The Devil’s Cage

 Before opening the box, Kieran had anticipation in his heart regarding the unknown loot.

In fact, during each reward time, the anticipation would bloom like a flower.

He would be like anyone else, guessing what the item would be, at most a little calmness was added to the anticipation.

This time was no exception.

He was careful and looking forward to the contents inside. After the box was opened, Kieran moved his head up for a look but what he saw inside stunned him completely.

A box!

Another box!

After the first box was opened, there was another smaller metallic box that fit perfectly inside.

After a quick glance at the new box, Kieran who came back to his senses changed his expression for the worse.

The metallic box struck him with a bad feeling, like how common man seeing a gory car accident.

His heart was pumping! Lingering fear persisted!

Huu!

Huu! Huu!

Kieran was adjusting his breath, when everything calmed down, he laid his eyes on the small box again.

An item being placed with such care and earnest, it must be priceless aside from the other aspects.

So, if a value was measured on a scale, another theory would be valid as well: its danger level would be catastrophic!

Connecting to the point where Kieran first laid eyes on the box and felt danger, the danger was almost certain but the source was different.

“Are it the contents of the box what struck me with the feeling of danger or are there some other traps around?” Speculation formed in his heart, causing his facial expression to become heavy.

It was true that Kieran killed the God of Forest City but it didn’t mean he dared underestimate him.

That battle with the God of Forest City was considered as a handicap, the allied forces gained extreme advantages by swapping identities with Great Swamp and also catching the God of Forest City off guard. Most importantly, the God of Forest City left his own city, causing his power to plummet, the same went for the God of Leaf City and the God of Many City.

At this particular moment, Kieran knew what he saw wasn’t everything.

So he understood that he had to be careful and vigilant.

He had to be careful and vigilant against the other Gods in the dungeon world.

Likewise, he had to be careful and vigilant in checking the dangerous metallic box before his eyes.

Correct! Checking the feared metallic box was a thing to consider!

Any common man would start to worry about their personal gains and losses in front of such a situation, they might linger around the limbo of greed and cowardice but Kieran was different as he was used to all of this.

Opportunity coexists with danger.

All benefits formed a link between each other.

If it progressed smoothly, one would rise to the top.

If it failed, one would die without an intact body.

Wasn’t it the objective of the underground game?

Put everything on the line and fighting for a future.

Want to survive, fight for it with your life.

From the first day he entered the game… No!

From the day Kieran had a clear understanding of himself, he was fighting with his life in order to survive and see the future.

The welfare home was not a good place because it was more realistic there.

At the same time, the welfare home was a good place because the realism told him not to be childish and naive.

Kieran never held grudges, on the contrary, he was quite thankful for that because that was the place he managed to survive.

Otherwise, he might end up being some stray dog’s lunch.

Eating was better than being eaten, right?

In order to eat better, Kieran had always been careful and meticulous while giving it his all in each and every matter of his life.

“The patterns on top are just normal patterns.”

“The surrounding and the bottom are blocked by the bigger box, I can’t see it.”

Kieran entered [Tracking] mode to size up the small box, his Pro [Mystical Knowledge] kept circulating in his mind.

The detailed vision of [Tracking] and Pro level [Mystical Knowledge] had become Kieran’s go-to to determine whether was there danger before his face.

Of course, his feelings as well.

Or rather, his instinct!

Kieran believed in objective facts and evidence but he wouldn’t neglect his instinct either.

Even more so when his Intuition and Spirit ranks were growing gradually, sometimes Kieran tended to lean towards his instinct more.

So, at this particular moment, Kieran was even more earnest.

Before determining whether breaking the outer box would trigger some traps, Kieran didn’t act rashly and at the same time, he didn’t simply open the inner box.

Kieran had curiosity but he also had a heart of greed.

However, it didn’t mean he would forget himself because of those two things.

Despite the real cardinal sin, Greed, roaring in his body, Kieran turned a deaf ear at it. He was already familiar with how he should the cardinal sins.

Restrain and never fall into their temptation.

Neglect and treat them like they never existed.

When they suffered enough, they would be quiet.

Will they cooperate when their powers were needed then?

Through experiments, Kieran was certain that as long as there were enough benefits, the cardinal sins were more cooperative and reliable than expected. Especially Greed, Envy, and Wrath.

It almost felt like a chain reaction. When Greed was incited, Envy followed and when Envy was rejected, Wrath would come.

The same thing was happening right now before the boxes.

After Greed’s roars, Envy appeared.

“Why him first? Why not me?”

“I don’t want!”

“I don’t want!”

Envy behaved like a child who didn’t get the candy, he was rolling on the ground, crying out loud and after Kieran turned a blind eye at him, Wrath appeared but was still ignored.

All three of them still didn’t change Kieran’s mind in closing the box.

However, just as Kieran’s palm reached the outer box’s lid and was ready to shut it, the lingering fear appeared in his heart again.

The dull gloomy metallic small box suddenly glowed softly.

Its glowing color was indescribable though, it looked like black and white yet it wasn’t exactly gray.

Kieran looked at the layer of glow and his body trembled.

It wasn’t fear!

It wasn’t excitement!

But…

Heaviness!

Kieran felt like a mountain suddenly fell on his body, immobilizing him completely, he couldn’t even move a muscle let alone close the box.

The pressure on his body…No!

After a breath, the heaviness wasn’t plain pressure anymore, it felt more like suppression that came from every direction.

The suppression was increasing rapidly as well, as though it was going to compress everything into Kieran.

Gak Tss Tsss!

Soon, the muscles and tendons in his body were moaning, his body was telling him that it couldn’t bear the pressure for long.

“Hmph!”

A cold grunt later, a scorching flame burned hot.

The normal hand of his turned into a giant magma arm.

The suppressing pressure from the surroundings started to fall short before the powerful magma body.

The pressure was broken apart in an instant and even caused an explosion-like bang.

What about the box’s cover?

BANG!

It was crushed hard to the ground but…

There was a seam left open.