They were already there.
Too many to count.
In the darkness of the corridor, dozens of eyes glimmered, fixed and hungry. Some burned like embers, others seemed to swallow the faintest light. Low shadows slithered along the walls, fast and unpredictable, while others, massive and heavy, moved with a terrifying patience, blotting out everything around them.
Ryuji didn't move.
Not yet.
His breath came in short, jagged gasps, each one burning in his chest. Every heartbeat, every step, every muscle screamed in protest. The weight of his wounds, of his exhaustion, pressed down like an invisible hand trying to pin him to the floor. His hands trembled. His knees quivered. But he forced himself to stay still.
— "…of course…" he muttered under his breath, teeth gritted, voice hoarse.
One step.
Just one. Heavy. Echoing across the stone corridor.
The monsters reacted instantly. A unified roar, claws scraping against stone, teeth snapping. The air seemed to thicken with the sound of their advance.
They charged.
The first leapt low and fast, claws aimed directly for his face. Ryuji twisted, raising his arm just in time.
— "Not today…" he growled.
The blade connected with wet, sickening force. The monster hit the ground with a thud, but it was not dead, just stunned. Another screech sounded, and before he could recover, a second leapt from the shadows, faster, vicious. Its claws tore into his shoulder. Pain exploded through him.
— "Tch—!" he hissed, staggering sideways, swinging wildly.
One strike. Two. Three. Each monster that fell seemed to open the way for two more to attack. He couldn't breathe properly. He couldn't stop. Every second spent hesitating could be his last.
— "Gotta keep going… no choice…" he muttered between clenched teeth.
A third lunged from the left. He barely dodged, scraping his ribs. Pain shot down his side. Sweat, blood, and adrenaline mixed on his skin, blinding him for a moment. He swung again, sword trembling in his grip.
— "Move… just… move!"
The monsters came from all directions now. Front, back, sides. Every second was a gamble. Step too slow, and he would die. Step wrong, and he would be torn apart.
Ryuji stepped back. Then another. Muscles screamed. Joints threatened to give way. Clarity struck him. Stop = death.
So he moved forward.
A hoarse scream tore from his throat. No strategy, no finesse, only survival. He swung wildly, pushing his body beyond its limits.
Bodies fell. One. Two. Three. Blood splattered, mixing with sweat and grime. Each movement cost him more than the last. Pain was everywhere: in his arms, legs, ribs, shoulder, even his jaw as he gritted his teeth.
A claw tore into his side. A kick bent him double. A jaw grazed his neck. Hot, rough breath seared his skin.
— "Damn it… get away…" he growled, tasting iron and dirt.
He used everything around him—walls for support, fallen bodies as barriers, sudden openings in the chaos to create fleeting moments to strike. He dodged and spun, each movement a combination of instinct, brute strength, and pure luck.
A monster lunged again. Too fast. Its jaws snapped inches from his face. Instinct drove him to plunge his sword blindly. The creature screamed, and the sound of ripping flesh echoed in the corridor.
Another attacked from the left. He pivoted awkwardly, shoulder screaming. Another lunge. Another block. Pain bit deep, but he pressed forward.
— "I can't stop… can't… not yet…" he muttered.
Each breath burned. Each muscle screamed. The corridor stretched on endlessly. Every step heavier than the last.
Then came the growl behind him. Low. Deep. The golem. Its massive form moved slowly but inevitably toward him. Its glowing eyes seemed to pierce the darkness, following his every movement.
— "…not now… not like this…" he muttered, forcing himself to move faster, legs screaming.
The corridor narrowed. Stones tore at his feet. Fewer monsters, but each one more aggressive, more precise in their attacks. They came in waves. Ryuji's movements became slower, his reflexes lagging. He stumbled. A claw grazed his arm, nearly sending him down.
---
And then, as his body wavered, a memory struck him like lightning.
He was in a training courtyard, gripping a sword, striking a doll-like opponent with focus and precision. His movements were deliberate, controlled. Each strike measured.
Suddenly, someone appeared behind him. A weapon swung. Ryuji twisted instinctively, barely dodging. But the other's foot swept under him, knocking him off balance.
— "What the hell, Soren?!" he shouted, hitting the ground.
— "Calm down," a voice replied. "It's a revised training."
He lay there for a moment, catching his breath, feeling the familiar sting of bruised muscles. Then, quietly to himself:
— Yeah… all of this… it's just a revised training.
---
The memory ignited something in him. Muscle memory, hours of drills, instinctual movements—it all surged through him. He forced himself up. His movements sharpened. His swings found their mark. His dodges became precise. The monsters that had been overwhelming moments ago barely touched him.
— "…I've survived worse… I can do this…" he muttered, voice hoarse but determined.
Step by step, he pressed forward. Each swing, each dodge, each thrust reflected what he had learned in training. The corridor felt narrower, but he moved like a shadow, dancing between threats. Each strike took down a monster before it could close in. Each dodge avoided claws that had been inches from his face moments ago.
The faint light appeared. Real. Alive. The exit.
— "…just… a little… more…" he whispered, eyes locked on the glow. Every muscle burned. Every breath felt like fire.
The monsters surged relentlessly. He struck, pivoted, shoved, kicked. Exhaustion still clawed at him, but the memory guided him—taught him to survive when his body refused to obey.
One more step. Another. The light grew brighter. Just a few meters…
Then his body finally betrayed him. Limbs heavy. Mind numb. He collapsed. A few steps from the exit. Sword slipping from his hand. Breath cut off.
Silence.
And finally… darkness.