Narrow Gap

The previously extremely bright light source now only emitted a faint glow, as the surroundings were no longer as intensely illuminated.

It was then that Kaiden noticed, as he looked up, various unevenly spaced holes allowing sunlight to stream in.

[If you have further questions or would like to know your progress in general, say "status."]

With a clearer understanding of his ability, Kaiden now stood in an immensely large room compared to the tight and small space before.

In front of him stretched a vast expanse of dark blue matter, but there was also a slightly narrower gap.

However, it was still only wide enough for a slightly larger person to pass through. With no other way out, Kaiden realized he would have to take this path, as he needed to leave this mysterious place as soon as possible.

After all, he had no desire to narrowly escape death again and face unnecessary risks.

As he walked away from the narrow gap, he couldn't see any other possible routes. The steps grew longer and faster, and the impacts resonated in the now hardening ground.

Kaiden pressed forward, undeterred by the increased pace and growing physical strain.

He couldn't afford to waste time; the entire structure of the seemingly cavernous space changed every few minutes.

While running, questions arose in his mind. How exactly does his ability work?

What does he need to do to manipulate molecules, and what exactly can he control now? But there was no time for that now. He had to leave this cave as quickly as possible.

The passage seemed endless, and there was no end in sight as he hurried along.

****

Time passed swiftly, his once steady and even breaths became irregular but remained stable.

He continued to move at an accelerated pace, the steps now producing a distinct echo. The cold began to take over, driving warmth into retreat.

His irregular breath produced a warm white mist, a result of the differing temperatures. He wondered why this was happening, but there was no time to contemplate.

The narrow gap was gradually shrinking, threatening to seal shut.

He Increased his pace even further, moving at maximum speed, but it didn't seem to be enough. Although he was just a meter away, Kaiden was increasingly compressed by the closing walls.

He could only move in a limited way, pushing his legs sideways, followed by his upper body.

It was a race against time, the few seconds that remained seemed to pass in slow motion from his perspective.

The exertion was draining, his body under pressure, but he pressed on.

Kaiden, covered in sweat from stress, panic, and exertion, knew that he wouldn't be crushed, nor would he explode.

Instead, he would suffocate miserably, as the gap closed slowly, not abruptly. Everything seemed to stand still, as if time itself had slowed.

Kaiden's body was slightly wedged, but he could still move, with slow movements of his arms and legs. He moved quickly and skillfully, but it was all in vain.

The gap was closing, and Kaiden was on the verge of being completely crushed.

He knew he only had a few dozen seconds left, as he couldn't take a full breath.

****

With only one leg and arm protruding into freedom, the rest of his body remained trapped in the softening matter, which was reshaping due to Kaiden's slow movement.

But time was working against him, his need for air growing more intense. He was on the verge of a fit of coughing, but he couldn't.

Instead, he made irregular sounds with his mouth closed, as oxygen in his body grew scarce. Finally, Kaiden struggled further to extend himself.

Part of his shoulder and lower back also protruded, but his head was still trapped In the deep darkness.

Kaiden, who could no longer suppress his need for air, attempted to inhale, but nothing entered his lungs.

This did nothing to help him. After a few seconds, the softening matter slowly filled his mouth.

Kaiden, who had initially tried to rush out, had to approach the situation with caution, as he knew he wouldn't make it out alive otherwise.

But miraculously, the tip of Kaiden's nose seemed to gradually touch fresh air, followed by his mouth, cheeks, and then his entire face.

It was as if the bluish mass of the closed wall had dissolved, as if it had disappeared without a trace. Kaiden coughed hastily and spat out the soft substance from his mouth, followed by deep breaths and a relieved expression on his face.

It was like a magical hand had set him free. It wasn't because he successfully extended his head, it was because he imagined the wall disappearing and his head being free.

It seemed like his ability had saved his life. Kaiden, now taking deep breaths several times, continued to move his body slowly towards freedom.

It was only a dozen seconds until his entire body was completely freed, further emphasizing how lucky he was that his ability had activated.

Shortly after being freed and standing with his arms supporting his bent legs, he saw ahead of him a gigantic mass of crystal-like formations.

Everything seemed to glow neon, filled with vibrant colors like red, yellow, green, and blue. It looked like a giant mine of diamonds, rubies, and crystalline objects.

However, this beautiful and uplifting sight was interrupted by another bluish hologram.

[Congratulations!]

[You have used your ability manuel for the first time and therefore receive a bonus.]

[10 XP and -1 Karma points]

[10/100 XP]

[0 Karma points]

As Kaiden absorbed this information, his head suddenly began to ache.

"Ah!" he cried out softly, accompanied by a slight groan, while still supporting himself.

But the pain didn't stop; it seemed to have worsened.

[Memory fully restored, since you have 0 Karma points.]

Just before he received this information, previously nonexistent details and images seemed to infiltrate his mind.

Were these pains related to that?

Or were they again because of the tumor?

Kaiden wondered.

But more importantly, he pondered what the next steps would be and where he needed to go.