Grrrr…
Inside the vast, deathly silent silver hall, an extremely discordant rumble of a stomach broke the stillness.
Labrynth stretched out her slender little hand and covered her shriveled stomach, her delicate face scrunching up in discomfort.
The sense of accomplishment from sealing the passage had not yet faded when a powerful wave of hunger surged over her like a tide, battering her frail body again and again.
"So hungry… it feels like my stomach is burning through."
She weakly leaned against the cold white stone wall and slowly slid down along it to sit on the ground.
Although the Silver Demon physique was considered strong, it was still flesh and blood. After the intense mental strain and the exhaustion from creating objects, this body that was so weak it couldn't even lift a ten-jin stone, finally issued its strongest protest.
Defense alone wasn't enough to survive. If she didn't solve the food problem, she would probably become the first demon in history to starve to death inside her own safe room.
Labrynth forced herself to stand, her steps unsteady as she walked back to the center of the hall.
She sat back down on the ruined throne, took a deep breath, and brought up the control panel of [Silver Castle Lord].
She had to figure out the limits of her ability.
As her consciousness sank inward, the semi-transparent sandbox panel appeared once more.
Labrynth's gaze locked onto the [Coverage Area] section. This time, she noticed the fine print beneath it:
[Current Creation and Absolute Control Coverage Area: A spherical space with the throne as the core, diameter 200 meters (radius 100 meters)]
"A radius of one hundred meters…"
Labrynth raised her head, her gaze sweeping across the hall.
Although the hall was large, the distance from the throne to the passage she had just sealed was about forty-five meters.
As long as she stepped beyond that invisible radius of one hundred meters, she would lose the divine power to create objects out of nothing.
And without the support of the panel, she would revert to that powerless white-haired demon girl who couldn't even move barely heavy objects.
Within the safe zone, she was the lord who controlled everything. Outside of it, she was the most tempting prey in the wilderness.
"I can't just sit and wait to die. There must be food outside."
Labrynth clenched her teeth, a determined glint flashing in her eyes.
Her demon instincts told her that even though the sixth floor of the dungeon was dangerous, it also nurtured a unique ecosystem.
For the sake of survival, she had to take the risk.
She ran over to the base of the white wall she had just sealed.
If she dismantled the entire wall, she might attract a large group of adventurers, which she wouldn't be able to handle at all.
Labrynth crouched down and gently slid her finger across the panel.
"…Create a small passage."
Buzz!
Under the authority of [Silver Castle Lord], the indestructible white wall melted at the bottom, forming a half-meter-wide opening.
This opening was extremely small and well-hidden; just enough for her petite body to crawl through.
If it were an adult man, unless he lay flat on the ground and wriggled inch by inch, there would be no way to get through.
This was her personal "dog hole."
Labrynth took a deep breath, lay down, and crawled through the opening like a dog.
"Haa…"
The moment she crawled out, an icy, bone-chilling wind rushed toward her, carrying the distinct scent of the dungeon.
Ahead lay the dark corridor of the sixth floor. Without the protection of her skill, that sense of total control and safety vanished at once, replaced by an overwhelming pressure.
Every step Labrynth took was filled with fear. Her small hands clutched at her worn skirt.
Fortunately, the demon race possessed excellent night vision. What appeared as darkness to humans instead took on a dim outline in her eyes.
She pressed against the damp rock wall, moving like a ghost with silent steps.
Ten meters, twenty meters…
When she reached a point about one hundred and twenty meters from the throne, she had completely left the safe zone by a full twenty meters.
Just then, a glow came from around the corner ahead.
Labrynth's eyes lit up. She slowed her steps and crept forward. Beside a damp, abandoned puddle, clusters of "cave mushrooms" emitting a purple light were growing.
And beside those mushrooms, several plump cave rats with gray-black fur huddled together, greedily gnawing on the stems.
"That's… meat!"
Labrynth's saliva flooded her mouth, and hunger caused her eyes to redden slightly.
Despite the cave rats looking ugly, in such a harsh environment, they were the perfect source of protein.
She held her breath and carefully picked up a sharp piece of rubble from the ground. Now that she was outside the skill's range and no longer could create objects, she could only rely on this most primitive method of hunting.
Labrynth crouched low, inching forward bit by bit as she searched for the best throwing angle.
As long as she could knock one unconscious, tonight's meal would be secured.
Just as she raised the stone, preparing to smash it down hard at the fattest cave rat, a sudden change occurred!
Drip.
A sound of viscous liquid falling came from the cluster of stalactites above her head.
Every hair on Labrynth's body stood on end in an instant, a chilling sense of being targeted by a natural predator piercing straight through her spine.
She stiffly raised her head.
On the dark rock ceiling above, a giant spider the size of a calf hung upside down. Its body was covered in glossy black armor and lined with barbed spikes.
A resident predator of the sixth floor: the Shadow Webweaver Spider.
Eight crimson compound eyes gleamed with cruel light in the darkness, now fixed firmly on the demon loli below that emitted an enticing scent.
In its eyes, those plump cave rats instantly lost all appeal.
This pale-skinned little creature radiating pure magical energy was the highest-grade delicacy!
In that instant, the roles of prey and hunter were reversed!
Skreeee!
The Shadow Webweaver Spider let out a piercing screech as its massive body dropped from above, its eight spear-like legs spreading wide in midair.
I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead!
An extreme sense of danger exploded in her mind. Labrynth no longer cared about the cave rats; she dropped the stone and turned to run.
This body had no combat ability whatsoever. If she were caught, the only outcome would be being injected with venom and dissolved into a puddle of sludge.
Run! She had to run back to the safe zone!
Labrynth pumped her short legs, sprinting desperately toward the pale white stone wall.
Whoosh!
A sharp, tearing sound came from behind her.
The spider opened its grotesque maw and suddenly spat out a large mass of corrosive white webbing.
The web brushed past Labrynth's silver hair and slammed heavily onto the stone floor ahead.
Sizzle!
The hard stone corroded into several deep pits in an instant, releasing waves of nauseating green smoke.
"Damn it!"
Labrynth cried out, scrambling as she leapt over the corroded area.
The oppressive pressure surged to its peak; she could even feel the vibrations of those eight legs striking the ground behind her, getting closer and closer.
Almost there! Almost there!
As long as she reached it!
In her vision, that pale white stone wall was within arm's reach.
Ten meters!
Five meters!
Three meters!
Just as she was one step away from the edge of the safe zone, Labrynth's stamina was all exhausted.
Her left foot accidentally caught on a protruding piece of rubble, and she lost her balance. Her small body crashed onto the hard stone ground, rolling forward.
"Ugh…"
Her knee scraped open, bright red blood seeping along her pale skin. The scent of blood drove the Shadow Webweaver Spider behind her into an even deeper frenzy.
It let out an excited screech, its massive body leaping through the air.
Its ferocious fangs dripped with dark green venom, looking especially terrifying under the faint light. It opened its jaws wide and lunged fiercely at Labrynth, who seemed to have fallen into "despair" on the ground!
At the very moment the spider's massive body crossed some invisible boundary—
Labrynth, who had been lying on the ground, trembling as if resigned to her fate, suddenly curled her lips into a smile.
...
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