Predator in the Dark

Moments passed as Axel ventured deeper into the tunnel. The creeping darkness had now consumed everything, leaving not a trace of light behind. Yet, he could see the twisting passageway as clearly as he could in daylight. His glowing red eyes, with vertical slits cutting through the dark like a predator's, were a product of his active summoning. 

The identity of the monster he'd assumed granted him traits like razor-sharp claws and enhanced vision that turned the darkness into something almost familiar.

The tunnel stretched on endlessly, its oppressive atmosphere pressing down on him. He wasn't alone for long. Shadows stirred, revealing the gleam of monstrous yellow eyes, Mutated Dire Wolves. They emerged one by one, snarling with a low, guttural menace. 

The wolves, creatures born of this darkness, used their intimate knowledge of the terrain to mount stealthy, coordinated attacks.

But Axel wasn't an outsider to this darkness anymore. His adapted form moved with fluid precision, his claws slashing through the air as he dodged and retaliated. Each wolf fell under his onslaught, his strikes were swift and lethal. 

He had fought enough of these beasts to know their patterns, and his strength increased with every kill.

As the last wolf crumpled lifeless to the ground, a notification flashed in his mind:

[Natural Recovery Activated.]

[Warning: Humanity Threshold Decreased by 4%. Current Threshold: 72%.]

Axel let out a shaky breath, his knees giving way as he collapsed onto the cold, rocky floor. His chest heaved, the sound of his ragged breathing filling the silence. Nearby lay the mutilated corpse of a massive Mutated Dire Wolf. Its body was torn apart with such ferocity that it looked like it had been killed by a predator even more savage than itself.

Axel wasn't much better off. His body bore the marks of a brutal fight, jagged gashes from claws and deep, searing bites. None of them were fatal, but the pain was enough to leave him gritting his teeth. He examined his hands, sticky with dark blood, some his, most of it theirs.

"Is it just me," he muttered between gasps, "or are they getting harder to kill?"

He glanced back at the wolf's carcass, its unnatural bulk a stark reminder of how much harder the fight had been. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. With each kill, he should've grown stronger. His growing stats and familiarity with the wolves' attack patterns should have made this easier. But these recent wolves…

They were faster. Tougher. Smarter.

Axel's glowing eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me..." His voice trailed off, the thought striking him like a blow. "Are the monsters getting stronger? Will I face even worse the deeper I go?"

He shivered, though not from the cold of the tunnel.

If that was the case, maybe it was time to call it quits. Axel leaned against the rough wall of the tunnel, every breath a battle against exhaustion. 

The Humanity Threshold warnings from the system gnawed at the edges of his mind. Even with the steady stat increases he'd gained by killing these monsters, he felt like he was barely holding on.

The thought of retreating burned in his chest like shame. But then another idea forged its way into his mind.

'If I'm struggling this much, even with an SSS+ ability and this monster form… how are the others holding up?'

His gaze flicked toward the darkness ahead. He'd entered this dungeon alongside unaffiliated awakeners, most of them D-rankers. He hadn't given them much thought since splitting up, but now... Could they even handle this?

'They're not like me,' he thought grimly. 

'They don't have an SSS+ Ability. They don't have this form.'

The more Axel thought about it, the more the question felt like something perhaps only a god could answer. Especially when he remembered the system's cryptic warning before he entered the dungeon:

[Warning: Dungeon difficulty may scale unpredictably due to your identity as a contracted monster.]

His lip curled into a bitter smile. "Unpredictable scaling, huh? Yeah, no kidding."

He shook his head, forcing the spiraling thoughts away. Dwelling on it wouldn't help, not now. He needed to focus.

"Just how many of these damn things have I killed?"

Summoning the system interface, the crimson window flickered to life before him. His eyes scanned the text. 

[Monsters Slain]:

Mutant Dire Wolf (D) x19 

"Nineteen?" His brows shot up. "Huh. I didn't even notice. Guess I got a little carried away with the thrill of it." 

Axel rubbed at his temple, wincing. That was the problem with this form, he wasn't quite himself. In this state, he struggled to think as clearly as he could when he was normal. The primal instincts that came with his transformation were both a blessing and a curse. 

"Hah. Let's see what all this fighting earned me." 

His gaze shifted to the stats section. 

[Status Updated]

Name: Axel Cross

Rank: Monster (D) 

Strength: 29 → 37 

Agility: 25 → 30 

Endurance: 26 → 31 

Mana: 50

"Hm." He stared at the numbers, a faint sense of satisfaction curling in his chest. "It's gone up a lot."

Seeing the tangible evidence of his growth should have felt rewarding. And yet, that nagging question still lingered in the back of his mind: 

'How the hell are these monsters getting stronger despite my stats increasing?' 

His suspicions were starting to take shape, and if he was right... 

"Don't tell me my theory's correct," he muttered, his voice tinged with unease. "If these monsters are scaling up with me, then..." 

He trailed off, the weight of the thought sinking in. Should he really continue? Was it worth risking everything to press deeper into the dungeon? 

His body tensed. Even in this monstrous form, where instincts and brute strength reigned supreme, his primal urge for survival surged. 

He didn't want to die—not yet. He was still too young. He had dreams left unrealized, grudges left unsettled, and responsibilities he couldn't run from.

Just as Axel teetered on the edge of retreat, his thoughts froze. He sighed deeply, a bitter chuckle slipping past his lips.

"Such a coward," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm such a coward." 

He clenched his fists, his claws biting into his palms. 

After everything, the power he had yearned for, dreamed of, was this really all he could muster? 

This wasn't just any ability. The system itself had called it an SSS+ rank, a once in a lifetime gift that had never before appeared in the world. If, even with this power, he was still bound by fear, then… did he truly deserve it?

The thought stung, and for a moment, he stood motionless, grappling with the weight of it. Then he exhaled sharply, clearing his mind.

"I can disappoint anyone. Anything. But not this. Not this chance." 

His resolve hardened. Axel straightened his back, steeling himself as he turned to the massive wolf's corpse. Kneeling beside it, he harvested the valuable parts with quick efficiency, its fangs, claws, and a chunk of its shimmering black fur, before storing them in his small pouch. 

With one last glance at the tunnel behind him, he pressed on. 

The path stretched forward, seemingly endless, yet eerily silent. As he ventured deeper, his heightened senses, usually attuned to the faintest shifts in the air, detected nothing. No rustling shadows. No growls. No glowing eyes stalking him from the dark. 

"It seems my speculation was right," Axel murmured, his voice low in the stillness. "There are no more monsters." 

His words echoed softly in the tunnel, a fleeting sound swallowed by the void. 

After what felt like an eternity of walking, the tunnel finally ended. A massive blockade of moldy stone loomed before him, its surface overrun with twisted green vines and patches of decay. 

He stopped, a strange feeling prickling at the back of his mind. 

"Hm… Why do I feel…" 

His hand moved instinctively, reaching out to press against the wall. The moment his fingers met the rough surface, the blockade crumbled. Whether it was the immense strength of his push or the weakness of the structure itself, he couldn't say, but it collapsed as easily as dried wood underfoot. 

The sudden burst of sunlight blinded him. Axel recoiled, throwing an arm over his face as the golden light flooded into the tunnel, banishing its oppressive darkness. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, and when they did, he lowered his arm slowly. 

The sight before him stole the breath from his lungs. 

A vast, verdant expanse stretched out as far as the eye could see. Lush forests painted the landscape with vibrant greens, dotted by rolling hills and glimmers of sunlight filtering through the canopy above. 

The air felt fresh, alive, a huge difference from the stale, suffocating atmosphere of the tunnel. 

"So… this is the real dungeon, huh?"