The monster scanned the desolate abyss, its gaping maw opening and closing with that same sickening, wet "Clehh-clehhhh"—a grotesque rhythm like flesh peeling from bone. Though not loud, the sound curdled the air with unease.
It struggled, massive and ancient, its hulking body dragging upward inch by inch from the pit below. Tentacles—thick as tree trunks and slick with grime—flailed and slammed against the cracked ground, searching blindly, violently, for prey. The creature had no eyes, only that cavernous mouth lined with endless rings of jagged teeth, twitching as if tasting the fear in the air.
Ray stood frozen in disbelief. His mind refused to accept the horror he was witnessing. This wasn't just a beast—it was a nightmare given flesh, slithering through reality. An abomination born from a world that had long since forgotten light.
Taking his chance, Ray bolted—his broken body powered by sheer terror. Pain shot through every fiber of his being with each step, but fear overrode it. His lungs burned, his vision blurred, his heart pounded like a war drum against his ribs. He ran until he reached the base of one of the towering pillars.
Behind him, the creature continued its slow emergence, groaning and gurgling, its mouth swinging left and right, trying to detect warmth, sound—life.
Ray crouched, gasping for air, his back pressed against the cold stone. He peered into the distance and felt a terrible realization settle deep in his gut.
This world… was empty.
A void.
The land itself seemed to end just beyond the circle of pillars, swallowed in a thick black mist that devoured all sense of direction. There were no trees, no weapons, not even a rock to throw. Only these towering structures, perhaps built by those who once tried to survive here. Ray understood now—they were never meant for escape. They were observation towers, meant to hide. To watch as sacrifices were made.
He scanned the ground for anything—anything he could use. But there was nothing. Just dust. Just death.
The beast's body was now fully out. It slithered across the ground like a grotesque centipede, its tendrils brushing across stone and air. Suddenly, as if sensing Ray's heat, the monster turned. Its entire mass rotated toward him.
Ray's breath caught in his throat.
He ducked behind the pillar, trying to quiet his wheezing. But in the next second, a wet, squirming tentacle slithered silently across the ground and coiled around his leg.
"No—no, no!" he screamed, clawing at the ground. His nails scraped across stone, his fingers seeking anything to hold onto. He grabbed at the pillar, but the beast's strength was too great.
With a violent yank, Ray was dragged into the air—limbs flailing—before being slammed against the pillar with bone-shattering force.
CRACK!
A sharp gasp escaped him as his ribs buckled inward. Blood sprayed from his lips.
Then again—THUD!—his body was hurled across the stone floor like a ragdoll.
And again.
And again.
The creature didn't stop. With every strike, more of Ray's bones shattered. His left arm dangled at an unnatural angle. His legs twisted grotesquely. His spine bent like a splintered branch.
His screams faded into gurgles.
And still, the monster continued, obsessed—perhaps even fascinated—by the fragile creature that refused to die.
Finally, it lifted him before its gaping maw, inches from those glistening, needled teeth. But it didn't bite. Not yet. It waited, sensing the flicker of life still burning faintly within him.
"CLEHHH—CLEHHH—CLEHHHHHHHH!"
The piercing shriek returned, louder and more concentrated than before. It vibrated through the void, shaking the pillars, distorting the very air. Ray didn't even flinch. He couldn't. Blood poured from his ears, but he was too broken to care.
His eyes—half-lidded, glazed with pain—remained open, unblinking.
A screen flickered in front of him.
[System Notification:]
[Quest Objective: Find the key and head west.]
[Time Remaining: 1 Day 15 Hours.]
[WARNING! THE TRIAL IS IN CRITICAL DANGER!]
[WARNING! HOST LIFE SIGNS FALLING RAPIDLY!]
[WARNING!]
[WARNING!]
[SYSTEM ERROR: GLITCH DETECTED.]
[REBOOTING INTERFACE. PLEASE WAIT…]
[RELOADING…]
[BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!]
[UPDATE FAILED.]
[USER STATUS: DECEASED.]
[TRIAL TERMINATED.]
Ray's eyes remained open, not out of defiance, but because he no longer had the strength to close them. Blood trickled steadily down his face, staining his broken smile.
And then, without ceremony, the creature dropped him into its ravenous mouth. His body tumbled down its writhing throat, splashing into a festering sea of green bile and jagged crystal.
From atop the pillar, a man in imperial robes sighed.
"At least… we won't need to feed it again for a few years," he muttered. "Let's hope the next outsider shows up before it gets hungry again."
His face was cold, emotionless—but a flicker of disgust crept onto his brow. One by one, the others vanished into shadow, until only a few remained, staring at the contented creature as it slithered in satisfaction.
Inside the monster's stomach, Ray's remains floated among other remnants—limbs, bones, shattered weapons… and a glowing red crystal embedded in the slimy ground.
Suddenly—
BUZZ!
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED.]
[Quest Objective: Feed the Red Crystal of the Void Sea to unlock the system.]
[Quest Status: COMPLETE.]
[BEEP! SYSTEM LOADING…]
[LOADING COMPLETE.]
[SYSTEM NAME: CODE-X Lv. 0.01]
Host: Raymond Lockwood (Ray)
Rank: F
Title: Weak Worm
Level: 0.001
HP: 0000
Digestive Slot: Red Crystal
Stored Echo: None
[BEEP! USER STATUS: DECEASED.]
[Scanning Environment…]
[DING! Rusted Armor Detected.]
[DING! 1,000-Year-Old Sword Located.]
[DING! Five S-Rank Swords Located.]
[DING! ENTITY DETECTED: 10,000,000,000,000-YEAR-OLD WORM.]
[WARNING! EMERGENCY PROTOCOL ENGAGED.]
[Emergency Digestive Slot Unlocked.]
[Absorbing Worm Essence…]
Suddenly, the beast above began to convulse. Its grotesque form trembled violently, thrashing and slamming its own limbs against the ground. Something was tearing it apart from within.
"CLEHHHH—CLEHHHH—CLEHHHHHH!"
Its final screech shattered the stillness of the void.
Then—POP.
The entire beast was sucked into a small space on the system screen.
[DING! ENTITY ABSORBED INTO DIGESTIVE SLOT.]
[Emergency Fast Digestion Protocol: ACTIVE.]
[DIGESTING… COMPLETE.]
[DING! Regeneration Portion Acquired.]
[Applying Recovery Sequence… 10… 9… 8… 3… 2… 1.]
And then…
Ray's body reformed—torn flesh knitting together, bones reshaping, organs rebuilding. All the scattered remnants of his broken frame drew together and pulsed with newfound life.
The Void pulsed in silence.
[CONGRATULATIONS! THE MAIN QUEST COMPLETE.]
[REWARD: ACCESS TO SYSTEM GRANTED.]
[WELCOME, RAY.]