Gray adjusted Nilou's position in his arms and refocused completely on his surroundings. Now that he had a solid body again, each step was focused on attention: loose rocks, treacherous inclines, cracks that could easily lead to a fall too long to test.
Still, the wind grew stronger with each meter, cold and constant, passing through the crevices of the rock like a clear promise of escape. He took a deep breath and moved forward, always choosing the paths that seemed less vertical, older, shaped by time.
Nilou didn't remain silent. From time to time, she vibrated slightly against his chest and pointed, not with nonexistent arms, but with clear intention.
"There… you can go through." Or else: "Don't climb. It hurts." At some points, Gray reveals that if he had tried to climb as before, he would have wasted energy or ended up trapped in a crevice that was too narrow. With her help, he navigated through almost hidden side tunnels, natural platforms formed by ancient collapses, and spiraling, sloping corridors, conserving energy and time.
"You know this place well," Gray commented softly as he moved forward.
"Nilou walks a lot," she replied simply, almost proudly. "This is home."
The wind suddenly picked up, now strong enough to echo a constant whistling sound off the cave walls.
The sound wasn't uniform; it came in irregular pulses, mixed with something more… metallic. A dry, repetitive noise that made the air vibrate disturbingly. Gray immediately picked up the rhythm, his survival instinct taking over. Nilou snuggled slightly in his arms.
"That's it," she said, her voice less bouncy. "Strange thing."
Gray didn't answer. He crept slowly, pressing his body against the damp wall, controlling his breathing. Each step was calculated, silent. When he reached the edge of a wider tunnel, he leaned forward just enough to peek.
What he saw made him stop.
In the center of the passage, partially illuminated by the pale light coming from above, was a long, thick creature, its body covered in opaque scales that resembled wet stone.
It was a snake—but not an ordinary one.
Two heads rose from the same trunk, moving independently, their narrow eyes attentive to everything around them. Between them, at the base of the neck, was a structure, similar to a bony rattle, that vibrated from time to time, producing that shrill, almost irritating sound that echoed through the cave.
Gray narrowed his eyes, analyzing it. The wind passed right by it, as if a creature had been positioned there on purpose, exactly at the point where the exit began to reveal itself.
Nilou opened herself up a little more against him.
"It's her," she whispered, with simple sincerity. "Something that goes sssccchhh."
Gray didn't move. I watched for another second, recording every detail, every movement of the two heads, every vibration of the rattle.
"...So that's what guards the way," he murmured.
Gray stood motionless for a few moments, observing a creature with the patience of someone who had already learned that haste killed more than monsters. The two heads moved at different rhythms, one sweeping the ground, following the flow of the wind, as if listening to the entire environment. The rattle vibrated at irregular intervals, not as a constant warning, but as a sensor—each sound echoed through the cave and back, carrying information.
"She's not just standing there," Gray murmured, more to himself than to Nilou. "She's sensing everything."
Nilou shifted slightly in his arms. "She stays there. Always there." A brief silence. "Nilou doesn't like it."
Gray shifted his body slightly behind the wall, ensuring that not even his shadow advanced too far. Predator reacted in the back of his mind, uneasy, but he ignored it. This was no ordinary prey. Something about this monstrous creature made his instinct scream caution.
"...System," he called out mentally.
[Yes.]
"Identification."
There was a longer pause than usual.
[Analyzing...]
The interface opened with a slight delay.
[Identification confirmed.]
[Two-Headed Serpent of the Abyssal Echo]
[Classification: Unique Monster]
[Estimated Classification: D+]
Gray frowned. "Unique Monster?" His gaze returned to the creature, now with more weight. "What exactly does that mean?"
[Unique Monster is an individual that has undergone significant magical mutation.]
[This mutation occurs due to prolonged exposure to high mana density, anomalous environments, or specific events.]
[As a result, the monster exhibits:]
The lines appeared one by one, cold and objective.
[Specific increase in total mana.]
[Ability to develop multiple skills beyond the racial standard.]
[Unstable or adaptive behavior and biological structure.]
[Overall power superior to common monsters of the same rank.]
Gray exhaled slowly, controlling his breathing.
"…So it's not just a two-headed snake," he concluded. "It's an exception."
[Correction: it's an individual outside the norm.]
[High probability of unblocked passive skills.]
[Recommendation: avoid direct combat in the current state.]
Nilou vibrated in immediate agreement. "Avoidance is good."
Gray almost.
He returned to observing the serpent more closely, now not as an enemy to be defeated, but as an obstacle to be circumvented. Its body blocked the main passage, but did not completely fill the chamber. Because the walls were uneven, full of crevices too narrow for a creature of that size to move easily. Furthermore, the rattle reacted primarily to wind and direct vibrations in the ground—not to slow, elevated movements.
"...She hears the world," Gray thought. "But she doesn't see everything."
He lowered his body slightly, redistributing his weight to avoid any impact, and began analyzing alternative routes: a ledge too high for the snake to reach quickly, a side crevice that rose diagonally, partially hidden by broken stalactites, and a stretch where the wind splits before reaching the creature.
Gray tilted his head to Nilou. "We're not going to fight."
Nilou seemed relieved. "Just pass quietly?"
"Exactly." His gaze became refined. "If she's a unique monster... then surviving is more important than testing strength."
With extreme care, he began to move toward the side wall, using each irregularity for support, each step calculated so as not to echo. The wind howled even louder above, but now it didn't seem like a warning—it seemed like cover.
Gray stopped a few meters from his chosen route and, with extreme care, crouched down. His fingers slid across the cold rock until they found a loose stone—small enough not to echo too much, heavy enough to produce an impact. He twirled it in his hand once, calculating distance, angle, and reverberation.
Nilou watched everything in unusual silence, its gelatinous body motionless in his arms.
Gray took a deep breath… and threw the stone.
It bounced twice before hitting a point near the cliff face he had avoided during the climb. The dry sound lingered in the cave, reverberating irregularly, like an error in the natural pattern of the environment.
The snake's rattle vibrated.
One of its heads immediately moved, turning towards the sound. The other lingered a second longer, as if confirming whether it was worth paying attention to. The giant body remained lodged there for a few moments, too long to be comfortable.
Gray didn't move.
He didn't even blink.
Then, slowly, the snake began to move. It wasn't an aggressive advance—it was cautious, wary. Its body glided in slow waves, like scales lightly scraping against stone. The rattle slowed, now emitting more spaced-out pulses, as if it were "listening" as it approached the source of the sound.
It went to the spot where the stone had fallen.
It stopped.
One head lowered, sniffing the ground. The other head was raised, sweeping the surrounding space.
Gray says the moment.
Now.
He leaned forward, ready to move, and whispered, almost silently:
"Now. Let's go."
Nilou didn't move.
"Nilou...?" He murmured, tense.
Then the vibration came, clear, decisive, without the lightness of before. "Push her."
Gray froze for a fraction of a second and turned his face to the slime in his arms.
"...What?"
Nilou didn't seem confused. I'm not kidding. The blue surface rippled strangely firmly.
"Push." Short pause. "Fall."
Gray turned his eyes back to the snake. It was still on its back, leaning towards the inner cliff of the cave. The drop ahead was deep—he had felt the emptiness as he passed along the sides. It wasn't a descent. It was an abyss.
His mind worked quickly.
Unique Monster.
Rating D+.
Kill… XP.
The thought came simply, raw, almost automatically.
Gray's face contorted.
It wasn't a smile. It was something older. More refined. The shadow of what he once was—and still was—passed through his gaze. The mist around his body stirred slightly, as if confirming the intention.
"...Unique monster..." He thought. "...Kill... XP."
Without further hesitation, Gray moved.
Each step was silent. Calculated. He circled the serpent from behind, keeping out of reach of its heads. The creature didn't see—the rattle was focused on the false stimulus, its body tilted too quickly to react.
When he got close enough, Gray adjusted Nilou with one arm.
"Hold on."
She responded immediately. "Yes."
He.
The kick came from below, charged with all the force of the demonic body, amplified by gravity and the pure intention to kill. The impact struck one of its heads with absurd violence. There was a dry crack.
The serpent was ripped from the ground.
The giant body lost its balance, its two heads hissing out of sync, the rattle vibrating in a chaotic and desperate sound as the entire mass was propelled forward.
For a brief instant, it hung suspended in the air.
Then it fell.
The body drifted away into the darkness of the cliff, followed by a distant sound of impact… and then silence.
Total silence.
Gray offered motionless, his chest rising and falling slowly.
Nilou vibrated excitedly. "It fell!"
He exhaled slowly, his face still carrying that somber expression for another second… before relaxing.
"...It fell," he stated.
The silence lasted a long time.
The cave seemed to hesitate—as if the environment itself were confirming that the dominant presence was gone. Then the interface responded, cold and punctual, breaking the void.
[Target eliminated]
[Two-Headed Serpent of the Abyssal Echo – Unique Monster defeated.]
A sequence of notifications appeared, one after another, more extensive than anything Gray had seen until then.
[Experience gained: increased]
[Bonus for eliminating a Unique Monster: applied]
Gray felt the effect even before he finished reading.
Something expanded within him—not pain, not pleasure, but organized pressure, like invisible gears adjusting. The mana in his body reacted, flowing more easily, as if the previously narrow channels had needed to be forcibly widened.
[Level increased]
[Current level: 0 → 6]
[All Stats increased to 18. 1 level is equivalent to 3 points in all stats, in addition.] [You received 12 points to distribute as you wish]
Nilou vibrated against his chest, surprised by the sudden change. "Husband... strong?"
Gray let out a low laugh, still feeling the echo of the level up coursing through his muscles and mind. "A little more," he answered honestly.
The notifications were reinforced.
[Materials acquired]
[Failure!, unidentified body for material acquisition]
[Analyzable traces detected]
[Potential ability available for assimilation via Predator]
Gray narrowed his eyes. This was new.
"...System."
[Yes.]
"I kicked her into an abyss. I didn't even get to prey on the body."
[Correction: part of the body was destroyed during the ramp-up. However, death occurred under his direct action. The causal link is sufficient for partial registration and analysis]
He nodded slowly. It made sense—and it was dangerous. The system was making it clear that it wasn't designed for perfection, only for results.
A new window opened, more contained, denser.
[Proven Ability: [Passive Sensory Echo – Rank D] Description: Environmental perception based on vibration, airflow, and sound resonance.]
[Compatibility: Low, chance of failure when attempting assimilation.]
Gray didn't decide on the spot. I just closed the interface with a thought.
"...I understand, since I didn't fight for very long, it wasn't possible to analyze," he murmured. "I understand, you can discard it." Gray spoke without resentment; the levels were already sufficient.
Nilou seemed satisfied just feeling his body more stable, more "full." She settled into his arms, relaxing now that the danger had passed.
"She won't come back," he said, with simple truth.
"No," Gray stared into the darkness for one last second. "Don't come back."
He turned his body towards the now-open passage. The wind was blowing strongly from there, clean, laden with different smells—open earth, plants, something alive that wasn't trapped in stone. The light was different too. No longer the lifeless gleam of crystals, but something diffuse, natural, filtered.
Gray took a deep breath.
"Let's go," he said firmly, adjusting Nilou in his arms once more. "The exit is right there."
Nilou cheered happily. "Out!"
Gray carefully slipped through the crevice, turning his body sideways so as not to scrape Nilou against the rock.
The wind changed immediately—no longer the trapped, cold air of the cave, but an open, vibrant current, carrying scents he hadn't smelled in far too long.
Earth. Leaves. Life.
He took another step… and emerged.
The ground didn't appear immediately. The opening ended in a natural drop, a raised rock formation about three meters above the forest floor. Gray steadied himself easily, his feet finding support on an edge wide enough to stop and observe.
And he stopped.
Ahead of him stretched a phenomenal view.
A vast, dense forest, alive in an almost aggressive way. Tall trees with thick, twisted trunks spread as far as the eye could see, layered green canopies pierced by beams of golden light.
The wind made the leaves ripple like a silent sea, and details crossed the air in tiny points of light. There were sounds everywhere—birds, distant ones, the constant rustling of growth.
No crystals… No dead stone… No oppressive silence… Just world.
Gray took a deep breath, feeling his chest truly expand for the first time since waking up in that hell. The sun's warmth touched his skin, it didn't burn, it just existed. Real.
Nilou reacted immediately.
She stirred in his arms, vibrating in an almost chaotic way, as if her own body couldn't handle the new sensation.
"Warm," she said, marveling.
A pause. "...Beautiful."
Gray said lightly. "Yes."
She had no eyes, she couldn't see the vastness, the colors, the depth. But still she seemed to feel everything—the warmth, the wind, the life pulsing around her. Perhaps more than he did.
Nilou stretched a little, as if wanting to embrace the air. "Big House."
"Yes," he said softly. "Very large."
The smile, however, didn't last.
Gray's gaze instinctively descended, sweeping the base of the rocky elevation. Movement caught his attention—too fast to be just wind.
He focused.
Down below, among low bushes and fallen trunks, a fight was taking place.
Four gray wolves circled a small group, growling, their fur bristling, their eyes fixed on their prey. They were large, well-fed, the kind of predator that didn't retreat easily. Two advanced, two flanked, testing defenses.
And the prey… were not defenseless.
Four goblin women.
Short, but agile. Their skin varied between shades of dark green and olive, their clothes defined beneath simple leather and worn fabric garments. One of them wielded a short weapon, keeping two wolves at bay with quick thrusts. Another spun a curved dagger with surprising skill, dodging by inches the jaws that tried to reach it.
The third seemed wounded—a cut on her arm, blood trickling—but still stood, protected by the fourth, who brandished a small axe with brutal force and furious screams in a guttural tongue.
It wasn't a clean ambush.
It was a desperate fight.
Nilou felt a change in Gray's body immediately. "There's something alive… fighting," she said, the vibration more tense. "It hurts."
Gray narrowed his eyes, assessing quickly.
Distance: three meters drop.
Number of enemies: four wolves.
Potential allies: four goblins, tired but alive.
XP?
Maybe.
But that wasn't what weighed on him first.
He observed the wolves' movements, the fatigue in the goblins' movements, the fact that if the fight continued like that, someone would fall in seconds.
Gray adjusted Nilou in his arms, firmly.
"...System," he called out mentally, without taking his eyes off the scene.
[Yes.]
"What's the Rank of those guys?"
[Analyzing...]
[Common Beasts – Gray Wolf]
[Estimated Classification: E]
[Threat: Low for the user in the current state.]
Gray exhaled slowly.
Down below, one of the goblins slipped while retreating, almost falling. One of the wolves took advantage of the opening and charged forward.
Gray was already...
"Hold on tight," he told Nilou, his body leaning forward.
She replied without hesitation. "You're going to jump."
"You." He showed how a demon had just found human souls who wanted to make a contract.
"HEHE! FREE XP!" He said, his gaze truly that of a wicked demon!