Rin landed hard on the stone floor, the wind knocked out of him, but he was alive. Somehow. His Shadow Step had saved him, but barely.
Lyle was crawling toward him, wide-eyed. "Rin! Are you okay? You—wait, you're grinning?"
Rin pushed himself up, brushing off dust. "Of course. That thing isn't going to kill me."
Lyle stared. "You're insane."
The spear woman groaned, leaning on her spear. "I don't get it. How is an F-rank keeping up with a boss monster? And why is it barely phased by our attacks?"
Rin sighed, gripping his sword tighter. "Maybe… because I'm not really F-rank." He glanced at the faint blue glow of the system hovering in front of him. "It's the system."
The shield man groaned as he lifted his massive shield. "Kid, I don't care what's going on. Just don't die. That's your only job right now."
Rin rolled his eyes. "I think I can handle it."
The boss monster reared back, glowing claws scraping against the stone. Dust and debris rained down. Rin's chest tightened—not from fear, but from excitement. This was the first real challenge he had faced since awakening the system.
Quest Update: Boss Health – 50%
Rin frowned. Halfway down, and it wasn't even tired. The system buzzed softly.
New Skill Available: Evasive Maneuver
He blinked. Another skill? He had only just gotten Shadow Step.
"Well…" Rin muttered, "might as well try it."
He focused, heart pounding. The next attack came faster than before. The monster's claws slammed into the floor with a deafening roar. Rin activated Evasive Maneuver and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike.
"Ha!" Rin whispered, jumping to his feet. "Got it!"
Lyle, who had been hiding behind the shield man, shouted, "I didn't know you could do that!"
The spear woman folded her arms. "Kid… stop making us look bad."
Rin smirked, but the monster wasn't done. It lashed out with its tail, sending a massive stone spike flying toward them. Rin barely leaped over it, landing on a raised rock.
Boss Monster Critical Phase – Health 30%
The system warned him again.
Rin's heart raced. The dungeon wasn't supposed to have a boss this strong. Something about the glow in its claws felt… unnatural.
Lyle glanced at Rin. "Maybe… you should let me—"
"Let you what?" Rin snapped, pointing at the glowing monster. "I can handle it."
Lyle flinched. "You said that five seconds ago, and now we're about to die!"
Rin ignored him. The system pulsed, and the blue light highlighted the weak spots on the monster's legs.
Shadow Step + Quick Strike Combo Recommended
Rin grinned. "Well, then." He sprinted forward, vanishing mid-step as the system activated Shadow Step. When he reappeared, he slashed across the boss's shoulder. Sparks flew, and a loud roar echoed through the dungeon.
The team blinked. The spear woman muttered, "I think I just became a fan."
The shield man groaned. "Don't get cocky… that thing can still kill us all!"
The monster slammed down its massive claw, but Rin vanished again, narrowly avoiding it. With the Quick Strike combo, he slashed another deep cut. The monster staggered, letting out a high-pitched screech.
Rin felt a thrill. "Okay… this is actually fun."
Lyle groaned from behind the shield. "Kid… you're insane. I mean it."
But before Rin could respond, the ground beneath them trembled violently. The dungeon walls shook, dust and small rocks falling from the ceiling.
The boss monster let out a final, terrifying roar—and a second monster emerged from the darkness.
Lyle froze. "Wait… there's TWO of them?!"
The spear woman cursed under her breath. "This dungeon… is cursed!"
Rin's chest tightened—not from fear, but from excitement. Two monsters, two targets, and a system telling him he was ready.
Emergency Quest Update:
Defeat Both Boss Monsters
Reward: Rare Skill + Experience Boost
Rin's eyes glinted. "Well… looks like we just got a little more interesting."
The team stared at him.
"Kid… you're really insane," Lyle whispered again.
Rin smirked. "Nah… just lucky."
The system pulsed brightly, and Rin felt the familiar rush of power surging through him.
The dungeon roared. Dust fell from the ceiling. And Rin knew this was only the beginning.