The creature stepped out of the dark like it had been waiting for me to notice it. Smaller than the boss, but still wrong in every way—too many joints in its legs, eyes that didn't blink, a mouth that opened wider than it should. I felt my heart slam against my ribs. Instinct told me to raise my shield and brace like always, but the shield was cracked and there was no one behind me this time. If I blocked, I'd just be delaying the inevitable. The monster lunged without warning. I barely moved in time, its claws grazing my side. Pain flared, sharp and real, and I stumbled back, breath uneven. "Think," I muttered to myself. "You're alone now."
It attacked again, faster. I threw my broken shield up on reflex. The impact sent me sliding across the stone floor. My arms went numb, but I didn't collapse. That surprised me. The hit should've shattered something. Instead, I felt the force spread through me and settle, like my body absorbed part of it. A small notification flickered at the edge of my vision. [Impact Resistance Increased.] I didn't have time to process it. The creature was already coming again. This time, instead of waiting, I stepped forward at the last second and drove the jagged edge of my shield into its throat. The feeling of something tearing under my hand made my stomach twist. I wasn't used to being the one who dealt damage. It shrieked, thrashing, and I held on, pushing harder than I thought I could. When it finally went still, the silence that followed felt heavier than the fight.
I stood there breathing hard, staring at what I'd just done. My hands were shaking again, but not from fear of dying. From the realization that I'd survived because I adapted. The blue window appeared once more. [Lethal Threat Survived. Physical Strength Slightly Increased.] I let out a shaky laugh that didn't sound like me. "So that's how it works," I whispered. The dungeon hadn't killed me. It was changing me. Slowly. Permanently. I looked down at the broken shield in my hand and then into the darkness ahead. If every near-death made me stronger, then this place wasn't just a prison. It was a forge. And I was still breathing.