章 12: A sick joke?
Another Fine-Grade item? Kaden was speechless.
With a single kill, he leveled up three times and also gained seven silver coins and three items, two of which were special consumables. This snake itself was a sack of treasure. Moreover, the main treasure was yet to be opened.
Kaden quickly opened the system interface to access the new inventory feature that opens at level 10.
In 'Apocalypse Online, ' Level 10 could be considered as the main starting point. Every player gets a 10-slot inventory space on reaching level 10. They are also able to learn skills, use magic and officially choose a class.
But the game itself was more fluid when it came to classes, and there was no strict rule to select a class or even adhere to one, resulting in players being able to mix and match various skills.
Though Kaden was not planning on doing this because the main classes had the most optimal distribution of skills, and it was very difficult to acquire skill books as loot. The irregular players who chose to pick their own path ended up struggling more often than not.
However, all of that had to wait. For now, Kaden only had eyes for the treasure in front of him.
He chucked his carry bag and backpack aside like they were yesterday's news, making room for his precious haul. Then, without a second thought, he took a daring leap into the murky pond, plunging down to the bottom where the real treasure lay buried.
As he neared the chest, his eyebrow arched in disbelief. The treasure chest that had seemed so majestic and shiny from afar turned out to be a rusty old relic up close.
The game had only three types of treasure chests - bronze, silver, and gold. This one didn't fit the bill. Was it some kind of sick joke? Were players in his previous life right to ridicule those who claimed to find treasure here?
Or wait, if it was not bronze, silver or gold, could it be something even better?
'Please be something good!' Praying inwardly, he reached out and grabbed the rusty handle. It let out a squeak and a groan as if it had just awakened from a century-long nap.
Holding his breath, he braced himself for disappointment as he expected the lid to open and reveal... nothing.
But reality had a different plan.
In the blink of an eye, darkness engulfed him, leaving Kaden screaming like a school girl. It felt like he was being teleported but with a twist. Literally. He felt his insides churn and twist as if a cosmic blender was making a smoothie out of his body.
Finally, the torment ceased, and Kaden found himself unceremoniously deposited onto a rough and unforgiving surface. "Where the hell am I?" he groaned, trying to shake off the disorientation.
In the dim light that seeped into the chamber, Kaden's eyes adjusted to his surroundings. He found himself sitting in a cavernous chamber, shrouded in shadows.
The only source of light emanated from a small opening at the top, revealing a staircase that seemed to be made of... flesh and bones?
Before he could stomach this, the stench in the air assaulted Kaden's nostrils like an unholy combination of sweaty gym socks and rotting cheese. He gagged, struggling to keep his intestines down.
What was going on? Where the hell was he?
Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, Kaden took a closer look around.
And that's when the full horror hit him like a truckload of zombie guts. The entire chamber, from the staircase to the spot where he stood, was a grisly spectacle of gore and viscera.
A wave of nausea washed over Kaden, threatening to turn his stomach inside out. What kind of sick nightmare had he stumbled into? This was beyond anything he had ever encountered in the game.
Every fiber of his being screamed at him to run, to escape this grotesque hellhole. But also, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the macabre scene. It was like a train wreck he couldn't look away from, even though he knew it would scar him for life.
Wanting to know where exactly he was, he took slow, deliberate steps toward the staircase made of flesh and bones.
With each step, the flesh squirmed and wriggled beneath his feet as if the very essence of pain and suffering infused the ground underneath him. The bones cracked and moaned under his weight, amplifying the ghastly symphony that filled the air.
Standing at the foot of the staircase, Kaden hesitated. Was this the way out? Or was it some sick trap? He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever lay ahead.
Just as he was about to take the first step, the ground beneath him trembled and collapsed, sinking into an abyss of darkness.
Kaden's heart raced. This was it. He now had no other choice. He had to go up the staircase or else he was going to be buried alive.
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