Celis walked through each corridor with full alertness. He didn't lower his newly learned perception at all. This was a state of readiness because danger surrounded him on all sides. His pair of sapphire-blue eyes remained focused, searching for clues along every row of walls.
Before that, a small growl was heard.
Krwkkk!
The small growl came from Celis's empty stomach, which had been hungry for some time now.
"Hmmm, I'm hungry," he complained while holding his stomach. He paused for a moment, thinking about the delicious food he desperately wanted. For now, he set it aside first.
"Finding food will be much harder than finding treasure."
Of course, his thought wasn't always wrong. In a labyrinth filled with dangerous creatures, it would be extremely difficult to find resources.
The ferocious monsters surely ate each other and preyed on one another. It wasn't just about eating, but also about the principle of hierarchy: 'The strongest gets what they want. The weak can only surrender everything to the strongest.'
His footsteps paused for a moment.
His gaze stared straight ahead. A corridor slightly darker than the one he had passed through came into view.
Not many magic crystals were embedded in the walls there.
But one thing was certain: the young man sensed the presence of something ahead. There was even a faint fishy smell hanging in the air.
Without needing to know the enemy in front of him, Celis chose an anticipatory step. He summoned the black spear he had stored. Dark purple light emanated from his right hand.
A spear with a sharp blade appeared, ready to charge at the enemy ahead. The spear seemed to pulse as if it had a will of its own.
Everything was ready. Now Celis stepped into the darker room compared to the place he had passed. His steps were slow, careful—so as not to make any disturbing noise. He even regulated his breathing to keep it steady so his condition remained maintained.
From behind the shadows, red glowing eyes shone dimly in the darkness. A blurry silhouette of a large-bodied figure stood there.
Instantly tension struck him, because this was his first experience facing new forms and knowledge in a different world.
Celis gripped his spear tighter, ready to begin the battle that was now right in front of him.
Before acting, he had to confirm the number of enemies he needed to deal with. As long as he could confirm a concrete number, there was still fear of sudden attacks from all directions in his blind spots—perhaps there was madness beyond reason.
A pair of red eyes glowed dimly in the darker corridor. This indicated that each pair belonged to one of them. There were 5 pairs of glowing red eyes; it was certain they were thirsty for blood.
One of the creatures stepped out of the darkness into a brighter spot. There, the terrifying appearance of the monster became clear.
Its body was dull dark brown, with a bloated belly hanging from its large frame. Sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, and two large black horns towered upward on its head.
Celis furrowed his brow after seeing the form of the creature there. But his firm resolve didn't waver at all.
Before he acted, a small piece of knowledge about monsters had unconsciously seeped into his mind.
'The ogre race, they live in groups, savage and cruel. Their bodies have high resistance to magic and physical attacks.'
"So that's it… this will be more challenging than I thought."
Celis dropped himself to the floor. His legs crossed on the dusty stone floor. He sat not just for a short rest, but also to formulate a strategy.
Celis closed both eyes, as if thinking hard.
"They resist magic and physical attacks; I need vital points on their bodies," he whispered. One of his fingers moved, tapping his kneecap repeatedly.
"Surely a stronger attack can break through their defense besides having to strike vital points. I'm not very confident with the abilities I currently have." He complained for a moment.
Celis bowed his head, then looked around. On the other side, the hunger he was holding back was there. His biological body desperately needed sufficient energy intake to restore his body to optimal condition. There was a feeling of weakness accompanied by faint dizziness.
Before acting, he had already chosen an ambush approach from the shadows—an attack that would not be launched carelessly.
The spear in his hand was ready with its sharp edge already aimed.
Celis ran quite fast, but the sound produced was only a small rustle like a gentle breeze.
He analyzed first before striking the target. Their large bodies were no less hard than the underground rocks.
He wasn't sure his attack would succeed in merely slashing the monster's body.
His gaze shifted toward the ogre's neck.
"That's it…"
He increased his speed in the opposite direction. There was a wall that could serve as a foothold for his leap.
This was a risky plan, but a newly awakened reckless personality emerged.
Now his feet successfully stepped on the wall surface; he immediately used it as a base to push off, strengthening his attack power. Charging directly might only cause minor damage.
Before doing all this, low-powered magic had already enveloped his body. Though only supportive, it was very useful.
Then he directed the sharp spear tip toward the ogre's neck.
"I don't care even if this attack ends up in vain; at least there's already an attempt."
Celis widened his eyes, as if he didn't expect it himself.
The spear tip pierced the ogre's throat, dark red blood spurted wildly. A gurgling sound from the slashed neck rang out shrilly.
"Oh no, this will attract the others' attention."
Celis pulled his spear back, then slashed it diagonally through the air until the ogre's neck and head separated.
The remaining monsters there realized there was an attack.
They roared loudly.
"Grahahghh!"
Celis leaped backward to maintain a safe distance.
His breathing came in gasps; the dizziness in his head felt even more painful.
His already empty stomach made him feel weak.