In the Jaws of Chaos. (50)

Inventory:

Copy of the Forbidden Land, Black Crystal (First Floor), Sickle-Shaped Tail , Cyclops Club (Second Floor), Snow-White Horn (Third Floor), Creature Spine(----), Hybrid Fur, Bones (+6 pieces), Unknown artifact (sharp stick extracted from the Survival Crossroads), Recovery Elixir (+4 pieces), Spiritual Stones (+358), Glass Jars(Poison Scorpions +28), Artifact Earring (hypnotizing), Ski Mask, Gas Mask, Invisibility Cloak (3 hours acting), Armor of a General, Dynamite Sticks (+35).

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The ground beneath my feet was treacherous, its loose texture and decaying plant life covering the surface with a layer of half a meter. As I traversed the seemingly endless road, I treaded cautiously, mindful of the need to minimize any unnecessary sounds. I took extra care to avoid making unnecessary sounds, and several times I stumbled over my own footprints.

Amidst the oppressive darkness, an overwhelming stench of decay and ammonia enveloped me. Donning a gas mask, which had cost me 50 points, I pressed forward through the labyrinth of living carnivorous plants.

[1 hour and 5 minutes remaining until the invisibility cloak's properties expire.]

The 605th politely reminded me of the limited time remaining, but an exit remained elusive. The three-hour aura concealment support proved inadequate, and acquiring the necessary 100,000 points to level up and extend the duration of disguise seemed like an insurmountable task.

Plants stirred around me, awakening occasionally at the scent of blood lingering from the recently consumed prey. Most creatures met their demise within the first few minutes, but there were exceptions.

Perhaps destroying this place was an option?

Though my strength might not be sufficient, I seized the opportunity to attempt to vanquish a single plant, only to witness my threads pass through it as if protected by an unseen force.

It's a pity that my power falls short.

Exhaling amidst the cacophony of cracking bones and ceaseless chewing, I lifted my gaze, considering the possibility of climbing through the open portals. Where would they lead me? Would I emerge on a battlefield of a completed battle or find myself at the Intersection of Levels?

At that moment, any idea seemed plausible, fueled by desperation.

Encircling the vicinity with Dark Threads, I waited, shutting my eyes, attuning myself to the subtle movements that resonated through the delicate web. A thread tugged from the left periphery, prompting me to open my eyes and summon every ounce of stamina for a burst of speed. The commotion generated by my hurried sprint captured the attention of the carnivorous horde.

A horde soon assembled before me, closing in on my position. In a desperate sprint, I fell to my knees and clumsily propelled myself forward, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws that closed a mere five centimeters from my skull.

Gripping the thread before me, I swiftly regained my footing and continued my mad dash, the portal already closing as I pushed off and soared toward the faint glimmer of illumination.

The portal crackled with blue arcs, and electricity coursed through my entire body, eliciting a silent curse as I crashed onto the putrid mess, quickly turning to face my pursuers.

All the plants in the vicinity rose to their full height, seemingly unfazed by the moaning creature deprived of a front paw. They began to sniff their surroundings with an eerie awareness.

Had they sensed something?

Perhaps. Damn. Why had I placed so much confidence in such a foolish assumption?

[There are 42 minutes and 37 seconds until the invisibility cloak's effects dissipate.]

Sinking my feet deeper into the mud, I halted my movements. For a moment, one of the plants inched closer to me, my fingers clenched, manipulating the Dark Threads in preparation for a surprise attack. However, it merely sniffed the air before redirecting its attention to the lifeless creature beside it.

The plants, engrossed in their silent battle for food, devoured a fresh corpse, oblivious to my presence.

As I continued my journey, I felt a solid object beneath my feet. Exhaling with curiosity, I plunged my hand into the muck, submerging my forearm. To my surprise, my fingers closed around a rusted pipe.

So, the Caretakers employ a waste collection system here?

Why hadn't I considered such a possibility before?

Securing the pipe with threads, I sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me, clambering over barely moving bodies, leaves, and carnivorous plants.

[Participant 137, in 2 minutes, the invisibility cloak's properties will fully deactivate.]

At that moment, my gaze fell upon an endless wall that obstructed further progress. With a resounding snap, the thread connecting me to the steel pipe broke.

Squatting down, I watched in awe as glowing runes illuminated the surface of the barrier. Several interconnected giant circles formed an enigmatic pattern, casting me into a trance-like state. Driven by curiosity, I reached out and touched the smooth surface, attempting to push it aside.

The invisibility cloak flickered black, revealing the outlines of my body. Cold sweat dripped down my back as I summoned as many Dark Threads as possible, intertwining them with the wall's surface.

Now or never, I silently resolved. I began my arduous ascent, howling with exertion.

[Complete deactivation of the invisibility cloak in 3, 2, 1.]

The countdown rang out just as I ascended a few hundred meters above the ground.

The plants immediately detected my presence and unleashed a thunderous roar as they surged toward me.

Refusing to glance at the foreboding scene below, I clung stubbornly to the threads, persistently climbing higher.

There is no escape from this abyss, only adversaries abound.

Fatigue began to seep into my bones as the threads strained under the weight. Against my will, I glanced downward, witnessing the plants erupting from the ground, their long roots wriggling menacingly in my direction. Darkness shrouded much of the scene, but one thing was clear—I was running out of time.

With a resounding bang, the thread I clung to snapped, leaving me suspended upside down in mid-air. The plants closed in, their tendrils weaving through the fragmented threads. Gritting my teeth until they cracked, I mustered the strength for one final move—I summoning the Ignition.

Flames engulfed the threads, consuming several plants in their wake. However, rather than diminishing, the remaining plants grew larger and more ferocious.

The surroundings illuminated by the blue inferno revealed a disturbing sight: plants within a radius of hundreds of meters converging upon me.

Frantically pulling another thread, I swiftly removed my raincoat and surveyed my inventory. Realizing there was only one option left, I procured a few dozen sticks of dynamite. I secured them tightly to the wall, positioned myself on the opposite side, and assumed a defensive stance, clad in the Armor of a General. Forming a protective barrier of threads around myself, I ignited the fuse and braced for the explosion.

The explosion was mighty, a surge of heat rippled through the air, creating a circular crater upon the wall. The once radiant runes dimmed, and the plants froze in place, their attention drawn to the quaking barrier. With a resounding crash, the wall shifted a few centimeters.

"What in the world happened here?" Through an opening hundreds of meters away, individuals clad in white coats entered, protected by a barrier emitting an unfamiliar fragrance that lulled the surrounding plants.

"Look up! The Gnavs are hanging there!" Something radiant emerged before the crater, illuminating the ravaged space where the carcasses of the destroyed plants settled.

Enveloped within a cocoon of dark threads, I descended silently, careful not to disturb the frozen plants below.

"Oh, someone tried to escape?!" The man's voice carried a harsh tone. One of them produced a metal triangular stone, resembling a strange artifact.

"The Head, this is Mike, the Head. Do you hear me?" the man spoke into a communication device. A brief pause followed. "Send the Stormtroopers. Someone seems to have crawled through the dy..."

Before the man could finish his sentence, a swift motion from one of the threads snapped his hand, causing him to cry out in agony. The metallic stone fell to the ground, accompanied by the clenched fingers of the severed limb.

The barrier that separated us crumbled with a resounding crunch, revealing three figures, not including the wounded man.

"Aaaaah."

[A random mission to Survive in the Lower Level of the Arena is accepted.

You are the first discoverer of this level who has survived more than 3 hours.

Reward for the Discoverer:

Elixir of Transformation - 1 pc.

Mission conditions: Kill 267 enemies.

Time: 7 days, 20 hours, and 59 minutes.]

[Even now?]

With a bitter sigh, I stood defiantly before the long-awaited audience witnessing my dramatic performance. One man, shaking his head in disbelief, began to retreat toward the exit. The second man, a formidable figure, shouted.

"Close the passage, faster, Serena!"

"What about..." The words froze on the man's lips as I swiftly severed his upper body, causing him to collapse with a thud into the putrid muck, his eyes filled with shock.

[1 enemy killed out of 267.]