Part Three – Struggle for Survival

*Crunch crunch crunch*

I’d been hearing this rather disturbing sound for at least five minutes or so. The only problem was that I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. It didn’t sound like a beetle, so it must be something else. Something else which I certainly didn’t want to meet. Of course, if my wishes were respected here I’d have never ended up in this damn maze in the first place.

*Bang……splat*

Just as I was turning to run away, the wall beside me burst open and a giant maggot flopped to the ground. Holy crap! And I thought the beetles were gross. This looks like it came out of a nightmare. Wait, no! I don’t have time to debate myself here.

The maggot reared up, and spat out a glob at me. Obviously, I dodged to the side, however, since we were in a hallway, there wasn’t much room to maneuver. Some of the mucus splattered my pants, and immediately began to sizzle. Acid, great. One direct hit and I’d be a puddle.

I decided against this fight, and I quickly did an about face and took off running. Cowardly, I know, but do you expect me to fight a giant acid-spitting maggot? As I ran through the halls, I could hear the maggot squirming on the ground, accompanied by the same crunching sound I head earlier. Well, that was one mystery I didn’t need answered.

At this rate, I wasn’t going to get away, so I did another about face and ran towards where the maggot was. If I do this right, I should win. Maybe, hopefully. Honestly, this was a gamble, but I had no other way to kill the maggot.

As I got closer, it yanked its upper body out of the hole, and prepared to fire another acid glob at me. I triggered Skanda, while going into a baseball side towards the wall. Sliding under the acid, I disengaged Skanda, stood up and slammed my pipe into the maggot's head. Shrieking, it tried to turn to face me, but was too long. I just kept hitting it over and over until it stopped moving.

“Hah hah, ugh, I hate this place.”

Ugh, my clothes got ruined by the slime coming off the maggot. Still, at least it was dead.

*Crunch crunch crunch*

“Fuuuuuck!” I immediately took off running.

***

Somehow, I managed to kill the second maggot, but my pipe ended up ruined in the process. It probably wouldn’t survive a third encounter. I needed a new weapon and fast. Retracing my steps, I returned to the last room I’d found, and scavenged for a new pipe, Nothing.

If I don’t get a weapon I’m screwed. Wait didn’t I have this thought before? I may have been talking to myself too much. Wait, what's that sound?

*Splat…splat…splat*

It didn't sound like a beetle or maggot, but I quickly hid behind some crates just in case.

*Splat…splat…splat*

Oh, um? Turns out out I was just paranoid. It was a fish. A jumping fish. Why, you ask? I don’t know. Feeling an odd sense of disappointment, I used Analyze on it.

Jumping Piranha

Rank: F

What’s that, you think there should be more? Well so do I, but that’s all we get. Kinda bland, though a bit of info is loaded into my mind each time I use it. Hm, what was the name of the maggot? Nope don’t care, it’s a giant maggot, what else do you need?

Honestly, I wasn’t worried. Based on the name it’ll probably try to jump up and bite me, but I should be able to avoid that now. Just as I suspected, when I revealed myself, it immediately jumped at me. Sidestepping, I swiped it with my pipe and sent it flying into a nearby wall, where it splattered. I mean splattered, like its blood oozed out. Phew, that was refreshing.

*Splat…splat…splat* *Splat…splat…splat* *Splat…splat…splat*

Uh oh. Turning around, I realized I was surrounded by fish, and much too late, Analyze's info told me that Jumping Piranha travel in swarms.

***

Hey everyone, have you heard about this great new craze? *Splat splat splat splat splat* It’s basically wack-a-mole, but with fish that’ll tear your throat out if you mess up. *Splat splat splat splat splat* It’s great cardio and it tests your hand eye coordination. *Splat splat splat splat splat* If you act now, I’ll let you take my place and have all this fun to yourself. Trust me!

*Splat splat splat splat splat*

Gah, how many are there!? The only reason I’m still alive is because they’re so weak, that a single smack or stomp is enough to kill them. Even with that, I can’t avoid all of them at the same time, so I’m covered in small scrapes and cuts.

*Splat splat splat splat splat*

Finally, I’ve killed all but three. The first jumps for my throat, but I quickly dodge and jump towards the second as it leaps, intercepting it. Then I go back to the first and stomp on it, crushing its, I don’t know, do jumping fish have spinal columns? Once the third jumps and I intercepted it, smashing it into the ground, I collapsed, gasping for air.

Honestly, I think I’m more tired than when I fought the maggots. Who knew fish were so tough? Just as I felt a nice nap coming on, a familiar voice entered my head.

::Individual has met requirements to unlock Title: Razor’s Edge. Acquired Normal Skill: Survival Instinct.::

……What!?

***

Status

Race: Human

Age: 22

State: Healthy

Titles: Razor's Edge

Rank: F

Skills

Normal Skills: Analyze, Survival Instinct

Special Skills: Skanda Rank F

I don’t believe it. After all that I get a title and a skill? Okay, what's the rub? Nothing good has happened since I got here, and now your throwing this out. I don’t buy it.

Razor’s Edge – Title awarded to one who has participated in ten life or death fights. Grants the skill Survival Instinct and a bonus to Speed and Agility.

Survival Instinct – Passive skill. Alerts user to nearby dangers. Detects not only monsters, but also traps and natural dangers. Can be fooled by other Skills.

Huh? These are actually pretty good. Though wouldn’t any fight count as life-or-death? As I was going over my new status, I noticed several sudden lights out of the corner of my eye. Wait, item drops! I did just kill a whole swarm of fish. It wouldn’t be odd for a few things to drop. Heheheheheh, my time has only just started.

Vagabond's Armor

Rank: F

Effect: Slight increase in Endurance

Description: Armor that an aimless wanderer would use. Of low quality, it only barely provides more protection than rags.

Vagabond's Pants

Rank: F

Effect: Slight increase in Agility

Description: Pants that an aimless wanderer would use. Of low quality, it only barely provides more protection than rags

Weapon Belt

Rank: F

Effect: None

Decription: A slotted belt that can hold up to five weapons

Butcher's Knife

Rank: F

Effect: Increased damage to flesh

Description: A knife who’s sole purpose is to cut meat.

Scaleskin Gloves

Rank: E

Effect: Slight increase to Strength

Description: Cloth gloves with Jumping Piranha scales sewn on. The scales provide a surprising level of protection.

After all the fighting I’d done, my pajamas were a complete mess. Not only were they covered in blood and slime, but the fish had ripped countless holes in them. While I’d be sad to see them go, the Armor I got would be far more helpful. And since I got an actual weapon, I can get rid of this pipe! Or so I’d like to say, but exploring with only one weapon would be pretty dangerous.

***

*Geeeeeeh*

As the maggot before me shrieked its last, I yanked my knife out of its head, and wiped the slime off the blade. Ever since I got fully equipped, fighting has been somewhat easier. Though, I still have to take a break after each fight. Still, even considering that, the knife I got is very effective at cutting. Just a single slash is enough to leave a large wound in the maggots, though I haven’t tested it on the fish or beetles yet. Hm? Another set of boots, huh? To bad I don’t have a bag of some sort to carry these.

Though my sense of time was never very good even during normal events, I figured that about one day had gone by. However, throughout my time in here I hadn’t ever gotten hungry or thirsty. Neither did I need to use the bathroom. I couldn’t tell if this was the system at work or some other phenomenon. I was simply spending my time killing any monsters I came across.

*Heavy breathing*

Hm? A chill just went down my spine, that’s probably Survival Instinct at work. Which means whatever is breathing nearby is seriously bad news. I’d felt that shiver several times now, usually just before a monster reveled itself. So it was a good bet that I should retreat. But, I ain’t gonna do that. If I don’t find out what that is I’ll never get out of here.

Creeping along the hall, I eventually came to a corner. Peeking around it, I saw what at first glance looked like a person. No way, if that’s a person, they’d have to be eight feet tall, And very hairy. Just in case I used Analyze on it, and felt my blood freeze.

Minotaur Cub

Rank: E

Description: Guards the stairs to the second layer of the Nightmare Labyrinth.

Wha!? An E Rank? How do I deal with this!? There’s no way I can kill it. Look at the size of the axe its holding. That thing could split me in two. Crap, I was gonna have to pull back for now. Seriously though, that was a minotaur cub? How big are full grown Minotaurs?