief.

The hall lit with a yellow light was empty as far as he could see it. Rows of marvelous white colums lined on either side. While a majestic lion-crested golden throne sat at the center of the hall high above the rest.

Below the throne were another four, jet black, seats. They looked like pure obsidian.

But it was what lay beyond the throne that left his heart fluttering.  Behind the lion-crested throne was a pair of large double doors, which Rick could only imagine led outside.

Rick smiled as a wave of relief washed over him. “That’s my way out,”

He quickly swept his gaze across the room and inspected that there was actually no one there. He carefully took his first step forward, careful not to make any sound. But as soon as his first step landed, all the meticulous planning washed way.

"Who dares to enter the Lord's Chamber" a voice boomed, shaking the ground with it.

"No! No, no no," Rick regretted celebrating too early and immediately retreated back into the corridor. He had miscalculated. The hall was not certainly not empty.

And there wasn’t just one. From the corner of the shelves he could make out silhouettes appearing from the four seats, turning around towards the shelves.

Rick gulped and prayed that they would think it’s a cat or something else. But his prayers went unanswered.

"A human…" a second voice spoke, a tinge of shock in his voice, "How did an ordinary human defeat the demon legions so quickly?"

'They know I am here!' Rick screamed inside his head, slowly inching back. Looking at the size of the silhouettes, he didn’t even feel offended being called ‘an ordinary human’.

"If he is strong enough to kill his way up the demon legions, we must be on guard brothers,” the first voice spoke again. “It's not been long enough since the seal had been removed. We have not regained all our strength back and Master is not here either. We must act decisively."

The four shadows moved towards Rick and into the light. Rick could now finally see the faces to the voices.

“Shit!” his stomach knot up and his leg jerk in shock. His legs refused to move at the sight before him.

It would not be right to call them human under any circumstance although they did have the humanoid characteristics – a head, torso and four limbs. But they were under no definition fit the bill to be referred to as humans.

All the four creatures before him had different features even though their silhouettes had the human form.

The first voice that spoke had metal like shining body, while two crooked horns protruded from the skull of his head – Metalhorn.

The one next to him had a normal face but with greyish skin and without eyes, a mouth or a nose on its face – Greyman.

The third had a green carapace like skin with a mist surrounding his presence – Foggy.

While the fourth had the upper torso of a human, but had the lower limbs of a goat and had had a pair of wings jutting out from his lower back – Goatleg.

Rick knew it was not the time to come up with nicknames for demons, but strangely he didn’t feel fearful! It was when the new message appeared, that he realized why.

[Proficiency of the Skill Tranquil Heart has increased.]

But Rick didn’t have the time to muse at his gains as the Goatleg spoke, "Don't think you can get escape from this place, human."

The voice prompted Rick back to the present.

‘I can’t go back, there is no other way out of here,’ he calculated. He only had one option left.

“Hey calm down guys. I mean no harm," Rick said the first words he could think of. He was afraid that if he did not say anything, these things would kill him on the spot without giving Rick to even say a word.

"Hahaha! Such pretenses. You slaughter our demon armies and speak of peace!" Metalhorn guffawed, "You dare come into Master’s chamber and sprout nonsense? Do not think we will not uphold Master's honour in his absence."

 Rick held his hand out to deny killing anyone, but a new message interrupted his thoughts. Cursing under his breath, he read what it said.

[Quest]

[Victory in this dungeon will allow you a qualify you to become the Master of City Central Library]

'The heck!’ Rick blinked reading it a second time, before grinding his teeth. ‘Who wants to be the master of this place! I will never set my foot again in this place if I get out of here alive.'