I had fought Cursed Mimics countless times before—in the game. The only thing I ever got from them was a string of curses and negative effects. Even with my highest Luck stat character, the best I’d ever managed was a measly ten Mana Stones.

  Apparently, using Mana Surge had reduced the likelihood of triggering a deadly curse. But in the end, everything still came down to fate—at least, according to Orin’s explanation.

  Trusting in her luck, Orin didn’t even flinch as the thick black smoke coiled around her. The air grew heavy, carrying the scent of something burnt and ancient, but she remained still, her expression unwavering

  As the mist thinned, an object materialized on the ground. Orin wasted no time, snatching it up and holding it aloft.

  Muradin’s jaw dropped. I was no better—my eyes went wide in utter disbelief.

  No way.

  But this? This was beyond impossible.

  A Soul Fragment.

  A transparent orb, swirling with two distinct hues—gold and deep, abyssal black. Within its core, the shadowy form of the Cursed Mimic could still be seen, writhing faintly as if trapped inside.

  Orin grinned from ear to ear. “Yippee! Thank you, my incredible luck!”

  A Soul Fragment from a Mimic was already a treasure—granting a significant boost to Luck stat. But the real hidden gem is the passive skill, Rainbow’s Fluke. This skill significantly increased drop rates from monsters, including Soul Fragments.

  It’s equivalent to a 15 Luck stat. Along with the additional 15 Luck stat from the fragment itself, the drop rate should be almost doubled. I rubbed my temples, recalling its characteristics.

  But a Soul Fragment from a Cursed Mimic? That was something I had never heard of—not in the game, nor in any book I’d ever read in this world… its effects had to be even more powerful.

  Without hesitation, Orin popped the Soul Fragment into her mouth and swallowed it whole.

  A burst of golden-black light erupted from her body.

  [Cursed Mimic Soul Fragment has been consumed. +15 Luck]

  [Luck exceeds 35. Passive skill ‘Rainbow’s Fluke’ unlocked]

  [Active Skill cannot be used. The requirements have not been met yet]

  After absorbing the power of the Cursed Mimic, our team's luck took a drastic turn for the better. Monster parts—once nearly impossible to find—started appearing more frequently, making our quests significantly easier.

  "Just three more to go, and we'll have all thirty Burrowbane Guts!" Darwyn cheered, practically bouncing with excitement. "I honestly thought we'd never finish this quest."

  On top of that, Elena and Muradin managed to snag some powerful equipment from fallen monsters.

  "Finally! I can ditch this battered old shield," Muradin exclaimed, grinning as he admired his new gear.

  But the real jackpot went to Darwyn.

  [Detonate cast]

  A series of powerful explosions rippled through the battlefield as he activated his skill. Arrows embedded in the bodies of several Gloomers triggered chain reactions, sending waves of destruction through the ranks of the enemies.

  "That was amazing, brother!" Elena's eyes sparkled with admiration.

  Sticky Bomb—an active skill from the Bombardier Soul Fragment. A perfect synergy with Darwyn’s fighting style. By attaching bombs to his arrows, he could amplify his attacks several times over. The only catch? He had to be careful with his Soul Power consumption.

  "Thanks to Orin, our lucky charm!" Muradin teased, nudging her playfully. "In just ten days, we've made a fortune."

  Elena nodded with a confident smile, looking stronger than ever in her newly acquired leather armor and boots.

  We walked for a few more hours until the environment gradually changed.

  "We've arrived," I announced, scanning the eerie expanse before us.

  Gloomspire Hollow. The most dreaded place in Deepnest Tunnel.

  The walls and ceilings of the cavern pulsed with grotesque, circular membranes, their fleshy surfaces glistening under dim, unnatural light. They seemed… alive. A constant, heavy breathing sound echoed through the chamber, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere. And the stench—gods, the stench. A nauseating cocktail of rot and decay assaulted us the moment we stepped inside.

  One by one, my team doubled over, gagging.

  "I did not expect it to be this bad!" Darwyn groaned, wiping the vomit from his lips.

  Without wasting time, Orin used Aroma Veil, shielding us from the worst of the scent.

  But the real horror of Gloomspire Hollow wasn’t the smell—it was the labyrinthine structure. Even by Deepnest Tunnel’s standards, this place was a nightmare to navigate. The twisting paths, combined with the overwhelming sensory assault, made it impossible for even the best scouts to find their way out once lost.

  In the game, I tried memorizing the routes, treating it like Minos Labyrinth. But unlike a conventional maze, Gloomspire Hollow changed every Tower cycle. It didn’t take long for me to give up on mental mapping.

  Fortunately, I had another plan.

  Once we were fully prepared, I released the Diggle we had captured earlier and fed it a Lumincrumb. The small creature darted forward immediately, leaving behind a faint, glowing trail. The Diggle, highly attuned to Mana, raced toward the abundant source of Mana.

  "Go!" I shouted.

  Elena took off after the Diggle, the rest of us following closely behind.

  Minutes turned into nearly an hour of relentless sprinting. Our breaths came in ragged gasps as we pushed through the ever-shifting tunnels, the glowing trail fading little by little.

  We had to be close.

  Shrieeek!

  A high-pitched, agonized cry rang out ahead.

  "We made it!" Orin gasped, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

  "Remind me to start dieting and working out after this…" Muradin wheezed, earning a few breathless chuckles.

  We stumbled forward, regrouping near Elena, who stood at the entrance of a massive cavern. Above the dark maw of the cave, an ominous symbol gleamed—the image of a spider with enormous pincers. The glyph pulsed with an eerie glow, radiating dense Mana from within.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Whatever lay inside was waiting for us.

  ***

  Gloomspire Hollow was a hidden area within Dreadspire. The system would automatically trigger an achievement notification upon a player's first entry. I had stumbled upon this place purely by accident while hunting Soul Fragments from Gloomers, shadowy creatures that frequently lurked nearby.

  A hidden area meant hidden treasure—at least, to the optimistic. But for the experienced, it meant something else entirely: hidden dangers waiting to strike.

  I happened to be both.

  I lived by a simple rule: high risk, high reward. The greater the danger, the more exhilarating the challenge—at least, in the game.

  But this wasn’t a game. This was reality.

  And in reality, the worst-case scenario wasn’t just losing a character or restarting from the beginning—it was permanent death.

  Still, the rewards from this place were too valuable for our team to pass up. That was why I was willing to take the risk. That was why we had spent so much time preparing—because once we stepped inside, there would be no turning back.

  ***

  "I—I can feel an incredible amount of Mana," Elena whispered in fear, clutching Orin's arm tightly. "C-Can we just go back?"

  "There’s no way back," Muradin stated firmly. "Unless you’d rather stay trapped here until the final day."

  Elena swallowed hard, her grip tightening.

  I met her gaze, steady and reassuring. "Elena, do you trust me?"

  She hesitated, then gave a small nod.

  "As long as we stick to the strategy I’ve prepared, nothing will go wrong."

  Darwyn let out a nervous chuckle, trying to lighten the mood—though his own trembling hands betrayed him. "You saw my last explosive arrow, right? This will be over before we can even blink."

  "Less talking, more preparing," I reminded them. "Make sure you’ve got your items ready."

  Without another word, we all downed our potions, the taste bitter but comforting. Then, bracing ourselves for whatever lay beyond, we stepped into the room.

  [You have been afflicted with Grave’s Whisper – Consciousness reduced by 1%]

  [Mindshard Potion used. Grave’s Whisper progression delayed]

  The moment we stepped into the chamber, an overwhelming aura of intimidation washed over me.

  The air was thick with decay. Cobwebs clung to the walls like a cursed tapestry, draping over the scattered corpses of past victims. The stench was suffocating—so strong that it seeped through the effects of Aroma Veil, making my stomach churn.

  At the far end of the chamber, a massive creature lurked—a monstrous spider nearly five meters long, feasting on a fresh kill.

  Its deep, vibrant purple exoskeleton shimmered ominously in the dim light. Its pincers, jagged and menacing, gleamed with lethal sharpness, easily capable of crushing stone and armor alike. But its most unsettling feature? The eight piercing violet eyes, glowing like cursed gemstones, locked onto us with a predator’s hunger.

  Gravelurker.

  The hidden boss of Gloomspire Hollow.

  The moment it sensed our presence, a horrendous noise tore through the chamber—like the grinding of rocks in a violent storm. Then, without warning, it lunged.

  Its eight massive, spiked legs pounded against the ground, shaking the very earth beneath us. The sheer speed at which it scuttled was unnatural. And worse—its purple body began to fade, turning translucent, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.

  “Orin!” I shouted.

  “Yeah, yeah, leave it to me,” she responded.

  [Quick Enhance cast]

  Without hesitation, Orin hurled a Glowink Flask straight at Gravelurker. The flask shattered on impact, splattering the creature with a thick coat of luminescent green ink. The glow clung to its now-transparent body, making it visible once more. Thanks to Quick Enhance, the effect would last a full 30 minutes.

  “Muradin, prepare!” I commanded.

  Muradin was already in motion, stepping forward and raising his shield.

  [Shield Bash cast]

  Muradin immediately activated his skill as soon as the Gravelurker struck him.

  A thunderous clash rang through the chamber as Muradin’s shield smashed into Gravelurker’s face. The impact stunned the beast for a brief moment, its grotesque body jerking backward.

  “Take the shot!” I yelled.

  Elena and Darwyn didn’t hesitate.

  Barrage of arrows shot through the air, aimed at the monster’s weakest points—its eyes and mouth.

  The Gravelurker screeched, its massive pincers snapping wildly, searching for something—someone—to crush. It struck blindly toward Muradin, its monstrous claws slamming down, but—

  CLANG!

  Its attack rebounded, deflected effortlessly by my Tempest Shield.

  Now it was our turn.

  Orin grinned and threw another flask.

  This time, Electroflask.

  The vial shattered on impact, sending electric currents surging through Gravelurker’s exoskeleton. Sparks danced across its body, crawling under its shell, forcing the beast into violent convulsions.

  “Nice hit!” Darwyn called out.

  “Don’t celebrate yet,” I muttered, while sending Wind Cutter straight to the monster body.

  Gravelurker skittered backward, its spiked legs scraping against the stone floor as it prepared for another charge.

  We moved in sync, repeating the strategy that had been working so far.

  Muradin braced himself, raising his shield just in time to intercept the incoming strike. The impact was brutal, but he held firm.

  [Shield Bash cast]

  His shield slammed into Gravelurker’s grotesque form, halting its advance for a crucial moment.

  Elena and Darwyn, the elf siblings, seized the opening. Their arrows shot through the air, aimed with precision at the monster’s vulnerable points. Orin and I followed up immediately, unleashing magic attacks to weaken it further.

  We had been fighting for nearly two hours now, and everything had gone exactly as planned…

  [Grave’s Whisper progress increased – Consciousness reduced by 9%]

  A dull pressure throbbed in my mind. My consciousness wavered, just slightly—but enough to notice. My movements felt sluggish, a fraction slower than before.

  However, thanks to Mindshard Potion, the effect wasn’t as severe. If it weren’t for the potion, the progression would have already exceeded 20% by now.

  I gritted my teeth.

  One of the most important factors in fighting Gravelurker was time. The longer this battle dragged on, the worse our chances became. We couldn’t afford to let this turn into a war of attrition.

  "Arrrgh!" I shouted, my voice filled with fierce determination. "Take this, you vile monster!" I yelled, launching a Wind Cutter, the razor-sharp gust of wind tearing through the air toward my enemy.

  [Wind Cutter has reached maximum stack. Hidden effect activated – Tornado Slash cast]

  The Gravelurker's body trembled as a deep hum reverberated around it. Then, with a sudden, explosive burst, a howling tornado spiraled out from its form, tearing through the battlefield.

  Orin reacted instantly. She swiftly cast Quick Enhance and hurled an Electroflask straight into the storm.

  [Enhanced Electroflask used]

  Lightning crackled, intertwining with the swirling winds. Electroflask unleashed a devastating bolt, amplifying the tornado into a tempest of whirling lightning and violent gusts. We called this combo Thunderstorm Vortex.

  The chamber roared with the force of the elements—wind howled, thunder cracked, and the Gravelurker shrieked in agony.

  And then, it fled.

  Orin let out a triumphant smirk. “Hah! That was easier than I expected.”

  Muradin shot her a warning glare. “Don't jinx it.”

  "A-ahem, let’s stay focused," Elena murmured anxiously, her pointed ears twitching.

  Darwyn's sharp eyes narrowed. “Get ready. It’s coming back.”

  Muradin quickly raised his shield again, preparing to intercept—

  But the Gravelurker moved differently this time.

  A sudden, sharp swoosh sliced through the air.

  Before any of us could react, a thick web shot out from the monster’s spinnerets, hurtling straight toward Muradin.

  The sticky strands coiled around his torso and arms, binding him in place.

  "What?!" My eyes widened.

  That wasn’t supposed to happen yet.

  In the game, Gravelurker only used web attacks in Phase Two—when its health dropped below half.

  But, of course… this wasn’t a game.

  This world had no pre-programmed attack patterns. The monsters here could adapt.

  Instead of finishing off Muradin, Gravelurker pivoted—lunging for Orin with terrifying speed.

  "Orin, move!" Darwyn shouted.

  He shoved Orin aside just as Gravelurker’s massive pincer came crashing down.

  A sickening thud echoed through the chamber.

  Orin let out a strangled gasp, staggering back. Blood seeped from beneath her clothes, a dark stain spreading at her waist.

  She hadn’t been fast enough.