Alex wiped his hands on his hoodie, the foul-smelling ichor of the Caterpillar-Spider still clinging to his skin. His heart pounded in his chest, not just from exertion but from the rush—the thrill of using his abilities in a real fight. This was nothing like the lectures or the training. This was raw, unpredictable, and dangerous. Exactly what he had wanted.
The cavern stretched ahead of him, the dim glow of bioluminescent fungi casting eerie shadows against the jagged walls. The air grew colder as he advanced, and the distant clicking sounds grew louder and sharper. More Caterpillar-Spiders. He clenched his fists, his body still aching but pulsing with the energy he had drained from the first monster.
"Bring it on," he muttered again, stepping forward.
As if responding to his challenge, three more Caterpillar-Spiders emerged from the darkness. These were slightly smaller than the first but just as menacing—eight gleaming crimson eyes and venomous fangs dripping with poison. They moved in unison, surrounding him with calculated precision.
Alex didn't wait for them to strike.
He lunged at the nearest one, driving his knee into its face. The creature reeled back, screeching, but the other two took advantage of his exposed side. One slashed at him with a serrated leg, leaving a shallow gash across his arm, while the other spat a thick glob of webbing toward his legs.
He twisted his body mid-air, barely avoiding the web. Pain flared along his arm, but his regeneration kicked in, sealing the wound in seconds. With a snarl, he grabbed the leg of the spider he had struck and ripped it free. The sickening crunch echoed through the cavern as the creature collapsed.
One down.
The other two attacked in unison, their legs slicing through the air. Alex ducked beneath the strike of one, his enhanced senses allowing him to track their rapid movements. His fist connected with the soft underbelly of the second spider, tearing through the thin exoskeleton. The creature shrieked, spasming before it stilled.
The last one hesitated—only for a moment. It was all he needed. Alex surged forward, grabbing its head with both hands and twisting sharply. The snap of its neck reverberated through the chamber as its body crumpled.
His breathing was heavy, muscles aching with exhaustion. He could feel the drain creeping in, but there was no time to rest. Alex knelt by the fallen monsters, pressing his hand against their broken bodies. The energy flowed into him, a cold, electric surge that dulled his exhaustion and restored his strength.
More clicks echoed from the far end of the cavern.
"These things don't quit," he murmured, wiping sweat from his brow. He had to keep moving. If he stayed too long, he'd be overwhelmed and he couldn't afford to lose.
The cavern walls grew narrower as he advanced, the air thick with the scent of decay and venom. Something about this place felt off. Darker. More dangerous. His instincts screamed at him to turn back, but he pushed forward. He needed to see what lay ahead. If there was a dungeon boss, he could drain even more energy, and maybe, just maybe, this was his chance to prove how strong he had become.
The passage opened into a massive chamber.
Alex froze.
At the center of the room, coiled on a raised stone platform, was a monster unlike any he had faced. A massive, two-headed snake with a green, glittering body. Its scales shimmered like polished emeralds, reflecting the faint light in eerie patterns. Each head bore a pair of glowing yellow eyes and a twisted horn rising from their skulls. The air around it pulsed with raw power.
A B-rank monster.
Alex swallowed hard. This wasn't like the Caterpillar-Spiders—this was on an entirely different level. It could destroy an entire district if it escaped.
One of the heads lifted, its tongue flicking out to taste the air. The other followed, both heads locking onto him with predatory focus.
"So much for taking it easy," Alex muttered, rolling his shoulders.
The snake struck without warning. One head lunged at him while the other stayed back, watching his movements. He barely managed to dodge, the wind from the strike whipping past his face. The stone where he had stood shattered under the force.
"Fast! It is too fast!"
He sprang forward, aiming a punch at its body. His fist connected, but the snake's glittering scales absorbed the blow. Pain shot up his arm. It was like hitting solid steel.
The left head hissed, fangs glistening with venom. It lunged again, and this time, Alex wasn't fast enough. The fangs grazed his shoulder, leaving a burning sensation in their wake.
His regeneration kicked in immediately, sealing the wound but the venom burned beneath his skin, slowing his movements.
"Not good," he growled, pushing through the pain.
The snake struck again, both heads moving in terrifying synchronization. Alex leaped onto a rock formation, narrowly avoiding the bite. He needed a new approach, a mere brute force wasn't enough.
His eyes scanned the monster, searching for a weakness. The horns. They pulsed faintly with energy. If they were connected to the snake's power, breaking them might give him an edge.
Alex didn't hesitate.
He launched himself from the rock, twisting mid-air to avoid another strike. Landing on the snake's back, he grabbed hold of one of the horns and pulled with everything he had.
The snake thrashed violently, trying to dislodge him. Alex held on, teeth gritted as he poured every ounce of strength into his grip. The horn cracked, then snapped clean off.
A deafening screech filled the chamber.
The snake convulsed, one head lashing out blindly while the other sagged, its glow dimming. Alex barely avoided being crushed as he jumped free.
"One head down," he panted.
The weakened head faltered, but the other was still aggressive. It reared back, venom dripping in thick, corrosive globs. Alex had no time to waste. He needed to finish it.
Summoning every bit of strength left in him, he charged. As the snake struck, he ducked beneath its fangs and drove his fist directly into the base of the remaining horn.
The horn shattered, and the snake's entire body seized. Its heads twisted in agony as a surge of energy erupted from the broken stumps.
Alex pressed a hand to the snake's body, absorbing the chaotic energy as it poured out. His vision blurred from the sheer force of it, muscles trembling under the strain but he didn't stop.
The snake's glittering scales dulled. Its massive frame slumped to the ground, motionless.
Silence fell over the chamber.
Alex stood over the corpse, chest rising and falling rapidly, energy still crackling beneath his skin. His legs wobbled, exhaustion finally catching up to him. But he had done it, he had defeated a B-rank monster. All alone.
A shaky laugh escaped his lips. "Guess I'm stronger than I thought."
But as the echoes faded, another sound replaced them—the faint hum of something deeper within the dungeon.
Alex narrowed his eyes, he could hear something, it sounded like a heartbeat. He grinned, he didn't care how many monsters he would face next, he was now stronger, and he was going to get more stronger even.
"Hah!"