The Trial of the Dungeon

When Mark opened his eyes, he found himself standing before a colossal structure rising from the center of a vast desert of black sand. 

A massive dungeon, composed of menacing towers and gigantic gates covered in unknown inscriptions. A shiver of excitement ran down his spine. 

This was no longer a simple test of endurance or resistance, but a true challenge — a brutal fight against creatures that wanted to tear him apart.

[[Main Objective Updated]] – Complete the dungeon and defeat its guardian.

[[Side Objectives Updated]] 

– Eliminate at least 20 elite monsters.

– Explore all levels of the dungeon.

– Survive with less than 10% remaining health (bonus reward).

Mark let out a soft chuckle. "Survive with less than 10%? You think I'm that reckless?" he muttered before walking toward the entrance.

The massive door creaked open slowly, releasing a wave of cold, stale air. He moved carefully, analyzing his surroundings. 

The interior of the dungeon was shrouded in near-total darkness, lit only by the faint glow of torches lining the walls, barely illuminating the towering stone corridors.

Then, a deep resonating sound echoed.

A massive form dropped from the ceiling, kicking up a cloud of dust. As Mark squinted through the haze, he was met with a nightmarish sight: a dune scorpion, an elite monster, far larger than anything he had faced before. 

Its chitinous exoskeleton gleamed under the torchlight, and its venomous stinger dripped with a viscous green liquid.

[[Analyzing creature...]] 

Name: Dune Scorpion 

Class: Elite Monster 

Abilities: Paralytic venom – Reinforced carapace – Thermal vision

Mark wasted no time. He activated Titan Frenzy, boosting his brute strength, and charged forward. The monster struck first, 

its stinger darting toward him at lightning speed. Mark dodged just in time, feeling the air rush by as the attack missed him by mere inches.

He countered with a powerful punch to the creature's abdomen, but his fist bounced off the impenetrable shell. "Damn… That won't cut it."

The beast swept its massive pincers in a wide arc, forcing Mark to retreat. He needed a weak point. His sharp gaze locked onto the creature's joints, 

where the exoskeleton seemed thinner. "That's where I strike."

Seizing an opening, he ducked beneath the monster and delivered a Titan Hammer strike directly to one of the vulnerable joints. 

A sickening crack echoed through the chamber. The scorpion shrieked and staggered slightly.

[Critical damage dealt!]

Mark felt a surge of adrenaline. He didn't let up, launching a flurry of targeted blows at the same weak spot. 

The monster screamed again and retaliated with a desperate stinger strike. Mark had anticipated the move — but at the last second, his foot slipped on a stone.

The venomous stinger pierced deep into his left shoulder.

A burning pain exploded in his body, a searing sensation tearing through his veins.

[Status anomaly: Paralytic poison spreading.]

He gritted his teeth. He wasn't going down now. Ignoring the pain, he channeled all his strength into one final, decisive punch. 

His fist smashed into the creature's head with devastating force, cracking its exoskeleton.

[[Elite monster eliminated.]] 

[[Rewards obtained: 2,000 credits – Antidote Elixir – +3 Constitution]]

Mark collapsed to one knee, gasping. His vision blurred as the poison surged through his system. 

Without hesitation, he rummaged through his inventory, grabbed the elixir, and drank it in one gulp. Relief washed over him as the antidote took near-instant effect.

Slowly, he stood, eyes fixed on the monster's lifeless body. This was just the beginning. 

If he wanted to survive this dungeon, he would have to push harder than ever before.

[[Elapsed time: 00:34]] 

[[Elite monsters defeated: 1/20]]

Mark's eyes burned with determination.

"I'll crush them all."

[[Location: Sixth Floor of the DMU]] [[Elapsed time since entry: 00:34]]

Mark's breathing remained irregular, but his body was beginning to adapt to the constant fights. The dungeon gave him no respite; each room was a trigger for an ambush, a trap set by a malevolent intelligence. These were no longer wandering beasts but enemies that seemed to understand his strategies, gradually adapting to his attacks.

The architecture of the dungeon grew increasingly complex as he advanced. Narrow corridors led to massive chambers, often bathed in a reddish glow emanating from strange crystals embedded in the walls. Every corner pulsed with danger. The unsettling silence was broken only by the distant echoes of movement—creatures lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Mark advanced cautiously, senses sharpened by experience. His fingers tensed and relaxed in anticipation. Every fight had pushed his limits, and he had no doubt the worst was yet to come.

[[Elite monsters defeated: 4/20]] [[Health status: 73%]]

He paused for a moment, evaluating his condition. He had consumed a healing elixir after the last battle, but the lingering effects of the scorpion's poison still weighed on him. His muscles remained tight, and his left arm wasn't responding as well as he'd hoped. It wasn't debilitating yet, but he knew he needed to be careful.

He briefly opened communications with Kilian.

— "Mark?! Damn, you're alive!"

— "Still standing."

— "I just cleared the fifth floor. It was a damn massacre… I don't know how you got ahead so fast."

— "Didn't have much of a choice. I wasn't about to stick around too long."

— "And the sixth floor?"

Mark hesitated before responding, glancing warily at his ominous surroundings.

— "An actual dungeon this time. Elite monsters, traps everywhere, no way to avoid combat."

— "Shit…"

— "And you? How was the fifth floor?"

— "I had to fight off waves of giant ants. A literal swarm, and their queen was a nightmare. You would've loved it… or not."

Mark smirked slightly.

— "Sounds like good training."

— "Speaking of training, I heard something interesting… You can modify the waiting room. Increase gravity, adjust temperature, simulate extreme conditions."

— "Seriously?"

— "Yeah. I haven't tried it yet, but it might be useful. If we can toughen our bodies now, we won't get shredded so easily in the real fights."

Mark considered the idea. Being able to train without risking his life would give him a serious edge. But first, he needed to survive this dungeon.

A loud thud interrupted the conversation. Something was approaching.

— "Gotta go, Kilian. I've got company."

He cut the link and prepared for battle.

The door ahead trembled, then shattered under the impact of a massive creature.

A bestial roar echoed through the walls.

[[Boss detected: Labyrinth Guardian]]

Mark barely had time to react as the massive beast charged him. The Guardian was a towering monster, its body covered in stone, a grotesque fusion between golem and beast. Its eyes glowed with a threatening red hue, and every step sent tremors through the ground.

Mark rolled to the side, narrowly dodging a devastating blow that shattered the stone floor where he had just stood. He had faced powerful creatures before, but this was on another level.

He activated Titan Frenzy, his muscles swelling with newfound strength, and lunged at the creature. His fist struck its hardened armor, sending a shockwave up his arm. The Guardian barely flinched.

[Minimal damage inflicted.]

Mark cursed under his breath. He needed a different approach.

The Guardian roared again and swung its massive arm, aiming to crush him against the wall. Mark barely dodged, but the sheer force of the attack sent a gust of wind that knocked him off balance. He hit the ground hard, rolling to regain his footing.

"Damn… This thing hits like a truck."

His eyes scanned the creature's body for weaknesses. Then he saw it—a faint glow at the creature's joints, where the stone plating was thinner.

There's my opening.

Mark dashed forward, dodging another swing, and landed a powerful punch at one of the glowing weak points. This time, the Guardian reacted. It growled and staggered slightly, confirming he was on the right track.

He kept moving, slipping between attacks, striking vulnerable spots whenever he could. The fight was exhausting; his stamina dwindled with every exchange. His body screamed for rest, but he ignored it, pushing beyond his limits.

Then the Guardian changed tactics.

With an earsplitting roar, it slammed both fists into the ground. The entire room shook as the floor cracked and massive stone spikes erupted in every direction. Mark barely had time to react before one of the spikes severed his left arm, slicing it clean off. An explosion of pain overwhelmed his senses as his limb hit the ground, blood gushing across the fractured stone.

A sharp, searing pain tore through his body.

[Major injury sustained: left arm severed.]

Blood pooled at his feet as he gasped, vision blurring. Yet, even in that desperate moment, he grinned.

"Heh… Now it's getting fun."

Gathering his remaining strength, Mark clenched his right fist and prepared for the final blow.