One of the problems with my immortality gift, was that my body did not begin to heal itself until after I was already dead. As a result, I would sometimes spend a few minutes in painful agony when the Minotaur gave me fatal damage, but chose not to finish me off immediately. Something that became more common as the match when on. 

At the moment, it had been a few minutes since the Minotaur had sent me flying, and my body how long finished healing itself. Walking towards the direction where the Minotaur was laying down, I turned his rather heavy head around and pulled the knife that was sticking out from his forehead.

Taking a good look at his frame, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of envy at the fact that he was wearing pants. After all, what did a beast like him need them for?

Normally in games you get some loot from the monster you killed. However, I can’t really get anything from this big guy. His cleaver is way too large for me to carry around. And his shorts are way too wide to even fit me. Not that I’m interested in wearing his nasty ass shorts. Shouldn’t there at least be a monster core or something else? Nah, I wouldn’t even have something to carry them with me. Let’s just take the knife with me and try to find out where the fuck I am.

As I said that, I began making my way to the exit. At the same time as I was walking, I decided to check on something that I was curious about…

Alright, it doesn't look like I lose any of my stats if I die. But damn, how the fuck did my luck decrease? I wonder if there’s a way to get my luck into at least a net-zero value, can’t say it’s a good feeling to walk around in this dark place with shit luck. I might honestly never find my way out of this place if my luck decreases too much… 

Let’s not worry about that for now. My vitality seems to have increased by 32 points, which I guess makes it harder to kill me, but it’s not like I really benefit from that. My agility and endurance seem to have also increased a good amount, which I guess is due to all the running around I did. Guess I can just increase my stats by putting in some effort. Hmm, it might not be such a bad idea to take the cleaver with me, it might help increase my strength stat.

As that thought crossed my mind, I went back to where I had left the cleaver before picking it up and heaving it over my shoulder. Then, with the large and heavy cooking knife pressing down on my shoulder, I began making my way out of the cave once again.

Man this fucking floor really isn’t comfortable to walk on. I could really use a pair of running shoes right now. Shit, even just some cheap reeboks would do. Hopefully there won’t be another Minotaur waiting outside for me. I don’t want to spend another three hours playing with another stupid bull. Especially since they can easily kill me. Really, you would think I’d be used to dying after all the times that stupid bull got me. But the truth is, every time I wake up I can’t help but feel myself panicking and body shaking. After all, who knows if this ability will work forever… 

I guess I should be thankful I’m not particularly scared of the dark or claustrophobic, although I can’t say this place doesn’t give me the creeps. Well, I’m finally leaving this cave. Seems the corridor right outside it is a lot tighter than the cave. Walls are about four to five meters apart from each other, and the roof is only about six meters up. I guess it makes it harder to get surrounded by enemies, but it doesn’t really leave much space for me to run if something appears before me. Let’s see what’s in this-

Turning around, my flight reaction immediately activated as I got the fuck out of there. My entire body was shaking and I couldn’t make out a single thought aside from thinking that the cave I had just spent three hours in wasn’t as bad as I had previously thought.

Once I was back in the safety of the cave, I moved to one of the sides away from the entrance before lying against the wall as I began to pant. Not soon after, however, I began to laugh to myself as I thought about the ridiculousness of the situation, as well as how pathetic I was.

Really, is that how it is, is that how my bad luck manifests itself. That’s what I get for thinking that the situation wasn’t too bad. Jinxed myself really. 

After walking out of the cave, I had begun following a curved path that led me towards the rest of whatever this underground place was, although I was beginning to feel pretty positive that this underground cave like system might be a dungeon. Regardless of what this place was, the most important thing is what I had seen once I had reached the end of the curve. I mean really, what are the odds that I would find the exact thing I’m not good with. Not only that, they really looked as if they belonged in hell…

What did I find that had me sitting here laughing like a maniac?

Dogs.

Lots of dogs.

Lots of demonic looking dogs patrolling the place.

God, I can’t believe I’m panicking this much from some simple ugly dogs. I mean, I just killed a Minotaur that’s many times more massive than anyone of them. Yet here I am far more scared of these stupid canines than when that giant bull demon was staring me down… 

Honestly, I hope those bastards didn’t see me. Because I know damn well I’m not confident in being able to fight my way through all of them. There weren’t any crystals there so it was quite dark, and the moss that provided some light wasn’t exactly doing too great of a job. Although I doubt dogs really need to rely on sight to discover prey, so I guess it’s made for their advantage. Really, why are they even standing out there? You’d think they would have heard the fight between the Minotaur and me long ago. Or could it be that I haven’t aggroed them yet. Man this so much fucking bull-

At that moment, one of the hellhounds made its appearance. In response, I immediately got up and picked up heaved the large cleaver over my shoulder.

Really goddess, if this is part of your plan to improve my character, I think it’s a pretty bad joke. Yeah being afraid of dogs isn’t exactly the most heroic thing, but what’s wrong with having a few things you’re scared of here and there. Also I doubt that the best way to overcome a trauma is to face it head on with it looking exactly as in your nightmares. These things are better taken slowly goddess.

While I was thinking such things, the hellhound had immediately found me to the right side of the cave, and he began to growl and slowly approach me. It didn’t seem like there were any more of them coming, which brought up some questions on my mind about how the agro system worked, or if it was a rule that only one could come at a time. However, I didn’t have time to think about it right now as the hellhound entered into a sprint.

Trying to get the timing right, I swung down the cleaver before the hellhound got to me, a bit early since it took me a while to get the motion going and I had to make sure the cleaver would intercept him on time. However, as a result of this, the hellhound had more than enough time to anticipate my actions and dodged right before launching himself at my arm. 

The hellhound’s bite was unlike anything I could have imagined. It immediately snapped my bone and it’s canines fully punctured through my arm. Not satisfied with this, the canine then began to release fire from his mouth that scorched not only my right arm, but the right side my abdomen as well. 

As a result of its force, I had fallen to the ground where, seeing the knife laying right there, I picked it up and desperately swung it at the hellhounds head. Surprisingly, the hellhound didn’t dodge and took the knife to its head which killed him.

I pushed the hellhound off my arm, and seeing the mangled remains, and smelling the unique stench of burned flesh, I ended up throwing up despite there not being anything in my stomach to throw up.

With my heart beating my rapidly on my chest, I though about the events that had just transpired and thought to myself that it hadn’t actually gone all that bad, despite the fact that one of my arms was destroyed and I had severe burns.

Wait, it did go wrong. If I didn’t have the gift of immortality, this injury would have been a death sentence and another hellhound would have done me in. Or I would just have died from the injury. Fuck, I’m already starting to lose my sensibilities. 

Knowing that the severe injury I had received would incapacitate me and make me unable to go on, I picked up the knife and pointed it at myself.

Up to this point, my body was moving thanks to adrenaline. I had just defeated a Minotaur, faced one of my phobias and defeated it, and was now even contemplating killing myself so that my body could heal. When I thought about how quickly I had accepted the thought of taking my own life, I felt a shudder go through my body as I dropped the knife in my hand. 

I didn’t know if killing myself would have the same results as if someone else killed me, and I also didn’t think it was exactly healthy for me to think so casually about suicide. However, the more time passed, the more unbearable the pain from my injuries were becoming. And I knew that sooner or later, I would be dead even if I didn’t take my life.

Fuck it, if I actually die then I die. It’s not like I’m particularly excited to remain in this hellhole. I also have a few things to say that goddess, so I wouldn’t mind getting another chance to meet her again. Fuck man my body hurts, let’s just get this over with…

With those thoughts, I grabbed the knife and pointed it to my heart. My hand was shaking, and I still felt an intrinsic desire to not end my own life screaming at me to stop.  Ignoring it, I pulled the knife back before thrusting it towards myself at full power. However, before it could penetrate me, I stopped it just as it reached my chest. 

At this point I was panting heavily, my body shaking even more, my brain telling me that my actions were insane. I slowly began to move the knife away, thinking twice about my actions. Thinking-

In an instant, I had pushed the knife into myself. This time, hitting my intended target. In an instant of inspiration, not giving my brain enough time to question its actions, I moved my arm instinctively without thought and pushed the knife into my heart.

Although I felt a gripping, terrifying pain for a moment, my consciousness soon faded as I died once more. This time, by my own hands. Three seconds later, I was awake once more. Perfectly healthy, and still trapped in this shitty dungeon, looking over at my stats, I noticed that my luck had decreased by 10 more points since the last time. It seemed that while I would still survive, it was not in my best interest to kill myself unless an emergency called for it.

Facing the exit, I only took the small knife with me this time as I decided to accept the goddesses challenge. If there was ever a chance to overcome my irrational fear of dogs it might as well be now, and it didn’t particularly look as if the goddess was giving me an option on the matter anyway…