"What kind of hell-level dungeon is this?!" Tony's heart nearly stopped as he watched the so-called trial boss butcher his entire party like slaughtering helpless chickens. There wasn't even a fight—it had been a one-sided massacre.
But there was no time to rage about the absurd difficulty level.
His talent had triggered. A cold, metallic voice echoed in his ears, counting down from ten.
[Talent: Immortal and Undying has activated. Please select the respawn location within 10 seconds.]
This was Tony's first time triggering his unique talent, and he hadn't expected it to work this way. Unlike the others, who were forcefully ejected from the dungeon upon death, he had choices. Everyone else only had one shot per dungeon. He? He had endless lives to burn.
"Respawn on site?" He scoffed. That would just make him an instant target again. Ten seconds wasn't enough for that monster to wander off. Reviving in the same place would only mean dying twice in a row.
"I choose safe zone respawn."
[Confirming choice… Safe respawn will place you in the safest location available.]
[Option to exit dungeon: Yes / No]
Tony blinked. Safe zone? Of course—the safest place would be outside the dungeon. But that would count as a failed run, and he'd still lose one of his ten precious revival chances. If he stayed inside, no matter how many times he died, as long as he eventually cleared it, his lives wouldn't be deducted.
"No."
The world warped. The next moment, Tony materialized inside a dusty firewood shack.
Hide here, or move somewhere else?
He decided to stay. If the system had chosen this spot, it meant—for now—it was the safest place. Running around would only risk bumping into the demonic killer again.
Patience wins this game.
He opened his status panel. Strength: 22.6. Agility: 21.6. Constitution: 22.6. Spirit: 21.6. Numbers higher than when he first awakened, but still nowhere near enough.
Half an hour later, a chilling voice slithered into his hideout.
"Little mouse… You hide well."
The wooden door exploded with a BOOM. A blood-soaked figure stepped inside, his blade gleaming under the flickering torchlight. A crimson blur shot forward, stabbing through the pile of firewood Tony crouched behind. Pain consumed him, the world went black, and he died again.
Respawn. This time, he woke up in a luxurious bedroom, judging by the elegant furniture and silken drapes—a lady's chamber somewhere within the Lin Fortress.
Twenty-five minutes passed.
"Found you."
A sword pierced through the bedframe, ending his second attempt.
Twenty minutes later, hiding inside a garden rock formation, he heard the crack of stone shattering. His life ended yet again.
…
Seventh respawn. This time, Tony opened his eyes in the very first hall where his ill-fated team had spawned. Four fresh corpses sprawled across the floor—his former teammates.
"Makes sense," Tony thought grimly. The boss roams the map. With no living players left, this place temporarily counts as safe.
Through repeated deaths and trial-and-error, Tony began piecing together critical information. The Lin family was already wiped out. There were no survivors to ally with, meaning they could only rely on themselves to take down the boss.
The glasses guy's deduction had been right: the killer was injured after slaughtering everyone here. In that first encounter, they'd faced him at his weakest. But as time passed and he hunted survivors, his strength recovered. The longer the dungeon dragged on, the shorter Tony's safe windows became.
The first time, he'd lasted thirty minutes. By the sixth death, he barely survived fifteen. The Lin Fortress wasn't large enough to hide forever. And the killer… his senses were monstrous, able to pick up even faint breathing or heartbeats. As long as Tony lived, he would keep hunting.
And the biggest factor? Tony himself. He wasn't the same weakling who had stepped in earlier. His attributes were growing at a terrifying pace: Strength 48, Agility 47, Constitution 48, Spirit 47. Almost five times that of an ordinary human.
But even with this power, he wasn't a match. The killer's martial mastery and demonic arts allowed him to push far beyond raw stats.
"Five times isn't enough? Then ten times. I refuse to believe I can't kill you."
For the first time, Tony abandoned the hiding game. The stronger he grew, the more vividly his life signs blazed like a beacon. Hiding had become pointless. If he was going to die anyway, then he'd die fighting—and make the bastard work for it.
Five minutes later, he confronted the killer again.
The blood-drenched swordsman narrowed his eyes. "Huh? You look… familiar. Are you twins?"
No one remembered an ant they crushed underfoot, but the first and seventh deaths had put Tony's face in his memory.
"Whatever."
Before Tony could stall for time, the boss's expression turned bored. A flash of steel. Death claimed him again.
Eighth respawn. Ninth. Tenth…
By now, Tony could navigate the entire Lin Fortress with his eyes closed, knowing every shortcut, every shadowed corner. He learned the boss's routes, his habits, his blind spots.
Thankfully, the killer wasn't learning. His strength plateaued after three hours, no longer recovering.
Tony smirked in relief. If this guy adapted like I do, this dungeon would be impossible.
By his fifteenth respawn, he lasted forty whole minutes before getting caught. His stats skyrocketed: Strength 80, Agility 79, Constitution 80, Spirit 79. At full burst, he was untouchable—fast enough that only the killer's light-footwork techniques could keep up. But unlike Tony, the boss's energy wasn't infinite.
Each time he revived, Tony came back fresh. The killer grew more exhausted, each chase draining his reserves further.
Finally, on what felt like the hundredth confrontation, Tony stood over a staggering, pale-faced boss whose breath came in ragged gasps.
Tony grinned warmly. "You've killed me so many times. Was it fun?"
The swordsman's eyes flickered with something close to fear.
"Want to do it again?"
The killer didn't answer. He spun on his heel and ran.
But to Tony, his speed now looked pathetic.
"Boom!" The ground cracked under Tony's explosive sprint as he closed the gap. He raised his fists, voice dripping with mockery.
"Where I come from, we're a hospitable people. Friend or foe, you have to answer one question before leaving…" His fist drew back.
"Have you eaten? If not—eat my three punches!"
The killer roared, lashing out in desperation. His sword darted for Tony's heart, but Tony's first punch shattered the blade like glass. The second blow collapsed his chest with a sickening crunch. The third caved in his skull, painting the floor crimson.
The dungeon fell silent.
[Congratulations, you have cleared the trial dungeon: Blood Battle at the Lin Fortress.]
[Rewards are being calculated…]