"Huff… huff…"
An old bald man who looked to be in his late fifties stumbled through the dark woods, his heavy body shaking with every step. His large frame pushed past branches and thorny bushes, his breath coming out in ragged gasps.
His clothes were torn, covered in dirt and dried blood that wasn't even his.
He finally slowed down before stopping entirely, bending over with his hands on his knees.
"Hah… hah…!"
He panted nonstop, his chest rising and falling violently.
This man was none other than Xavier's former boss.
"Hah… hah… I finally managed to get away…!"
He wiped the sweat pouring down his face, his bald head shining faintly in the dim sunlight filtering through the trees.
"Pwah…!"
A shaky laugh escaped his mouth.
"I think… I think I'm the only remaining person in here…!"
His voice trembled, though it carried a hint of relief.
"And the hunters will come soon to pick me up, right…? Damn it… I'm starving…"
His stomach growled loudly as if agreeing with him.
After wandering a bit, he found a large boulder nearby and collapsed beside it, leaning his back against the cold stone.
The man exhaled deeply.
For a moment, he closed his eyes.
Not once did the thought of the people he sacrificed to those monsters cross his mind.
Not once did he think about the terrified faces of the coworkers he had pushed aside so he could escape.
Instead, his mind drifted back to what had happened earlier.
---
When they had first arrived inside the dungeon, the entire group had panicked.
Some people screamed.
Others cried.
A few tried to organize everyone and search for a way out.
Eventually, the survivors split into smaller groups.
One of those groups decided to search for the exit themselves instead of waiting for hunters.
Xavier's boss had joined them.
At least, that's what it looked like.
But while the others were cautiously searching the forest paths, his mind had wandered somewhere completely different.
Isn't this place a dungeon?
He had heard plenty of rumors about them.
Dungeons contained monsters.
But they also contained resources.
Materials.
Rare herbs.
Monster crystals.
Even treasures.
Anything found inside could be worth a fortune outside.
From what I heard, anything you find inside a dungeon sells for ridiculous money…
His eyes had begun to sparkle with greed.
And if you're lucky enough to find real treasure…
His imagination exploded.
Mountains of gold.
Precious gems.
Ancient artifacts.
I'd be rich for the rest of my life…!
The thought alone made his mouth water.
The greedy man's heart pounded wildly as he secretly began drifting away from the others.
He had no intention of sharing whatever he might find.
Why should I split it with those idiots?
So he took a different path, quietly separating himself from the group.
That was when he found it.
A cave.
It was hidden behind thick vines and jagged rocks, almost impossible to notice unless you were specifically looking for it.
His eyes widened.
"There!"
His voice trembled with excitement.
"There must be treasure inside!"
Without thinking twice, he stepped inside the cave.
Unfortunately for him…
What he found wasn't treasure.
It was a pack of monsters.
Large wolf-like creatures were sleeping inside the cave.
Their massive bodies rose and fell slowly with each breath.
For a brief moment, everything remained silent.
Then—
CRUNCH.
His clumsy step landed on a loose stone.
The sound echoed loudly through the cave.
Several pairs of glowing eyes snapped open instantly.
The monsters woke up.
And they were hungry.
"G–Gah…!"
Terror exploded in his chest.
He immediately turned and ran.
"MONSTERS!!"
He sprinted back toward the direction where his group had been.
The wolves chased after him, their growls echoing through the forest.
When he finally reached the others…
Chaos erupted.
People screamed.
Some tried to fight.
Most tried to run.
But none of them stood a chance.
The wolves tore through them mercilessly.
Claws ripped flesh.
Teeth crushed bone.
Screams echoed everywhere.
And while the others were being slaughtered…
The bald man ran again.
Without hesitation.
Without guilt.
As more monsters appeared, he began pushing people behind him.
One by one.
"Move!"
He shoved a man forward.
The man tripped.
The wolves pounced on him instantly.
"Help—!"
The scream was cut off by crunching bones.
But the bald man didn't stop.
Another person stumbled near him.
He shoved them too.
"Get out of my way!"
The woman fell.
The monsters devoured her seconds later.
He kept running.
Leaving a trail of dying people behind him.
"Idiots…!"
He sneered while sprinting through the forest.
"They couldn't even last a minute!"
---
And now…
We were back in the present.
The bald man rested against the boulder, trying to catch his breath.
Instead of feeling guilt…
His mind wandered toward something else entirely.
A hot bath…
His lips curled slightly.
And a thick steak.
Just imagining the sizzling sound of meat on a pan made his stomach growl again.
"Damn… I really hope the hunters come soon…"
He muttered to himself.
That was when he saw something.
A figure.
Someone was walking in the distance.
The man was covered in red.
The bald man's eyes widened.
"Is… is that a hunter?!"
Hope exploded inside him.
He jumped to his feet happily, waving his arms.
"HEY! OVER HERE!"
He could finally leave this horrible place.
But the figure was still too far away to see clearly.
The old man squinted, narrowing his eyes to get a better look.
Slowly…
The silhouette became clearer.
A face appeared beneath the blazing sunlight.
A familiar face.
Smiling.
It was Xavier.
"Found you, you damn pig."
Xavier said with a creepy grin.
The bald man's entire body froze.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Something inside his instincts screamed at him.
Run.
Whatever was standing there…
It was far more terrifying than the monsters.
"W–WHAT THE HELL?!"
He immediately turned and bolted.
"Was that Xavier?!"
His heart pounded wildly.
"How did he even escape those monsters?!"
He kept running, but his body was already reaching its limit.
His legs trembled.
His lungs burned.
Eventually, he collapsed into a patch of thick bushes and crawled inside desperately.
He hid deep within the foliage, curling his large body into the smallest shape possible.
His hands covered his mouth tightly.
He forced himself to breathe quietly.
Don't make a sound…
Don't make a sound…
Footsteps approached slowly.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Leaves rustled nearby.
Then a voice echoed through the forest.
"Where are you, sir~?"
The playful tone sent chills down his spine.
"Why did you run away?"
Xavier's voice sounded disturbingly cheerful.
"We were just going to talk business, weren't we?"
The bald man trembled violently.
"That debt should always be paid… right?"
What is this lunatic saying…?!
The man bit his lip to stop himself from making noise.
That isn't Xavier…
Something had changed.
Something was horribly wrong.
But as he remained frozen inside the bushes…
A face suddenly appeared right in front of him.
A man covered in blood.
With a terrifying smile.
Xavier pushed the leaves aside and looked directly at him.
"Found you."
"GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The bald man's scream echoed throughout the forest.
The sound bounced between the tall trees, spreading into the dark night.
His body shook uncontrollably.
Warm liquid spread down his legs.
The old man had peed his pants from pure terror.
And the smile on Xavier's face only grew wider.