Blood fell in thick droplets from the red sky, splattering against Lex's already drenched body. The stench of rotting flesh filled the air, clinging to every breath. Lex ignored the overwhelming smell and dropped to the ground, lying still among the twisted bones and pulsing, fleshy ground.
His pale skin blended with the sickeningly wet, fleshy surface as he faked his death. He closed his eyes, trying to seem like just another lifeless body in the gruesome landscape. The blood rain continued to fall, soaking him even more.
He didn't have to wait long.
A small, strange creature crawled toward him through the thick, fleshy ground. It was a white, blob-like thing, almost translucent, and it looked soft—like something you could squash between your fingers. It didn't seem threatening at first, barely bigger than a dog, and moved slowly, almost cautiously, toward him.
The creature's body rippled and twitched as it inched closer, its gelatinous form shifting with every movement. Despite its strange appearance, there was something unsettling about it.
The white creature stopped just beside him. It looked at him for a long moment, its eyeless face focusing on his body as if trying to decide what he was. Then, without hesitation, it began to eat.
Its gelatinous mouth stretched unnaturally wide, and it latched onto Lex's leg, biting down. Pain shot through his body as chunks of his flesh were torn away with ridiculous ease, but Lex didn't react. His face remained calm, his breathing steady. He had to endure it. If he moved, it would know.
The creature continued to feast, moving up his body. Every bite felt like fire, but Lex kept his eyes closed. It gnawed at his torso, its jelly-like body covering his chest as it consumed him slowly, methodically. Blood pooled around him, but it was impossible to tell where the rain ended and his blood began.
Just as the creature's teeth reached his neck, ready to bite into his skull, a tremor shook the ground. It was small but enough to catch the creature's attention. It stopped, lifted its head slightly as if sensing something, and then, without any warning, it vanished.
It didn't run or scurry away. It simply disappeared, moving so fast it was as if it had teleported.
Lex opened his eyes immediately. His body screamed in pain, but he had no time to rest. He pushed himself up despite his bones and muscles barely holding together, forcing his damaged body to move. Blood dripped from the fresh wounds, but he had to get away before more of them appeared.
He staggered to his feet, limping at first, then forcing his pace faster. The landscape around him was a nightmare, but he knew it well.
These creatures were called Immune Cells, and they were the body's defense against intruders like him. Their goal was to consume anything that didn't belong to the body.
Running from immune cells as he had foolishly done during his first time in despair difficulty in this rift was impossible. They weren't fast at first, but their speed became unimaginable once they sensed something.
Worse, they couldn't be defeated. At least not now. Those weren't meant to be fought at all, to begin with. Meeting with one who has identified you as a threat is already a death sentence.
Fighting those monstrosities wasn't possible this early. Instead, he had done everything he could to survive the first encounter, and the best solution was... Faking a dead body and enduring some bites.
If Lex had tried to run away, he would have been killed without being able to realize what was happening. If he had tried to fight back, he would have died even faster.
In the end, the only way to survive was to lie still and wait.
"Everything would have been easier if I chose another difficulty and wasn't directly sent inside the most dangerous parts of the body of this titan. But that would also mean fewer coins and missing an opportunity to get this easter egg." Lex thought as he slowly took out the second item he had bought when he purchased with great difficulty.
Along the "One-time-use Dungeon entry scroll" he had bought for 500 coins, Lex had purchased another item for 200. Taking out the small, round pill he had specially kept for this moment, he swallowed it.
[Name: Recovery pill]
[Stars: ★★★★]
[Effect: Heal wounds and restore stamina.]
[Description: A mysterious pill made by a forgotten civilization on an unknown floor. It has the ability to heal wounds and restore stamina, but its effects are limited. It can only be used once, and it has no effect on mental fatigue.]
The pill was tasteless and odorless. It dissolved instantly upon entering Lex's mouth, leaving no trace. Lex could feel his body begin to change. It was subtle at first, but the effects quickly became more noticeable as his wounds began to heal.
The bleeding slowed, and Lex's skin began knitting itself together. His muscles and bones clicked back into place, slowly repairing most of the damage the Immune Cells had caused. The deep wounds on his arms and legs closed, though some cuts remained.
He flexed his fingers, testing his grip. The tendons in his hand tightened with the motion, and he let out a sharp breath, feeling the last bit of soreness fade. His gaze drifted to the sickly, red sky above, blood continuing to rain down in thick, heavy drops.
"It's not a full recovery," he muttered under his breath, his voice rough. "But it should be enough for now."
Walking in the mushy, fleshy ground of the rift was difficult, but he didn't have time to rest. He needed to keep moving.
As the name and environment of the rift suggested, Lex was currently inside the body of a titan, a species that thrived in the Game's deeper floors.
Titans are massive, colossal beings, larger than any city or country. Their bodies could be called literal fortresses, as they contain an entire world inside their body. Each part of the body had a specific role, and each organ was a unique ecosystem.
Yet, there was no shortage of danger, and the slightest mistake could mean death.
Even a Titan that had been dead for centuries like this one was still dangerous for the average player—let alone someone just beginning the tutorial and had yet to receive any blessing.
If he was sent directly inside the body of a living titan, he would have been burnt by the sheer temperature and pressure.
Lex pushed his way through the thick, sticky terrain, his feet sinking into the soft ground with every step. The blood rain continued to fall, making the ground even more slippery.
He could feel his energy returning, thanks to the pill, but his body was still sore. He had to keep moving.
The landscape around him was a twisted, nightmarish version of the inside of a decaying body. Ignoring the humidity, he walked through the maze of flesh and bone, his eyes scanning the area.
The further he went, the worse the scenery became.
The ground beneath him began to shift and squirm, and the air grew heavier. The rain of blood intensified, and the stench of rotting flesh and metal grew stronger.
After hours of walking, Lex finally stopped, narrowing his eyes at the wall ahead.
"Finally," he muttered.
The wall was a mess of twisted flesh, and the surface was covered in pulsing veins. Yet, there was something different about it.
A small, circular hole was embedded in the center, barely large enough for a person to fit through. Without any hesitation, he stepped forward, placing his hands on the wet, fleshy surface.
He dug his fingers into the soft tissue, tearing it away. The hole was barely large enough for him to squeeze through, and the edges were jagged and uneven.