Footsteps echoed down hallways that multiplied like veins.

  In the tunnels, each section spread dozens of meters wide, matching the size of the creature that lived within. With no wind to guide him or cracks to let in light, Noah had to rely on the system's instructions while the echoes of his own footsteps confused his sense of direction. The air was heavy, yet it didn’t bother him. Due to the passage of time, humidity condensed into drops that sometimes dripped around him. He always looked, pausing for a moment, even though he’d never found anything. Perhaps because it had been used for so long, the earth bore the marks of the beast's passage, making the ground smooth and easy to walk on. Yet in some places, those markings were absent, and Noah couldn’t understand why the system had led him to places where this was so obvious.

  — Are you sure the egg is around here?

  [...Of course, don’t worry.]

  With no marks at all, the stones protruded from the ground, wall, and ceiling with ease, making the path more fitting to what one would expect from an underground tunnel. Would it be strange to say he found it less frightening than the area he’d been in moments before? Noah didn’t think so. Evidence of the semi-dragon’s passage was what truly set his heart racing when the droplets crashed to the floor. He feared something else might emerge from the darkness to wrap around him suddenly, even though he held onto the idea that it signaled he was walking a kind of safe path, and to him, it seemed as clear as a sun-drenched day even before the appearance of bluish tips that glowed in the surroundings, lighting his way ahead. At some point, he even stopped caring about the drops in this new environment.

  — Is this the place? — he asked, standing before a hole that opened in the ground.

  The system confirmed, and Noah naturally doubted it. There was a continuation of the path on the other side, he could see, as the crystals over there shone more intensely and numerously. However, the lack of traces left by the semi-dragon made it hard to believe the system's words. The strange orangish-red light on the ground below, not blue like the others, and which also shone there despite being dimmer, unsettled him. It felt warm, oddly so. And seriously, what kind of mother would be far from her own child, even if they were in the same place? The silence even weighed on his thoughts and, shaking his head, he laughed at his own joke.

  He should have thought better of this...

  Noah jumped down into the crater, trusting in his body’s durability and the fact that he could see the bottom of the fall.

  He didn’t feel the impact and was impressed. He had already tested his new capabilities while running through the labyrinths, and his speed was truly amazing. Still, this fall seemed a bit dangerous, and he’d been prepared for some pain or injury. But nothing? It was better than he’d imagined.

  Getting up, he froze. The creature rose majestically, revealing a blazing body whose feathers burned with flames. The heat seemed to seep into his eyes and take shape, swirling around her in reddish-orange fire. This wasn’t a dragon, nor a simple egg. To his surprise, his unfortunate fear was realized, another being that could kill him in an instant or with a mere look had revealed itself as the inhabitant of this place.

  Is that... a phoenix?

  [Certainly.]

  Certainly... Does that look like an egg to you?!

  [...You didn't specify which creature’s egg.]

  Which creature—! Wait! She also has an egg here? And you brought me to this damned place?! Do you want me to die, is that it?!

  The answer took a while, as if tinged with some regret, but it helped to calm him.

  [She’s also dead.]

  Standing still, Noah reconsidered. He was about to kneel to beg for forgiveness if given the chance, but apparently, it wasn't needed.

  Two legendary creatures in the same place, and both dead... How big a coincidence is that? Is that even possible...? He looked at the system, suspicious. Of course not...

  If he asked, he would get no answers, so should he just accept it? He didn’t want to, but now, did he have any other choice? The answer came with a bitter taste in his mouth.

  He circled the creature, careful not to get too close because of the intense heat she emitted. Behind her, colorful crystals caught his attention.

  — What are those things?

  They looked special; some reminded him of the glowing stones now lighting the tunnels and emitted a certain amount of Qi. Maybe they were valuable? Either way, Noah had nothing but the filthy clothes on his back, so he decided it was better to take them.

  [Cultivators' currency; Qi crystals.]

  —...Put everything in the inventory.

  The whole amount vanished.

  For those things, if he tried a little, Noah could imagine reasons for them being there. Since they were something cultivators used, maybe some had dared to come here, fighting the creature, and so their belongings had been left behind. But he didn’t think about it much. He didn’t want to and, in the end, didn’t want to feel worse by considering he might be manipulated or used.

  He sighed and put his thoughts aside.

  Huh? A sword...?

  Swallowing hard, Noah approached the black hilt embedded in the phoenix’s back by slow steps. The heat pushed him back but didn’t burn. Was it thanks to his cultivation or because he’d built his foundation with dragon blood? That might have made him stronger and more resilient than normal cultivators, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps the pressure was a defensive mechanism left by the phoenix to protect what was under her wings, not to kill, but to ward off possible threats. In fact, the pressure faded after some time, though the creature’s body still radiated natural heat.

  Argh!

  On touching the object, Noah’s hands burned. He checked, but found no injury, just redness that soon faded. He turned to the hilt and tried again. Something able to wound a phoenix would certainly be very valuable and powerful. Despite the pain, it was worth the effort.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  He needed to be quick, so he got ready. With his feet in place, he exhaled, gripped the hilt, and pulled with all his might. The result wasn’t much, but it was something. For the first time in this world, he found himself sweating. Yet he couldn’t savor the drops running down his face or body, because they evaporated as soon as they left his pores.

  Just a bit more..., he told himself, convincing himself.

  The sword came loose with a strangely dissatisfied sound, sending him falling back from the force. It turned out to be long, longer than Noah had noticed, and also more beautiful. The blade gleamed as it seemed to absorb the remaining blood clinging to it.

  Is this a... vampire sword?

  Analyzing the dark blade reflecting his own eyes, irises and pupils both red, only the shade changed, he noticed an obvious change he hadn’t seen before.

  — Was this caused by my cultivation? I remember they were supposed to be blue and red, right?

  After the system confirmed, he let it go. One of the reds reminded him of the semi-dragon’s eyes, sending shivers through him. Ironically, his own eyes were similar, he thought it’d be interesting to have snake or cat eyes during the creation of his new body... Maybe he’d change it now, if possible.

  He turned again to the phoenix after storing the sword in his inventory. How hungry could that sword be? No blood seemed to remain. Even so, he nervously reached toward the flaming feathers and swept them away from the wound. Maybe it would be a good thing to use another mystical creature’s blood to grow stronger. However, just brushing his palm along the wound was enough to send him to his knees, breathless, powerless, with his body burning up.

  What is this...?!

  His vision flashed, moments of clarity and then nothing; he couldn’t focus. The pain was unbearable. Without needing to try to absorb it, as if alive, the searing Qi coursed through his insides, carving deep marks, transformations.

  — Like a serene mirror, I reflect the perfect duality of the universe... — he said, fighting to recite the first mantra aloud — Where in every opposite, there lies the path to balance.

  Thus, I breathe tranquility,

  I vibrate in the harmony of contrasts,

  And I renew myself in every instant.

  With each new breath, I dance where lock meets light, and light softens the shadows.

  Within the sacred circle, I find the eternal flow

  Which links calm and action, peace and movement.

  The heat left and his mind calmed once again.

  — Balance... — he muttered, putting an end to that agony.

  With no strength to do otherwise, Noah let himself fall, lying on the floor. His heavy breathing felt hot, maybe hotter than it should have been, as if he was exhaling scalding steam.

  — What happened...? What was that reaction?

  [Your body went into shock, isn’t that obvious?]

  — Obvious..?

  [It is not advisable to use the blood of such powerful creatures for human absorption, especially for the weak ones.]

  [...And you did it twice in a row with different specimens...]

  — I see, I was too hasty...

  Those words sounded strange, causing Noah to fall into thought again. After all, the system itself had induced him to do the same thing with the semi-dragon’s blood without mentioning any possible side effects. Was it truly his haste that was to blame, or was there something more? Some hidden limitation... But for what reason? If the goal was to make him stronger, why limit him at such a moment? He wanted to understand.

  — Oh, and thanks for the warning. That was really useful. — he said, ironically.

  [You’re welcome.]

  He tried to get up, failed. He didn’t have enough strength to keep his legs straight or even stand up using his hands, so he had to use the sword as a crutch just to take the first step. With the phoenix and her egg now stored in his inventory, Noah focused on finding an exit from that pit, one that didn’t require a leap. He didn’t find one, so he had to wait until his body recovered. It took three attempts and an amount of rest he gave up counting before he managed.

  — This time, this is really the right direction, right?

  [...Yes...]

  He did not feel confident in the system’s words.

  [But... why don’t you take a bath first...?]

  His mouth opened, but nothing came out. He considered it for a while, then agreed with a silent nod. He wanted to rid himself of that repulsive odor clinging to him.

  What was once irrelevant, an uneven, hazardous terrain, became a bigger problem than Noah had expected. Dodging rocks jutting from the ground like stakes, navigating slopes or bumps, had all been easy but now required real effort. The challenge grew steeper when the blueish crystals turned into the whole ground, revealing themselves to be slippery under his feet, which lacked much balance or strength.

  — Next corner on the left... — he sighed, relieved as the end came into view.

  [...Next one.]

  He said nothing, holding back. His mind, however, was not as strong.

  Damn you...

  Noah cursed the system a few times, until, at last, he saw the true end in the distance.

  — No more jokes this time, I hope.

  There was no answer.

  — I'll take that as a yes...

  Beyond the pain, the inability to even walk was what bothered him most. Slipping for lack of strength in his legs was irritating. Just a few steps remained to reach the spring, and yet it seemed like an eternity.

  — Is there anything I can do to heal faster? Would refining my body again solve it?

  [Body Refinement is not magic.]

  With one eyebrow raised, Noah’s face made it clear what he was thinking.

  [...You understood.]

  [It won’t solve all your problems, might even worsen some.]

  [But there is something, a healing pill.]

  — I was talking about something viable now. — he sighed.

  [A pill...?]

  Something appeared in the air, small and greenish with five clouds drawn around it. He reached out, struggling to grab it and not collapse. His knees buckled, the impact sending a shock through his body like lightning, trembling everything.

  — You did that on purpose, didn’t you?

  Raising the pill, Noah noticed a sweet herbal scent, it alone eased much of his pain. He considered bringing it to his mouth, but had no time.

  [Warning!]

  [It's not advised to use pills for recovery in such cases.]

  —...Even a pill might worsen physical stress? — he guessed.

  [Yes.]

  Sword stowed, he kept walking, keeping the pill close and using it only to suppress the pain. His steps grew lighter and easier, which was just what Noah had wanted. The environment couldn’t bring him down any longer.

  Turning the corner, he came upon a spring with crystalline waters so clear they seemed to glow, as if emitting their own light apart from the surrounding crystals. He checked the area for threats, then moved closer and took off his dirty clothes.

  His leap sent water splashing everywhere.

  First, he scrubbed away the excess blood and impurities that clung to him, then, with the pill nearby, he rested, letting out a deep breath from his chest.

  From his perspective, only a very short period had passed, and yet it was enough to witness so many incredible things. Terrifying, yes, many truly were horrifying. But incredible nonetheless.

  Looking at his reflection in the water, he wondered what his next steps would be.

  Change takes time and, it seems, the freedom I was promised won’t come so easily...

  With a sigh, he chose to decide after leaving this forest, his sole, current goal.

  The warmth of the spring enveloped him, bringing lightness and clearing his mind in the midst of the water. Noah found himself immersed in a comforting sensation where nothing else mattered.