From the endless expanse of the sky, the jungle below appeared almost serene—an illusion of harmony hiding the tension brewing within. The massive trees, their ancient bark scarred by time, swayed in rhythm with the breeze, while the sunlight, fractured through the dense canopy, danced fleetingly on the leaves like forgotten memories. Vibrant parrot-like creatures glided between the branches, their bright plumage a stark contrast to the subtle unease lingering beneath the surface.
But the calm was deceptive.
As the view descended further, the jungle's tranquil facade began to fracture. Deep at its heart, concealed by twisted roots and slick moss, a dark pit yawned open like a wound. The gnarled edges framed a shadowy abyss, exuding a silent, oppressive aura. From its depths came the faint sound of movement—rustling, almost imperceptible at first, but growing steadily louder. Something stirred far below, something that didn't belong in the light of day.
The atmosphere shifted. The trees themselves seemed to hold their breath, as if the forest was aware of what lurked within. Leaves trembled, and the air grew thick, heavy with the weight of expectation. Whatever was about to emerge from the pit carried with it a palpable sense of foreboding, as though the very land resisted its rise.
Then, a sudden motion—rapid and erratic. From the pit, a small creature shot out. It was a rat, but not an ordinary one. Its fur was dull, gray, and lifeless, its eyes gleaming with unnatural clarity. It scurried wildly through the undergrowth, as if fleeing from something unseen, its tiny body quivering with panic. In mere seconds, it vanished into the thick of the jungle, leaving behind only the memory of its frantic escape.
But the silence that followed was far from reassuring. The pit still loomed, dark and foreboding, as if waiting for more. And then, slowly, a hand appeared at the jagged edge.
Fingers, dirt-streaked and trembling, grasped the lip of the pit. There was no immediate rush—each movement was careful, deliberate, as though the unseen figure was conserving what little strength remained. The hand strained against the ground, slowly pulling the body from the shadows below. Ragged breaths broke the silence as the figure dragged itself up, though no face or form was fully revealed. Only the struggle was evident.
"Finally…" a hoarse voice broke the tension, barely audible in the still air. "I made it out."
and soon, Alex emerges, his face coated in dust, his hair a tangled mess of dirt and grime. He looks utterly drained, his eyes heavy with fatigue. Wiping the dirt from his face, he lets out a series of ragged breaths.
After confirming he's safe, he staggers away from the pit, dragging his feet as if every step is an ordeal. Glancing back with a mixture of frustration and fear, he shouts, "Damn that tattoo! I nearly became a snack for that giant spider! Is this really what I'm destined for?"
He pauses for breath, then resumes his slow retreat from the pit, muttering bitterly, "I never thought I'd be staring death in the face because of those damn symbols. If I'd known, I would've ignored them from the start!"
Alex stumbles a few more paces before coming to a stop, leaning heavily against a large tree to catch his breath. Glancing around to make sure no new threats are nearby, he kneels down, hands resting on his knees, trying to calm his racing heart.
Frustrated and exhausted, he speaks to himself, his voice edged with anger: "Damn you, cursed tattoo! If only I could tear you off my arm right now! If I'd known you'd lead me to that monster, I would've gladly cut my hand off instead of following you!"
He let out a sharp breath, trying to calm himself. "How the hell could you put my life in danger like that? Is that what you were trying to lead me to?"
He continued cursing under his breath as he wiped the dust off his face and hair. "I swear, if I could just rip you off my damn arm right now, I would. If I hadn't listened to your stupid advice, I'd be somewhere safe right now instead of running for my life "
He glanced up at the sky, scowling:"From now on, I'm not trusting a single mission that comes from you."
Leaning against the tree, he took a deep breath to steady himself. "Damn you, you bastard."
Still leaning on the tree, Alex hesitated before pulling out the gray stone from his pocket. He stared at the swirling purple symbol glowing faintly on its surface, confused about why those monkeys and that giant spider had fought so fiercely over it. He muttered to himself, "Why the hell were those things tearing each other apart for this? What makes it so valuable that it caused such a bloody mess?"
He examined the stone more closely, wondering, "Is this thing even worth anything? Or is it just some random rock? Why was it such a big deal?"
Slowly, he slipped the stone back into his pocket, his frustration evident in his voice. "I need to figure this thing out when I get back."
He stood there, lost in thought, when suddenly the silence was shattered by the loud rumbling of his stomach, which sounded almost like a distant growl:
"Grrrr!"
Hunger had clearly hit hard after spending the entire day stuck in that pit.
"Perfect. Now hunger's my next problem," Alex muttered bitterly, rubbing his stomach. "Like I didn't have enough shit to deal with already, now my stomach's getting in on it too!"
With an exasperated sigh, he looked around and mumbled, "Is there *anything* around here to eat? Pretty sure I won't be finding pizza in this damn forest."
As he started searching through the bushes, he kept grumbling, "Seriously? Does my life have to be this way? First, a bloody fight, and now I'm starving?"
He scoured the area, inspecting the plants and random greenery, thinking aloud, "Maybe I'll find some berries, or even a root to chew on... If I'm lucky, there'll be something edible around here."
He wandered further into the forest, desperately looking for anything to eat, but all he found were strange, unappetizing plants and bushes that looked outright disgusting. Everything he tried either tasted like poison or was so foul that it made him gag. "Seriously, why does everything in this place seem designed to make my life even worse?" he muttered, spitting out another bitter-tasting leaf.
As he continued wandering, his eyes landed on a peculiar-looking fruit hanging from a nearby tree. It had an odd color, and it almost seemed to have a faint glow. Cautiously, he picked it and took a big bite. But the moment he started chewing, his face twisted in disgust. The taste was so bitter, it was almost unbearable.
He spat the fruit away like it was acid. "Ugh, gross! Hell no, this can't be right! I'd rather starve than eat this crap!" Alex yelled, trying to scrub the taste off his tongue. "What kind of messed-up fruit are you?" He tossed the fruit aside, adding, "This definitely isn't what I needed!"
With a look of disgust, he watched the fruit roll away before resuming his desperate search for something edible.
Just when he was about to give up, he heard a heavy thud. He snapped his head towards the sound and approached cautiously, discovering an injured flying dungeon creature on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Alex stood there for a moment, watching the wounded creature struggle to move. Instead of feeling disgusted or indifferent, he was hit with a wave of guilt.
"No, don't even think about it… How can I be this selfish?" Alex muttered to himself, looking at the creature gasping for air. "But damn, I'm so hungry I might have to eat this poor thing."
He stood frozen for a second, battling his conflicted emotions. He approached the creature hesitantly, thinking, "Is this what it's come to? Ready to kill another being just to survive?"
Finally, Alex gave in to his hunger, though his face was a mask of regret. He carefully placed his hand on the creature and started preparing to end its life as painlessly as possible. Feeling a deep sadness, he whispered, "Sorry, little guy. I've got no other choice. I swear, your sacrifice won't be for nothing."
Every move felt heavy, his head hanging low as if trying to avoid the reality of what he was about to do.
---
Later, among the dense trees, Alex struggled to get a small fire going. The weak sunlight barely pierced through the leaves, but it was useless to lift the sadness around his face.
He was cleaning the body of the little creature, his face etched with regret and stress. Every movement was tense, as he tried to push aside his guilt. Even as he prepared the bird for cooking, the bitter feeling wouldn't leave him. Each step just deepened his sense of remorse.
As the bird cooked over the fire, the smell was strong, but Alex found it repulsive. His stomach ached, not just from hunger but from the weight of his guilt. His eyes were dark with exhaustion and worry, and every bite of the bird made everything seem worse. "I'm... sorry. I really had no other choice."
____
Four days later…
____
Deep in the forest, a small group of dungeon monsters faced off against a mysterious figure. The figure fought with brutal efficiency, using only his fists. Despite their strength, the monsters fell one by one to his relentless blows.
In the end, the figure stood alone, his back covered in wounds, while the last monster choked and struggled before finally collapsing. As he looked up at the sky, it became clear that it was Alex—though not the same Alex anyone had seen before. His face was cold, showing no emotion. The days of fighting had clearly stripped him of any warmth.
Exhaustion was evident in his face, with lines of fatigue deeply etched. His voice, when he spoke, was flat and emotionless: "I'll be heading back any moment now."
The silence was heavy, with only the trees rustling gently in the breeze. Alex, looking as if he had been through years in this world, stood in the quiet. He glanced at the tattoo on his hand and whispered, "There's something... I don't know what it is, but it's dying inside me…"
"…"
The forest was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made everything feel heavier. But then, out of nowhere, the ground beneath Alex's feet started trembling. The trees began swaying unnaturally, like something massive was barreling toward him. Moments later, it appeared—a giant, dark spider, its huge body moving steadily nearly , seemingly unaware of him.
But then, it stopped. The creature turned its head straight toward Alex, like it had suddenly sensed him. For a second, everything seemed to freeze. Then, the spider let out a deafening roar that shook the whole area, the sound so intense it seemed to make the very air around him buzz.
Panic surged through Alex. Without thinking, he took off running. Every scream from the spider behind him only fueled his fear. "Oh, come on! Why now?!" he shouted, his heart racing. "I really don't need this right now! Damn it, tattoo, isn't it time to teleport me out of here already?"
To be continued...