As the last remnants of the dungeon faded away, I stood there, breathing heavily, the rush of battle still lingering in my veins. The weight of Earthbound's power settled over me, not as a burden, but as a grounding force, tethering me to the reality of my newfound strength. Just as I was beginning to process everything, a system notification popped up.
[Dungeon Cleared. Reward Processing…]
I straightened, anticipation stirring in my chest. My first real trial had been completed, and if this system worked anything like I expected, that meant there was something waiting for me on the other side of victory.
[Reward Granted: Humble Abode]
I blinked. A… house? Before I could even begin to question it, a small set of keys materialized in my hand, cool metal pressing into my palm. They weren't particularly ornate, just a plain brass keychain with a tag attached. On it, a simple address was printed.
I wasn't sure what I had been expecting, but certainly not this. A place to live? Somewhere to rest, away from the hospital, away from the stifling sense of being watched? It almost felt too good to be true.
The system wasn't done with me yet.
[Calculating Dungeon Completion Time…]
[Elapsed Time: 2 Hours, 47 Minutes]
[Evaluation: Efficient but Inexperienced]
[Initiating Next Trial: Mercury's Requiem]
I barely had time to react before another screen materialized.
[New Trial Assigned: Mercury's Requiem]
The moment I saw the name, something inside me tightened. Unlike Earthbound, which felt solid and unyielding, the name 'Mercury' suggested something entirely different—speed, fluidity, precision.
[Trial Requirements: Adapt to Mercury's Swiftness]
• React to high-speed attacks
• Master movement efficiency
• Achieve seamless acceleration and deceleration
I exhaled slowly, gripping the keys to my new home. Earthbound had been about endurance, about standing firm no matter what. But if I was going to survive whatever lay ahead, I couldn't just take hits. I had to learn how to move.
The thought made my heart race, excitement mixing with the residual exhaustion of the dungeon. There was no rest, no reprieve. If I wanted to keep going—if I wanted to reach the stars—I had to push forward.
Before I could question it, the dungeon around me flickered. The decayed office walls, the scent of rotting flesh, and the ominous gloom of the basement all dissolved into light.
When the brightness faded, I found myself standing in an unfamiliar place.
The home the system gifted me wasn't some grand mansion or lavish hideout—it was a modest, two-story house nestled in the quieter part of the city. The exterior was unassuming, the kind of place someone could pass by without a second glance. A small garden sat in front, slightly overgrown but full of potential. The air was still, peaceful in a way I hadn't felt in a long time.
I took a step forward, half-expecting the illusion to shatter, but the rough texture of the stone pathway was real beneath my fingers. The key to the house materialized in my palm, a simple silver piece with a planetary insignia etched onto its surface.
A home.
For the first time since waking up in this world, I had something that was mine.
[Dungeon Key Acquired: Mercury's Labyrinth]
A metallic object appeared in my other hand, similar to the key for my home but much colder. Its surface pulsed faintly, as if alive.
I clenched my fist. No time to hesitate.
The air around me warped.
The system wasted no time teleporting me.
I landed hard, my boots skidding across polished stone.
The moment my feet touched the ground, the first thing I noticed was the sky—if I could even call it that. Above me, a swirling mass of silver clouds churned violently, flashing with streaks of bluish-white energy. The world here felt faster, lighter, chaotic.
I barely had time to take it in before the first challenge revealed itself.
A massive, circular arena stretched before me, its walls made of mirrored metal that reflected everything with eerie clarity. Floating platforms dotted the space ahead, shifting constantly, never staying in one place for more than a few seconds.
Then, the system's voice echoed in my mind.
[Welcome to Mercury's Labyrinth.]
[First Phase: The Speed Gauntlet]
Before I could even react, the floor beneath me vanished.
Gravity yanked at me, but something was off—the fall wasn't normal. It felt like my body was being pulled in multiple directions at once, the air itself vibrating as if resisting my movement.
I twisted midair, forcing my mind to focus. Below, the platforms flickered, appearing and disappearing at random intervals. The goal was clear—I had to make it across.
[System Notice: Complete the course before time runs out. Failing will result in permanent expulsion from the trial.]
Permanent expulsion?
My stomach twisted. That meant if I failed, I'd lose the chance to unlock this gear forever.
No pressure, right?
The first platform solidified beneath me just in time. I landed, rolling to absorb the impact. No time to hesitate—I pushed off immediately, launching toward the next one.
The moment my foot left the surface, it shattered into particles of light.
No second chances.
My instincts took over. I dashed forward, leaping from one unstable surface to another. The platforms weren't just disappearing—they were moving erratically, forcing me to adjust my jumps midair. Every time I thought I had the pattern figured out, the layout shifted, throwing me off balance.
Then, the obstacles began.
From the walls, spikes shot out, aiming to impale anything that moved too slowly. From above, blades of compressed wind sliced downward, forcing me to twist and contort my body to avoid them.
My breath came in sharp bursts. My muscles screamed. But I didn't stop.
I pushed forward, faster, sharper, feeling my body adapt to the rhythm of the course.
Then, just when the finish line came into view—
A shadow loomed overhead.
I barely had time to register the movement before something massive crashed down in front of me.
A figure rose from the impact, its form shifting, unstable.
[Adaptive Opponent Detected: Mercury's Wraith]
The creature stood at least seven feet tall, its body liquid metal that rippled and shifted like mercury. It had no defined face, only a smooth, reflective surface that distorted my own reflection.
Then, it moved.
Fast.
Faster than anything I had ever fought before.
I barely raised my arms in time before its elongated limb lashed out, striking with enough force to send me skidding back. I dug my heels in, activating Earthbound at the last second to keep myself anchored.
The Wraith adapted instantly.
Its next strike was heavier, denser, its form shifting to counter my defense.
My pulse thundered in my ears. If this thing learned from my movements, then brute force wouldn't work. I had to be faster.
Gritting my teeth, I clenched my fists.
If this trial was about speed, precision, and adaptability…
Then it was time to push beyond Earthbound.
The Wraith moved before I could even fully process its existence.
It flowed toward me, shifting like liquid metal, its body rippling with unnatural speed. The moment I blinked, it was already in front of me, its elongated arm lashing out like a whip of mercury.
I barely had time to react. Earthbound!
My body became an unyielding fortress, rooted in place as I raised my arms to block. The Wraith's attack slammed into me like a hammer, sending shockwaves through my bones. But I held firm—its liquid form dispersed slightly against my hardened stance, like water crashing against a boulder.
I twisted, grabbing hold of its shifting limb and yanking it forward. My fist came down like an iron sledgehammer, crashing into what should have been its chest. The impact sent ripples through its form, its body shuddering—
Then it changed.
The Wraith morphed mid-blow, its mass condensing, becoming denser, heavier. It was learning.
Before I could recover, it countered.
A spike burst from its arm, spearing toward my stomach. My instincts screamed. I twisted at the last second, the blade grazing my ribs instead of impaling me outright. Pain flared, but I forced myself to move, rolling away before it could follow up.
I gritted my teeth. It was adapting too fast.
My usual strategy—**enduring, overpowering, breaking through—**wasn't going to work here. The longer I relied on brute force, the stronger this thing would become.
So I had to switch tactics.
I exhaled sharply, pushing off the ground. The second my feet touched down, I didn't stop moving.
The Wraith lunged, a liquid spear forming from its wrist, aiming to impale me again. But this time, I was ready.
Instead of blocking, I let my body flow.
I shifted at the last possible moment, stepping just past its strike and twisting around its extended limb. Speed over power.
My fist lashed out, striking the creature's side—then again, and again, in rapid succession. I didn't give it time to adapt. Each blow landed in a different spot, my attacks unpredictable, erratic.
The Wraith staggered, its form rippling from the constant barrage.
Then, I saw it—
A faint delay in its movement.
I had finally forced it to process too much at once.
I capitalized on the opening.
Pivoting sharply
I dropped low, sweeping its legs out from under it. The Wraith's liquid form faltered, struggling to maintain balance as it writhed mid-air. Before it could recover, I launched upward, driving my fist into its chest with all my strength.
BOOM.
The impact sent the creature crashing into the far wall, leaving a dent in the metal. It slithered back onto its feet, but I could tell—it wasn't as fluid as before. It was slowing down.
I was forcing it to stay on the defensive.
Good.
But then, the Wraith shifted again.
Its form compressed, condensing into a perfect humanoid shape—sleek, sharp, faster. Its faceless head turned toward me, and for the first time, I felt something strange from it. Recognition.
It had adjusted to me.
Before I could react, it vanished.
No.
Not vanished—accelerated.
A silver blur whipped around me, faster than my eyes could track. I turned sharply, trying to predict where it would attack from, but—
CRACK!
A blow slammed into my ribs, sending me flying. My back hit the ground hard, the impact shaking through my bones. I coughed, rolling back to my feet, but the second I did—
Another strike.
This time to my shoulder. Then my back. My legs. My side.
It was like fighting lightning.
I barely saw the attacks before they landed. Each time I moved to counter, the Wraith was already somewhere else.
I gasped for breath. Earthbound made me tough, but toughness wouldn't win this fight.
It had learned.
Now it was faster.
I clenched my fists.
I couldn't keep up with it as I was now.
Then adapt.
I forced myself to breathe slower, more controlled, despite the pain. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I focused on what I had learned so far. Patterns. Timing. Movement.
The Wraith wasn't just attacking randomly.
It was using momentum.
A plan formed. It was risky—but at this rate, I wouldn't last much longer anyway.
The Wraith moved again, closing in like a silver streak. This time, I didn't react immediately.
I waited.
It closed the distance in an instant—then struck.
At the last second, I twisted my body, flowing with the attack instead of resisting it. The Wraith's momentum carried it just a bit further than intended—leaving it open.
NOW.
I planted my foot hard into the ground—Earthbound surging through me.
Then, I swung.
Full force.
My fist collided with its center mass. This time, the blow landed cleanly—cracking through its shifting form.
The Wraith staggered back, its body rippling violently. I didn't let up.
I lunged forward, grabbing hold of its arm and yanking it toward me. Then, I pivoted, driving my elbow into its torso—again and again.
BREAK.
The Wraith convulsed, its form struggling to keep itself together. The more I struck, the more unstable it became—like a glass of water sloshing over.
One final blow.
I reared my fist back, pouring everything I had left into one last attack. My muscles tensed, my energy focused—
And I struck.
The impact tore through the Wraith's core.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then—
Its body collapsed inward, melting into a puddle of silver liquid before vanishing into the void.
[Boss Defeated: Mercury's Wraith]
I stumbled back, breathing hard.
I did it.
I had won.
Then, the system chimed.
[Mercury's Requiem Unlocked.]