Turns out euphoria has a time limit.
And that time... was up.
•••
Like waves receding from an empty shore, the adrenaline that made me feel like some unbeatable war god just vanished without a trace.
What's left is just the bitter reality that my body isn't made of unbreakable iron.
After the fight ended... I tried to stand, but my right leg immediately started shaking from all the kicking I'd done during the battle.
Every muscle fiber was protesting with sharp, stabbing pain like hot needles.
My left knee felt like someone was jamming a knife into it every time I tried to put weight on it.
The joints that felt so flexible and strong before now felt stiff and fragile.
"Shit," I muttered while slumping back against the cold, rough wall.
The stone surface felt like sandpaper on my skin, which was sensitive from all the bruises.
Every breath felt like there were glass shards in my lungs.
My nose was still bleeding, though not as much as before.
The metallic and sweet taste in my mouth had become an unwelcome familiar friend.
My left jaw was throbbing with a consistent, torturous rhythm, like there was a drummer playing some song of suffering inside my head.
Across from me, Gob didn't look much better either.
He was sitting against the wall with his head tilted back, eyes closed like he was meditating.
His chest was rising and falling with heavy, irregular breaths.
Blood was starting to dry at the corner of his mouth, making it look like he'd just finished eating raw meat.
His usually greenish skin now looked pale with bruises that were starting to turn black.
"We're both complete idiots," I said while spitting out the blood pooling in my mouth.
The warm liquid mixed with the dust on the floor, creating a disgusting dark stain.
Gob turned toward me with eyes that were still a bit swollen his right eyelid was almost completely shut from the swelling.
He made a gesture that seemed to mean "you started it first," pointing at me with his finger dancing around unsteadily, then patting his own chest with an expression that clearly said "I was just defending myself."
"I didn't start anything. You attacked without warning," I protested while trying to find a more comfortable sitting position.
Every small movement felt like torture.
He shrugged in a movement that looked painful, his face grimacing for a moment before pointing at me with an expression that clearly said "you disappeared without a word."
His red eyes looked at me with a mix of annoyance and...
worry?
"Okay, fair point."
I admitted while trying to move my fingers.
Thankfully they still worked normally, though the joints felt stiff after being used to punch several times.
"But I had a good reason for disappearing. I didn't mean to make you... uh... wait for me?"
Gob made a complex hand gesture.
Pointing at his eyes with two fingers, then at me, then gestures like waiting by tapping the floor.
"You were worried?" I said with a confused expression.
He immediately shook his head hard, way too hard for his injured condition.
His face immediately grimaced in pain and he had to hold his neck, which was clearly swollen and hurt.
His expression turned into a mix of embarrassment and annoyance at being caught worrying.
"Ah, of course you weren't worried. You were just... confused why your sparring partner suddenly ran away like a coward, right?"
This time he nodded while smiling slightly, a smile that looked kinda scary because of his swollen and bloody lips.
Looking at him...
I went quiet for a moment.
Then looked at both our conditions with mixed feelings of pride and regret.
Pride because we managed to fight with incredible intensity.
Regret because we went too far and almost killed each other.
The room around us looked like a war zone.
The stone walls were cracked in several places from the impact of our attacks.
I was actually surprised, can I make cracks now?
I felt like it had something to do with the happiness I was feeling.
That's why my attacks became stronger.
Pushing those random thoughts away.
I tried to stand again, this time more carefully and slowly.
I pressed my left hand against the wall for support, fingers looking for small gaps between the stones for better grip.
I slowly put weight on my right foot.
So far okay, though there was still consistent pain radiating from my foot to my hip.
My calf muscles were twitching uncontrollably, and I had to bite my lip to hold back a groan.
But as soon as I stood fully and tried to step forward...
Cough!
Blood vomit spewed from my mouth without any warning at all.
Not just spit mixed with blood like usual—this was fresh blood coming out in a seriously worrying volume, dark red with a thick, warm texture.
My body shook violently from the reflexive spasms.
My chest cavity felt like it was burning from the inside, every bit of air that came in was fuel for the fire.
Every time my lungs expanded to take a breath, sharp, burning pain stabbed from multiple directions at once.
"Damn... damn..." I mumbled while holding my chest with a weakening grip, my arm muscles refusing to obey.
My heart was beating fast and irregularly, pumping pain throughout my body with every beat.
I looked down, seeing my own body for the first time since the fight ended.
And the sight...
was horrifying.
My entire chest was covered in blood at various stages of drying.
There were traces of blood that had already dried to a dark brown mixed with fresh blood still flowing bright red.
In several places, my skin looked torn with pretty deep wounds, showing the flesh underneath.
My left arm was covered with blackish-blue bruises spreading from my wrist to my elbow like some terrifying continent map.
My right arm wasn't much better.
My left thigh had a large bruise the size of an adult's fist, dark purple with yellowing edges.
My right calf was swollen and red, feeling hot to the touch.
Suddenly, in the middle of the fog of pain, a sharp cold sensation pierced my consciousness.
Not just a hunch this was a deafening alarm from inside me, a soundless scream that made every nerve shout.
Why didn't my skill warn me about this condition before?
"Crazy..." I whispered while staring at the pool of blood on the floor that apparently mostly came from my own body.
"We fought like complete maniacs..."
I turned toward Gob with a very careful movement.
He was also struggling to stand, but clearly experiencing similar or even worse difficulties.
His knees looked like they might give out, struggling to support his own body weight.
When he finally managed to stand with the help of the wall and pure determination, his eyes immediately looked at me with an expression that was...
angry?
Not regular anger, but anger mixed with worry and frustration.
Wait a minute.
Wasn't he smiling proudly and satisfied after the fight ended?
Now why does his face look like someone who's pissed as hell and ready to start round two?
If another fight happened, I'd be the one to die!
He stepped closer with stumbling, painful movements.
Each step looked like a struggle against gravity.
Reaching me with labored breathing, he immediately held out his trembling right hand and...
SLAP!
Slapped me hard.
Huh?
I was stunned...
This wasn't a playful slap.
This was a real slap that made my head whip to the side.
Not hard enough to break my jaw, but enough to shock me and fully wake me up from my confusion.
"What the hell?!" I protested while holding my freshly slapped cheek, my face skin feeling hot and buzzing.
"Do you want to fight again?"
"Fine, I'll take you on! Even if I'm destroyed, I can still drag you down!" I said while getting ready to fight.
Gob immediately made a gesture that seemed to mean "you're so stupid" while pointing at my battered body with his still-trembling finger from anger.
His expression was a mix of frustration, worry, and deep annoyance.
"Huh? You attacked first!" I protested while trying to maintain what was left of my dignity.
"I was just trying to survive!"
He shook his head hard with an increasingly frustrated expression, then made complex gestures that were hard for me to understand but full of emotion.
Like pointing at his own wounded body, then my worse body, then gestures like someone angrily pulling their own hair.
"You mean... you're mad because we're both badly hurt?" I asked while trying to interpret the complicated body language.
He nodded with a very complex expression.
Wait a minute.
Something's not right here.
"Gob..." I said while looking at him with narrowed eyes, trying to read his changing expression.
"Are you worried about me?"
He immediately shook his head hard while turning his face away with a movement that was too fast and defensive.
"You're lying!" I shouted while pointing at him with my slightly trembling finger.
"You're mad because I'm badly hurt! You're scared something might happen to me!"
Gob immediately made defensive gestures with both hands in front of his chest, like rejecting that accusation with his entire existence.
Then he pointed at himself with a forced proud expression, as if saying, "look, I'm also badly hurt! I don't give special treatment to anyone!"
"But you're more worried about me than yourself. That's why you're angry... because you feel I was too reckless and didn't take care of myself properly."
This time he really turned his face away completely, almost turning his back on me.
This is actually pretty funny.
No, what am I thinking?
I'm attracted to pretty girls!
Not goblins!
"Alright, alright," I said while smiling even though my lips were still sore and swollen.
"I'll be more careful next time. Sorry for making... ehm... my most precious sparring partner worry to death."
Gob glanced slightly...
just slightly.
didn't want to look too eager... then made a gesture that seemed to mean "you better" while crossing his arms over his chest with a posture trying to look intimidating and cool.
But the effect just made me want to laugh...
because he had to lean against the wall to keep his balance, and his "cool" posture ended up looking like someone trying not to fall.
"You really—"
GRRRAAAHHH!
A terrifying, thunderous roar suddenly echoed from the direction of the entrance corridor.
Instantly, a sensation like ice needles stabbed straight into my spine.
Not just sound this was a warning flowing from somewhere deep inside me, making every survival instinct scream in terrifying harmony.
Danger. Danger.
That thought just appeared in my head, not with clear words, but as a deep understanding that immediately took root in my consciousness.
Monster!
The sound echoed off the stone walls, amplified by the room's acoustics until it sounded like the roar of a giant monster.
We both immediately turned with reflexive movements.
The sight that greeted our eyes made my heart immediately drop to my stomach and adrenaline start pumping again even though my body couldn't take it anymore.
Three dark figures emerged from behind the stone wall with perfectly coordinated movements.
War Shadows.
Humanoid monsters with bodies that looked like they were made of solid, flowing shadows.
They moved with perfect coordination like an elite military unit, like a pack of experienced predators surrounding wounded prey.
Why are they just showing up now?
Their steps were silent but terrifying, like shadows that could walk.
Their red eyes focused on both of us with an intensity that made my hair stand on end.
They could smell blood.
They knew we were in our weakest condition.
"Oh no," I muttered while reflexively reaching for the sword and spear scattered on the floor, even though I knew that movement would torture my body.
But as soon as I bent down to grab the weapons, my chest was immediately stabbed with pain that exploded like a bomb inside my chest cavity.
I almost threw up again, my head spinning violently, and my vision went spotty.
Worse than I thought.
My grip on the sword weakened until it slipped from my hand.
Only left with the spear.
How could I fight three War Shadows in this condition?
Even one War Shadow in my current state would be challenging enough.
Suddenly, my head felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible giant hand.
A strange vibration spread from the base of my skull, bringing with it understanding that was cold and clinical.
Like a doctor giving a diagnosis without beating around the bush.
Body condition critical.
That whisper appeared in my mind with frightening clarity, as if there was another voice in my head analyzing the situation with cold objectivity.
Next to me, Gob had also taken a fighting position even though his body was clearly still very painful and shaky.
His sword was raised with great effort, eyes staring sharply at the three War Shadows slowly approaching like patient predators.
The War Shadow in the middle...
seemed like the leader of this small group.
He seemed to realize that they were facing two fighters who were almost dead and wouldn't put up much resistance.
"Gob," I whispered while trying to grip the spear steadily, even though my fingers were still trembling.
"Looks like... we're in big trouble."
He nodded without taking his eyes off the enemy.
Total focus on the threat ahead, though I could see the worry in his eyes... worry for both of us.
Then, without making a sound, Gob made quick, precise movements with his hand.
Strategy signals that were already familiar. Emergency tactical plans for desperate situations.
I nodded, although honestly I wasn't 100% sure of all his gestures because my head was still dizzy.
But in a situation like this, I could only trust the partner I'd fought with many times and who knew each other's strengths and weaknesses.
My head suddenly felt like it was forcibly pulled to the left, a strange and disturbing sensation.
Not pain, more like... magnetism that was urgent.
Left. First attack from the left.
The first War Shadow.
the leftmost one, suddenly attacked without warning at incredible speed.
Its body became a dark blur shooting toward us.
Its speed was indeed extraordinary, but whether because of sharpened fighting experience or because adrenaline was flowing again in a life-or-death situation, I managed to parry its attack with the spear handle at the last second.
CLANG!
The impact of metal meeting claws produced small sparks.
The vibration made my entire arm shake violently down to the bone.
Pain spread from my wrist to my shoulder like painful electric current.
Damn, I'm much weaker than usual.
Even simple parries like this felt like a heavy burden on my body.
Gob immediately attacked from the side with perfect timing, his sword slashing horizontally toward the War Shadow's neck that was engaged with me.
Our coordination still worked despite not being in great condition.
The monster quickly retreated with a smooth backflip, but Gob managed to leave a bloody gash on its shoulder.
Dark black blood flowed from the wound.
My head felt like it was forcibly pulled in two directions, a nauseating sensation that made my stomach churn.
Right and left. Pincer attack.
The second and third War Shadows attacked simultaneously from two different directions...
a classic pincer attack strategy designed to divide attention and confuse the opponent about where to focus.
I tried to hold off one with the spear while Gob faced the other.
But we were both clearly struggling just to stay alive, let alone counterattack.
My movements were slow and imprecise because of the burning pain in my chest.
Every time I swung the spear, my chest felt like it was being crushed by an invisible weight, making my ribs almost crack.
Hand-eye coordination was disrupted by dizziness and blood loss.
A sensation like needle stabs directly pierced the lower part of my stomach, making the muscles around my waist immediately tighten in defensive reflex.
Attack from below. Now.
Gob beside me also looked like he was struggling hard.
Usually he moved like a smooth and unpredictable shadow, now every dodge looked a few crucial seconds too late.
His reflexes had slowed, and he had to rely on prediction and experience to cover for his physical shortcomings.
The War Shadow facing me managed to penetrate my defenses with a clever feint attack.
He pretended to attack high, I raised the spear to block, but turns out he dropped low and his claws crept toward my stomach.
The warning sensation I felt earlier turned out to be right.
I backed away, but too slowly.
My reflexes weren't as sharp as usual.
SRET!
Three bloody lines appeared on my stomach, not too deep but enough to add to the long list of wounds on my body.
Fresh blood immediately flowed, soaking my already torn clothes.
"Argh!" I groaned while staggering backward, almost losing my balance.
Seeing me in trouble, Gob immediately left his opponent and attacked the War Shadow that hurt me from behind with a reckless attack that ignored his own safety.
Partner loyalty beat tactical thinking.
CLASH!
His sword met the monster's claws in dramatic sparks.
But because of the rushed movement and his body not being in prime condition, Gob lost his balance and position.
A cold sensation pierced the back of my neck, like someone blowing cold air right at my nape.
Instinctively, I immediately turned around with deep anxiety.
Threat from behind.
The third War Shadow he left immediately took advantage of this golden opportunity.
An opportunist predator that didn't waste any openings.
Its claws swept toward Gob's open and defenseless back.
An attack that could be fatal if it hit a vital spot.
"GOB!" I screamed while thrusting the spear toward that War Shadow with all my remaining strength.
My spear tip hit its ribs, deep enough...
But not enough to kill it.
The monster howled in pain and backed away several steps.
But I was too late to prevent everything.
The monster's claws had already left three deep bloody gashes on Gob's back.
Blood immediately spurted out, soaking his clothes with dark red.
He fell forward with a painful groan, hands trying to hold the wound on his back.
"GRRAAAAHHHH!"
Now all three War Shadows were getting more aggressive and confident.
They were like sharks that smelled blood and realized their prey was very weak and almost powerless.
They're both monsters but so cruel.
This fatigue isn't just tiredness anymore.
This is emptiness that's eating away from within, making every movement feel like moving through thick water.
Stamina critical. Must stop.
That whisper felt final, like a doctor's diagnosis that couldn't be argued with anymore.
While I was busy dodging, attacks came from all directions with terrifying coordination.
They didn't give time for recovery or reorganizing strategy.
I tried to defend with the spear, but my hands were already starting to shake violently beyond control.
Every parry felt like someone was hitting my bones with an iron hammer.
My vision was starting to narrow, black spots dancing at the edges.
Gob got up with difficulty, blood pouring heavily from his back like a mini waterfall.
But his eyes were still burning.
He was still the Gob I knew... not one to give up easily.
He made eye contact with me for a moment...
silent communication in the middle of chaos.
Without words, we both knew this was an all-or-nothing situation.
A do-or-die moment that would determine whether we'd get out of here alive.
If we couldn't defeat them now, if we couldn't give everything here, we'd die on the spot.
No plan B.
No backup.
No miracle cavalry coming to save us.
Just the two of us, our weapons, and what strength we had left to avoid dying in this dungeon.
With determination born from desperation, we attacked together in perfect coordination despite our injuries.
Gob from the left with a sword that still gleamed despite being covered in blood, me from the right with a spear that was still deadly despite trembling.
Coordination that had been built through several training sessions together.
My spear swept horizontally with the last of my strength, forcing two War Shadows to retreat to the center...
right into the killing zone of Gob's sword.
SLASH!
His sword split the first War Shadow's chest with a perfect precision cut.
The monster howled in pain with an ear-splitting sound before crumbling into black ash scattered on the floor.
One down.
Two to go.
But that small victory was paid for at a very high price.
The second War Shadow, which survived our coordinated attack, managed to pounce on Gob from a blind spot on his left side.
Its claws moved like very sharp razors, leaving deep bloody trails on his right arm.
The arm holding the sword.
"ARGH!" Gob fell sideways hard, his sword thrown far to a corner of the room with an echoing clang.
His right arm was bleeding heavily, almost unable to move.
My instincts that usually could mark threats clearly, now only trembled in strange confusion.
Like a compass that lost magnetic north, spinning without direction.
Body condition exceeds limits.
The third War Shadow immediately pounced on me with terrifying savage fury.
Its red eyes glowed with pure bloodlust.
Its claws moved in unpredictable patterns, leaving bloody trails on my already battered chest.
Pain exploded throughout my body like fireworks from hell.
Every breath felt like scraping an open wound on rough sandpaper.
My mouth was again full of the sour-sweet taste of warm fresh blood.
My vision started blurring at the edges, colors beginning to fade like an old photo losing saturation.
Consciousness started fading in and out like a radio with bad signal.
A sensation like a fire alarm going off throughout my body, making every cell scream in panic mode.
Danger... Danger... Danger...
"I won't... let you..." I muttered while forcing myself to stand with pure willpower.
With one last attack that risked everything, I thrust the spear with all my remaining strength into the chest of the War Shadow preparing to give the finishing blow to Gob.
STAB!
The spear tip penetrated its back, tearing through flesh and muscle, coming out of its chest with spurting black blood.
The monster died instantly, its red eyes dimming like lights being turned off.
One left.
One more and we survive.
The last War Shadow looked at both of us with its eyes burning with rage and frustration.
It realized both its friends were dead, but instead of retreating like most monsters, it looked even more vicious and wild.
Maybe because it knew we were already very weak and it still had a chance to win.
Or maybe it was angry because its pride was hurt.
A strange vibration flowed from my toes to the top of my head, like electric current carrying an urgent message.
Threat incoming. Retreat. Body no longer capable.
The monster attacked with full speed and absolute fury.
All-out attack without defense, betting everything on one deadly strike.
I tried to parry with the spear, but my strength was completely exhausted.
The impact sent me flying backward like a rag doll, my back hitting the stone wall with tremendous force.
CRACK!
I'm sure several ribs were broken.
I don't know how many times my ribs have been broken since arriving in Orario.
Sharp pain stabbed every time I tried to breathe.
Breath caught, vision starting to blur with black spots appearing and disappearing.
A sensation like a deafening alarm flowed through my blood, making my heart race with abnormal rhythm.
Condition critical.
The War Shadow approached with raised claws, eyes glowing with triumph, ready to deliver the final attack that would end my life.
Suddenly, from nowhere...
SLASH!
Gob's sword sliced the monster's neck from behind in one perfect clean cut.
The last War Shadow's head fell separated from its body with a sickening thud, then its entire body crumbled into ash and dropped a magic stone.
Gob stood behind it, his body covered in blood from head to toe, eyes barely able to focus due to massive blood loss.
He managed to grab his sword with his left arm and attack at the last second, even though his right arm was almost unusable.
But as soon as the threat was gone and adrenaline started to recede, his body immediately swayed like a tree about to fall.
"Gob!" I shouted while trying to get up from my painful sitting position.
He fell to his knees hard, the sound of his knees hitting the stone floor echoing in the room.
Blood flowed heavily from the wounds on his back and arm, forming a puddle under his body.
His breathing was labored and irregular, his face pale like a living corpse.
A sensation like body temperature dropping drastically flowed through my blood vessels, making my fingers and toes feel numb.
Body in critical condition.
I ignored the warning from my instincts and crawled toward him, forcing my body past its limits... every movement was pure agony.
My hands and knees left bloody traces on the rough stone floor.
"Hey... are you okay?" I asked while holding back increasingly severe dizziness.
He shook his head weakly, then with tremendous effort, pointed at me with eyes full of worry.
As if saying "you're worse, idiot. Don't worry about me."
And Gob was right.
As usual, he could read my condition better than I could myself.
My chest felt like there was fire burning from within.
Every breath was indescribable torture.
My head was spinning with intensity that made the world spin, vision blurry like seeing the world through broken glass.
A sensation like a body slowly dying from within flowed through every nerve, making the entire body system scream to stop.
Body condition critical. Must get out. Now.
I spat out blood again.
This time more than before, almost like vomiting blood, not just bloody saliva.
"We... we have to get out of here," I whispered while trying to hold back the dizziness threatening to knock me out.
"Other monsters... will definitely come. They smell blood."
As if the universe answered my words with cruel cosmic irony, other roars started to be heard from the distance.
Faint, but clearly approaching.
Sounds of multiple monsters drawn by the scent of blood and sounds of battle.
A wave of panic flowed throughout my spine, making my hair stand on end in primitive reflex.
Danger approaching.
Fuck.
Perfect timing, universe.
Thanks a lot.
Gob tried to stand with admirable determination, but his legs immediately wobbled like a drunk person.
I helped hold him up even though I could barely stand myself, and we both almost fell together.
"We need to leave immediately," I said while pointing to the stairs to floor 4 with a trembling hand.
"This floor... too dangerous for our condition right now."
Gob nodded in agreement with an expression that said "no shit, let's do that."
The journey to the stairs felt like hiking through hell itself.
Every step was methodical and consistent torture.
I don't know why I'm still conscious right now.
Every movement felt like lifting hundreds of kilograms.
Gob beside me wasn't much better.
He leaned on the wall, leaving bloody handprints on every surface he touched like bloody breadcrumbs.
A sensation like a battery almost dead flowed through my muscles, making every movement feel like torturous slow motion.
Physical condition declining drastically.
Several times I almost fell due to overwhelming dizziness.
Several times Gob held me up with his remaining strength.
Several times I held him when his legs wobbled and almost collapsed.
We supported each other with what strength we had left, like two broken soldiers supporting each other through a battlefield.
"Almost... there..." I muttered when the stairs were visible ahead.
Never has a staircase looked so beautiful and promising.
But the roars behind us were getting louder and multiple.
Other monsters had already smelled blood and started coming like sharks to chum.
And the trail of blood we left was like a highway leading directly to our position.
There shouldn't be that many monsters appearing.
That's not normal.
"Gob (Hurry)..." Gob whispered in a hoarse voice that was barely audible.
The first words I'd heard from him today besides groans of pain.
A voice filled with urgency and desperate concern.
We went down the stairs stumbling and carefully.
Every step felt like a mountain that had to be climbed with broken legs.
My body was shaking violently from a combination of exhaustion, blood loss, and adrenaline crash.
Floor 4.
Still not completely safe, but at least the monsters here weren't as aggressive and powerful as War Shadows.
Mostly goblins, kobolds, and other low-tier monsters we could handle even in our current pathetic state.
But we couldn't stop here.
The roars behind us were still audible, and the trail of blood we left was like an open invitation to any predator with a working nose.
"Again..." I whispered while pointing to the stairs to floor 3 with a hand that could barely lift.
Gob nodded weakly, though I could see he was almost reaching his absolute limit.
The journey down to floor 3 was even worse than before.
My vision in one eye went seriously dark.
Colors around me started fading like an old photograph.
The sound of our footsteps echoed like it was coming from somewhere far away, muffled and distant.
My face was getting paler.
I could feel it from the coldness of my skin and lips that were starting to go numb.
Cold sweat was flowing even though my body felt hot from within.
My body had reached its limit.
Beyond the red line.
Operating on fumes and pure willpower alone.
A sensation like an engine about to die completely flowed through every cell, making body systems start emergency shutdown one by one.
I didn't really care how, but I had to quickly get to floor 2.
But every time I looked at Gob who almost collapsed multiple times, every time I saw blood flowing from his severe wounds, there was something deep inside that forced me to keep moving.
I couldn't stop.
Couldn't give up.
Not when the partner I considered a brother-in-arms still needed my help to survive.
"Gob..." I called while holding back increasingly severe and threatening dizziness.
He turned with eyes that were also very tired and struggling to stay open.
"We... will be okay," I said while smiling weakly, hoping to convince both of us.
"We're a strong team, right? We've been through worse than this."
He nodded with determination still burning despite everything, then made a hand gesture that seemed to mean "of course, idiot. We're unbeatable."
But I could see his deep and genuine worry.
The way he looked at me like seeing someone who would collapse and never get up at any moment.
And honestly, he was probably not wrong with that assessment.
Floor 3, finally.
A floor that was relatively safe, where the monsters were still in a range we could handle even in our almost-dying condition like this.
Mostly dungeon lizards, purple moths, and bad bats that were annoying but not immediately lethal.
But as soon as our feet touched the floor of floor 3 and the pressure from being chased started to decrease...
My body couldn't take it anymore.
The adrenaline that was keeping me going finally ran out completely.
A sensation like electrical cables being cut flowed through my nervous system, making motor control disconnect one by one.
My legs shook violently like an earthquake, then immediately went completely weak.
Control over my limbs just... disappeared.
I fell.
Not a complete faint.
I was still conscious, still able to think clearly and be aware of my surroundings.
But my body really had no strength left to function.
Like a battery that was completely dead, unusable even though consciousness and software were still running.
"Gob... Gob..." Gob immediately knelt beside me with obvious panic, supporting my swaying body with the arm that could still function.
He also fell because he couldn't support the weight of two bodies in his condition that was also barely holding on.
We both lay on the cold and unforgiving dungeon floor, breathing heavily, bodies covered in blood from head to toe.
Looking like casualties from a war zone.
A sensation like a slowing heartbeat flowed through my chest, telling me that despite the critical condition, my body was still within salvageable limits.
Condition stable within critical limits.
"Haah... Finally..." I whispered while trying to stay conscious despite the overwhelming urge to just close my eyes.
"We... managed to survive..."
Gob ignored me, his eyes constantly alert, scanning around for threats that might still come.
I was curious and wanted to ask more about the strange sensations I kept feeling, but...
Suddenly, footsteps could be heard from the direction of the stairs.
Light and regular steps, not like monster movements that were usually heavy and echoing.
Movement patterns that were distinctly human.
Human.
Another adventurer.
I tried to lift my head to see, but my neck muscles weren't strong enough.
All I could do was glance from the corner of my eye with enormous effort.
My instincts that usually could mark threats clearly, now only trembled in strange confusion.
Like radar that couldn't get clear signals, spinning around without finding a definite target.
Threat... Danger... Danger...
The approaching figure was a young man probably around my age.
Tall, slim, with an athletic build.
His clothes were neat and surprisingly clean a stark contrast to our appearance like we'd been dragged through a meat grinder.
What stood out most was the katana hanging at his waist.
A samurai sword with an elegant and well-maintained black sheath.
The handle looked expensive, probably made from rare wood with detailed intricate carving.
The young man stepped closer with understandable caution.
His eyes observed both of us with an expression that was hard to read... a mixture of curiosity, wariness, and concern.
Would he help us?
Or...
Would he kill Gob?
That terrifying thought immediately hit me.
Most adventurers would immediately attack any monster they saw, regardless of its condition.
Standard operating procedure. For them, a goblin was a goblin...
a target that had to be killed for magic stones and experience.
And Gob, even though he'd become my best partner and someone I consider family, was still a monster in other people's eyes.
Green skin, pointed ears, obviously non-human features.
Panic started filling my mind despite my exhausted state.
"Don't..." I whispered while trying to get up with desperation, but my body wouldn't move at all.
Even my fingers wouldn't respond to commands.
"He's... not... an enemy... he's my friend..."
The young man stopped in front of us.
His eyes looked back and forth between me and Gob with careful and methodical assessment.
His hand slowly moved toward the katana handle.
A movement that was subtle but unmistakable in its intent.
"No!" I screamed with what strength I had left, my voice cracking with desperation.
"Don't hurt him! Please! He's my friend!"
But my voice came out only as a barely audible whisper.
Weak and pathetic.
My vision was starting to blur seriously.
Consciousness was slowly drifting away like a receding tide.
Black spots dancing at the edges of my vision.
A sensation like lights slowly being dimmed flowed through my consciousness, telling me the body system would soon perform a total shutdown.
Consciousness declining drastically.
The last thing I thought before darkness swallowed everything was overwhelming fear...
Would I lose my best friend today?
Would Gob die at this stranger's hands because I couldn't protect him?
Would everything we built together end here, on this cold and merciless dungeon floor?
Total darkness consumed my consciousness.
The world...
disappeared.
•••
NOTE :
Fun fact about chapter 69...
In chapter 68, after MC and the gob traded their last punches and got thrown back, they get up and fight again until they're even more messed up in chapter 69.
So basically, chapter 69 is about their condition after they've been beating the hell out of each other multiple times.
•••
Okay, let's cut to the chase... I won't drag this out.
Lately my writing motivation has been... dead.
I don't know why.
Am I lazy?
Bored?
Too busy?
I have no idea...
Should I make a Patreon?
Maybe that'd get me motivated and I could actually talk to some readers?
Make one or not?
By the way, Artemis is supposed to show up soon.
MC hasn't even gotten his latest status reveal yet.
Whatever. Point is, don't get your hopes up for new chapter uploads it all depends on my mood. I might just stop until I forget about it completely.
Oh, and here's the simple reason why: my ChatGPT subscription ran out and I'm broke. Somehow I've been using AI for translations 🤦♂️