The thick stench of blood filled Andrew's nostrils as he stood at the edge of the dark red pool, breathing hard, dagger slick with sweat. His heart jackhammered in his chest. Fortis prowled forward, each clawed step radiating power and raw fury.
"You're out of tricks, little insect," Fortis growled. "You bleed like prey. You smell like prey."
Andrew's legs trembled, but he held his ground. He glanced at the sticky surface of the blood pool. It wasn't just blood, it was thick, almost gelatinous. The game's physics were strange. He might be able to use that.
"You talk too much," Andrew muttered, tightening his grip on the dagger. "For a dog."
Fortis snarled and launched himself forward, massive frame cutting the air with terrifying speed.
Andrew dove to the side, splashing into the edge of the blood pool. He slid, his back slamming against a stone, pain exploding through his shoulder. Fortis landed where he had stood a second before, claws ripping the air.
"You're quick. But you're still weak!" the beast bellowed.
Andrew scrambled upright, blood dripping from his clothes. The idea in his head solidified into madness.
"Come on then!" he screamed, waving the dagger like a lunatic. "I'm right here!"
Fortis roared and charged again.
This time, Andrew didn't dodge. He ran towards the pool.
At the last second, he turned and dove in, letting the pool swallow him halfway. The thick blood slowed his movement, but he kept his eyes up, dagger clenched, waiting.
Fortis skidded to a stop at the edge.
"Stupid little....."
Andrew flicked a handful of blood into the beast's face.
Fortis flinched.
Andrew lunged, aiming the dagger up, straight into Fortis' exposed thigh.
The blade sunk in. Fortis howled.
The Alpha swiped blindly and caught Andrew across the chest, sending him flying into a rock wall. He gasped as pain flared, but he forced himself up.
Fortis limped now, blood seeping down his leg. But he was still dangerous. Still fast.
"You're nothing," Fortis snarled. "You're meat that talks!"
Andrew reached down, grabbed another claw from a corpse nearby, and flung it—this time aiming at the beast's eyes.
It missed. But it startled Fortis long enough.
Andrew sprinted, using the jagged terrain. He baited Fortis again and again, dodging claws, slipping through narrow gaps the larger creature couldn't follow through easily. Each time Fortis stumbled, Andrew struck, small, shallow cuts. Nothing fatal.
But they were adding up.
Fortis panted now, his growls deeper, slower.
"You're slowing down, big guy," Andrew said, spitting blood from his mouth. "Too many protein shakes?"
"You're bleeding out," Fortis countered. "One swipe, and you're done."
"Maybe," Andrew admitted, backing toward the edge of a slightly deep fissure behind the blood pool. "But one wrong move from you… and you fall."
Fortis charged with a guttural roar. Andrew sidestepped at the last second just as Fortis slipped in the blood again, momentum carrying him forward. His claws scrambled for purchase on the stone....too late.
With a scream of fury, Fortis plunged into the fissure, slamming against jagged rocks as he fell into the darkness below.
Silence.
Andrew collapsed to his knees, his whole body shaking.
[MISSION COMPLETE: KILL FORTIS]
[REWARD:3000 COINS_ONE FREE DAILY SPIN WHEEL]
[MABESAT MONARCH: 30/1000]
[GUARDIAN SPIRIT: 20/10000]
The prompts blinked into view, cold and unreal.
Andrew blinked blood out of his eyes, too tired to cheer. His arms trembled as he looked down the pit where Fortis had vanished.
"That… was unnecessarily stressful," he muttered. "I need therapy. And maybe a flamethrower."
Then he laughed, half relief, half hysteria. He was alive. Barely. But alive.
And the game wasn't over yet.
Damn!!!!!
"I'm hungry..guess I never thought about that at first?" Andrew muttered, his stomach making weird sounds.
"Do people get hungry in dreams? Weird!"
"Hmmm.."
Andrew scanned the cave looking for what to eat.
"They don't expect me to eat uncooked carcass" He snorted.
"Making it official.. I HATE THIS GAME!!!" He yelled, hunger and anger written all over his face.
Immediately the prompt appeared again.. displaying some sort of online marketing.
It had different categories; food, arsenals, clothing...
"Wonderful!!"
"Huh??? The game has spaghetti and meatballs??"
"Who the hell made this...the creator needs help" He scoffed.
"And here I am thinking I was the weirdest guy on earth"
"50 coins for a plate huh?..okay..sooooo.... should I be expecting someone to deliver it or??"
He was still confused about the game and still needed time to adapt to the rules.
Immediately the food started pixelating in his palms.
"Awesome!! Spaghetti and meatballs..is this safe to eat?" He asked as if there was someone to answer him.
He sat on the edge of a rock and munched the food like a lunatic.
'What day is it?' he thought.
He had watched a lot of movies where the MC spends a night in another world which differs from the time in is world. That one night could be ten years in his world.
'What if I've been here for a century??' he thought stupidly.
'That will definitely be cool!!'
Yepppp!!!! Andrew is a nerdy, stupid, slightly brilliant, wired human being.
'Who knows what kind of creature is waiting for me in Level three'
He belched, and dropped the empty plate.
"Might as well rest here for a while" He decided, yawning.
Meanwhile....
"Dream rot?" Anna was puzzled by what the doctor said. "I've never heard of it before"
"Yes...it's a rare disease that started five years ago..well it's like living in your dream..it something similar to summoning..no what's that word again?" He said trying to remember something.
"Surge?" Anna said to try and clear his doubts.
"Yes..Surge..there are three phases of Surge..the dead phase, Living Dead Phase and the conscious phase"
"The dead phase.. let's just say after a few period of contracting,.most of the patients end up dying from their unconsciousness" he explained further.
"The living dead phase is the phase where the patient's brain stops working, it's like the patient hasn't moved from a spot in his/her dream"
Anna was puzzled by all what the doctor was saying. All she wanted was to hear Andrew's case was minor.
"The conscious phase" the doctor took a deep breath and continued with his explanation. "The patient seems to be going through all sorts of activities in his deep slumber.. their brainwaves moves at an unusual fast rate."
"Well Miss Anna, the good news is Andrew is still in the conscious phase..let's hope he doesn't pass that phase."
Just as the doctor was about to continue, a man walked in. He was looking like a man in his late thirties, wore a black suit and recommended glasses.
"Aah..welcome Mr Huntsman" the doctor greeted, exchanging handshakes with the man.
"Miss Anna, this is Mr Huntsman, his brother is also a victim of Dream Rot..he has being contributing effectively to cure this disease" the doctor say making a gesture to Anna.
"Nice meeting you, young girl" Mr Huntsman said, exchanging pleasantries with Anna.
Anna didn't feel alright with this man.
'There is something off about him' she thought.
"His brother is the only patient to be the conscious state for a year now, without moving to other deadlier phases" the doctor broke the silence.
"Leo Huntsman" he added revealing the patient's name.
'Leo Huntsman' the name echoed in Anna's ears. She felt some sort of feeling after hearing the name.
"Leo Huntsman"