I felt my nerves burning.
A scream tore out of my lips as I covered the wound on my left shoulder.
I could still feel something stabbing in my bones, and looking at my shoulder, I saw it.
A thin, metallic needle. It was stabbed right into my shoulder, leaking some blood.
But the stinger wasn’t the main problem, hell, it felt like nothing compared to the internal havoc inside me.
My blood was pumping, carrying the ant’s venom to every part of my body, further amplifying my pain.
Ruby appeared right next to me and I saw Lina crushing the ant’s head under her heel casually.
Like a watermelon under a hydraulic press, it exploded into chunks of the ant’s chitin and flesh.
"Aaron!" Ruby shouted as she knelt next to me and checked my wound.
"Listen, it’s okay. Anthro’s venom is not deadly." She put me at ease with her words, but it proved no help to my current situation.
It fucking pained. A lot.
[ You have assisted in the killing of a boss monster. Red Anthro – Lv5 ]
[ Exp +47 ]
[ You have leveled up! ]
What a coincidence.
I didn’t reply to Ruby nor paid any attention to the rest of the people who were gathering around me.
’Status.’ I whispered in my mind.
[ User: Aaron Cross ]
[ Level: 6 ]
[ Exp: 1% ]
[ Title: Otherworldly Soul (Legendary) ]
[ Class: Boy Toy (Common) ]
[ Race: Human (Male) ]
[ ~Stats~ ]
[ Strength: 21 ]
[ Agility: 22 ]
[ Stamina: 24 (5) ]
[ Intelligence: 16 ]
[ Magic: 30 ]
[ Additional Points: 10 ]
[ Skills: 1/5 ]
[ Inventory: 0/1 ]
I dumped 5 stats directly into the stamina, and then 2 more into magic.
Stamina was directly related to the bodily metabolism and healing function, which I needed right now.
As for the magic, that would be important for what I will do right now.
I glanced at Ruby and grunted, "Reverse Senses."
Both our bodies glowed in a faint blue light for a microsecond before disappearing as if nothing happened.
"...!" She shot me a look in shock, "You– Hah."
I guess I don’t need to explain the effects of my skill, I chuckled softly as the pain within me began to subside like magic.
It wasn’t as if the venom had stopped affecting me, I just lowered my pain sensitivity so I don’t suffer as much pain from it.
"What the fuck-" Lina looked at me with a weird gaze.
This was the first time I heard Lina’s voice that wasn’t directed to Greg or Ruby.
"You’re a boy toy." Ruby said with something complicated flickering under her gaze.
She said it as a matter of factly, and I could sense the disappointment in her voice.
Reverse senses must have been a famous skill under the boy toy class, and well, considering that it was a common class, many other people must have it too.
"That’s my class, not my identity." I tried to defend myself, but Klaus wasn’t having it.
It seems as if my respect had died in his eyes already.
"For you to get that class, it is your identity. Or at least, has been your identity." he scoffed, looking down on me and my class, both.
I guess his awesome, magician –or whatever– class gave him the right to do so.
I could say nothing in response, for I know that it was the truth.
Every person got their class based on what they did when they were 18 years old.
It was the fact... yet, I felt hurt about their treatment.
Is this how a whore felt when someone disrespected her about her job?
I mean... I can understand, but this wasn’t me!
I wasn’t the boy toy.
I am Aaron Cross from Earth!
I am not the Aaron Cross of Solaris!
I am not the person who used to be, and still was the boy toy.
Yet, I cannot explain this to them.
I cannot reveal that I was actually a man who transmigrated into this body, and even if they believe me, my identity will be in danger.
I hadn’t done anything wrong, but I could already see Ruby and the rest of the group members distancing themselves from me.
As if I was some sort of a plague they wanted to avoid.
By now, the 30 seconds of my skill were up and the suppressed sensitivity of my body returned back to normal.
Though my improved stamina had done a good work on the rampaging venom, clearing it out of my system with only a little amount still stinging me internally.
The ant’s stinger that was still in my shoulder was left undisturbed, as removing it will only unclog the wound and make more blood flow.
I coughed out a mouthful of blood that felt a little darker in colour, probably the expelled blood that contained impurities like ant venom.
Being a boy toy wasn’t actually a crime, but right now I felt that it was.
Even the kind Ruby didn’t seem as interested in engaging in a conversation with me.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked while looking at my shoulder.
"Yes, thank you, Ruby." I coughed and slowly rose back to my feet.
I guess that was it for my labyrinth dive.
I doubt they were that interested in continuing the hunt with me, and their initial intention had always been to run the first floor, after all.
And as expected...
"Aaron, you need to get that wound healed as soon as possible, or it can get infected." Ruby said with a tinge of worry, and then Klaus continued her words without pulling any punches.
"I was unable to level up because you and Greg were hunting mostly, so we were planning to re-run the first floor, can you manage to get it healed yourself?"
"Yes, of course." I nodded, trying my best to keep up my poker face.
And I guess being a good gambler paid off, as I was able to keep my hurt hidden.
Somehow this minor heartbreak pained more than the ant venom.
Ruby, still being as kind as she had proven herself to be, pushed a 20 Sol note towards me.
"You will need some money to get the healing." she said with a slight smile, "Go before us, opening that door will give you 2 choices.
One is to leave the labyrinth, and the other is to head to the 2nd floor.
Please choose to leave the labyrinth, and you already have my number, give me a text or call anytime if you wish to continue learning the sword."
I sigh as I take the note, and despite my self respect telling me not to, I needed it.
Though I didn’t forget to promise her that I will return it along with the 15 I owed earlier, only this time, I was actually intending to return it.
Just like before, she said that it was alright.
I smiled at her words, "Thank you everyone. See you later. Bye Ruby."
"Bye Aaron."
I turned around and speed walked towards the door.
I had no interest in hearing what they say about me behind my back as that might just pain me more.
And just as Ruby had informed, exiting the door left me in complete darkness.
In front of me was a choice to leave or continue, and I naturally chose to leave.
It would be stupid to continue like a suicidal maniac, especially after realizing how dangerous these monsters can be.
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ–
The moment my foot landed out of the darkness veil of the labyrinth, the cold wind whipped against me and my phone’s network returned.
It burst with an onslaught of notifications, buzzing more than my aunt’s adult toy.
The fuck?