Venturing the Unknown

The dark staircase leading downward wasn't entirely pitch-black. The stone walls on either side emitted a faint glow, reminiscent of moonlight, providing a natural yet mesmerizing illumination.

The distant sound of water dripping onto granite echoed through the space, while the reflections on the rocky walls added to the mysterious atmosphere.

Eryon now stood at the bottom, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he gazed at the three branching paths ahead of him.

"The goddess of fortune is smiling upon me," he muttered, his grin widening.

A forked path—if his assumption was correct, Erwin's group must have split up, and that worked perfectly in his favor.

Just as he was about to choose a path, his attention was caught by something else—a massive pillar standing in the center, resembling a monument, covered in strange carvings.

Curious, he stepped closer to examine the engravings. They depicted figures and symbols he didn't recognize, written in an ancient language beyond his comprehension. What stood out the most were six mysterious beings, each wielding a unique weapon, their forms colored differently.

Another carving showed them locked in battle, as if illustrating an ancient war.

Eryon stroked his chin, inexplicably drawn to the carvings.

[Translating...]

A sudden holographic notification from his system startled him.

[The Primordial Gods—A great war that led to their downfall, leaving only a single wounded god. The existence of a rebellious entity, four turned traitor, the rest opposed]

Eryon raised an eyebrow, surprised that his system could translate an ancient language. Was this monument a relic from an ancient era?

Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought and turned his focus back to the three paths ahead. Whichever path he chose, he would inevitably cross paths with Erwin's group. He had to be prepared.

"Ah, whatever," he muttered, striding toward the leftmost path.

What greeted him was a narrow trail paved with multicolored granite that reflected the dim light in mesmerizing hues. As he ventured further, the passage began to narrow, forcing him to turn sideways just to keep moving.

It kept tightening, becoming increasingly restrictive, and he was certain this wasn't the path the muscular guy had taken—he'd been wary of that one since a direct fight would be a losing battle.

After struggling through the constricting path for several minutes, Eryon finally emerged, and his expression instantly shifted to one of awe.

A vast bamboo forest stretched before him, the towering stalks a mix of golden and green, their dry leaves carpeting the earth in a serene display.

The place was breathtakingly beautiful, an oasis of peace hidden deep within the cliffside.

Eryon stepped forward, both amazed and perplexed by the existence of such a place. It felt as though he had crossed into another world.

Yet, as he continued walking, his instincts flared—danger.

A sharp object shot up from the ground with alarming speed, grazing his leg. He barely managed to leap back before stumbling, blood trickling from the fresh wound.

"Fuck! What the hell just happened?" he cursed, sitting on the ground, grimacing in pain.

But before he could even process the situation, his survival instincts screamed at him again. Without hesitation, he lunged forward as more long, razor-sharp spikes erupted unpredictably from the earth.

Slack!

One of the deadly spikes nearly impaled him, but he dodged at the last second, manipulating gravity to propel himself upward. His hands clung tightly to a towering bamboo stalk, his breath ragged as he glanced down at the relentless barrage of spears piercing the ground below.

Had he been even a second slower, he would've been skewered.

His gaze darted around, searching for a way out, but the forest was vast—a labyrinth of bamboo and death traps.

"Shit, am I supposed to just run through this?" he muttered through gritted teeth, sweat beading on his forehead.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to think. Then, in a flash of realization, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"You've got to be kidding me... why didn't I think of this earlier?" he smirked.

With a snap of his fingers, his mount—an ethereal horse formed of pure energy—materialized beneath him, catching him perfectly as he landed.

He patted the creature's flank. "Let's ride!" he commanded.

The spectral steed burst forward at full speed, weaving through the treacherous forest. The deadly spikes continued to emerge unpredictably, but Eryon and his mount evaded them with masterful precision.

As they raced through the bamboo labyrinth, a distant radiant glow caught his attention. The exit.

Yet the path ahead continued to narrow, squeezing tighter and tighter until only a single entity could pass.

With one final leap, the spectral horse surged forward, diving straight into the light.

For a moment, everything around Eryon vanished. His vision blurred, consumed by an overwhelming white brilliance, as if he had entered some divine realm.

CRASH!

He hit the ground hard, the impact jolting through his entire body like he had fallen off a cliff. His mount had vanished, leaving him sprawled on a rocky floor bathed in dim lighting.

Groaning, he forced himself up, his muscles aching from the fall. But as he straightened, the scenery around him abruptly changed.

The rocky cave and dim light were gone—replaced by an endless expanse of rolling green grass, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Where the hell am I now?" he muttered, scanning his surroundings.

Everywhere he looked, it was the same—an infinite field of grass with no discernible landmarks.

[You have entered the Realm of Illusions]

[Your greatest fear shall manifest]

Eryon's eyes widened in shock. "My greatest fear?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.

His greatest fear? He didn't even know what that was.

Suddenly, a creepy sound echoed behind him.

His heartbeat spiked involuntarily. Slowly, with growing apprehension, he turned around.

What he saw made his breath hitch. His pulse pounded violently in his ears.

Standing before him was a grotesque creature—a humanoid cockroach.

Its black exoskeleton glistened under the eerie light. It towered at a terrifying 2 meters, its grotesquely human-like face eerily expressionless. Two massive, bulging eyes fixated on him, and a pair of long antennae twitched atop its head.

Eryon's stomach churned, a primal horror surging through him.

"Fuck…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

That's what I fear the most?