The administrators of the Tower concluded their emergency meeting. A unanimous decision had been made—Denzel De Rünter, the Rogue, was to be eliminated. The task was assigned to Lola, administrator of the lower floors.
[Icy Mount – 20th Floor]
"I know a lot about you... even your past life," the voice echoed ominously through the ruins.
The words sent a chill down Denzel's spine. This wasn't some ordinary system message—this voice knew him. Not just as the Rogue. Not just as the anomaly. But him—who he truly was before this world.
"You're shocked, aren't you? I get it. But listen, there's no time for idle chit-chat. The Tower's administrators will cut off my link soon, so pay attention."
Denzel remained silent, trying to process it all. His senses were on high alert, but confusion clouded his thoughts.
"You need to become stronger. Stronger than you ever were—even in your past life. This ruin you're standing in? It's the graveyard of the Alpha Elves in my world. I tried saving them. Failed. But you... you changed their fate in your world. You survived the purge. You unlocked Psycho Mode, a bugged ability the system tried to erase."
The voice paused as static crackled faintly.
"Stop the system from plunging the worlds into chaos. Do the unthinkable. It won't make sense yet, but you'll figure it out... I know you will. I, DOVANOS, will stand with you."
Denzel's heart pounded.
"One last warning. That ability—Psycho Mode—it'll either destroy you... or make you invincible. Be careful. I'm leaving now. But I'll leave you with a gift. There's a catch, though."
A beat.
"You have to fight for it."
[PING! PING! PING!]
[Psycho Mode is resonating with the Alpha Ruins of World 3. A dungeon is being formed.]
[New Mission: Defeat the Minotaur and claim the second piece.]
Denzel blinked, then sighed. "Well, guess I'm getting answers one way or another…"
The ground trembled. A deafening thud echoed through the chamber. The stone doors at the far end cracked open, crumbling under sheer force.
A towering figure emerged—a ten-foot tall beast with the body of a giant and the head of a bull. Hazel eyes gleamed beneath its heavy brow. A door-knob-sized ring pierced its nose.
Denzel's face paled. "Shit. That's not normal."
[Name: Berserker Minotaur]
[Level: MAX]
[Rank: ??]
[Habitat: Unknown]
Description: A high-floor monster with monstrous physical strength. Extremely territorial. Avoid direct confrontations.
Weak Points:
• Thoracic Region
• Neck Region
• Ankle Region
System Note: Direct hits are fatal. The monster is extremely starved. Heightened senses active.
"Great. Just what I needed," Denzel muttered.
The Minotaur let out a thunderous roar and charged, each step shattering the marble beneath its hooves. Denzel launched himself off the ground, narrowly dodging the monster's colossal axe swing.
The axe slammed into a nearby boulder—crushing it to powder.
If that hit landed... Denzel would be paste.
Exhaustion from continuous battles gnawed at him. His strength wasn't at peak anymore. He hadn't rested in days.
[System Note: You are experiencing fatigue. All stats and skills have been halved (-50%).]
He summoned a flurry of emerald wind scythes and hurled them at the beast. The Minotaur swung its axe, deflecting every projectile like swatting flies. For something so big, it was fast.
Denzel steadied his breath. His hair fluttered, crackling red and black lightning started dancing around him...
Then—fizzled out.
"Damn it," he cursed. "Still can't activate it."
[System Notice: Psycho Mode activation failed!]
The failure weighed heavy. Since unlocking Psycho Mode at the café, he hadn't been able to activate it again. The Tower was breaking him down.
The Minotaur lunged again. Denzel ducked, but its off-hand struck him square in the chest.
CRACK!
Pain exploded through his ribs as he was hurled backward into a throne, shattering it on impact. Blood spilled from his mouth. A cut above his brow leaked down his face.
"If I hadn't reinforced myself with Gaia's Breath…" he wheezed, "I'd be dead."
The monster wasn't letting up.
The axe came down again. Denzel rolled away, grabbing a chunk of broken masonry and hurling it at the Minotaur's ankle.
It grunted—hurt.
Denzel scanned the room. No weapon. His dagger had worn down days ago.
He was outmatched, unarmed, and half his usual strength. He needed a miracle.
He needed it.
"Think... think... THINK...!"
Then it hit him.
A grin split his bloodied face. He closed his eyes and focused. Deeply. Deeper than before.
The Minotaur charged again. But this time, Denzel's body reacted differently.
His hair lifted in the windless chamber. Arcane black and red markings surged along his arms and face. A spark of energy danced in the air.
"I remember now…" Denzel chuckled. "The key to this ability... is the mind."
The Psycho Mask appeared in his hand.
He donned it.
[Psycho Mode Synchronization Successful!]
[Psycho Mode: 14%]
A jolt coursed through him—energy, awareness, control. The markings pulsed with lightning. This time, it wasn't just a surge—it was his to command.
"The Domain is mine," Denzel whispered.
The Minotaur blinked.
And in the next instant—Denzel was gone.
A streak of red and black lightning appeared in front of the beast, and then—
WHAM!
A fist collidedwith the Minotaur's cheek, distorting its face and sending it stumbling backward. It howled in rage.
It swung its axe in a desperate counter.
But Denzel didn't dodge.
He caught the blade.
The Minotaur froze.
Denzel's eyes, glowing through the mask, locked with the beast's.
"You still don't get it, do you?"
He squeezed.
Cracks formed along the axe's edge.
"I'm the predator now."
For the first time, the Berserker Minotaur felt something foreign.
Fear.
End Of Chapter