Darwin's footsteps echoed through the narrow stone corridor, the air growing hotter with every step. The stench of dried blood and rotting flesh filled his nostrils, drying out his throat. Faint light from glowing fungi on the walls revealed claw marks and deep cracks etched into the stone. When he and Zero reached the end of the corridor, a stone door slowly creaked open—its groan sounding like a cry from something disturbed from an eternal slumber.
The hidden chamber was vast, like a forgotten coliseum. Cracked pillars rose high, holding up a ceiling barely visible above. In the center stood a monstrous figure—a horned beast with the body of a Minotaur, though unlike any from legend. Its pale greenish skin was covered in crude stitches, as if a corpse forced back to life. Parts of its body were visibly patching themselves up, and its eyes blazed red with hatred and madness.
Zero narrowed his eyes at the creature and whispered, "That's a Minotaur. Get ready."
Darwin raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I'm always ready."
A deafening roar shattered the stillness—the Minotaur let out a guttural scream, shaking the air itself. The ground cracked beneath its hooves, and the ceiling groaned under the weight of its fury.
Without flinching, Darwin puffed out his chest and answered the roar with one of his own—wild, furious, and filled with battle-lust. His voice thundered through the arena, merging with the beast's in a chaotic war symphony.
Zero, watching Darwin's antics, raised an eyebrow. "You're starting to sound more beast than man."
Darwin turned and flashed a toothy grin. "Thanks for the compliment."
Without waiting, he activated Skill: Speed Boost. In an instant, his body blurred into a shadow, launching toward the Minotaur at high speed. The air behind him split in his wake. The initial clash sounded like two mountains colliding. The Minotaur staggered, but quickly retaliated with a swing of its axe—nearly twice Darwin's size.
Darwin activated Skill: Body Strength. His muscles swelled, veins bulging. He blocked the massive axe with his twin daggers glowing violet—Serpent Fang and Skull Piercer.
The Minotaur roared in frustration, sweeping the ground with its horns and forcing Darwin on the defensive. That moment, Darwin activated Artifact: Shield Counter—a translucent circular shield appeared just in time to absorb the brutal strike. When the colossal axe hit, the shield released a counterblast, striking the Minotaur's chest and pushing it back several meters.
Darwin didn't waste the opening. He vanished into thin air using Stealth, disappearing from the monster's sight. In a blink, he reappeared behind it, driving both daggers into its armpit and spine—its weak points.
The Minotaur thrashed, smashing into a nearby pillar and stomping the ground, creating a shockwave. Darwin was thrown back, tumbling, but managed to rise. Minor wounds marred his body, his breathing heavy… but his eyes burned with resolve.
Suddenly, the Minotaur's body began to swell. Its stitches burst open, fire erupting from its insides. Muscles expanded, and its skin turned a glowing red. Phase 2.
"Damn… it evolved too?" Darwin hissed.
"Watch out, it's entering flame form—faster and stronger," Zero warned. "Let me assist."
Flesh and sinew wrapped around Darwin's body. Armor of Flesh—a living armor that fused directly to his muscles and bones, doubling his strength.
Power surged through Darwin's limbs. He rolled his neck and grinned. "Now this… this is getting fun."
The battle resumed. The flaming Minotaur struck with blazing speed, its axe leaving trails of fire in the air. Darwin blocked, dodged, and countered with perfect precision. With his enhanced strength, he matched every blow and responded with surgical strikes to the beast's tendons and joints.
In one critical moment, Darwin leapt high into the air, spun mid-flight, and drove Skull Piercer directly into the Minotaur's exposed skull. A final roar echoed through the chamber before the creature dropped to its knees… and collapsed with a thunderous crash.
The flames consuming it slowly faded, leaving behind hot mist and the stench of charred flesh.
Darwin stood atop the fallen monster, bloodied and battered, but his eyes shone with triumph.
"It's down," he said quietly.
Darwin's body trembled slightly, his breathing heavy but beginning to stabilize. Slowly, the wounds that had once gaped and bled began to close on their own. His skill: Regeneration had activated automatically, channeling natural healing energy throughout his body. In a short time, his skin was smooth again, leaving only bloodstains and torn clothes as evidence of the fierce battle earlier.
"I guess it's time," Darwin muttered as he bent down and lifted the Monster Core from the Minotaur's body. The core glowed a red-orange hue, pulsing like a living heart with magma-like cracks across its surface.
Zero opened his wide mouth and said, "Give it to me. I'll devour it and break down its power for you."
Without hesitation, Darwin tossed the core into Zero's mouth. As soon as it was swallowed, a wave of scorching aura surged and coursed into Darwin's body like a storm of wild energy. Instantly, his head felt like it had been struck by a sledgehammer. He groaned, clutching his temples, his body shaking violently.
"ARGHH!!"
Then... everything changed.
A new power awakened within him, like embers finally bursting into flame. A system notification echoed in his mind:
[New Skill Acquired: Strength of Flame]
When active, doubles physical strength and inflicts burn effects on physical attacks.
But it didn't end there. His three skills—Bone Strength, Body Strength, and Strength of Flame—began to resonate in perfect harmony. A red, blazing aura enveloped his body, his muscles hardened, and his bones darkened as if melting and reforging.
The aura merged, igniting his body with fire—not one that burned, but one that empowered. Another system voice echoed:
Resonance detected. Compatible skills have merged into a new form of power...
New Skill Formed: [Hellforged Wrath]
When active, the user is clad in a flaming armor that multiplies physical strength by 5x, and grants intimidation and area-burning effects.
Darwin's body was now wrapped in a layer of fire shaped like hellish armor. From shoulders to arms, his skin looked like glowing red metal with magma-like cracks, and each breath released hot steam into the air.
Seeing this, Darwin muttered in awe, "Zero… my skills merged with your flesh armor. Is it even possible for skills to fuse like this?"
Zero nodded calmly. "It is—if the skills share similar origins or energy types, they can evolve and merge. It's rare, but... you might just be lucky—or fated."
Darwin chuckled. "Heh, if this keeps up, I might become the next dungeon boss."
Once his body calmed and the fiery aura faded, Darwin walked toward a chest at the edge of the room—covered in blue flames that didn't burn, with skull ornaments on each corner. An ancient symbol was engraved on the lid: the mark of a long-dead ruler.
Carefully, Darwin opened the chest. A creaking sound echoed as the lid moved, revealing a faint glow within.
The first item was a tattered dark shirt, layered like aged lizard hide. The shoulders and chest were guarded by black plates etched with faint magical symbols. Despite its worn appearance, it still radiated a strong protective aura.
Zero observed it, then said, "This armor resists attacks from the five main elements—fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning. But... if someone hits you with tier-six magic or higher, don't expect to survive."
Darwin nodded in satisfaction. "Perfect for avoiding stupid traps. I'm changing into it now."
He stripped off his torn shirt and donned the new one—it fit perfectly, as if tailored for his body.
The second item was five glass bottles—three filled with thick red liquid, two with a deep blue.
"Potions," said Zero. "Red for physical recovery—healing potions. Blue for magic recovery—mana potions. You might not need them, but keep them anyway. The world's full of surprises."
Darwin strapped the bottles to his belt. "Better safe than sorry."
The third item made his eyes widen—a small mango-shaped fruit glowing red-green, and a bright orange crystal labeled
"Another Indra Fruit... and that crystal," Zero paused. "You'll finally be able to use fire. Time to start cooking."
Darwin let out a small cheer. "YES! I can finally eat cooked meat!" He hugged the crystal like it was a true treasure. "No more damn raw meat and stench!"
Zero sighed deeply. "Humans..."
The fourth item was five small white orbs with silver patterns on their surface.
"Flash Bombs," explained Zero. "They blind all living creatures within a certain radius for a few seconds."
Darwin gave a nod.
The final item was an old, partially torn map—one large red X marked a point. The pathways were unrecognizable to Darwin.
"Do you know this place, Zero?"
Zero studied it for a moment, then shook his head. "This map doesn't belong to this dungeon. Could be a remnant from another adventurer. Might be a treasure location... or a trap. But if you make it to the surface, it's worth checking."
Darwin carefully tucked the map away, then laughed lightly. "Let's hope it's not my next grave."
He gathered all the items and—without much thought—threw them all into Zero's mouth.
"Hey!" Zero protested. "I'm not a bag."
"If you digest my stuff, I will make you puke it all out."
Zero grumbled, "I'm not digesting them. I just store things... in my stomach."
Darwin stretched his back, then walked out of the room. "So... this was the last hidden room?"
"Correct," Zero replied.
A smile formed on Darwin's face. "Then let's finish this. Time to head to the boss room."