Chapter 23: The Cursed Depths
The stone doors slammed shut behind Dain with a deep, echoing thud.
The sudden silence that followed was almost suffocating.
For a moment, he stood still, letting his eyes adjust to the dim blue glow of the torches that lined the narrow stone corridor ahead. The flames burned without heat, their unnatural flickering casting long shadows on the walls.
A system notification appeared.
[Dungeon Entered: Ruins of Black Hollow]
• Threat Level: HIGH
• Curse Status: ACTIVE
Dain's grip tightened on Silverlight.
This was no ordinary dungeon.
The air itself felt heavy, thick with a presence that did not belong.
Whatever had happened here long ago, the echoes of it still lingered.
And now—he was walking straight into it.
Dain moved forward, his boots barely making a sound against the worn stone floor.
The corridor stretched ahead, narrow and winding, the walls lined with carvings similar to the ones he had seen outside.
Warriors. Monsters. A battle frozen in time.
But now, something was different.
The deeper he went, the more distorted the carvings became.
At first, they showed figures of knights standing tall.
Then—those figures began to change.
Their faces twisted. Their bodies warped.
By the time Dain reached the next chamber, the carvings no longer showed men.
They showed things.
A system notification flashed.
[Lore Fragment Discovered: The Tainted Ones]
• The warriors who once protected this place fell to a dark influence.
• Their bodies changed, their souls corrupted.
• Now, they roam in the darkness, neither living nor dead.
Dain exhaled sharply.
This wasn't just a dungeon.
It was a prison.
And whatever was trapped here…
It wasn't human anymore.
Dain entered a large stone chamber, the blue torches casting an eerie light across massive stone pillars and crumbling archways.
At the far end—a staircase led deeper into the ruins.
But before he could take a step forward—
A cold breeze brushed past him.
A whisper.
Then—movement.
Dain spun, raising Silverlight just in time.
A dark figure lunged from the shadows.
A system notification flashed.
[Enemy Identified: Hollow Knight (Lv.13)]
• Health: 220/220
• Threat Level: High
• Status: Undead, Cursed
The thing that had once been a knight came into view.
Its body was wrapped in decayed armor, its flesh pale and cracked like dried parchment. Its eyes glowed with cold blue fire, its rusted sword raised high.
It charged.
Dain reacted instantly.
He sidestepped, bringing Silverlight up in a tight arc.
The blade clashed against the Hollow Knight's sword, sending a shower of sparks into the air.
Dain pushed forward, striking at its exposed ribs.
[Direct Hit! 45 Damage Dealt]
The Hollow Knight staggered, but it didn't stop.
Instead—it whispered.
A sound that made Dain's skin crawl.
And then—
It moved faster.
The Hollow Knight's blade slashed through the air, unnaturally quick.
Dain barely had time to parry, the impact sending a shockwave through his arms.
Too fast!
But this wasn't just about speed.
Dain had fought hobgoblins, wolves, and even the Reaper Alpha.
But this—
This was different.
Because the Hollow Knight wasn't just attacking.
It was anticipating.
Dain feinted left—but the knight didn't fall for it.
Instead, it pivoted, its sword slashing toward his exposed side.
Dain barely dodged, but the blade cut across his shoulder.
[Health: 95/120]
Pain flared, but he gritted his teeth.
This wasn't just an undead.
It still had the instincts of a warrior.
Dain shifted his stance.
He couldn't match its speed.
So he had to outthink it.
The Hollow Knight lunged again, its sword coming down in a heavy overhead strike.
Dain raised Silverlight—
Then let himself fall backward.
The attack barely missed.
And as the knight's blade hit the ground—
Dain drove Silverlight through its chest.
[Critical Hit! 80 Damage Dealt]
The Hollow Knight let out a hollow, rattling screech.
Its blue eyes flickered.
Dain didn't let it recover.
He twisted the blade—then yanked it free.
The knight staggered, fell to one knee—
Then collapsed into dust.
A system notification appeared.
[Enemy Defeated: Hollow Knight]
+250 Experience Gained
Dain exhaled sharply.
That had been too close.
If all the enemies here were like this…
Then this dungeon was going to be his hardest challenge yet.
Dain wiped sweat from his brow, stepping over the pile of dust where the knight had fallen.
A notification appeared.
[Dungeon Status: Curse Growing Stronger]
• The deeper you go, the more the curse will take hold.
Dain stiffened.
He looked toward the staircase leading further down.
The air shimmered, faint whispers echoing from below.
The system wasn't just warning him.
It was challenging him.
He had entered a cursed dungeon.
And now, the curse was aware of him.
Dain tightened his grip on Silverlight.
He wasn't turning back.
Whatever lay ahead—
He would face it head-on.
And he would survive.
With that thought, he took a step forward, descending into the darkness below.