The faint rustling sound beyond the door continued, persistent enough to catch Noah's attention. He advanced slowly, moving with careful, deliberate steps to avoid making any noise.
His hand hovered over the doorknob, his senses on high alert. With a quick twist, he yanked the door open, bracing himself for whatever danger lay on the other side.
Instead, he was met with the sight of a rat—roughly the size of his fist—scurrying across the floor. For a moment, he felt a rush of relief. It was just a rat, nothing to worry about. He exhaled and took a step back, but then he noticed the direction in which the rat was running. As he turned his gaze further down the corridor, his breath hitched.
Dozens more rats were converging in a writhing mass, their small bodies darting over each other as they followed a dark, glistening trail that snaked across the stone floor.
The air was filled with the metallic scent of blood, and Noah's stomach twisted as he realized what the rats were feeding on. His thoughts flashed back to the rooms he had explored earlier, each filled with demon corpses. It wasn't hard to guess what the rats were devouring.
He moved cautiously toward the cluster, curiosity pulling him closer even as his instincts urged him to retreat.
Thud!
Suddenly, a loud thump echoed through the corridor as another rat dropped from the ceiling, landing deftly on the stone floor. It froze upon spotting Noah, its beady eyes locking onto his. There was an eerie intelligence in the way it stared, as if sizing him up.
For a brief moment, both man and beast stood frozen, assessing each other. Then, with a surge of speed that surprised even himself, Noah lunged forward, his new body moving in a blur.
In an instant, he closed the gap between them, his hand reaching out to grab the rat. He snatched it up, but as soon as he did, the rat began thrashing wildly, displaying an unexpected strength that seemed unreal for its size.
Noah struggled to hold it with one hand, its wiry muscles squirming in his grip. "Stay still, will you?" He quickly wrapped both hands around the writhing creature, tightening his hold as it continued to fight with a ferocity that made his skin crawl. He gritted his teeth, squeezing a bit harder to try to subdue it.
Pop!
The rat's body burst with a grotesque wet sound, exploding into a mess of blood and flesh that splattered across Noah's bare chest and arms.
For a moment, he was too stunned to react, staring down at his blood-soaked hands. The realization of his own strength dawned on him slowly, followed by a twisted sense of satisfaction. A small smile crept onto his lips.
Then, the system's familiar sound chimed in.
Ding!
[You have satisfied your curiosity for your stats! +2 Satisfaction Points!]
Noah barely had time to read the message before the real threat emerged. His violent dispatch of the rat had not gone unnoticed. The entire swarm of rats turned their attention toward him, dozens of blood-red eyes gleaming with a hunger that was unmistakably predatory. Noah's instincts screamed that something was wrong.
'These aren't ordinary rats...'
The swarm suddenly surged toward him as one, a churning mass of fur and teeth racing down the corridor. At first, he thought they were just trying to flee in panic, but then he saw what lay at the center of the blood trail.
The realization hit him like a blow to the gut. The rats had truly been feeding on corpses. But not just any corpses—they had stripped demon bodies down to the bone, picking the flesh clean and leaving only skeletal remains.
The dark crimson stains that painted the walls told the story of their gruesome feast, and Noah's blood ran cold as he processed what that meant.
If these rats could devour demons—beings known for their resilience and supernatural durability—then he was in grave danger. If they swarmed him, there was no doubt they would reduce him to a pile of bones and blood too.
He turned to run, but before he could take more than a step, another rat fell from the ceiling, landing on his shoulder with a thud.
Its claws dug into his skin, and in an instant, it sank its razor-sharp teeth into the flesh near his neck.
"Fuck!" Noah gritted his teeth as pain shot through him, and he reacted instinctively, grabbing the rat with one hand and flinging it into the air.
Without a moment's hesitation, he swung his leg up in a powerful kick, striking the rat with enough force to send it flying down the hallway.
Pop!
The creature exploded into bits upon impact, its blood and flesh spattering across the walls. But Noah didn't have time to celebrate his small victory.
The rest of the swarm was closing in fast.
Panic surged in his chest as he spun on his heel and broke into a sprint. The adrenaline coursing through him seemed to amplify his speed, his feet pounding against the stone floor in a frantic rhythm.
Noah could hear the rats behind him, their tiny claws scraping against the ground as they closed the distance. His breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed himself harder, knowing that if they caught him, there would be nothing left but bones.
As he darted down a branching corridor, Noah quickly scanned his surroundings for a way to escape. The walls were lined with doors, most of which were cracked open or broken off their hinges, leading into darkened rooms that offered little in the way of safety.
Up ahead, he spotted a staircase leading down to a lower level. It was his best option—possibly his only one.
He bounded down the steps three at a time, his bare feet barely touching the stone as he descended. The rats didn't relent, their guttural squeals growing louder with each step he took. He couldn't afford to slow down or look back; if he hesitated for even a second, they would be upon him.
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, a thought crossed his mind—one that gave him a sliver of hope. If he could find a way to block the passage behind him, he might be able to buy himself enough time to regroup and figure out his next move. His eyes darted around the dimly lit hallway, searching for anything he could use to barricade the entrance.
There was no time to be picky. He spotted a large, overturned wooden table nearby and made a beeline for it, his muscles straining as he lifted the heavy object and shoved it toward the base of the stairs. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. As he braced the table against the staircase, he glanced back to see the first of the rats reaching the bottom step.
"Damn you all!"