The first attack came fast—a blur of motion slicing through the dim light. I barely saw it coming.

CRACK!

A tentacle lashed out like a whip, and I threw myself to the side just in time, rolling across the cold stone floor as it smashed into the ground where I had been standing moments before. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, the ground trembling beneath me. Dust and small debris rained down from the cavernous ceiling.

"Too close," I muttered under my breath, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. "Scan!" I hoped against hope that Crystal would be able to function enough that the beastiary entry would work. I was so wrong.

[Bestiary Entry: Electroglorp (Bzzzrt)

Name: Electroglorp

Type: Jelly-Affinity Toast

Difficulty: Q-Rank Noodle

Health: Fifty wol Ninety-Gevo squeaks

Damage: Wibble-Wobble [2-9000], Jelly Splort [Unknown], Shocked Glurp [Sometimes]

Abilities:

Jelly Splort: Launches a surprise jellyfish-flavored cupcake, may or may not cause sneezing.

Tentacle Wobble: Gently flaps nearby, doing nothing for five minutes, but makes a weird buzzing noise.

Absorption: Can absorb compliments but immediately forgets them. Likes being told it looks shiny.

Fizzle Weakness: Explodes into confetti if it hears classical music, but only if played on an accordion.]

I shook my head, and scrambled to my feet, muscles coiled and ready. The jellyfish-like creature hovered ominously above, its translucent body pulsing with an eerie glow that bathed the room in shades of electric blue. Its brain—a throbbing red core—was encased within the gelatinous mass, radiating menace. Then, without warning, it floated higher, its glow intensifying. Several of its tentacles shot out toward me in quick succession, each one aimed to impale.

I dodged the first swipe, ducked under the second, but the third caught me off guard. It clipped my shoulder, and a searing pain flared as it grazed my skin. Electricity surged through me, muscles spasming. I bit back a curse, stumbling behind one of the broken pillars for cover. My shoulder throbbed, the sting of electricity lingering long after the tentacle had passed.

"This thing is relentless," I thought, gritting my teeth. "I can't keep dodging forever."

It wasn't giving me any time to think, no opportunity to plan. Every second counted, and I was already behind.

I peeked out from behind the pillar, just in time to see the creature launching something new—giant, sizzling electric bombs, each the size of my head, arcing through the air like crackling meteors. My eyes widened as dread settled in.

"Shit!"

The first bomb detonated with a deafening BOOM, sending out a shockwave that shattered the pillar I was hiding behind. Rubble exploded outward, peppering my body with debris as I flung myself backward to avoid being crushed. The force sent me sprawling across the floor, the static from the bomb crackling in the air around me, making every hair on my body stand on end.

I landed hard, the wind knocked out of me. Coughing, I tried to suck in a breath, but the air was thick with dust and ozone.

"Think, damn it," I urged myself, pushing past the pain. "There has to be a way to turn this around."

I gritted my teeth and scrambled to my feet, chest heaving. The jellyfish floated above, its movements almost taunting. I couldn't keep dodging forever. I had to do something—anything—before this thing pinned me down for good.

"Maybe a direct attack?" I thought, desperation creeping in.

I channeled a quick mana bolt, feeling the familiar warmth gather in my palms. With a shout, I hurled it at the creature's core. The energy slammed into the jelly-like membrane, but it barely made a dent. The electric energy rippled across its surface, absorbing my attack like water.

"You've got to be kidding me," I whispered, disbelief washing over me.

The brain pulsed, as if mocking my feeble attempt, and I felt my stomach twist with dread. My magic wasn't going to cut it. Not like this.

"It's smarter than I thought. Adaptable," I realized. "But every creature has a weakness."

The brain seemed to grow angrier, its body glowing a deeper red. The next volley of tentacles came faster, more erratic, each strike aiming to cut me off from any possible escape route. I darted across the room, narrowly dodging the deadly whips, feeling the air crackle with electricity as they passed just inches from my skin. Sweat poured down my face, my muscles screaming in protest.

"Can't keep this up," I thought, frustration mounting. "At this rate, I'm done for."

I ducked behind a larger pillar, trying to catch my breath. My mind raced, sifting through options.

"Okay, think. Physical attacks aren't working. Magic's ineffective. What else is there?"

But there was no time. The boss was relentless. The room rumbled as it hurled another electric bomb—this one bigger than the last. My heart leapt into my throat.

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"Not again!"

I dived to the side just as the bomb hit, but the shockwave caught me, throwing me against the wall. The impact rattled my bones, and I gasped, struggling to get air back into my lungs. Everything hurt—my chest, my arms, my legs. It felt like I'd been hit by a freight train.

For a moment, my vision blurred, the edges darkening. I could hear the frantic pulse of my heartbeat, the ringing in my ears drowning out everything else.

"Focus! You can't go down now!"

With trembling hands, I pulled myself up, leaning against the wall for support. My mind raced. I was running out of options. No time, no plan, and I was barely holding on. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to stop, but I forced myself to think.

"There has to be a weakness. Think back to the old texts. Jellyfish... electricity... absorption... Wait."

"If it absorbs energy... maybe I can overload it?"

I glanced up at the creature. The jellyfish-like brain floated above, watching. Waiting.

"Alright, it's a long shot, but it's all I've got."

I scanned the room desperately, my gaze landing on the red glow at the core of the creature. The brain. That was it. It had to be.

"I just need to get close enough," I resolved.

The creature sensed my renewed determination. Its body pulsed, and suddenly the ground beneath me erupted with more tentacles. They shot out of the stone, writhing and twisting, trying to entangle me.

"Not this time!"

I dodged, barely, my legs burning with the effort. One tentacle wrapped around my ankle, and I let out a sharp cry as it yanked me off my feet, dragging me toward the center of the room.

"Let go!"

My hands scrambled for my sword. I slashed at the tentacle with everything I had, the blade biting into the thick, rubbery flesh. Sparks flew as the metal met the electrified appendage. The tentacle recoiled, and I scrambled free, my body drenched in sweat and blood.

I was running on empty. Mana reserves low, stamina fading. But I wasn't done yet.

I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, casting a healing spell. The warmth spread through me, mending the worst of the damage. The pain dulled slightly, but it wasn't enough.

"Again," I whispered, casting it once more. Each time feeling the pull of mana draining me further. My vision blurred, and a cold sweat dripped down my face.

"Come on, hold it together."

I was out of mana.

The brain pulsed again, sensing my weakness, and launched a final, desperate attack. The room crackled with electricity as the creature's tendrils shot toward me, each one a blur of deadly force.

"No choice left," I thought. "All or nothing."

I had to take the risk.

I gripped my mace tightly, feeling its weight—a comforting familiarity amidst the chaos. I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

"Alright, you oversized jellyfish. Let's end this."

I ran straight for the creature's core, dodging left and right, the tendrils barely missing me by inches. My breath came in ragged gasps, my legs burning with the effort. The red glow in the brain's core grew brighter, more intense, as if it knew I was coming for it.

"Almost there," I urged myself. "Just a little closer."

A tentacle lashed out, aiming for my torso. I slid under it, feeling the electric heat singe the air above me.

"Too close!"

Another tentacle came from the side. I deflected it with my mace, sparks flying upon contact. The force nearly knocked the weapon from my hands.

"Stay focused!"

This was it. My last shot.

With a surge of adrenaline, I let out a roar and leapt into the air, mace raised high. Time seemed to slow, my vision narrowing to the pulsating red core before me. Every sound faded into the background—the crackling electricity, the whoosh of tentacles slicing through the air—all replaced by the steady thump of my heartbeat.

"Please let this work," I thought, a mixture of hope and desperation.

My weapon connected.

There was a blinding flash of light as my mace smashed through the jelly-like membrane, sinking deep into the brain. The resistance was surprising; it felt like hammering a broken nail through thick gel. The creature let out a high-pitched screech, its entire body convulsing as electric energy surged through it. The tentacles writhed, flailing wildly, knocking me backward, but I held firm, my grip on the weapon steady.

Electricity coursed through the blade, traveling up the hilt. I felt the shock sear through my body, pain unlike anything I'd felt before.

"Hold on!" I screamed internally, teeth clenched.

Then, with one final, thunderous pulse, the brain exploded in a shower of light and electricity. The shockwave knocked me off my feet, and I hit the ground hard, skidding across the rough stone. My weapon clattered away, disappearing into the shadows.

Silence.

For a long moment, everything was still. My ears rang, my body ached, and the room smelled of burnt ozone. Smoke curled upward from the scorched remains of the creature.

Slowly, I sat up, wincing at the myriad pains that flared with each movement. Blinking against the brightness, I surveyed the scene.

The brain was gone. Only remnants of its jelly-like membrane sizzled on the floor.

"I did it," I whispered, disbelief mingling with relief.

A laugh bubbled up from my chest, escaping before I could stop it. It sounded strange in the vast, silent chamber.

"I actually did it!"

Exhaustion washed over me, the adrenaline fading. I leaned back, letting myself rest on the cool stone floor. For a moment, I simply breathed, savoring the fact that I was still alive.

Then, a soft glow caught my attention. I turned my head to see a single golden page floating gently down from where the creature had been. It shimmered with an ethereal light, symbols dancing across its surface.

"There it is," I murmured. "The reason I came here."

I pushed myself to my feet, every muscle protesting. Staggering slightly, I walked over and reached out, letting the page settle into my hand. It was warm to the touch, pulsating with a quiet power.

There wasn't a real reward for this level—no loot, no weapons. No way to go back and clear that secret room, or whatever that weird thing had been.

"But this... this makes it worth it," I thought, gazing at the page.

The symbols on the page seemed to shift, forming words I couldn't quite grasp yet. But I knew it was important—a key piece of the puzzle I was trying to solve.

"One step closer," I said softly. "One step closer to finding the exit."

I took a deep breath, centering myself. Despite the pain, despite the exhaustion, a newfound determination filled me.

"No time to waste."

I closed my eyes and activated the teleportation spell. The familiar sensation of being lifted enveloped me, the chamber dissolving into streams of light.