Stepping out of the dark, suffocating snake nest, Shwet exhaled deeply, savoring the fresh air. His body still carried a lingering tension, an aftereffect of the life-threatening experience he had just endured. Every step forward felt like a victory, a reminder that he had survived. The damp ground beneath his feet was uneven, littered with stray pebbles and patches of moss, but he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere—on something far more pressing.
His stats.
He needed to assess his progress, to ensure that he could use every ounce of strength efficiently if another danger arose. And it definitely would.
With a thought, he opened his stat window. His eyes widened at the drastic improvements.
[Status
Level - 8
HP: 990 / 990 (Fully Restored)
Stamina: 700 / 700 (Increased cap by 10)
Strength: 112 (+15)
Agility: 99 (+8)
Perception: 70 (+4)
Intellect: 112 (+6)
Dexterity: 68 (+3)
Vitality: 80 (+10)
Endurance: 110 (+9)
Soul Points: 200
Mana: —
Luck: 20 ]
Resistances
Pain Resistance - Lv 10 (Breakthrough Available)
Poison Resistance - Lv 7]
[ Skills
1. Stealth - Lv 8 (Cooldown: 15 sec)
2. Double Dash - Lv 4 (Cooldown: 14 sec)
3. Air Kick - Lv 4 (Cooldown: 24 sec)
]
A wry smile crept onto his face.
"The more dangerous the situation, the better my stats become."
A week ago, breaking through Strength 100 had felt impossible—now he had blasted past it. His endurance was catching up, and his vitality had jumped higher than ever before. He didn't just survive—he had evolved.
Then his eyes landed on something else.
[Skill - Pain Resistance - Level 10
Breakthrough?
✔ Yes | No]
"Breakthrough? Like when Dash evolved into Double Dash?" he murmured, intrigued.
Without hesitation, he selected Yes—
[Insufficient Currency!]
Amount Needed: 8000
Available: 2845
A sigh of helplessness escaped him.
He had no choice but to let it sit for now. But one thing was clear—if Pain Resistance could evolve, what would it become? What did it mean to 'break through' pain?
Shaking off the disappointment, he kept walking, checking his skill window next. Stealth and Double Dash had leveled up, but Air Kick remained unchanged.
"Better than nothing, I guess."
The pathway ahead stretched into the distance, its cavernous walls eerily smooth, as if sculpted by something—or someone. His footsteps echoed faintly as he pressed forward, his eyes constantly scanning for anything unusual.
Then, suddenly, the space opened up.
A Sight Unlike Any Before
A breathtaking scene unfolded before him.
At the center of a vast underground chamber lay a small, serene pond, its still waters reflecting the soft glow of luminescent crystals embedded in the ceiling. Delicate white flowers, eerily resembling lotuses, floated on the surface and grew along the edges. Their petals were a pristine shade of ivory, untouched by the filth and darkness that surrounded this place. The air itself felt lighter, carrying a faint, almost sweet fragrance.
"Beautiful," he breathed.
It was mesmerizing, almost unreal.
Compared to the horror he had just escaped, this place felt like paradise.
But then—his instincts kicked in.
"It doesn't make sense. Why is such a peaceful place so close to that nightmare?"
Suspicion crept in. There was something off about this.
Then—
[Quest Available!]
> [Collect 24 White Fairy Lotus
Reward: Fairy Lotus Serum
Penalty: -10% HP drop
Time Limit: 16 minutes
Condition: Must be plucked without the stem. No petal should fall during collection.]
"10% HP?! Just for not collecting these damn beautiful lotuses?" he growled.
The system truly had a way of making everything harder than it needed to be. But Fairy Lotus Serum? That sounded… promising.
He ran toward the pond, moving cautiously. His paranoia never let him forget—beauty often hid danger.
But as minutes passed, nothing attacked him.
No monsters. No lurking threats.
Just silence.
Yet, finishing the quest proved to be another challenge entirely.
Each time he tried to pluck a lotus, his fingers crushed it. The petals were far too delicate, crumbling at the slightest pressure. His strength, which had become his greatest asset, was now his biggest hindrance.
"How did something so fragile even grow here?"
Frustration built within him. He crouched near the pond, staring at the flowers in defeat. Then, a strange thought crossed his mind.
"Did you end up here like I did, O poor lotus?"
The words left his lips, barely above a whisper.
Then—a ripple.
He blinked.
The water stirred slightly, though there was no wind, no disturbance.
His gaze instinctively shifted downward—toward his reflection.
And then—his mind snapped.
What the hell is this now?
He should have been gazing at his own reflection in the crystalline water, but.....