I do not know how many hours have passed.
After the torturous battle and the effort of building that reservoir, exhaustion finally claimed me.
When I woke up, I realized I was upside down.
Blag... Blag... Blag...
Heavy footsteps echoed throughout the ravine.
An ape-like creature was carrying me in one hand.
It was gigantic.
The monster had no teeth. Instead, its enormous mouth was lined with two massive crushing plates that looked capable of grinding stone into dust. Its head was strangely large for its body, with three eyes and a sagging face that made it look even more terrifying.
Panic filled me, but I could not move.
Its massive hand wrapped around my entire body, squeezing me so tightly that even breathing was difficult.
After everything I went through...
I'm still going to die.
I closed my eyes as hope abandoned me.
I was helpless.
There was nothing I could do.
Hours passed, yet the monster never stopped walking.
Being carried upside down made the blood rush to my head.
My vision blurred.
I slowly lost consciousness.
Then...
It stopped.
When I woke up again, I was alone.
The monster was nowhere to be seen.
I looked around and found myself inside a giant nest.
Piles of bones were scattered everywhere, mixed with all kinds of belongings.
There was a bag filled with books.
A sword.
A staff.
Broken armor.
More weapons and equipment.
It looked like these were the possessions of other people who had entered this dungeon...
...and never left.
Then I heard it.
The echo of heavy footsteps.
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He's back.
I didn't have time to think.
I grabbed everything that looked useful and stored it inside my mental space.
Before escaping, I quickly ate and drank to recover some of my strength.
There was no way I could defeat that monster.
It was simply too enormous.
I jumped from one boulder to another until I reached the cave entrance.
Using my ability, I carved into the stone wall and dug myself a small hiding place.
After climbing inside, I sealed the entrance.
I left only a tiny hole so I could watch what was happening outside.
I stayed perfectly still as the monster approached.
The moment it entered its cave, it suddenly rushed toward its nest.
It noticed immediately that many of its treasures were gone.
A deafening roar shook the entire ravine.
The monster slammed everything inside its cave in a fit of rage, smashing rocks and bones alike.
I remained silent inside my hiding place while it continued destroying everything.
Cave Troll...
That is what I will call it.
Since I had nothing else to do while waiting for the Cave Troll to leave, I checked the items I had stolen.
I couldn't hide my excitement.
There was a pair of leather boots.
They were too large for me, but they were far better than walking barefoot.
I also found a clean set of clothes and a worn cape.
The sword was far too large for me to wield.
I had lost my previous dagger during my earlier fight.
Fortunately, I found another one.
It was old, but it was in much better condition.
After waiting for several more hours, I finally realized the Cave Troll had left.
I quietly emerged from my hiding place and kept low as I escaped the cave.
I was back in the ravine.
Unfortunately...
I no longer knew where the healing water was.
I had to find it.
Without it, surviving this place would be nearly impossible.
With no idea where to go, I simply kept walking.
I hadn't gone very far before another group of monsters appeared.
Stonecrawlers.
Three of them.
The moment they spotted me, two charged straight at me while the third burrowed underground.
Fighting one was already difficult.
Three?
I'm going to die.
...
No.
I survived before.
I can survive again.
I gathered every bit of courage I had and shouted at the charging monsters.
"Come on!"
I waved my hand and stored several large boulders nearby inside my mental space.
I dodged one bite.
Ran.
Dodged another.
I was much faster than before.
Then suddenly—
Something burst out from beneath my feet.
The third Stonecrawler.
The impact launched me into the air.
My foot snapped.
The pain was unbearable.
As I looked down, all three monsters waited beneath me, ready to tear me apart the moment I landed.
Not today, you fuckers.
I waved my hand and released one of the massive boulders I had stored earlier.
It became my foothold in midair.
Unfortunately, one of my feet was completely useless.
There was no time to hesitate.
Using every ounce of strength I had left, I kicked off the boulder, pushing it downward while throwing myself to the side.
BLAG!
The enormous rock crashed into the ground.
Dust exploded into the air as all three Stonecrawlers were buried beneath it.
I landed hard beside the boulder.
Pain spread through my entire body.
I couldn't move.
There was only one thing I needed.
Healing water.
But...
I couldn't even lift my hand.
Then I remembered something.
Stonecrawlers used their mouths whenever they activated their ability.
Maybe...
I could do the same.
A faint green light gathered around my mouth.
The next instant—
Healing water suddenly appeared inside it.
Cough! Cough!
I nearly drowned as water flooded my mouth without warning.
But...
It worked.
My broken bones mended.
My wounds disappeared.
Only my exhaustion remained.
Once I could stand again, I stabbed each Stonecrawler before pushing the boulder aside.
Something felt wrong.
None of them emitted the faint glow I was expecting.
I cracked open their skulls.
No rune stones.
"Damn... duds."
I remembered now.
Not every monster possessed a rune stone.
There was nothing left for me here.
If the Cave Troll returned, I would die.
I had to leave.
So I kept walking.
Fighting.
Running.
Killing every Stonecrawler that crossed my path.
Now that I understood how they fought, they were no longer terrifying.
Until...
I found myself standing at the edge of a cliff.