Kai stared at the text while the stone stairs practically shook beneath his foot. The spiraling staircase led down into a circular arena that looked like an ancient observatory.

The floor was made of smooth black glass reflecting the starry sky above, but the edges of the room were already crumbling away into an endless, empty void.

A figure stepped out of the shadows at the center of the room.

It was the [Corrupted Star Minotaur].

The half-celestial beast stood twelve feet tall with obsidian horns curving sharply from its head.

Bright starlight leaked steadily from open wounds across its heavy chest because it had clearly been trapped down here for a very long time.

’I really hate cows,’ Kai thought, drawing his blessed dagger.

’Especially glowing ones that want to kill me.’

"Are we going to stare at each other all day?" Kai yelled across the crumbling arena.

"Or are you going to make a move so we can get this over with?"

The minotaur answered with a roar that vibrated right through his chest.

"MOOOOOOOOO!"

The beast charged forward with its head lowered, turning its entire body into a speeding battering ram.

Kai dodged to the left, but his legs were simply not fast enough to clear the attack entirely.

The beast swung a giant stone pillar like a baseball bat as that solid rock caught Kai right in the ribs.

He heard a loud crack and flew backward through the air, hit the glass floor hard, tumbling head over heels until he stopped just inches from the breaking edge of the arena.

’That is at least three broken ribs,’ Kai thought, coughing up a small splash of blood onto the floor.

He rolled out of the way just as the minotaur smashed the floor where his head had been resting a second ago.

The black glass cracked open loudly, and a huge chunk of the arena fell away into the starry void. The fighting space was getting smaller by the minute.

"You are aggressive for a herbivore," Kai grunted, pushing himself back to his feet despite the searing pain in his chest.

He pushed his speed stat to its absolute limit and darted forward, slashing his weapon at the beast’s legs, but the celestial hide was extremely tough.

The blade only left a shallow scratch, and the minotaur backhanded him in response as its sharp claws tore right through Kai’s leather armor like it was made of wet paper.

Deep cuts opened across Kai’s torso.

Hot blood poured down his stomach and soaked into his trousers.

Kai stumbled backward because the blood loss was making him dizzy.

He pressed his free hand tightly against his bleeding chest to slow the flow.

The arena shook fiercely beneath his boots.

Another huge section of the glass platform broke off and vanished into the space. They were rapidly running out of room to maneuver.

"System, give me a health potion," Kai shouted, keeping his eyes locked on the raging monster.

[Warning: Inventory Empty]

[Health Potions remaining: Zero]

’Perfect timing as always,’ Kai thought bitterly, spitting more blood onto the ground.

The minotaur lowered its head and charged again. Its sharp obsidian horns were aimed straight at Kai’s heart.

Kai knew he could not dodge this time because his boots felt like they were filled with heavy lead.

He gathered every single drop of mana left in his body, pulled the freezing energy from his magical core, and pushed it all the way up his arms to the tips of his fingers.

[System Event: Desperate Survival Triggered]

[New Skill Unlocked: Voidfrost Execution]

Kai didn’t even bother reading the text floating in his vision. He just felt the sudden rush of freezing magic flooding his veins.

He stood his ground and slammed his bare hands directly onto the minotaur’s glowing forehead just as the horns pierced his ruined shirt. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Freeze," Kai screamed at the top of his lungs.

The new spell activated instantly.

Bitter, biting cold rushed from Kai’s palms straight into the furious beast.

The freezing magic bypassed the tough outer hide and attacked the monster from the inside out. The minotaur froze completely in place, its eyes widening in sudden shock.

A loud cracking sound echoed across the silent platform. The frozen beast shattered into a thousand glittering pieces of ice and starlight.

[Boss Defeated: Corrupted Star Minotaur]

[Experience Gained: +15000 EXP]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

Kai collapsed onto his hands and knees. His entire body felt like a crushed tin can.

He coughed harshly, sending more red splatters onto the dusty stone.

’I need to find a safe spot before I bleed out completely,’ Kai thought, forcing his protesting muscles to move.

He dragged his battered body toward a small alcove carved into the remaining stone wall. It was a safe pocket entirely untouched by the crumbling void.

A glowing object suddenly caught his eye.

A beautiful crystal sat in the center of the shattered ice pieces where the boss had died. It was the Starheart Core.

Kai crawled slowly over to the shining artifact and picked it up. The item felt very warm and comforting in his cold, bloody hands.

"This better be worth the broken bones and the ruined armor," Kai muttered to himself.

He gripped the crystal tightly and willed his system to absorb the item.

The Starheart Core dissolved into pure golden light and rushed directly into his chest.

A huge wave of fresh energy washed away his deep exhaustion instantly.

[Artifact Absorbed: Starheart Core]

[System Boost: All Stats Increased by +50]

[Status Ailments Cleared]

[Health and Mana fully restored]

Kai smiled widely because the terrible pain in his torso vanished completely. His deep cuts closed up right before his eyes, leaving only smooth skin behind. The power flowing through his veins was highly intoxicating.

But the golden light did not stop glowing. It flared outward in a blinding pulse. A loud ringing sound echoed through the small safe pocket.

It was a magical ping, sending a strong signal far across the world.

The sound vibrated through the stone floor and faded into the void.

Kai lost his confident smile immediately.

He recognized that specific kind of tracking signal from his old gaming days, and it never meant anything good.

"System," Kai said quickly, his voice dropping to a nervous whisper. "What was that noise?"

A new window popped into his vision.

[Warning: Unauthorized Tracking Signal Detected]

[The Starheart Core has broadcast your exact coordinates to connected celestial entities.]