The dungeon seemed endless, one twisting hallway bleeding into the next. Every chamber brought more Hollowfang Stalkers—sometimes in pairs, sometimes in packs. They were fast and vicious, but after the first few encounters, I had their patterns down.

Quickstep to dodge, Precision Strike for the kill, rinse and repeat. The motions became muscle memory as I pushed deeper into the dungeon, leaving behind a trail of dissipating mist and the faint metallic tang of blood in the air.

My HUD blinked periodically with updates: stamina dipping and recovering, health fluctuating with every scratch and claw mark. Healing potions became a regular part of the process, each one restoring me just enough to keep going.

But the deeper I went, the less confident I felt.

When I finally reached the boss chamber, the air changed. The damp, earthy smell of the dungeon gave way to something sharper—like sulfur and decay. The massive double doors creaked as I pushed them open, revealing a cavernous space lit by a faint, sickly green glow.

At the center of the room stood a creature that made the Stalkers look like puppies.

Its hunched form was at least twice my height, its matted fur streaked with scars and blood. Its claws were like daggers, its glowing red eyes burning with malice. A jagged, blackened collar encircled its neck, faint runes glowing along its surface.

Hollowfang Alpha - Level 12

“Level 12,” I muttered, swallowing hard. “Figures.”

The Alpha snarled, its breath misting in the cold air as it stepped forward, each clawed footfall echoing ominously.

“Alright,” I said, gripping my bow tightly. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

The fight started with a blur of movement.

I loosed an arrow, the projectile striking the Alpha’s shoulder. It barely flinched, its glowing eyes locking onto me as it charged.

-15 HP.

I rolled to the side, activating Quickstep to gain some distance. The Alpha’s claws raked through the air where I’d been, its roar reverberating through the chamber.

“Fast,” I muttered, notching another arrow.

I fired again, this time aiming for its legs. The shot landed, but the Alpha barely slowed, its claws slamming into the ground as it lunged again.

I threw up my shield instinctively, the impact sending me skidding across the stone floor.

HP: 360/420

“Alright,” I muttered, pulling myself up. “That hurt.”

I switched tactics, activating Snare Trap to try and slow it down. The glowing tendrils sprang to life, wrapping around the Alpha’s legs and rooting it in place.

I took the opening, firing two arrows in quick succession.

-40 HP.

-45 HP.

The Alpha snarled, tearing through the bindings with brute strength and charging again. I barely dodged, the claws grazing my side as I scrambled for cover.

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HP: 280/420

“Come on, come on,” I muttered, pulling a potion from my inventory and downing it in one gulp.

HP Restored: 100.

The cycle repeated. Dodge, fire, get hit, drink. The Alpha was relentless, each strike heavier than the last. My stamina bar dipped dangerously low as I burned through every ounce of energy to keep moving.

By the time I’d used my last potion, my HUD was a mess of warnings.

HP: 90/420

Stamina: 150/1,200

I staggered back, my breath ragged and my arms trembling as I raised my bow. The Alpha stood across the chamber, its glowing eyes locked onto me with a predatory focus.

“No potions left,” I muttered, my voice hoarse. “Perfect.”

The realization hit me like a hammer: I might actually die here.

The Alpha snarled, charging again, and I barely had the strength to raise my weapon. My hands shook as I notched another arrow, the weight of the moment pressing down on me like a physical force.

“Not like this,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of the creature’s growls.

The Alpha’s claws tore through the air as it lunged at me, its snarling maw inches from my face. I dove to the side, rolling across the stone floor and narrowly avoiding the impact. My HUD screamed at me:

HP: 80/420

My breath came in ragged gasps as I pulled myself to my feet. My stamina bar was nearly depleted, and my health wasn’t far behind. My hands trembled on the bowstring as I notched another arrow, but a sinking feeling told me it wouldn’t be enough.

The Alpha turned, its glowing red eyes locked onto me with unrelenting focus. This thing wasn’t just a creature—it was a monster, and I was out of tricks.

Or was I?

I glanced around the chamber, my eyes darting across the jagged walls and the stalactites hanging from the high ceiling. The greenish glow cast long shadows, distorting the space, but I could make out the faint glint of something above the Alpha—loose rocks.

The Alpha charged again, its claws raking against the stone as it closed the distance. I waited, my heart pounding in my chest, and then dove to the side at the last possible second.

The creature slammed into the wall where I’d been standing, the impact shaking the ground and dislodging some of the smaller stones above.

A few pebbles rained down, and the Alpha snarled, shaking its head as it turned toward me again.

“Gotcha,” I muttered, a plan starting to form.

I scrambled across the chamber, grabbing a jagged piece of broken stalagmite from the ground and tucking it into my belt. The Alpha chased after me, its growls echoing through the space as it swiped and lunged, each attack forcing me to dodge and weave.

This time, I didn’t fire an arrow. Instead, I darted toward the far wall, the Alpha hot on my heels.

As I neared the wall, I spun around, sliding to a stop and raising my bow.

“Come on,” I muttered, pulling the string taut. “Just a little closer.”

The Alpha roared, charging straight for me. At the last second, I loosed the arrow—not at the creature, but at the loose rocks above its head.

The arrow struck true, shattering a brittle stone and sending a cascade of rubble tumbling down.

The rocks struck the Alpha square on its back, causing it to stagger and roar in pain. It didn’t fall, but the distraction was enough for me to slip behind it, drawing the jagged piece of stalagmite from my belt.

I climbed onto a ledge, positioning myself above the creature. The Alpha shook off the rubble, its head turning side to side as it searched for me.

“This is going to hurt,” I muttered, gripping the stalagmite tightly.

I leapt from the ledge, driving the jagged stone into the Alpha’s neck with all the strength I had left.

The creature howled, thrashing wildly as it tried to shake me off. Blood sprayed from the wound, and I tightened my grip, using the momentum to drive the makeshift weapon deeper.

The Alpha reared back, slamming into the wall in an attempt to dislodge me. My HUD flashed red again as the impact rattled my bones.

HP: 40/420

I gritted my teeth, pulling the stalagmite free and stabbing it into the creature’s eye. The Alpha’s howl reached a deafening pitch as it stumbled, its massive frame collapsing onto the stone floor with a thunderous crash.

For a moment, the chamber was silent except for the sound of my ragged breathing. The Alpha twitched once, then went still, its glowing eyes dimming as the life faded from its body.

A notification appeared in my HUD, the sound soft and almost mocking after the chaos.

Dungeon Boss Defeated.

Rewards Calculating...

I collapsed onto the ground, staring up at the ceiling as the pain in my body slowly registered. My health bar was dangerously low, my stamina bar nearly empty.

“Guess you don’t need fancy skills after all,” I muttered, my voice hoarse.

The glowing light of a treasure chest appeared in the corner of the chamber, but I didn’t move. Not yet. I needed a minute to breathe.

Or maybe an hour.