The air inside the Forgotten Hall hung heavy with dust and the scent of long-forgotten stone. The faint light filtering in the ceiling barely touched the uneven floor, casting shadows that danced with every step I took. The walls were carved with faded symbols, remnants of a civilization that had long since crumbled into myth. It felt like stepping into a grave.
Every footfall echoed in the silence, reminding me of how alone I really was in this world. The musty chill clung to my skin, gnawing at my bones, but I forced myself forward. There was no turning back. Not now.
My hands trembled as I gripped the dagger tight enough to whiten my knuckles. This was Lucian Valric's body, but this was my fight. My life now. No save points, no resets, no second chances.
The weight of that hit me harder than any blade ever could.
Memories of my old life flickered through my mind, sudden and sharp. The sterile hospital room where my body had wasted away, tubes and machines humming an endless dirge, the cold prick of needles, the taste of antiseptic. My real body, frail and fading, trapped in pain and weakness. A life measured in moments, slipping away like sand through fingers.
Back then, the game was my refuge. Hero's Academy was my escape from death itself a world where I could rewrite my fate, at least in pixels. But now, the line between reality and fantasy was blurred, and I was living in the very nightmare I had once only played.
This was no game.
And I wasnt going to waste this chance.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and focused on the present. The Forgotten Hall was more than just a minor dungeon from a game, it was my first real test. Somewhere inside, the Crimson Fang Pendant waited. A small thing, but a lifeline for me. The skill it granted could sharpen my senses, maybe even help me catch the subtle signs of death flags awaiting me before they crushed me.
I had to get it.
The first few rooms were a labyrinth of crumbling stone corridors and narrow hallways. I moved cautiously, listening for the slightest sound. The eerie silence was broken only by the soft scrape of my boots against the uneven floor and the occasional drip of water from somewhere deep inside.
The carvings on the walls told a story I couldn't quite read scenes of battle and beasts, men and monsters locked in a large battle. I pressed my palm to the rough stone, feeling the ancient energy thrumming faintly beneath my fingers.
I dodged carefully around pressure plates hidden in the floor remnants of ancient traps designed to keep intruders out. A faint glow pulsed on some of the tiles moments before darts shot from holes in the walls, whistling past my head. My heart thundered in my chest.
Even with my game knoweldge of the exact layout of the dungeon and which areas contained traps or dangerous demonic beasts, I still almost died over and over again.
I realized then how little I knew about survival here. My stats were horrible, my equipment barely enough to get by, and my knowledge was from a game that had could never prepare me for this brutal reality.
A sudden rustling sound made me spin around just in time to see a swarm of skeletal bats descending from the ceiling, their glowing red eyes reflecting the dim light. I swung my dagger wildly, slashing at the air and catching a few creatures before they swarmed me.
Pain flared as one grazed my arm, breaking skin and leaving a burning sting. I bit back a scream. This wasn't some monster in a game, this was real.
Panting, I retreated into a corner and pressed my back against the cold stone, trying to steady my breath. A sob caught in my throat. I had to get stronger. I had to survive.
As the last of the bats scattered, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift for a moment.
I thought about my old life the hospital bed, the pain, the endless waiting for a future that never came. I had been so scared then, wishing for just a little more time.
Now, fear was a luxury I couldn't afford.
I opened my eyes with renewed resolve. I was Lucian Valric, a nobody, a doomed extra with death flags hovering over my head. But I wouldn't be a footnote in someone else's story. Not if I could help it.
I forced myself to move deeper into the ruins, pushing past the memories of failure and pain.
Hours passed in a blur of careful steps, barely there sounds, and occasional skirmishes with low level monsters fang rats with razor teeth, venomous crawling things I barely dodged, and the constant, creeping threat of the unknown.
I nearly stepped on a nest of bone scorpions, their pale limbs twitching with venomous intent. One sting here meant paralysis and likely death. I shivered at the thought and backed away carefully.
The further I went, the more I realized this world was far harsher than the game. The monsters hit harder, moved faster, and the dangers smelled real sour and rancid in the thick air. Every breath was a risk.
The winding corridors seemed endless, twisting and folding back on themselves like a serpent devouring its own tail. The air grew colder, heavier with each step, as if the very walls breathed shadows. My muscles ached, and every inch of me screamed to turn back but I couldn't. Not now. Not after coming this far.
I tightened my grip on the dagger, my only weapon and shield against the darkness. The faint glow from cracks above barely illuminated the path, forcing me to rely on my senses more than my eyes. Every sound was amplified the drip of water, the scrape of stone, the distant echo of something moving just out of sight.
And then came the low rumble.
A growl reverberated through the hallways, shaking the dust from the ceiling. My heart slammed against my ribs. I knew what that meant. The boss was close.
I pressed myself against the cold stone wall, muscles tensed and ready. The room ahead opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness. Massive stone pillars, cracked and worn, lined the edges. At the center, barely visible in the dim light, crouched a towering figure, the C-Rank Boss.
Its eyes glowed like burning embers, scanning the room for any sign of prey. The beast's fur was matted with scars, and bones jutted from its shoulders like cruel trophies. Even from here, I could feel the oppressive aura of power radiating from it.
The Crimson Fang Pendant had to be near, maybe even on the beast itself.
My breath came shallow and quick. This was no longer a simple dungeon clear. This was a fight for my life.
I thought back to the game's countless attempts at this fight, the patterns I had memorized. The beast was brutal but predictable. It relied on overwhelming strength and bursts of speed, leaving moments of vulnerability if I timed my moves right.
But this wasn't the game anymore. There were no reset buttons if I died here.
A cold determination settled over me. I wasnt Nicolas anymore and I wasn't just Lucian Valric anymore. I was a survivor. And I was going to earn every breath I took.
I stepped into the chamber, dagger raised, every nerve screaming in anticipation.
The fight was about to begin.