"Huff… huff… huff…"
I collapsed to the ground, struggling to catch my breath, gripping my left shoulder tightly.
Dizziness swept through my entire body—I had pushed myself far beyond my limits.
I lifted my gaze to my surroundings, where the bodies of monsters lay scattered around me.
At first, I had believed my plan was perfectly calculated, that I would finish them quickly and without trouble.
But I had grown overconfident… and made a mistake at the worst possible moment.
Just because monsters were described as stupid didn't mean their senses were weak.
On the contrary… their senses far surpassed those of humans.
Everything would have been much easier if my plan had worked as expected, but there is no such thing as a perfect plan.
Especially when your rank is F, and you find yourself facing monsters of the same level… or even higher.
If I hadn't known their weakness beforehand, this fight would have likely ended with my death.
I slowly stood up and decided to stop advancing deeper into the rift for now. I needed to recover my health and stamina first.
In my current condition, I wasn't ready to face another monster.
I took out two potions from my pouch and drank them one after the other.
After the healing potion, I consumed a [Stamina Recovery Potion].
Its taste was strange—an uncomfortable mix of sweetness and bitterness at the same time.
A few moments after finishing it, I felt a clear surge of energy rush through my body.
My breathing became more stable, and the heavy pressure weighing down my limbs eased.
I wasn't in perfect condition…
But I was far better than I had been just moments ago.
I silently stared at the towering stone pillars ahead of me—silent and heavy, like gigantic gravestones deliberately erected in this place.
I was almost certain the Grave Guardian was there, hidden among the shadows, watching every movement without revealing itself.
The Grave Guardian…
It wasn't just an ordinary monster.
It was the entity that protected the most important location within every rift—the grave itself—and it was considered the strongest monster inside.
Its existence was tied directly to the owner of the grave.
It was formed from the remnants of a demonic soul after death, a twisted fragment of a will that refused to fade away.
After death, that soul clung to the most important thing left behind, transforming into a guardian that knew neither rest nor mercy, driven by a single purpose: protection.
Its power came from its original body, but it was no longer at its peak. Over time, it gradually weakened.
With enough time, some advanced monsters could even rival it… or surpass it.
Even so, it could never be underestimated.
Even in its weakest state, the Grave Guardian remained a terrifying opponent—because everything it did served one purpose only:
Protect the grave… at any cost.
I swallowed slowly, dryness clinging to my throat, then forced myself to take a single step forward.
The moment I passed the last stone pillar, everything around me changed.
The air suddenly became colder—an uncomfortable chill that didn't come from the environment itself, but seeped directly into my chest.
I paused for a moment before continuing.
The ground beneath my feet was unexpectedly smooth—solid, yet slightly slippery—covered in a thin layer of dark ash.
The ash was completely still, lifeless, as if it hadn't been disturbed for a very long time.
When I took another step, everything inside me froze.
A pure killing intent crashed over me without warning.
It struck my body like an invisible fist. I trembled from head to toe, my muscles locking up for a brief moment.
This wasn't ordinary fear… it was a primal instinct screaming that my life was in danger.
I slowly raised my head, following the source of that intent.
That was when I saw something in the distance.
At first, I thought it was a stone statue. Its body was tall and thin, standing motionless, rigid—like part of the environment itself.
Its head was slightly bowed toward the ground, making it seem abandoned long ago.
But when I took another step…
—Crack—
It moved.
My breath caught, and a chill ran through my body before my mind could fully process what was happening.
It lifted its head.
That was when I saw its face clearly.
It wasn't a complete face. Half of it looked decayed, its skin pale and cracked like ancient stone.
The other half was unnaturally dark—like a void with no features at all.
It had only one eye, a dull gray eye that stared at me with terrifying indifference… a gaze that made my hair stand on end.
It took a single step toward me.
It wasn't fast, yet it made my entire body tense for reasons I couldn't explain. I felt my life was in danger.
I instinctively raised my hand, Altaria Threads forming hastily between my fingers. I didn't think—I just acted.
Suddenly… it was no longer in front of me.
I spun around—
—Boom—
A single blow from its bare arm struck me. My body was sent flying backward, slamming into the rock wall.
The air was forced from my lungs as sharp pain shot from my back up to my neck.
I lay there for a moment, struggling to breathe, my heart pounding violently.
"Damn it…!"
I slid across the ground after the impact, staring at the rocky ceiling in confusion.
Every breath burned, each one harder than the last.
I pressed my palm against the ground and forced myself to lift my head.
It was still there… almost in the same spot, standing perfectly still.
That alone made my stomach twist.
I rose slowly, my body protesting every movement. I raised my hand again, Altaria Threads forming between my fingers—unstable, as if they could vanish at any moment.
I didn't trust them, but I had no other choice.
I took a hesitant step forward and launched the threads.
They wrapped around its arm and pulled at its body slightly. For a brief moment, I thought I had caught it.
Then it simply pulled its arm free.
The threads snapped effortlessly.
It didn't even strain.
It advanced again—faster this time, its pressure unmistakable.
I tried to retreat, but my foot slipped on the ash, and I lost my balance for a moment.
It swung its arm. I barely raised mine in time to block.
The impact alone numbed my arm completely and shoved me another step back.
I tried to steady myself, but the ground was still slick.
It advanced again, its attack passing close enough that I felt the air slap against my face.
I spun around and struck with Altaria Threads from close range.
It wasn't a clean hit, but it struck its shoulder.
It retreated half a step, and I heard a rough scraping sound as its foot slid.
I failed to capitalize on the opening.
It came back immediately.
Its fist slammed into my chest.
Pain exploded inside me as I was sent flying two meters back before crashing into a rock.
My breath was knocked out of me, and I dropped to one knee, gasping.
My entire body trembled.
I screamed without meaning to and threw myself forward to avoid another blow.
I lashed at its leg with the threads. They wrapped around it for a second—then snapped.
They delayed it only briefly.
Its elbow slammed into my shoulder.
Agonizing pain tore through me, as if my body were splitting from the inside.
I stumbled back, unable to regain my balance, a short cry escaping my lips.
I staggered, my head spinning. Blood ran down from my forehead, blurring my vision.
I wiped it away with my sleeve and struck the ground with everything I had left, creating distance between us.
One final strike—
I lashed short threads toward its chest.
They didn't knock it down, nor did they deal any visible damage… but they stopped it for a single second.
That second was enough.
I turned and ran.
Every step was agony, my chest burning with every breath.
I crashed into rock, nearly falling before regaining my balance, and kept moving despite the pain.
I heard its footsteps behind me for a moment…
Then they faded.
I had finally escaped the area.