Crossroads

Axel stood up gasping for breath, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I did it..." he muttered as he stared at the Orc's large, now lifeless body.

Axel skillfully began skinning the body of the Orc he had just defeated. Even though the Orc's outer appearance looked hideous, Axel already knew from previous experience that Orc meat had a tender texture and quite a delicious taste if cooked properly.

Carefully, he used the small knife he usually kept for survival purposes. Axel cut off the edible parts, avoiding the unpalatable or poisonous parts. He already knew which area was the best to take, having survived in this dungeon for some time.

While cutting the meat, Axel pondered for a moment. "Of course, living in a dungeon forces us to utilize all available resources, even if that means eating monster flesh," he thought. "Who would have thought, Orc meat could be a good source of nutrition."

After collecting enough pieces of meat, Axel stores them in his "Item Box", keeping the meat fresh until he finds a safe time and place to cook it. He also made sure to take some other materials that might be useful from the Orc's body, such as thick hides to make into equipment or even makeshift weapons. With all the preparations he had made, Axel continued his journey.

Axel opened his status bar and saw with great satisfaction that he had reached level 22. The small digital window to his right showed numbers reflecting his growth:

Axel Character Status:

Level: 22

STR: 38

AGI: 39

END: 37

INT: 25

LUK: 24

Axel smiled faintly. This improvement did not come easily. Every wound, every fight, and every monster he defeated were all reflected in these numbers. The decision to press on even with one arm, to fight the fear and despair in every corner of the dungeon, all paid off.

He felt a newfound strength coursing through his body. Now, with a higher level and status, he is more ready than ever to face the challenges that await him. He knew that the road ahead of him was still long and dangerous, but for the first time in a long time, he felt there was hope.

"Level 22," Axel muttered to himself, with renewed vigor. "This is just the beginning."

With renewed confidence, Axel closed his status window and began planning his next move.

On the 49th floor, the movements of the monsters were not very intense, in contrast to the 48th floor and below which were often filled with the sound of monsters' roars echoing in the hallways. The atmosphere on the 49th floor felt calmer, almost like the peace before the storm. Axel realized that even though it was relatively quiet, this floor should not be taken lightly. There may be fewer monsters here, but they are often stronger and more dangerous.

Axel stepped carefully, every sound of his footsteps echoing on the stone walls. His eyes and ears were alert, looking for any signs of danger that might appear from dark shadows or from behind sharp corners. In the dungeon, alertness is the main key to survival.

"Maybe this is a chance to catch my breath," thought Axel. "But I can't let my guard down. No one knows what's waiting ahead."

Axel continued to move forward, passing through the halls illuminated by the faint light from the glowing crystals embedded in the walls. He felt the tension in the air, a tension that was always present on every floor of the dungeon, no matter how calm it seemed.

"Level 22 is still not enough," Axel thought, his eyes staring at the numbers in the status window. "I still need to be stronger, faster, tougher. In this dungeon, strength is the only way to survive."

The choice before Axel was clear: he had to keep climbing, keep challenging himself, and finally face the boss of the 50th floor. Without defeating the boss, he would not be able to progress to higher floors, and every step back would only bring danger. bigger than the monsters that were increasing in number and ferocity on the lower floors.

Axel closed his status window again and gripped the dagger in his right hand tightly. In the dungeon, every second could be a battle of life and death, and he had to always be prepared for it.

"I have to defeat the boss on the 50th floor," he muttered to himself. "There's no other way. If I want to survive and become stronger, I have to face it and win."

Axel stepped carefully along the dark corridors of the 49th floor, but no matter how far he walked, he didn't find a single monster. Every step he took only strengthened the strange feeling that was creeping into his mind. In this dungeon filled with danger, the absence of monsters felt strange and unnatural.

"Why are there no monsters at all?" Axel muttered, his eyes continuing to scan the shadows covering the surrounding stone walls. He gripped his dagger tighter, ready to face any possible surprise attack.

Axel stopped for a moment to listen, but all he could hear was haunting silence. There were no roars or footsteps lurking from the darkness. This unusual silence made him feel more alert. Usually, the dungeon floors were always filled with the sounds of growls, footsteps, or even war cries from roaming monsters.

"This is very strange," thought Axel, trying to find an explanation. "Have the monsters on this floor been wiped out by something? Or maybe they've gathered somewhere?"

This silence gave off an uneasy feeling that couldn't be ignored. Axel continued his journey, remaining alert and continuing to observe his surroundings. He knew that this kind of calm could be a sign of greater danger.

Axel kept walking, preparing himself for whatever he might encounter on the road. The silence that surrounded him was a burden on his mind that kept reminding him that in this dungeon, nothing could be considered safe or ordinary. Staying alert and ready to face any eventuality is the only way to survive.

As he continued his journey, Axel couldn't shake the feeling that something big and dangerous was waiting ahead.

Axel stopped at a gloomy and dark crossroads. Before him stretched two corridors in different directions, each looking equally dark and mysterious. As he scanned his surroundings, suddenly a very strong smell came from one of the hallways on the left.

"What smell is this?" Axel muttered, wrinkling his nose. The smell was very strong, like a mixture of something rotten and chemical. The smell was so strong that it made his eyes water a little.

He moved his body closer towards the source of the smell, trying to see more clearly into the hallway which seemed darker than the others. "Maybe there's something there... something that could explain why there are no monsters on this floor."