Exhausted

Several minutes passed before Levi managed to calm down, his mind still racing but his breathing steadying. 

"Let's think positively—it's not easy to gain access to a Sanctum anyway. If I use this chance well, I might find some useful artifacts and increase my power too," he muttered, trying to inject some optimism into his situation. But no matter how much he tried to console himself, the harsh reality remained. He had no strength to clear the Sanctum, and his body was still wracked with pain. The sword that he had borrowed from the mercenary federation was no longer in his possession - maybe dropped somewhere when he used his demonic transformation.

No matter how much he thought about it, the situation was hopeless!

"Let's look at the Sanctum description—maybe it's not that difficult," he thought, unknowingly jinxing it before he even read it.

[Sanctum: Lunacy of the Black Wings] 

[Rank: - - - ] 

[Description: Gliding through the shadows, perched on ancient branches, and hidden within the darkest skies, they are the silent watchers of the world—ever vigilant, ever cunning. Once revered by the heavens, they now dwell in twilight, watching the secrets of the world in silence. The black wings see it all and always, for they are darkness itself, and darkness exists everywhere.]

Levi sucked in a cold breath as he read the description. His soul seemed to leave his body when he saw that the rank wasn't mentioned— it was a bad omen. 

The description was the final nail in the coffin. He didn't know what kind of monsters lurked in this Sanctum, but it was clear that they were creatures capable of flight! Only a fool would miss such a thing after reading that description.

In his current state, it would be a miracle if he could fight off even land-bound creatures. But creatures that could fly? That was an entirely different level of danger.

"Ha! I'm going to go insane," Levi muttered to himself, dismissing all the rune messages. He lay there, head straight, watching the dark clouds swirl above him. 

His body was still suffering from the aftereffects of the demonic transformation. The skill seemed to have a heavy backlash, leaving him drained.

For instance, Levi didn't remember anything after using it, so he couldn't even gauge if it had been effective. But one thing was certain—he wasn't going to use that skill again until he gained the strength to withstand its backlash.

As for the Sanctum, it seemed no monsters were near him for the moment. He didn't know why, but he was grateful for the respite. Perhaps he could recover a bit since he appeared somewhat safe, though he had no idea how long that safety would last.

"Let's just check my status," he decided.

-----------[Status]----------- 

Name: Levias Drake 

Rank: Demonic Follower 

Patron: The Darklord of the Endless Abyss 

Affiliation: Mercenary Federation (F-rank) 

Crest: — 

Demonic Core: Dormant 

Demonic Essence: 1/200 

Trait: Demonic Soul 

Trait Ability: Demonic Transformation 

Innate Ability: Shadow Self 

Artifacts: — 

Avatars: — 

[Condition: Exhausted] 

-----------[Status]-----------

Levi noticed a new row at the end of his status—Condition. Apparently, Providence was even capable of calculating his physical state. The good news was that he wasn't injured, just exhausted. With some rest, he should be able to recover.

While going though the status, his eyes lingered on the line that read "Patron: The Darklord of the Endless Abyss." A thought crossed his mind—would his Patron answer him?

"Hey, Demon King? Can you hear me? Help me out a bit, will ya? I'm in a tight spot here," Levi called out, his voice half-hopeful, half-resigned.

'...'

As expected, there was no response. 

Aside from the day he returned to Earth, the Demon King hadn't spoken to Levi since. The silence was worrying, but Levi was powerless to change it. Whether he liked it or not, he was trapped in the Sanctum for now.

***

After what felt like an eternity, Levi finally managed to push himself up and sit on his own. 

"Much better," he thought, noticing that even his essence pool was slowly recovering. With a bit more rest, he found he could now stand and even walk. However, he dared not venture far until he fully recovered, unsure of what awaited him.

For now, Levi remained within the confines of his initial area. The place seemed safe, and he hadn't seen any monsters yet. 

But even that small comfort came with its own set of challenges. Levi had no food or water, and the sensation of hunger was becoming increasingly unbearable.

"I can't stay here forever," he muttered to himself. 

Stuck between the danger of lurking monsters and the threat of starvation, Levi realized he had no choice but to move forward. The chance of finding something to eat was better than dying of hunger.

With that thought, he began trudging through the desolate landscape, making his way toward the strange, glowing trees as carefully and stealthily as possible. 

However, as he moved, his mind started replaying the events that had led him here—the trap in the maze that had paralyzed his leg, the fat boy he'd killed for the magical bell, the struggle against the tall boy, and how close he'd come to escaping, only to be plunged deeper into despair.

As these memories flooded his mind, a seething rage began to rise within him. It was unusual for Levi to succumb to such fury, but the anger was undeniable, consuming him despite his efforts to control it. 

He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away, but the anger still clung to him.

Soon, Levi found himself in a forest where strange, glowing trees cast eerie shadows. The forest was oddly quiet, devoid of any visible monsters. The silence should have been unsettling, but Levi's mind was preoccupied with darker thoughts. He failed to notice this abnormality, instead slipping into another memory—this one of being beaten in a slum alley.

He remembered refusing to share his small amount of salary with the thugs who controlled the area. Their response had been brutal, leaving him beaten nearly to death. If not for a friend who had sacrificed his own pay to save him, Levi knew they wouldn't have hesitated to kill him.

"Those bastards, wait till I find you now," he growled under his breath, his anger growing without his notice. 

A dark thought crossed his mind as he thought deeper, 'Should I kill them all if I return to Earth?' The idea, terrifying as it was, seemed more justified with each passing moment of rage.

Suddenly, Levi felt a sharp sting and glanced down, only to freeze in horror. His leg was bleeding!!

---***---