Floor ??? - Labyrinth of the Deathly Embrace
The desert stretched endlessly before Adonis, a sea of golden dunes scorched under a relentless sun. In the heart of this desolate expanse stood a shack, its weathered wooden planks an anomaly against the barren landscape. Adonis approached cautiously. The shack's door creaked as he nudged it open, revealing a dim interior cloaked in dust. Cobwebs draped every corner of the ceiling, swaying faintly in the stale air. The place was empty, save for a jagged hole in the floor, its edges rough and uninviting.
Adonis crouched, peering into the abyss. The darkness swallowed all light, an impenetrable void that seemed to pulse with secrets. He hesitated, then summoned a small flame, its bright flicker dancing in his palm. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it spiraling into the hole. The flame descended, growing smaller until it vanished entirely, consumed by the depths. Adonis frowned, his skepticism warring with curiosity.
Before he could dwell further, a crimson interface flickered to life before his eyes, its glowing text stark against the gloom.
Quest: Jump into the Hole
Rank: F
Description: Leap into the unknown depths of the hole.
Reward: 5 Stat Points, 2000 Tower Points
Adonis stared at the prompt, his brow furrowing. The system had guided him through countless trials, its cryptic commands the only reason he still drew breath. Yet, this request felt reckless, even for the system. A hole this deep, this dark, could be a trap—or worse. But doubt was a luxury he couldn't afford. The system had never led him astray. Not yet.
Taking a steadying breath, Adonis rose to his feet. He stood at the edge, the hole yawning like a hungry maw. With a final glance at the shack's dusty interior, he stepped forward and let himself fall.
The descent was endless. Seconds bled into minutes, then hours. The walls of the hole blurred past, featureless and cold. To pass the time, Adonis conjured flames, molding them into shapes—a soaring bird, a coiling serpent, a flickering star. He sat cross-legged in midair, his body weightless in the freefall, his mind wandering. How deep is this damn hole? he wondered, sculpting a miniature dragon that danced around his fingers.
At last, a pinprick of light appeared below. Adonis's heart quickened.
"Finally," he muttered, relief washing over him. "Thought it'd never end." The light grew brighter, wider, until he burst through the end of the tunnel into a world that stole his breath.
A vast cavern unfolded before him, its scale defying comprehension. Towering stalactites hung from a ceiling lost in shadow, while waterfalls cascaded down rocky cliffs, their mist shimmering in the faint glow of bioluminescent fungi. Strange beasts prowled in the distance—hulking silhouettes with glowing eyes, their forms unlike anything Adonis had ever seen. The air thrummed with an ancient, primal energy, as if the cavern itself were alive.
"Wow," Adonis breathed, still hovering cross-legged as he took in the surreal beauty. He'd seen impossible things before, but this—a hidden world beneath a desert shack—felt like stepping into a dream.
A sharp ding snapped him from his reverie. The crimson interface reappeared, its text glowing triumphantly.
Quest Completed!
You have obtained 5 Stat Points.
You have obtained 2000 Tower Points.
Adonis grinned, but his moment of victory was cut short as he noticed the ground rushing up to meet him. Instinct kicked in. He summoned flames to his hands and feet, the fire roaring like miniature rockets. The controlled bursts slowed his descent, and he landed softly on the cavern floor, his boots sinking into the damp earth.
He pulled up his stats, the interface materializing with a thought. His eyes scanned the updated display:
Name: Adonis @#!@#
Level: 25
Physique: (Locked)
Stats:
Strength: 45
Agility: 34
Endurance: 32
Intelligence: 30
Luck: 32
Durability: 35
Stamina: 50
Skills: Fire Manipulation (A), Teleport (B), Appraiser Eye (B), Regeneration (D), Poison Immunity (C)
Stat Points: 0
Tower Points: 2250
The tower points were a nice bonus, but they were useless here, with no shop or merchant in sight. Adonis dismissed the interface, his gaze sweeping the cavern. The vastness was overwhelming, a labyrinth of possibilities and dangers. Where do I even start? he thought, his fingers twitching with restless energy.
A piercing scream shattered the silence.
Adonis's head snapped toward the sound, his senses sharpening. The cry echoed from deeper within the cavern, raw and desperate. Without hesitation, he broke into a sprint, his flames flaring briefly to light his path. The ground trembled faintly beneath his feet, the air growing heavier with each step. Whatever lay ahead, Adonis knew one thing for certain: in this place, nothing was ever as simple as it seemed.