The Cheat Seed

Chapter 13

Golden light washed over Marcus as he stepped through the temple entrance. The brightness faded gradually, revealing a cavernous chamber that stretched far beyond what seemed physically possible. Two Revoker Arenas could fit comfortably within this space, their combined size dwarfed by the sheer vastness of the hall.

The chamber's walls rose in smooth golden curves, meeting at a vaulted ceiling adorned with intricate carvings of forests, mountains, and stars. But these details barely registered in Marcus's mind as his attention fixed on the centerpiece—the full, unobstructed view of the fox statue he'd glimpsed from afar.

Magnificent didn't begin to describe it. The golden fox stood frozen in an eternal pounce, muscles tensed beneath its metallic coat, eyes forward in a predatory stare. Light from unseen sources played across its surface, making the statue appear almost alive despite its stillness.

Marcus paced slowly around the chamber, studying every angle of the massive sculpture. The temple floor beneath his feet bore circular patterns that spiraled outward from the statue's base, etched with symbols he couldn't decipher.

"This is a boss arena if I've ever seen one," he muttered, eyes scanning for movement or hidden threats.

The open space, the decorative but ultimately empty surroundings—everything screamed "final battle." Yet no opponent materialized to challenge him. The statue remained just that—a statue, impressive but inanimate.

"Where are you, Good Ol' Foxyyyyy???"

His voice echoed off the temple walls, bouncing back at him from multiple directions. No growl answered his taunt, no movement disturbed the perfect stillness of the chamber.

Marcus circled the statue again, scrutinizing it for any sign of life. His enhanced senses detected nothing—no heartbeat, no breath, no ambient magic that might suggest a disguised creature.

"Maybe it would take some time?" he wondered aloud. He'd studied enough dungeon theory at the academy to know certain boss encounters required triggers. Sometimes just entering the boss room wasn't enough—the challenge might begin only after a set time had passed.

With a resigned sigh, Marcus dropped to the floor, legs splayed out before him, arms bracing his weight behind him. While waiting, he began counting the tails of the enormous statue, a detail that had troubled him since first seeing it from a distance.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6..."

He counted methodically, his expression shifting from boredom to surprise as the numbers climbed.

"20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25..."

His eyebrows rose with each additional appendage. This wasn't just anatomically impossible—it contradicted everything he'd been taught about the Nine-Tailed Foxes.

"39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47..."

The count continued, Marcus's face twisting into a mixture of amazement and growing unease. Something wasn't right.

"79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84... 88, 89, 90!!!"

"What the he—"

The moment the number left his lips, the entire temple began to tremble. Dust particles danced around his feet, rising in rhythmic patterns as the ground vibrated beneath him. Marcus sprang to his feet, fists clenched and body tensed for combat.

*c***k* *c***k*

The sounds came from the statue. Fractures appeared across its golden surface, thin at first, then widening into chasms. Pieces of the outer shell began falling away, revealing something beneath that made Marcus take several involuntary steps backward.

Fur. Golden fur with streaks of red and blue, shimmering with an inner light that couldn't possibly come from mere reflection. The "statue" wasn't crumbling—it was shedding its stone skin.

The beast remained motionless as its disguise fell away piece by piece, still frozen in the same predatory pose the statue had held. But there was nothing inanimate about what emerged—this was flesh and blood, muscle and bone, ancient power contained in physical form.

[Warning User]

[Warning User]

[High levels of killing intent sensed]

[Warning User]

[Due to some technical problem The Stats of the Boss could not be changed according to that of the User's]

[Warning User]

[Wishing Luck, Just Don't Die]

"What the F*CK!!" Marcus shouted, the notifications filling him with genuine fear for the first time since entering the tutorial. "Technical Problem my a*s!"

He spun on his heel, ready to flee. "Am dipping out, peace out!!"

But mid-turn, reason reasserted itself. The beast hadn't moved yet. It remained locked in position, the transformation incomplete. This might be his only chance to strike before the creature fully awakened.

Marcus charged his muscles with energy, pushing off the ground with such force that the floor cracked beneath him. He soared toward the fox, palm extended and crackling with power. Black aura spiraled around his hand as he closed it into a fist.

[Nuclear Palm Improvised]

[Nuclear Palm Improvisation 1 - Nuclear Fist]

Time seemed to slow as Marcus descended toward the creature's skull, his fist carrying enough force to shatter mountains. For a heartbeat, victory seemed certain.

*c***k* *Phishh*

His fist struck not flesh, but an invisible barrier. The transparent shield fractured under the impact, but it had served its purpose—delaying his attack just long enough.

"A BARRIER?"

The last pieces of the stone shell fell away. Marcus attempted another strike, but it was too late. The fox's eyes snapped open—massive orbs of gold and crimson arranged in a perfect yin-yang pattern. The pressure wave from that simple action blasted Marcus backward through the air.

He tumbled across the temple floor, finally managing to halt his momentum by digging his fingers into the stone. The fox rose to its full height, all ninety tails fanning out behind it like a lethal peacock's display. Its growl reverberated through the chamber, making the very air vibrate.

Marcus stood slowly, keeping his movements deliberate and non-threatening. He lowered his arms, palms outward.

"Easy girl, easyyyy," he soothed, trying to defuse the tension.

The growling intensified.

"What, you a boy?" Marcus took a quick glance beneath the fox. "But I don't see anything hanging there."

The fifteen-meter beast bared its fangs, clearly offended by his crude assessment.

"Oof, sorry," Marcus winced.

The apology came too late. The fox vanished, moving faster than even Marcus's enhanced perception could track. A tingling sensation crawled up his spine—some primal warning system activating in his body. Without conscious thought, he ducked and rolled forward.

The fox materialized exactly where he'd been standing, its jaws snapping shut on empty air. Marcus pivoted and drove his fist into the creature's belly, sending it crashing into the temple wall.

[Skill Created: Hyper Sense]

[Skill Perfected: Hyper Sense]

[Due to Evading 'A God slayer' Ranked Demon recent Acquired skill will be evolved]

[Skill Evolved: Hyper Sense To Almighty Sense]

[AGIL+ 1000 Ceptillion]

[Limit Break Available]

[STR+ 100 Ceptillion]

[Limit break Available]

Marcus dismissed the notifications with a flick of his wrist, his focus entirely on survival. The fox was already regaining its footing, shaking debris from its fur. Without hesitation, Marcus sprinted toward the temple entrance, back toward the forest.

"System, break my limits," he commanded while running.

[Breaking Limits in 3.2.1]

Excruciating pain surged through every cell in his body. Half his mind screamed for release, begged him to collapse and surrender to the agony. But the other half—the half that had endured countless deaths and resurrections—pushed him forward.

When the pain finally subsided, Marcus paused to catch his breath. The tingling sensation returned almost immediately—another warning. He leapt skyward just as the fox attacked from behind, landing gracefully on a high tree branch.

[AGIL+ 1000 Ceptillion]

"Woah, this skill is legit," he whispered, marveling at how his body had moved almost without conscious input.

Marcus bounded higher, then kicked off against the trunk with such force that the tree snapped in half. He twisted in mid-air, launching himself directly at the fox. The falling tree momentarily blocked the creature's view—the distraction he needed.

*Bam* *Boom*

Marcus burst through the splintering wood, Nuclear Fist connecting perfectly with the beast's forehead. The impact created a shockwave that uprooted trees for hundreds of meters in every direction. The fox collapsed limply into a crater formed by the strike.

[STR+ 100 Ceptillion]

"Is it over?" Marcus landed beside the crater, staring at the motionless form. "Over already?"

Something felt wrong. The victory had come too easily, especially after the system's dire warnings. The tingling sensation returned with overwhelming intensity, and Marcus's eyes widened in realization.

"An afterimage?"

The limp figure before him vanished like smoke. Before Marcus could react, the real fox materialized beside him, jaws clamping down on his right arm with crushing force.

"AAAARGH!" Pain erupted through his body as fangs tore through flesh and bone. Blood sprayed across the forest floor as the fox ripped away his entire limb, swallowing it in one grotesque gulp.

Marcus staggered backward, clutching the ragged stump where his arm had been. Despite his supposedly infinite durability, blood poured from the wound, his vision already darkening at the edges.

The fox watched him with intelligent eyes, satisfaction evident in its gaze. It had assessed his abilities and found the perfect countermeasure—not a direct attack on his invulnerable body, but the removal of a limb.

As Marcus fought to remain conscious, one thought pierced through the fog of pain: the Flame Emperor had never mentioned regeneration among his abilities. And for the first time since entering this tutorial, Marcus faced the very real possibility that he might fail.