Leo raised his blade.
He tightened his grip and slammed it down into Ethan's back.
The sword pierced straight through him, the tip emerging from his stomach.
Ethan's face remained pressed against the ground.
He slowly raised his head.
Blood poured from his mouth.
The others started laughing.
Sela raised a hand to her nose.
"Pathetic."
She sighed.
"This wasn't easy. We came all the way to this town, entered the dungeon, and went this deep just to find our way through it and understand the dungeon."
She looked at Ethan.
"And now we have to deal with this fool. Even after knowing he's going to die, he still dares to struggle to survive."
She turned toward Leo.
"Just end it already."
"Okay."
Leo smiled as he raised his sword.
"I'll just rip this bastard's head off."
He tightened his grip.
"The torture is over."
He raised the blade above Ethan's head.
Ethan slowly closed his eyes.
I won't die now.
I won't.
I won't die now!
"Not now!"
He screamed.
Then
A strange sound echoed through the dungeon.
Flap.
Something was approaching.
Flap. Flap.
Then it landed.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently.
BOOM!
Everyone froze.
"What the hell?"
They slowly turned their heads.
Their expressions changed.
"What the hell is that?"
Their eyes widened.
A massive creature stood before them.
"That's…"
"High level…"
"What is this monster doing here?"
Tense stared at the creature.
"But why here?"
The Bloodfang Wyvern spread its enormous wings.
Ethan slowly raised his head.
His entire body was covered in blood.
His vision was blurry.
He could barely keep his eyes open.
Still, he continued dragging himself forward with one hand.
"What do we do?" Leo asked.
Sela's face turned pale.
"We're no match for it."
She immediately turned around.
"Let's get out of here!"
The Bloodfang Wyvern suddenly roared.
"AAAAAH!"
The sound was so powerful that they covered their ears with both hands.
Even though they were experienced adventurers who had cheated their way through the dungeon and stolen the credit for other adventurers' work, they knew when they were outmatched.
There was no way they could stay and fight this monster.
"We have to run!" Sela shouted.
Tense looked toward Ethan.
"Let's not kill that fool. The Bloodfang Wyvern won't eat something dead. He's going to be its meal."
He gritted his teeth.
"We can run anytime."
The Bloodfang Wyvern opened its massive jaws.
Flames began forming inside its mouth.
Then
It unleashed its fire breath.
BOOM!
The flames slammed into the ground.
The earth exploded.
The four adventurers were thrown backward.
They quickly got back on their feet and began running.
All four of them fled deeper into the dungeon.
They left Ethan behind.
Ethan remained on the ground.
He looked at the monster standing before him.
His eyes slowly began to close.
Is this how I die?
Is this really how my life ends?
He couldn't even remember a single good memory.
Not one.
Even when his parents were still alive, when things were supposed to be okay…
He had never truly been happy.
Not even once.
And somehow, this was how it was going to end.
Somehow, nothing ever worked out for him.
Never once.
It was always for someone else.
For his brother.
"Screw everything…"
His voice trembled.
"Screw everyone."
He looked toward the Bloodfang Wyvern.
"Screw you!"
He shouted.
Blood filled his mouth.
He coughed violently.
"I don't have any energy left…"
He clenched his teeth.
"But screw it all!"
No one ever cared about me.
Never once.
He remembered the woman who lived beside his house.
That fake smile on her face.
She knew what he was facing but never helped him even once. She always told him that even if he had nothing to eat, the goddess would provide for him soon.
"Screw her!"
His voice grew louder.
"Screw every damn person!"
He stared at the wyvern.
"Every damn person I know!"
His breathing became heavier.
"This world…"
His fists tightened.
"That goddess…"
He had always known there was something wrong.
Everyone had a skill.
Everyone except him.
"I'm sure even my brother would have one if he ever woke up…"
He lowered his head.
"But I don't."
His voice cracked.
"I didn't even have a flicker of mana. Something everyone else has."
He clenched his teeth.
"But I never gave up."
He slowly dragged himself forward.
"I just wanted to be strong."
His eyes filled with tears.
"I just wanted to feel the same as everyone else."
He looked up.
"I just wanted to feel normal."
His voice broke.
"Was that too much?"
A tear rolled down his face.
"Was that really too much?"
He continued dragging himself forward.
His face was already covered in blood and tears.
"Why do I have to die?"
His voice trembled.
"I've lost enough already."
He swallowed.
"Why do I have to die?"
His eyes widened.
"Why me?"
He coughed again.
"I worked hard."
He stared at the wyvern.
"I worked harder than everyone."
His expression twisted with anger.
"Screw this world!"
"Screw everyone!"
"Every single one of you!"
His voice echoed through the dungeon.
"I don't care anymore."
He slowly raised his head.
"So I'm going to die…"
His breathing became ragged.
"…forgotten?"
His eyes sharpened.
"No."
He shook his head.
"I refuse to die that way."
"I refuse to let my life end like this."
The Bloodfang Wyvern opened its enormous mouth.
Flames began filling its jaws.
Ethan stared at the brilliant fire.
He slowly dragged himself forward.
Every bit of energy he had left went into his arms.
"My leg is useless…"
He looked down at it.
"But I want it all."
His eyes burned with desperation.
"I want all the power in the world."
"I want all the strength."
"I want it all!"
He gritted his teeth.
"I want to be the strongest."
"I want it!"
He stared at the flames filling the wyvern's mouth.
"Look at that brilliant flame…"
His voice trembled.
"Why don't I have it?"
"Why can't I have that ability?"
"Why?"
His eyes filled with tears.
"Why don't I have a skill of my own?"
He continued dragging himself faster.
"I don't…"
The Bloodfang Wyvern raised its head.
Its jaws opened wider.
The flames inside its mouth grew brighter.
Then
It unleashed its fire breath toward Ethan.
Ethan's eyes widened.
Using his uninjured leg, he forced himself upward.
He pushed with everything he had.
He had no strength left.
But he still forced himself up as fast as he could.
The fire landed exactly where Ethan had been standing.
BOOM!
The ground exploded as if a bomb had gone off.
Ethan was thrown through the air.
He crashed onto the ground and rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.
He slowly forced himself up.
"I have to gather everything…"
He gritted his teeth.
"Not here. Not now."
His other leg was already completely paralyzed.
He reached down with his hand, grabbed it, and dragged it forward as he began moving again.
Toward the wyvern.
Blood filled his eyes.
Blood kept pouring from his stomach.
One of his arms clutched the wound as he forced himself forward.
He could barely walk.
He was dragging his other leg as he began to move.
"Why don't I have it?"
His breathing became heavier.
"Why don't I have it all?"
He gritted his teeth.
"I want it all!"
"Screw everyone!"
"Screw everyone in this world!"
"Screw the goddess!"
He stared at the Bloodfang Wyvern.
"Why don't I have it?"
"Why don't I have that brilliant flame?"
"Why don't I have it?!"
He continued running toward the monster.
"This is my last chance."
"I don't care anymore."
"I don't!"
With the last of his strength, Ethan reached the wyvern.
He grabbed onto one of its massive wings.
The Bloodfang Wyvern barely reacted.
It was accustomed to killing its prey.
To it, Ethan was nothing more than another helpless creature waiting to be devoured.
The wyvern opened its enormous mouth again.
Flames began filling its jaws.
It flapped its wing sideways.
The force sent Ethan flying backward.
But he refused to let go.
He tightened his grip with everything he had.
"Why don't I have it?"
His vision began fading.
"Give me that ability!"
"Give it to me!"
"Give it to me!"
"Give it!"
"Damn it!"
His eyes slowly began closing.
Everything was becoming blurry.
I can't keep up…
I'm about to pass out.
"Why don't I have that ability?"
"Why don't I have something?"
"Why can't I have it all?"
Then
A notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[God Touch ability unlocked.]