Gin’s eyes opened in darkness, but his [Awareness] billowed out of him like a drifting fog swallowing everything around him collecting information. Redblack masses of bodies layered on top of him, the scent of rotting burning internal organs with a metallic tang of dried blood.

He saw the colors of everything, hyper-focused, detailed information from inside his mind. The Trench Lurkers had eaten more than half of the bodies, and now they were gone. Gin still felt his fingers? Slowly, he dragged himself out of the filth. He made his way to the end of the Cavern.

He took a moment before allowing his senses to surround his arms. Gin stared. They were still there.

“No, fucking way.”

Gin was no longer looking at stumps. He flexed his fingers. He opened the spatial compartment for a basin, filled it with water from a bucket he stole from the city, and washed away the bloody grime. Then Gin noticed that his hands were rougher than he remembered. He tried to wash the blood from his arms over and over again.

Then he realized that it was not a stain. It was the color of his skin. His arm turned blood red. Bones grew from his knuckles. On instinct, he knew that he had claws. The claws grew from his fingertips, black as night and sharper than a blade. It wasn’t his hand. His hand was something else [Hands of Aecatas]

He retracted the claws, closed his fist, and the bone in his knuckles grew. He opened his hand, and his hands went back to normal. Gin raged.

“You slimy hail the deep fucker. If we ever meet, I’ll set you on fire and see how you like it.”

He sat there long, fuming, cursing at the sky. He looked at the carnage through his mind’s eye and realized what he had done. This situation wasn’t some asshole’s fault. It was him; he opened this box, but if he hadn’t fought, one of these bodies would be him.

He sat there and studied his new skills. He skipped levels, lost a class, gained a new main class, and lost ten levels, but the grappler class was still untouched. [Grappler level 15], and gained [ Lesser strength][Lesser endurance], all for pushing himself so hard trying to survive. He hated the underground Cavern and wanted to see the sky again.

“I refuse to die here.”

He knew which direction to go no matter where he faced. He used his [Awareness] to find his Mace. The short sword was gone, but he still had a knife in his bag. He tossed the Mace into his compartment and then put on new clothing.

“Let’s see what this thing can do.”

He looked at his blood-red fist. Even his palms were red as if permanently painted. The ritual wasn’t on purpose, but it happened. He gained the hands of some being. Hopefully, it was dead. Hopefully, it didn’t change him. For now, all he had was hope and stubbornness.

He touched his forehead, but the horns hadn’t grown any further. Gin mentally searched for Ada when he found her. Her mind seemed to touch his [pyschic field of Awareness] with a feeling of relief. Ada was now closer to resembling a centipede. She clacked once and began to follow.

For the next few hours, Rats fled his path. Gin never removed his blindfold. he saw the colors through the darkness. Green moss on the walls, tiny insects hunting, Ada hunting them. Like a child, Ada tasted everything in the strange underground garden that was an intertwining maze of tunnels. Some things she ran away from instinctively, small yellow glowing caterpillar-like creatures, seemed to be her favorite. Days passed, and Gin slept when he was tired and kept moving. Whenever he came across a strange flower, he would take the time to study it. If there were any exciting characteristics, he would toss them into his storage.

When his class changed, most of his skills changed. He gained a skill called [sensory tracking], which was straightforward. He quickly tracked the coming going of the Caravan, which was bare to see.[Sneak] and [climbing] became [Edge walking]. He never tripped or felt off-balanced. It allows him to sneak past dangerous areas, walk on walls, and run unhindered. Gained [Greater fire resistance] from watching his hands burn into ash, [Light flash] became [Fire flash]. The ritual flames that burned his hand gave him the nightmare of waking up, still burning, still on fire. He reminded himself that he was still alive.

What happened to him was over, and he survived it; if he stayed away from fire now, it would settle inside like a parasite feeding his fear until he was too afraid to meet the sun. It always came down to that advice from a certain lady, which felt like so long ago.

“Forward always.”

While traveling through the tunnel system Inside Gin’s [psychic field of Awareness], he found an ember burning like a distant light filled with Energy. The flower glowed a deep purple. Each leaf emitted a familiar energy as if it had more life than anything else he had ever seen.

“That might be worth something.”

Gin reached down, and his [Dangersense] began to warn him, but through his [Awareness], he didn’t sense anything. He stepped back, and his [Dangersense] began to calm. Gin stared at the flower.

“Was it the flower?”

Now, he wanted it. Gin smiled. A dangerous flower could become a powerful potion, which might even help him get stronger once he understands this Energy. Gin snatched the flower and took off, running toward the main tunnel. His [Dangersense] exploded behind him, and a colossus pink worm plowed through a wall. Its bulk shifted and reshaped its way through the tunnel at such a speed Gin had no choice but to keep running. He waved his hand back and screamed.

“[Fire flash!]”

A wave of fire erupted from the ground in an outward arc. The good thing was that Fire Flash worked. The bad thing was that it was too small. The giant pink worm squashed the flame, and its bulk kept moving. Through his [psychic Awareness], Gin felt a wave building from the worm. Gin turned out of the way so that whatever the worm was doing wouldn’t hit him. Something built inside the worm and exploded in Gin’s Awareness like acid. He screamed and stumbled into a wall. The pain hurt like hell, but it was nothing like the scream of Trench Lurkers. Something changed under the psychic pressure when Gin pushed back.

The worm’s mind faltered under the struggle for dominance, and something inside the worm echoed. Gin used his [psychic Awareness] to focus on the worm, and the worm felt it. Deep inside its body, a crystal pulsated with Psychic Energy, he felt resonance. The giant worm felt the interaction and made a U-turn like a runaway train. It raced away, but it was too late in his field of Awareness. Gin reached out with his mind and pulled.

The crystal core exploded from the worm, and the monster stopped moving. The crystal was the size of a softball. Gin’s mouth almost drooled. It was like a ripe fruit was ready for tasting through his psyche. He pulled from the core. It filled him with power like drinking from a livewire. It filled his mind down to his toes. he felt the Energy inside him.

“What was that?”

He panted from the adrenaline in his veins. Ada began to gorge on the leftover Energy when the crystal core turned to purple dust. Gin studied the feeling that called to the crystal, but it was gone. His [psychic Awareness] felt a little stronger, like wings feeling their weight for the first time. He couldn’t help but stare at the dust, regretting not studying the crystal first, but he still had the flower.

Gin made his way back to the path in a daze. He avoided Trench Lurkers by leading them away using his [Psychic Awareness]. He learned that Trench Lurker sensed and tracked their prey through a closed psychic network. However, his field of Awareness was too large to pinpoint his exact location; it felt like they were entering someone’s home without an invitation. When Gin focused, he moved the field, which startled the Trench Lurker away.

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The empty grounds turned into wild grassmoss. The sound of water echoed down the cave. Gin finally found the underground Lake. The Lake fed the earth around it, creating a garden of life. Flowers of different sizes bloomed in the darkness, luminous and dangerous like a man-eating Venus fly trap. Gin remembered the advice about dangerous plants and grew excited. It’s been days since he fought anything. His claws were itching for battle.

A scream filled the air. Gin followed the scream to the sound of battle. The long line of wagon carriages parked at the tunnels’ edge entered the underground Lake area. A warrior wielding sword magic cut down and set fire to a giant octopus plant creature while an older man was pulled from the wagon, and a girl screamed.

“Help him, Help him, Father. Somebody help him. Somebody save my Father!”

He knew hiding from the Caravan was the best action because no one was supposed to know about the tunnel. Even if he claimed ignorance, there would still be trouble. The possibility of some stranger telling a few adventurers on his way up for money was very likely. Mentioning the contract, which he had a copy of, wouldn’t stop anyone from trying to kill him anyway.

Gin hid in the shadows and followed the octopus plant monster. In the darkness, his Awareness could see where the torchlights shine, but he had to be careful because he might not be the only person who had a way of seeing through the darkness. The monster contorted and slipped into a crevasse by the Lake.

Its tendrils slowly pulled the older man inside. Gin used his claws to cut the tendrils. The monster sequel then slowly began to make its way back into the open.

The older man looked around, clearly disoriented. His eyes locked on the torchlights, and he slowly began to stumble toward the Caravan. The monster plant looked like a mix of a plant octopus with two swords, like a scythe in its forefront.

Gin quickly stepped out of the way of a broad swipe that ate up the ground in front of the monster. Gin cut into one of its legs; it stumbled; he grabbed its tendrils and tossed it into the Lake.

Gin looked around, and the older man barely returned to the Caravan. He had filled the Barrel with water before leaving, which was best. The battle was over when he defeated the plant monster, and the four guards stared into the darkness.

They waited for what might come next. After a while, they calmed. Gin watched from a distance while they set up camp.

Torchlight outlined the edges of the camp to Gin. It was bright daylight. Every once in a while, the female warrior of the group would stare in his direction. She carried a bow and arrow. Gin made his Awareness give her wide birth.

“There’s something out there. I can feel it, Askan.”

“There is always something out there.”

His voice fell into a whisper. He sighed.

Lara didn’t make it. Something snatched her back there when no one was looking. It might be one of the Lurkers. Something else is going on here. A lot of people are dying. We have to stay vigilant. Get some rest. Lapo will take the first watch.”

She sighed.

“I guess this means no baths?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, get one of the girls to go with you. Catch water in a few buckets and set up a bath between one of the wagons. Watch out for that pervy kid. What’s his name?”

The adventurer snapped his finger.

“Fen?”

“That’s the name. That little bastard creeps me out, and I’m a guy.”

The Caravan inhabitants stayed in their carriage. The long line of wagons filled the underground Caverns. While staying at the edge of the light, Gin snuck past the Caravan and continued to the surface.

Bodies of headless BullRats lay among bones. The pungent smell drew Carian eaters like Trench lurkers, a new type of bug. It happened after Gin came across a second pile. An adventurer lay at the side of the tunnel, breathing, eyes wide open. He was missing a left arm, but there was no blood. His eyes stared at the ceiling, unmoving. There was also a woman not too far away.

Gin’s Awareness picked up movement, and he dove out of the way. He had to [quick step] to gain more space when he rolled back to his feet.

The creature was a giant. Its wide maw stayed open. A long Scorpion tail danced behind it. Gin could smell the decaying flesh on its breath. Green saliva dripped from its jaws. Two tiny red eyes peered at him from an oversized skull. It stood stock still as if it thought Gin couldn’t see him if it stood still. Yet again, most people wouldn’t see something so significant standing still in the shadows. People tend to rarely look up.

Gin’s claws grew in the silence of the darkness. Both beings stared at each other. Quick as a whip, the monster’s tail slammed into the ground where Gin stood, and the giant moved. With its long fingernails, it reached for him. However, Gin had other plans: his claws chopped off two fingers and cut into the veins in its arm.

The monster pulled back its right arm and punched him with its left, sending him reeling into the stone wall. The monster’s movement skill allowed it to cover the distance in seconds. It laughed in delight as its giant feet with mixed-matched twisted toes came down.

Gin-activated [ignore pain] and rolled out of the way. He punched the monster in its ankle with all his [lesser strength], and he heard the bone crack. The monster screamed as if it had no tongue, which sounded like a loud, haunting yawn.

Gin claws met bone, and his claws won. The monster’s feet fell off at the ankle, thrashing while Gin grabbed the woman and brought her somewhere safe. Even through his adrenaline, he felt her trembling in his arm. From her point of view, she could only hear thrashing noises.

“You’ll be alright. I have to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Ada, protect her.”

Gin [psychic Awareness] found the monster climbing the walls despite being injured. Blood pooled down its decapitated leg. Gin ran up the wall at such a speed that, before long, he stared down into the monster’s face.

Its mouth opened, and Gin tore out its throat. It fell back to the floor in a loud thud. Somehow, it was still moving. Gin looked at the creature writhing in pain and thought it might have been human once. Either that or it might be a troll variant with rotting skin disease.

“Sorry, big guy. I have to make sure you stay dead.”

Gin quickly cut off its head with his claws, cutting through bone. He opened the spatial compartment and kicked the head in. The adventurer was still blinking wildly. Gin sat beside her.

“It’s over now. You’ll live. The problem is whether I should take you to the surface or leave you here to catch up to the Caravan. I’ll stay with you until the venom wears off.”

Her eyes danced for a time as if trying not to blink. Then she blinked three times. Gin sighed.

“I’ll just wait until you can move.”

Gin moved her way from the dead body for a nap.

Gin awoke to a warm campfire with the smell of roasted meat.

“Thank you for saving my life.”

“You’re welcome. What was your choice?”

“Straight to the point, I see.”

“I’m on a time limit.”

“Help me get back to the Caravan.”

“They were by the Lake. If you hurry, you might be able to catch them. I can’t go back with you. I have something to do.”

Gin stood. She sat there in silence for a while, stirring the pot.

“My name is Lara. I’ll come with you. They think I’m dead. No one will come looking. My contract is up in a few days anyways.”

“It’s quite dangerous to travel alone in the dark, huh? My name is Walker.”

“Apparently not if you’re doing it.”

She stared at him for a long minute. They ate a hearty soup of meat, carrots, and what Gin suspected was this world’s version of peas. Lara pulled a light stone from her ring. Through Gin’s [Awareness], the light absorbed ambient Mana to lighten the surrounding area.

“What is that?”

“This is a sunstone. It only stays lit for as long as the sun is up, letting people in the underpasses know it’s sundown.”

Gin found that Lara lost her team on the fourth floor to monsters 1 year ago; for the most part, she gave up on climbing the tower and accepted a job as an adventurer for the Windstrider family.

“So what about you? Are you an unknown named rank? You just killed a Carrion giant. A monster like that would take at least two teams to take down.”

“No, I hear better than most. Seeing a monster like that in the dark. It wouldn’t be much of a problem. My team betrayed and tried to kill me on the first floor. I ran until I got lost down here. But I picked up a new skill that allows me to find my way out of this maze.”

“Betrayal. I don’t see how that’s possible. You are quite strong.”

“Really? I can’t tell. I’ve been here for so long. It all just feels like a blur.”

“Will you continue climbing when you get to the second floor?”

Gin made a show of thinking about it.

“I guess I’ll just have to find out how far I can go if I’m so strong.”

After they ate, Lara went to sleep, and Gin took the first watch. His [Dangersense] usually alerts him, and his [psychic Awareness] awakens him. After a few hours, they began to travel the winding tunnels. Gin found lights. Every few paces to light the way out of the tunnels. Lara smile.

“We’ll be out in a few more days. I can’t wait to breathe the fresh air. Isn’t it strange that we haven’t seen any Rat on our way up? I mean, usually, we’d be fighting every day. That’s how most of the people in the Caravan died. Thanks to you, that Carrion giant is dead; I’m sure they can make it to the city now. Most adventurers can handle rats; they’re just not a horde and definitely not a sneaky Giant. Snatching unexpected people is something else.”

Gin dipped his head in acknowledgment. He was ready to remove the blindfold. Gin had come around to like her. They would talk about Levels and classes, giving him something to consider. Lara was level twenty-eight [Axewoman]. Gin told her about his [Grappler] class and claimed his ability to perceive everything around him was his ability to hear.

“There it is!”

Lara took off running. Gin jogged behind her to a massive opening that led to a forest. Light peaked down from the canopy. Gin took in the fresh air.