James took his first cautious steps into the cave, his fingers gripping the hilt of his pitiful bronze sword. The air inside was damp, thick with the scent of earth and something else—something foul. The walls shimmered with faint luminescence, casting eerie shadows that danced with each flicker of his torchlight.
His UI updated.
> New Zone Discovered: Abandoned MineRecommended Level: 5
James frowned. “Level 5? But I’m—” He glanced at his stats.
> Combat Level: 1
“…Oh.”
A sudden chill crept up his spine, but he shook it off. If this really was like OSRS, then careful play and strategy would get him through. He just needed to be smart. Avoid unnecessary fights. Pick enemies off one by one.
A small shape scuttled across the rocky floor, drawing his attention. A Cave Spider - Level 4. Not great, but manageable. He could take a level 4 enemy, right?
He crept forward, positioning himself behind the creature. With a sharp exhale, he swung his sword—
MISS.
James barely had time to react before the spider spun around and lunged. Its mandibles clamped onto his forearm, sinking deep.
> -8 HP
A searing pain shot through his arm. This wasn’t a simple hitpoint reduction—he felt the bite. It burned like fire. James cried out, staggering backward, trying to shake the creature off.
Another notification flashed.
> Status Effect Gained: Poisoned (-1 HP every 3 seconds)
“WHAT?!” His mind raced. He was at 10 HP, and poison was eating away at him. If he didn’t kill this thing fast—
The spider lunged again. Its fangs sank into his neck.
> -12 HP
> You have died.
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James gasped as he found himself outside the cave entrance, sprawled on the dirt. His heart pounded. He grasped at his neck, expecting to feel the puncture wounds, but there was nothing. His health bar had reset, but the memory of pain lingered.
He pushed himself to his feet, hands shaking.
“…Okay. That was not like RuneScape.”
Dying in OSRS was an inconvenience—annoying, frustrating, but ultimately, just a loss of items. Here? It had hurt. It had felt real.
His eyes flicked toward the cave entrance. He hesitated. The fear was real. But if he turned back now, what would that mean? He had no idea how to leave this world, no clue if quitting was even an option.
And deep down, he knew one thing for sure: if this was a game, he wasn’t about to let it beat him.
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Grinding his teeth, he stepped back into the cave.
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Death Count: 3.
The spiders had torn him apart again. One had gone for his eyes. Another had ripped a chunk out of his leg.
Death Count: 6.
A Venomous Bat—silent and fast—had latched onto his throat and drained his blood in seconds.
Death Count: 11.
A Cave Ogre had grabbed him by the waist and snapped him in half.
James knelt against the cold stone, panting. His hands were sticky with blood—his own, mostly. It had taken him hours to make it deeper into the cave. Every inch of progress had been paid for in pain.
His gear was still trash. He’d managed to loot a few rusty daggers, a worn leather chest piece that barely added any defense, and a couple of healing items. It wasn’t enough.
His UI pinged with a notification.
> Final Chamber Ahead: Cave Guardian’s LairRecommended Level: 10
“…I hate this game.”
His body screamed at him to turn back. But James had never rage-quit a challenge in his life.
With a deep breath, he stepped forward.
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Inside the cavernous boss chamber, a massive, skeletal figure sat slumped against the far wall. Its ribcage was exposed, glowing faintly with eerie green light. Two massive, curved swords lay at its sides. The moment James entered, its empty sockets ignited with emerald fire.
> Boss Encounter: The Hollow Knight
A deep, bone-rattling growl filled the chamber.
James barely had time to react before the boss moved.
It wasn’t sluggish like in OSRS—it was fast. The Hollow Knight lunged, its blade cleaving through the air in a devastating arc. James rolled instinctively—
SHINK!
Pain exploded through his shoulder as the tip of the blade sheared through flesh and bone. His left arm tumbled to the floor. Blood sprayed across the stone.
James screamed.
> -40 HPLimb Lost: Left Arm
The Hollow Knight wasn’t stopping. It raised its second blade, prepared to cut him in half.
James barely managed to gulp down a healing potion, his vision blurring as his HP ticked up. He staggered, barely dodging the next strike. His mind raced. This isn’t just a normal boss fight. This is a mechanics-heavy fight. I need to figure it out.
He forced himself to observe.
Each of the Hollow Knight’s movements had a rhythm. A tell before an attack. A pause before a lunge. A hesitation before the second strike.
James ducked under another swing. He could do this.
The next time the Hollow Knight charged, James sidestepped at the last moment, his remaining hand gripping his sword tight. He slashed—
CRITICAL HIT! 12 DAMAGE!
The Hollow Knight recoiled, its fire-drenched eyes flickering.
That’s it. I can win this.
The fight raged on. James dodged, countered, and slowly chipped away at the boss’s health. His body was a mess of cuts and bruises, but his adrenaline carried him forward.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he landed the final strike.
The Hollow Knight let out an otherworldly wail. Its body collapsed into dust, leaving behind only a single, gleaming object.
James dropped to his knees, panting. His entire body ached, but he had won.
His UI flashed with notifications.
> Boss Defeated: The Hollow KnightLevel Up! Level 2 → Level 5+10 Strength, +8 Agility, +5 EnduranceRARE DROP ACQUIRED: CURSED BLADE OF THE FALLEN KING
James’s breath caught in his throat. The sword in front of him was nothing like his pathetic bronze weapon. Its blackened steel pulsed with a faint crimson glow. The moment he reached for it, his entire body tingled as if charged with electricity.
A new notification appeared.
> Cursed Blade of the Fallen KingEffect: Increases attack power by 300%. Steals HP from enemies on hit.Curse: Cannot be unequipped. The more blood spilled, the stronger the blade becomes.
James stared at the weapon. His heart pounded.
This was it. This was the moment everything changed.
For the first time since arriving in this world, a slow grin spread across his face.
If this game wanted to be hard, then fine.
He’d just become harder.