Ethan Vale's hands shook violently as he gripped his battered iron dagger, the torchlight flickering across the damp stone walls like restless spirits. The cold, musty air of the dungeon made every breath a labor, and the shadows seemed to slither toward him, hungry for the smallest mistake. "I have to survive… I can't fail… Mom is counting on me," he thought, sweat stinging his eyes. His mind flicked anxiously to the small, glowing stats hovering in his vision, a strange HUD only he could see. HP: 7/100 blinked red, signaling the fragility of his existence. "This is it… every step could be my last. I can't afford to die here, not now." The corridors twisted like a maze, damp and uneven under his worn boots, and the silence pressed down on him heavier than any monster. Even trained nerves were tested here; the dungeon had a way of amplifying every fear, every heartbeat, every shadow. Yet Ethan moved forward, each step a fragile defiance against the creeping terror.
The raid had begun without incident, or at least it seemed normal for Ethan. He trudged behind his four teammates, the echoes of their laughter and chatter making him feel invisible and inconsequential as always. "Why do I always get the worst jobs… the last position… the weakest spot?" he muttered under his breath, shoulders tense. As the group ventured deeper, the stone beneath their feet shuddered, a low rumble vibrating up through Ethan's legs. The air grew thick, heavy, as if the dungeon itself was holding its breath. From the darkness ahead, a monstrous form emerged, massive and hulking, with skin like jagged iron plates and arms thicker than ancient tree trunks. Its glowing red eyes burned with fury and intelligence, assessing him like prey. DANGER: Boss Monster Detected — Iron Troll flashed in his HUD. "This can't be… I'm just an F-rank hunter… this thing is… impossible," Ethan thought, panic clawing at his chest. Every instinct screamed to flee, but there was nowhere to run, and no allies beside him. The shadows seemed to press closer, the torchlight trembling as his pulse accelerated.
The team leader's gaze met Ethan's for a split second, calculating, cold, and unflinching. "Ethan," he said smoothly, "draw its attention. We'll flank from behind." Ethan froze. "Wait… what? They're… sending me alone?" His stomach churned with the realization that he had been betrayed. The other hunters stepped back, their faces unreadable, as the dungeon gate slammed shut behind him with a thunderous boom. (Ding) [Chances of Survival: 0.03%] His heart plummeted into his stomach as the Iron Troll's gaze locked onto him. Every muscle screamed to flee, but the walls closed in, leaving no escape. The massive creature roared, the ground trembling beneath its weight, and swung its colossal arm. Ethan was hurled across the jagged floor, his dagger slipping from his hand as pain tore through his side. HP: 5/100 flashed in red, warning him of the fragile thread his life now dangled from. "No… this isn't how it ends… I won't die here," he thought, teeth gritted, trembling. Fear, despair, and a burning desire to survive collided violently in his chest, forcing him to rise despite every instinct screaming to collapse.
Just as the Iron Troll raised its arm to strike again, a sharp, mechanical chime echoed inside Ethan's mind. (Ding) [Skill Devour System Activated] A faint blue glow enveloped his trembling hand, radiating warmth through his body. (Ding) [Iron Troll Skill Detected: Iron Skin]
(Ding) [Devour Skill? YES / NO] The decision was instantaneous yet torturous. "If I don't… I die. But… what if it hurts me instead? I have no choice," he thought, fear twisting in his stomach. He whispered, "Yes…" and the glow intensified, energy flooding his veins. (Ding) [Skill Devoured Successfully] Pain lanced through him as his wounds closed, muscles strengthened, and senses sharpened beyond human limits. HP: 15/100 blinked green, signaling his temporary recovery. Deep in the system's code, something else pulsed faintly, hidden, almost sinister—a whisper of a secret he could not yet understand. The Iron Troll roared, shaking the cavern, and Ethan met its gaze, terror mingling with exhilaration. "I… I survived… and I'll fight… I'll grow stronger… they won't get the best of me." With trembling hands and a heart pounding like a war drum, he prepared to face the monster again, unaware that every skill he devoured carried a trace of something far older, something forbidden, waiting to reveal itself when the time was right.