The giant fox's eyes, glowing like blue fire, were locked onto Even. That gaze held no animalistic rage—only a primitive, cruel intelligence. With every breath, bluish smoke curled from its nostrils, turning the air in the cave toxic.
Even swallowed hard. His throat was bone-dry. The boxing memories and the low-gravity advantage he used to defeat the smaller foxes felt like children's toys before this mountain of a monster. One swipe of its paw would crush him instantly.
[Why aren't you running? Do you have a death wish!?]
The System's raspy voice snapped Even out of his trance. Right! He had to run. But where? The path behind him was blocked by the smaller foxes. They weren't attacking yet, likely waiting for their king to make the kill.
Even took a deep breath, gathering all his strength in his legs. Then, he suddenly lunged backward—straight toward the line of smaller foxes.
He didn't run like a normal person; he leaped like a kangaroo. With each jump, he covered 5–7 feet. The smaller foxes were caught off guard. They expected their prey to stand frozen in fear.
As he soared past them, a few foxes snarled and tried to bite his legs mid-air. But Even didn't stop to fight. Using the 'dodging' techniques he learned from Vasco, he twisted his body in mid-air to evade the snaps.
His knee slammed into one fox's face, but he didn't slow down. He used that momentum to propel himself further. Breaking through the circle, he sprinted toward the darker parts of the cave.
Behind him, a thunderous, angry roar erupted from the Great Fox. The sound was so powerful that bits of rock fell from the cave ceiling. Following their king's command, the smaller foxes gave chase with a new, vicious intensity.
Even ducked into a narrow alleyway within the cave. The giant beast couldn't fit here, but the smaller ones could. He needed to find a spot they couldn't reach.
As he ran, he scanned the walls. They were filled with cracks and holes. For the first time, he felt grateful for his new skinny body. If he were still obese, he would have been stuck in these narrow gaps.
He spotted a very thin crack between two massive boulders. It was so narrow a normal human wouldn't even consider it. Without hesitation, Even squeezed his body through.
The crack widened slightly inside, but the opening remained tiny. He pressed himself against the cold stone, his heart racing. He desperately tried to quiet his breathing.
Soon, scratching sounds echoed outside. The foxes had arrived. They could smell him. A few poked their snouts into the crack, their sharp teeth glistening just inches from Even's face. But they couldn't get in.
Even stayed frozen. He knew if he stayed in one place too long, they would find a way to widen the gap or find another entrance. He had to keep moving.
[Stupid! Did boxing only teach you to punch? Did it not teach you to observe? Look up!]
Even looked up. The crack extended toward the ceiling, leading to a small hole near the top. Thanks to the 30% low gravity, he could easily brace his feet against the walls and climb.
Slowly and painfully, with blood still dripping from his leg, he climbed upward. He squeezed through the top hole and landed in a small, isolated chamber.
For the next few hours, he played a deadly game of hide-and-seek. He never stayed in one spot for long. Whenever he heard the foxes approaching, he moved through narrow gaps or holes. His thin body and the low gravity were his only weapons in this game of survival.
Time felt like an eternity. The damp air, the darkness, and the constant threat of hungry foxes were breaking his mind. He sat behind a rock, looking at his mangled leg. He feared he might never leave this darkness.
[System Alert: 10 minutes remaining for Teleportation reset.]
Those words were like music to his ears.
Just 10 minutes!
A small smile touched his lips.
Just a little more, Even.
Just a little more pain.
But the smile didn't last.
Suddenly, a heavy weight crashed onto him. A pair of glowing red eyes appeared right in front of his face. A fox had found him!
The fox didn't even have time to growl; it sank its teeth deep into Even's right hand.
"Aaaargh!" Even wanted to scream, but he forced it back.
The teeth reached the bone. The pain was unbearable. But he knew if he screamed now, every fox in the cave—including the big "motherfacker!!!"—would be on him. He wouldn't last ten seconds.
Tears streamed down his face. His body shook. But he used his left hand to grip the fox's throat tightly. He didn't want the fox to pull its teeth out. If it did, it would howl. He had to keep those teeth buried in his own flesh to keep the fox quiet until the teleportation was ready.
"You... damn... dog...!!" Even hissed through gritted teeth. He squeezed the fox's throat harder. Its claws scratched at his chest and stomach, but he didn't let go. In the heights of agony, he found a strange, desperate strength.
1 minute...
2 minutes...
time stood still.
[System Alert: 5 minutes remaining for Teleportation reset.]
5 minutes left!
But Even was reaching his limit. His grip was slipping. The pain was too much. He lost control.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" A sky-tearing scream ripped through the dark cave.
As his grip loosened, the fox pulled its head back and let out a piercing howl.
The sound echoed through every corner of the cave. Even knew he had made a fatal mistake. Within seconds, the sound of hundreds of feet filled the air. The ground began to shake—the Great Fox was coming.
[RUN! Or there won't even be bones left!]
Even forgot his pain and started sprinting. But this time, there was no place to hide. Everywhere he turned, glowing eyes greeted him. He was being surrounded.
He endured every bite, every scratch. His clothes were in tatters, soaked in blood. He ran on pure willpower. He reached the large hall again. The blue pit was in front of him, and the fox army was behind.
The Great Fox looked at him with a cruel, satisfied grin and raised a massive paw.
Even closed his eyes. He thought of Cordelia's face. He couldn't keep his promise. The paw swung toward him, the wind pressure alone choking the air out of his lungs.
Just then...
[System Alert: Teleportation active. Commencing transfer...]
Everything went black for a split second. The Fox's paw swung through empty air.
…
Suddenly, the air shimmered, and Even slammed face-first onto a floor.
Painfully, he opened his eyes. The surroundings were familiar—the messy bed, the plates on the table, the broken chair. He was back in his hotel room.
Even lay on the floor, gasping. Blood was everywhere, and every bone ached, but he was alive. He had survived the dungeon. He wanted to laugh, but only a groan came out.
[System Alert: Dungeon cleared. (Even though you just ran away, congratulations on staying alive).]
[Survival Reward: 20 Coins.]
Even the System's harsh words felt welcoming today. He opened the window and looked at his 20 coins. Without wasting a second, he spent them all on his 'Healing Ability.'
[Ding! Healing Ability upgraded to Level 2.]
[Ding! Healing Ability upgraded to Level 3.]
[5 Coins remaining]
A warm current flowed through his body. The bleeding stopped, and torn muscles began to knit back together. The pain didn't vanish completely, but he felt his body mending.
[Ding! User Level increased to Level 4.]
Even looked out the window. It was pitch black outside. Night had fallen. He had no idea how long he was in the dungeon, but he was too exhausted to stay awake. He didn't even try to reach the bed. He closed his eyes right there on the floor. Level 3 Healing began working rapidly, fixing cracks in his bones and closing his wounds. But it will take time.
...
Morning came. Sunlight hit Even's face.
He sat up, feeling much lighter. The healing had worked. There were no marks of the previous night's wounds, though his clothes were ruined and blood-stained.
By habit, he reached out beside the bed, looking for his laptop. Waking up to watch videos had been his old life. Then he remembered—he was in a different world. No internet, no laptop, no old life.
He had buried his old, lazy, obese self. He was now a Level 4 warrior who had returned from the jaws of death.
Suddenly, his stomach roared. Hunger! He hadn't eaten since yesterday. Healing fixed the body, but it couldn't fill an empty stomach.
He left the room. He was on the second floor of a cheap inn. He realized his time here might be up soon. He needed to find a job, get stronger, and keep his promise to meet Cordelia in 30 days.
As he walked down to the reception in his tattered, bloody clothes, he felt embarrassed. A beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes sat there, writing in a logbook.
In his old life, Even was terrified of talking to girls. He thought they hated his fat body. But he had to break that shell. He had to be a new Even.
Just for practice, he approached her. "...Good morning," he said, clearing his throat.
The girl looked up. For a second, shock and disgust flashed in her eyes at his bloody rags, but she quickly hid it with a professional smile. "Good morning, sir. How can I help you?" Her voice was sweet but distant.
Even realized his clothes were the problem. He should have at least washed them. "I... I wanted to know how much the room costs?" He felt his attempt at small talk was a total failure.
The girl looked confused. She probably wondered how this beggar-looking man could pay. "The room is 10 copper coins per night," she said shortly. "But Mr. Henderson has already paid for your whole week in advance."
Even was shocked. Henderson had helped him this much! He felt a surge of gratitude.
"Oh, okay. Thank you," Even said. He saw she wasn't interested in talking further. His attempt to break his social anxiety had failed. He wanted a normal conversation, but it just went awkwardly.
He stepped out of the hotel. The morning sun hit his face. In this unknown world and unknown city, Even—with a healed body but a very hungry stomach—began searching for his path.