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“AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGHH!!!!”

The piercing scream of Reiji tore through the air, a primal cry of anguish that echoed with a haunting intensity. It carried the weight of unbearable pain and desperation, a sound that would send a chill down the spines of all who were unfortunate enough to hear it. 

Crushed beneath the massive debris of the collapsed bridge, his body lay in a state of utter devastation. Every fiber of his being screamed in torment, his once strong and capable form reduced to a broken and mangled shell.

His limbs, once agile and responsive, now lay motionless and twisted, contorted by the unforgiving weight that bore down upon them. The excruciating pressure pressed against his battered frame, each breath a labored gasp as his lungs fought against the crushing force of the debris. 

The jagged edges of metal and concrete bit into his flesh, leaving deep lacerations that oozed crimson rivulets of blood, staining his torn clothing and melding with the dust and dirt that clung to his wounded body. 

Reiji's least dominant arm, a mere remnant of its former strength, spasmed and flailed in a futile attempt to free itself from the relentless grip of the wreckage. But the injuries were too severe, the pain too consuming. 

His feeble movements served only to further aggravate his shattered bones and torn muscles, eliciting new waves of agony that coursed through his entire being. Time seemed to slow as Reiji lay trapped, suspended between the realms of life and death. 

The relentless torment gnawed at his consciousness, twisting his thoughts and distorting his perception. Every passing second felt like an eternity, the weight of his suffering becoming an oppressive burden that threatened to crush his spirit as mercilessly as the debris had crushed his body. 

As a consequence of the significant loss of blood and the complete depletion of his mana, compounded by the relentless inner turmoil plaguing him and the relentless assault on his weary body, he swiftly succumbed to unconsciousness.

***

Drip…

Drip...

The steady rhythm of dripping water resonated in the claustrophobic space, its chilling touch splattering across Reiji's visage and infiltrating his dry mouth. Gradually, his eyelids fluttered open, unveiling the dimly illuminated environment. 

Wincing with discomfort, he struggled to elevate his body, grimacing at the weight of the rubble pressing upon him only to be greeted by a searing pain coursing through his limbs. Every movement felt like shards of glass tearing into his flesh. 

As his weary gaze adjusted to the dimly lit space, he was reminded that his body was buried under a mound of debris, trapped and imprisoned in this forsaken place. Looking down at his body, Reiji's eyes widened in disbelief. 

The wounds that had marred his body mere moments ago now faded into nothing more than faint scars. Yet, an excruciating pain surged through every inch of his body, contorting his once-composed features into a visage of anguished grimace. 

His jaw clenched tightly as his eyes narrowed, emanating an intense glare that pierced through the oppressive darkness. As the excruciating torment coursed through his veins, Reiji's mana surged forth, pulsating with unrestrained power. 

Like a raging inferno, his mana spread, consuming his entire being, as he intensified the flow of his inner energy. His amethyst irises, now infused with a dark aura, flared to life, radiating an ominous glow in the dim surroundings. 

With a surge of power, the debris that had weighed him down began to tremble and strain under the force of his unleashed energy. 

The very ground quivered in response, unable to contain the pressure emanating from Reiji’s body. As he increased the multiplier on his ability, {Body Augmentation}, his body strained under immense pressure, showing signs of internal damage. 

Sweat began to form at his brows as blood trickled from his nose and eyes, a testament to the toll his own ability was exacting on him. Ignoring the pain, Reiji pushed beyond his limits, his muscles trembling with exertion as he gradually lifted the debris off himself. 

His veins pulsed with dark energy, intertwining with his surging mana. As mentioned earlier, this ability bore a resemblance to the Super Saiyan transformation, but it was more akin to the Kaio-ken technique. 

Like the Kaio-ken, it granted the user a significant boost in base power level, strength, speed, and sensory awareness for a brief period. However, despite Reiji's mastery of {Mana Manipulation}, he was unable to mitigate the inherent drawbacks of this ability.

Intense muscle spasms, excruciating pain, and profound weakness plagued him after prolonged use. Adding to the fact that his body had healed, the remnants of pain from his fall continued to linger, tormenting him with each movement. Needless to say, he was currently engulfed in immense agony.

“HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Reiji's roar reverberated through the labyrinth, a chilling sound that echoed in the air, piercing it with its primal pitch. It carried the raw power of his darkness-infused energy, resonating with the depths of his being. 

His body trembled as he gathered his remaining strength, determined to push through the agony and tap into his power once more. With a surge of will, his dark energy intensified, causing the air around him to crackle with an ominous aura. 

As dust swirled around him, the ground beneath him began to crack, forming a small crater. With a primal scream, Reiji launched himself backward, propelled by the raw force of his surge. His muscles strained, but he ignored the pain, his eyes fixed on the debris still hovering in the air.

Reacting swiftly, Reiji leaped backward, his legs trembling with exhaustion as he dropped to one knee. He observed as the debris crashed back to the ground, producing a resounding thud. The impact stirred up a cloud of dust, enveloping the area and causing Reiji to shield his face, coughing.

Gradually, the dust settled, revealing a scene of desolation. Reiji, still coughing, examined his hand and noticed it stained crimson with his own blood. His nose and eyes were also bleeding, a testament to the severity of his injuries.

Leaning against the cold, unforgiving wall, Reiji struggled to catch his breath, each inhalation a painful reminder of his depleted strength. Fatigue gripped his body, making even the simplest movements arduous. 

The consequences of pushing his limits were evident – torn muscles throbbed with agony, his mana reserves were drained to their limits, and the steady trickle of blood served as a grim reminder of his injuries. 

As he closed his eyes, seeking a moment's respite from the overwhelming fatigue, a distinct sound reached his ears—the rhythmic drops of water hitting a surface. Opening his eyes, his gaze was drawn to a solitary stone casting a feeble glow in the dimly lit, confined space.

“This... is...” The source of the liquid was a basketball-sized crystal that emitted a pale blue light.

The crystal was buried into the wall around it, and the liquid was pouring out from underneath it. It had an aura of wondrous beauty about it. The light it emitted was just a shade darker than an aquamarine. 

Reiji stared at it in wonder, his pain momentarily forgotten. Then, as if drawn to it, he mustered his strength and crawled towards the stone, his movements sluggish and strained. 

Pressing his lips against the cool surface, a surge of energy coursed through his body, dispelling the pain, haze, and fatigue that had enveloped him. The sensation left Reiji in awe, confirming his suspicion that the crystal had indeed been the catalyst for his survival. 

In this desolate place, where liquid was scarce, it was evident that the crystal held the key to his rejuvenation. Though the wounds from his injuries and the loss of blood would never be fully healed, the rest of his injuries and the depletion of his mana were instantly restored.

Though Reiji didn’t know it, the crystal was actually a “Divinity Stone.” Divinity Stones were rare crystals and are considered to be one of the world’s greatest historical treasures. Modern-day people thought of them as a lost legends.

Divinity Stones were created when a large clump of mana pooled together and crystallized over the course of a thousand years. They ranged from thirty to forty centimeters in diameter, and then over the course of a few hundred years their saturated mana liquefied and poured back into the earth.

The liquid they secreted was known as Ambrosia, and it healed all wounds. It couldn’t regrow missing limbs, but supposedly it extended one’s life so long as they continued to drink it and was also referred to as the elixir of life. Legend claims that Ehit healed the masses with this very Ambrosia.

Reiji, fully conscious of his narrow escape from the clutches of death, slumped against the cold, damp wall of his confinement. The passage of time was a mystery to him in this desolate place, but one thing remained clear in his mind: he needed to escape this hellish abyss.

***

Four days had passed since Reiji had fallen into the Labyrinth.

During the time he spent trapped within the confines of debris and cave walls surrounding him, Reiji had been clawing away at the walls. Despite his proficiency in magic, Reiji's lack of affinity towards Earth Magic limited his options. 

The spells at his disposal were predominantly defensive and offensive, offering no solutions for burrowing through tight spaces.

Blowing his way out was not a viable option either, as the close proximity would expose him to the resulting blast. Moreover, reducing the spell's output risked triggering a cascade of debris, potentially trapping him further or even causing his demise at the hands of lurking unknown monsters.

The further one ventured into the labyrinth, the stronger and more formidable the lurking creatures became. 

If Reiji couldn't even confront a Behemoth with a group of inexperienced individuals possessing overpowered abilities, it was clear that he wouldn't stand a chance against a more formidable opponent without proper preparation and knowledge of their capabilities.

As he relied on the Divinity Stone for sustenance, he remained alive, but hunger gnawed at him incessantly. However, while Ambrosia could sustain a person through unimaginable conditions, it failed to alleviate his insatiable hunger. 

Although he could not succumb to death's embrace, Reiji was tormented by ceaseless waves of hunger, accompanied by phantom pains that plagued his body.

He couldn’t sleep because of the pain and hunger, and if he drank more Ambrosia, all it did was clear his mind to let him feel the pain more vividly. Over and over, his fatigue brought him to the edge of consciousness, only for the pain and hunger to draw him back. 

And then to escape the pain he would drink more Ambrosia, which only invited further pain. He had repeated that cycle more times than he could count. At some point, Hajime stopped drinking Ambrosia altogether. He had unconsciously chosen the fastest way to end his pain.

“If all that awaits me is eternal pain... then I might as well...” Reiji muttered to himself, clearly defeated, and let his consciousness slip away.

Yet another three days passed.

Deprived of Ambrosia's life-sustaining essence, Reiji's body neared the brink of collapse, with only two days left before his demise. In addition to his ravenous hunger, his thirst intensified, intertwining with his insatiable cravings. 

This prolonged deprivation had rendered his body feeble and fragile, draining his mana to the point of depletion. As a consequence, his futile attempts to claw his way out of the confining walls ceased altogether.

Around the eighth day since uncovering the Divinity Stone, an unsettling transformation took hold of Reiji's psyche. 

Caught between yearning for the sweet release of death and fervently desiring deliverance, his mind started to warp, giving birth to sinister thoughts bubbling up from the depths of Reiji’s subconscious.

Like a slimy parasite, these thoughts insidiously seeped into the crevices of his tormented heart, corroding his very soul with each passing moment. Despite his prior experience being surrounded by darkness in the Abyss, he found himself trapped in a perpetual state of subconsciousness. 

With no respite in sleep, the dark thoughts began to gnaw at him relentlessly. The unrelenting pain that engulfed his body served as a constant reminder of his dire predicament, while the looming specter of being trapped within the labyrinth without sustenance haunted his every waking moment.

‘Why do I have to suffer so much...? What did I ever do to deserve this? Why me... Why did it end up like this? Rob just picked me up and dropped me off at this place… Did he do this intentionally?… He never denied that I was a pawn in some twisted game…’ 

A sinister conviction took hold of his fractured mind. Blinded by the agony, hunger, and suffocating darkness, Reiji's thoughts turned towards finding a scapegoat to bear the weight of his suffering. 

Someone had to be held accountable, someone had orchestrated this cruel fate that had befallen him. With each passing moment, his sanity crumbled further, consumed by the festering darkness within.

There was no time to be trapped by such petty feelings. Because no matter how much he raged against his foes, Reiji’s pain never lessened. In order to escape the absurd and unreasonable situation he was stuck in, unneeded feelings had to be discarded.

‘What is it I want? I want to live. Live however I want without anyone stopping me from doing as I please. And what’s stopping me from living? The enemy. And just who is the enemy? Everyone and everything that gets in my way, everything that pushes this unreasonable fate onto me. So what is it I should do? I should... I should…’

On the tenth day, Reiji succumbed to the merciless grip of unconsciousness, a dire consequence of his unyielding hunger and obstinate refusal to consume the life-sustaining Ambrosia.

And in the depths of his unconsciousness, Reiji found himself standing through a vast expanse of darkness.