As he rounded a corner, a hulking shadow loomed ahead. It was massive, its eight spindly legs stretching across the corridor. Its body was covered in jagged, glistening chitin, and its eyes gleamed like black jewels in the dim light.
“A Greater Shadow Spider,” Miles breathed, his blood running cold.
The creature let out a screech, its mandibles clicking menacingly as it skittered toward him. Miles’s first instinct was to fight, but he quickly dismissed the idea.
“Level 12.”
The system helpfully displayed the creature’s level, confirming what he already knew—it was far beyond his ability to handle.
“Run,” he whispered to himself, turning on his heel.
The spider chased after him, its legs moving with horrifying speed. Miles’s breath came in ragged gasps as he darted through the corridors, following the glowing arrow that marked his path to the boss room.
______
Back in the pit, Lancy stood silently, her eyes fixed on the direction Miles had disappeared.
“Do you really think he’ll make it?” Josh asked, his tone doubtful.
“If anyone can, it’s him,” Lancy replied. “He has something... different about him. And he doesn’t give up easily.”
Nancy crossed her arms. “You seem awfully confident in someone you just met.”
Lancy smirked faintly. “Sometimes, you don’t need to know someone for long to see their potential.”
Josh shook his head. “I just hope we’re not picking up his corpse later.”
Lancy didn’t respond, but her grip tightened on her swords.
______
Miles felt like his lungs were about to burst. The spider was gaining on him, its screeches echoing through the labyrinth. He rounded another corner and saw the glowing outline of a large door ahead.
“The boss room,” he gasped.
He sprinted toward it, the spider hot on his heels. The system interface flashed urgently:
“Enter now or face imminent death.”
Without hesitation, Miles threw himself through the door. The moment he crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind him, cutting off the spider’s pursuit.
He collapsed onto the floor, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.
“Made it,” he muttered, though his relief was short-lived.
The room was eerily silent, and the oppressive air made his skin crawl. He wasn’t safe yet—not by a long shot.
Miles forced himself to stand, gripping his dagger tightly as he scanned the room. The system’s notification chimed softly in his ear:
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Boss Detected: Awaiting Party.”
He exhaled shakily, knowing he had only bought himself a brief reprieve. All he could do now was wait and hope his party would make it in time.
______
Miles leaned against the cold stone wall of the boss room, the silence pressing heavily around him. The large, ornate door that separated him from the labyrinth felt like a fragile shield between himself and whatever lurked beyond.
“System, roll to ensure the boss doesn’t activate prematurely,” he whispered, his voice echoing faintly in the vast chamber.
The system’s interface flickered before him:
“Roll successful. Boss barrier remains inactive until all party members are present.”
Relief washed over him as he let out a long, slow breath.
“You are safe for now.”
The words didn’t feel as comforting as they should have. He knew his safety was borrowed time, dependent on his party making it to him unscathed.
INVENTORY CHECK
With nothing else to do, Miles decided to inspect his belongings. He opened his inventory interface, the holographic display materializing before his eyes.
Inventory:
* Dagger (Durability: 10/15)
* Rations x2
* Basic Healing Potion x1
* Mana Potion x1
* Rusted Shield (Durability: 5/10)
* Spider String Material x1 (+1 Durability Boost)
He frowned, noting how bare his supplies were. “Not exactly inspiring,” he muttered.
Switching to his stats, he scanned the screen:
Stats:
* Level: 3
* Health: 80/100
* Mana: 50/50
* Strength: 5
* Agility: 6
* Endurance: 4
* Luck: 12
His gaze lingered on the absurdly high luck stat. It had saved him so many times already, but it still felt like a crutch rather than a true strength.
“Skills,” he murmured, pulling up his abilities.
Skills:
* Dungeon Sense: Detects dungeon layouts, exits, and boss rooms.
* Lucky Strike: Increases the odds of landing a critical hit.
* Evasion Mastery (Passive): Increased chance to dodge attacks.
* Basic Appraisal: Allows inspection of objects and entities (limited to user’s level).
He sighed, closing the interface. “Still weak as hell.”
The system chimed unexpectedly:
“Your party is approaching. Prepare to regroup.”
Miles stood, his muscles tensing as he faced the sealed door.
Moments later, the heavy doors creaked open, revealing the rest of his party. Lancy entered first, her steps slow and uneven as she favored her injured leg. Josh and Nancy followed, both leaning against each other for support.
Nancy looked pale, her robes smudged with dirt and blood. Josh’s armor was scratched and dented, his face drawn with exhaustion.
The sight of them made Miles’s stomach churn. They looked as though they’d barely survived.
When their eyes landed on him, standing unharmed in the center of the room, suspicion flickered across their faces.
“You’re completely fine,” Nancy said, narrowing her eyes.
“How did you make it here without a scratch?” Josh asked, his tone edged with doubt.
Miles raised his hands defensively. “I ran. The system guided me, and I didn’t stop until I got here.”
Josh exchanged a look with Nancy, but before either could respond, Lancy spoke up. “It’s him,” she said firmly. Her voice carried an authority that quieted their doubts.
“He’s not lying,” she added. “And if he’s here, it means we can focus on the boss.”
Reluctantly, Josh and Nancy relaxed, though they still cast wary glances at Miles.
As they moved further into the room, Miles couldn’t help but notice the subtle changes in the group. Despite their injuries, there was a newfound camaraderie between them. Nancy handed Josh a potion without hesitation, and Josh supported Lancy without complaint.
They had been through something together—something that had clearly bonded them.
It stirred an unfamiliar ache in Miles’s chest. He had always been an outsider, even before being thrown into this strange world. But seeing the closeness between his party members made him feel the distance between himself and them even more acutely.
“You okay?” Lancy’s voice broke through his thoughts.
He glanced at her, startled. Her sharp eyes softened slightly as she studied him.
“Yeah,” he said, forcing a smile. “Just... glad you all made it.”
Her lips curved into a faint smile. “So are we.”
“For now, we should rest and recover. There is no point in facing the boss if most of us cannot even stand,” Lancy spoke and no one had the power to tell her otherwise.