Madness

Darkness.

He couldn't see anything.

No, there was nothing there in the first place.

An abyss without end.

Its presence evoked the same ominous sensations he felt upon entering the gate.

But instead of the tiny hands roping him in, he subconsciously walked into it himself.

One by one, his limbs dissolved into nothingness.

Then his head and body followed suit.

It all happened too quickly, as if he was consumed by something.

Soon, Zeris was gone leaving only the invisible boxes of text left.

Ones that he has failed to notice ever since he woke up.

[Your mind is currently being influenced]

[The Seed of Corruption within you has sprouted by 3%]

…

In a small damp cell.

Tiny droplets of water fell on Zeris's face and woke him up.

He was currently in a prison cell.

Chains clinked, and crimson stains adorned the cold stone floor, An obvious sign of torture.

'How did I get here?'

He got up and scanned the area.

The prison door was wide open.

There were no sounds other than his footsteps and the droplets of water.

Zeris walked out of the room and found others' rooms–just like his, all had signs of a past prisoner.

There were torture devices lying around.

He glanced at the surroundings again and picked up a shiny white dagger.

Suddenly, he felt like a bullet has pierced his head.

Zeris crumbled to the ground, wracked with agony.

His hand instinctively swept over the afflicted spot, finding no trace of blood or injury.

Yet the back of his head emanated an unnerving, bone-chilling coldness.

'W, what's going on?'

Then, as if a veil were lifted, clarity washed over his mind, dispelling the cloud of uncertainty.

With a resolute gaze, Zeris turned his head towards one of the nearby prison cells.

"Yes, I must go there. I need to retrieve the fragment," he affirmed, determination etched across his features.

What was going on? He could feel the control of his body slipping away.

Pushing himself up, he advanced towards a room bearing unmistakable signs of recent, intense torture.

Rather than the usual dark crimson stains, the scene was marked by vibrant, fresh hues.

Zeris extended his hand and gingerly touched the cold stone wall, only for it to crumble away, unveiling a hidden chamber beyond.

He had no idea how he knew it was there.

[The Seed of Corruption within you has sprouted by 3%]

The message was once again ignored.

Currently, he only has eyes for the countless body–skeletons in front of him.

Bones upon bones stacked high, painting a haunting tableau.

Torches lining both walls ignited one after another as if beckoning him forward.

At the heart of this macabre room stood a pedestal, upon which floated a piece of mysterious metal.

A dark, shadowy wisp encircled the piece of metal, a presence both foreboding and intriguing.

The object before him held an irresistible allure, tempting him to reach out for it.

Zeris was cautious, but he approached it anyways.

'No, no, stop moving! Why won't you listen? This damn body!'

His focus was starting to lessen.

The sound of bones snapping echoed in his ears as he drew nearer to the enigmatic artifact.

After a few more steps, he was finally in the range of its grasp.

But instead of seizing it, Zeris extended his palm, allowing the object to gradually merge with his being.

The shadowy mist dissipated, the floating metal vanishing without a trace.

Only Zeris remained, standing motionless, his mind reeling with disbelief.

He had no clue what he had just done.

It felt like he was being mind-controlled the entire process.

This made him even more confused; when did this start?

Was he already being influenced by an unknown being from the start? Or was it after he woke up?

He didn't know, his mind was empty again.

"Am I losing my sanity?" he wondered aloud, his voice laced with despair.

Then, a new sound resonated within his head, no longer confined to a simple text box.

[You have obtained a Fragment of Resentment!]

[Description: Every being harboring resentment, whether living or dead, will be drawn towards you.]

And with that revelation, a final sound reverberated, signaling the end.

[The Seed of Corruption within you has sprouted by 3%]

A vacant expression settled upon Zeris's face.

"The Fragment of Resentment... Was that the metal I just absorbed?" he pondered aloud, his head throbbing in response?

Ever since entering this realm, he had teetered on the precipice of death, every encounter raising more questions than answers.

Madness encroached upon his sanity, its tendrils tightening their grip.

[The Seed of Corruption within you has sprouted by 3%]

He was going mad.

Before him stood a menacing pack of silver-furred wolves.

Was it an illusion? He couldn't tell, but it didn't matter to him anymore.

Toweringly large, some even thrice his size, the wolves drooled with anticipation, fixated on their prey.

Though outnumbered six to one, the wolves hesitated to attack.

Zeris's once brown eyes now glowed with crimson, like the blood-red moon.

He stood up and took out the dagger he'd picked up from earlier.

Without restraint, he rose and brandished the dagger he had found.

He charged into the midst of the pack, unleashing wild slashes without a single care in the world.

His blade tore through their flesh, heedless of their counterattacks.

Of course, the wolves fought back, their fangs gnawing at him every chance they got.

Soon, he was drenched in blood with many marks of bite on his flesh.

'It hurts…' He thought, then in a heartbeat, he went in again.

Like a madman, he slaughtered them without a trace of remorse—for his enemies or himself.

After many more exchanges, his body was covered with even more blood stains–a mix of his own and the six dead wolves.

[The Seed of Corruption within you has sprouted by 3%]

Then another unexpected sound rang again.

[Calculating… You have met the requirement for the First Trial!]