The tunnel twisted through the underground like a maze
Dust filled the air as the ceiling continued to crumble
Kael sprinted as fast as he could
Behind him, entire sections of the ruin collapsed
BOOM!
Stone pillars shattered
"Move, move, move!"
The system suddenly displayed a glowing path ahead
Optimal Escape Route Calculated
Kael followed it without hesitation
After several minutes of running
A faint light appeared ahead
The exit
Kael pushed himself faster
Then
The final section of the tunnel collapsed behind him
Rocks chased him like an avalanche
Kael dove forward
He rolled across the ground outside just as the entire entrance sealed shut
Silence returned
Kael lay on the grass under the night sky
He stared up at the stars
His chest rose and fell rapidly
Then he began to laugh
Softly at first
Then louder
"I survived…"
More importantly
He had gained power
Real power
The system screen appeared again
New Quest Available
Become Stronger
Objective: Reach Mortal Body Stage 5
Reward: New Skill
Kael sat up slowly
For the first time in his life
The path to strength had opened before him