Alex lay sprawled on the cold dungeon floor, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in deep, ragged breaths.
Every muscle in his body ached, his limbs felt like lead, and his fingers trembled from gripping his dagger too tightly during the first trial.
He had expected a tough fight, but the sheer brutality of the challenge had exceeded his worst nightmares.
"Alright, bring it on, dungeon! I'm just getting started!"
He winced as he remembered his own words. Past Alex, you absolute dumbass. Why did you have to taunt the dungeon like that?
As he lay there, a soft chime echoed in his mind.
[New Skill Acquired!]
[Heavy Strike (E)] (Active - Growth type ) – A powerful attack that momentarily enhances the user's strength, dealing increased damage upon impact. (Trial of Strength Reward)
Alex blinked. "Wait... did I just get a free skill?" A grin formed on his face, but it quickly turned into a frown. "No, wait... it's probably just fattening me up for something worse."
He groaned as he sat up, stretching his sore arms. Heavy strike sounded useful, especially since he was still limited by his F-rank stats.
If nothing else, he could cause heavy damage without looking like a complete weakling.
But he had no time to relax. The second trial was waiting.
The Second Trial: Endurance
A deep rumbling filled the air as the dungeon's walls shifted, the stone doors ahead creaking open to reveal a vast chamber filled with towering stone pillars.
The moment Alex stepped inside, a voice echoed through the chamber.
"The Trial of Endurance begins. Survive."
Alex felt a sinking feeling in his gut. "That's it? Just 'survive'? That sounds way too vague."
Then the gravity doubled.
Alex barely had time to react before he was slammed to the ground, his knees buckling under the sudden weight. "Oh, come on! I was already sore! What is this, dungeon-sponsored torture?!"
Straining, he forced himself to stand, his body screaming in protest. Then, as if things weren't bad enough, shadowy figures began emerging from the walls.
They had no defined features, just humanoid shapes made of writhing darkness, but their glowing red eyes locked onto Alex with a hunger that made his stomach churn.
"Of course, there are monsters. Why wouldn't there be?"
The first shadow lunged at him, its clawed hand slicing through the air.
Alex barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side, but the increased gravity made his movements sluggish.
Another shadow attacked, forcing him to parry with his dagger. The impact rattled his bones.
Then more of them came.
Fighting with Brain and Brawn
Alex quickly realized brute force wasn't going to cut it. His stamina was already being drained by the gravity, and these shadow creatures weren't slowing down.
He activated [Shadow Step], shifting his weight and dodging just in time to avoid a claw aimed at his head. But even that felt sluggish under the intense pressure.
"Okay, okay, think! How do I use this damn gravity against them?"
He observed the shadows closely. They were fast, but their movements were predictable.
They always lunged straight at him instead of adapting to his movements.
An idea formed in his mind. He baited one of the shadows into attacking and then sidestepped at the last second, letting it crash into another pillar.
The creature let out an unearthly screech as its form flickered and destabilized.
"Oh? So you guys aren't very sturdy, huh?" Alex smirked. "Alright, let's play."
Using every bit of energy he had left, he dashed between the pillars, forcing the shadows to collide with the environment.
Every time one of them slammed into a stone surface, its body flickered, dispersing into black mist. One by one, he took them down—until only one remained.
This one was different.
It was twice the size of the others, its body more solid, its red eyes glowing with malice.
"Oh, great. A mini-boss. Because life wasn't hard enough."
The shadow beast roared and charged at him. Alex braced himself, gripping his dagger tightly. He had one shot at this.
He activated Titan's Grip, feeling strength surge into his hands. The dagger felt lighter, easier to maneuver.
As the beast lunged, Alex ducked under its attack and drove his dagger into its core, twisting it with all his might.
The creature let out a final screech before dissolving into mist.
A moment later, the gravity returned to normal.
Alex collapsed to the ground, panting. "I... hate... this dungeon."
As he lay on the ground, another chime echoed.
[New Skill Acquired: Titan's Resilience (E)] (Passive - Growth type)
– Enhances durability and resistance against physical damage. Effects improve with user endurance. (Trial of Endurance Reward)
Alex groaned. "I swear, this dungeon is just making fun of me at this point."
He sat up, wincing as every part of his body protested. "At least I get four hours to rest before the next trial. Gotta love dungeon hospitality."
Then he remembered his own words before entering the dungeon.
"Alright, bring it on, dungeon! I'm just getting started!"
Alex buried his face in his hands. "Why do I keep jinxing myself?"
And so, with his body aching, his stamina drained, and two new skills in his arsenal, Alex prepared himself for whatever fresh hell awaited him in the next trial.