“I hate flying monsters,” Kaiden heard Ashkar grumble as he and Boork headed toward the boss.

“Only three though. Not bad,” Boork said.

“Stay back,” Ashkar called over his shoulder, clearly speaking to Kaiden and Zinnia.

As if there was any chance in hell Kaiden would get closer. He was more than happy to keep his distance, and of course, Zinnia stayed near him, her role firmly set as his protector.

Each floor in a dungeon was supposed to be deadlier than the last, and this boss fight was no exception. The next one would likely be even worse. No matter how much progress Kaiden had made, he was still no match for any of the monsters here. He had no intention of testing those limits today.

The moment Ashkar and Boork crossed an invisible threshold, the boss sprung into action. Its massive form spun to face its foes, its serpentine body rippling in the air. But instead of diving straight into the fight, it tilted its head back and unleashed a piercing howl toward the sky.

Kaiden’s heart sank as dozens of amphipteres descended from the mists above, their screeches blending into a cacophony of chaos. They came from all directions, divebombing the party with relentless aggression. Meanwhile, the boss and its two guards hovered above, watching like predators assessing their prey.

“You were saying,” Ashkar said to the mercenary with a very unamused look.

“Fuck...” Boork said.

“Looks like I’ll have my hands full this time around,” Zinnia said, her voice calm despite the chaos. She charged her staff for a few seconds before unleashing chain lightning attacks, striking down amphipteres as they neared Kaiden.

Kaiden crouched low behind his shields, his eyes darting in every direction. He stayed vigilant, knowing all too well that there always seemed to be one or two enemies that slipped through Zinnia’s attacks. The ground shook slightly with each dive, the air filled with the hiss of wings and the crackling of Zinnia’s magic.

I hate this, Kaiden thought bitterly, hating the feeling of cowering, of always being protected. But survival outweighed pride, and complaining wouldn’t keep him alive.

What frustrated Kaiden most was that he couldn’t watch Ashkar’s fighting up close. In quieter moments, he had marveled at the swordsman’s incredible skill—the speed, precision, and grace of his movements were almost impossible to follow, even with Kaiden’s undivided attention. But now, in the chaos of battle, there was no chance to spare even a glance. One moment of distraction could mean missing an incoming attack from a winged serpent—and that was a risk he couldn’t afford.

Kaiden adjusted his grip on his shields, steadying himself for the next attack. Survival was all that mattered. Suddenly, a monster dove at Kaiden. He readied himself for the attack, but before it reached him, a lightning blast sent it crashing to the ground. He let out a sigh of relief—short-lived, as it turned out. The creature wasn’t dead.

The amphiptere rolled to its feet moments later, the stun wearing off, and lunged at Kaiden. He had already looked away, assuming it was finished, but the screech of the creature snapped his attention back, and his eyes widened in horror as its gaping maw barreled toward him.

Kaiden stumbled back, frantically trying to raise his shield, but he wasn’t fast enough. The monster’s jaws clamped down on his forearm, tearing through flesh and bone with horrifying ease, as though biting into a tender steak.

Kaiden screamed in agony, falling to the ground as his shield clattered uselessly from his now-crippled arm. Blood poured from the gaping wound where a chunk of his arm had been moments ago. His vision blurred as he stared in shock at the gruesome injury, the sight of exposed bone and shredded muscle seared into his mind.

Dropping his remaining shield, Kaiden pressed his good hand desperately against the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood. Panic clawed at his chest as he silently prayed to Oros that Zinnia would finish off the beast before it came in for the rest of its meal.

But just as hope flickered, another horror presented itself.

A notification appeared before his eyes:

You’ve been poisoned!

Warning: Poison exceeds resistance threshold. Attributes too low to withstand. Death imminent.

Kaiden’s heart plummeted as he watched his health bar drop at an alarming rate. 30%... 20%...

No! Not yet! Through gritted teeth, Kaiden cast Healing Touch and Cure Poison in quick succession. The drop in his health slowed slightly, but it didn’t stop. His abilities were simply not strong enough. Pain wracked his body as he clung desperately to consciousness, his breaths shallow and ragged.

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A shadow loomed over him, and Kaiden looked up just in time to see the amphiptere lunging, its massive jaws opening wide to finish him off.

“Fuck,” Kaiden muttered, frozen in terror as he watched death approach. He couldn’t move, couldn’t block—there was nothing left to do but brace for the end. So much for the poison, he thought grimly.

Then, with a deafening crack, a powerful lightning bolt struck the monster mid-lunge, blasting it backward. The attack was far more potent than the last, and this time, the creature’s body began dissolving into mist.

Before Kaiden could process what had happened, a potion bottle shattered over his head, and the familiar warmth of healing magic began working through his battered body. Relief washed over him as he watched his health bar tick up from a dangerous 10%.

He exhaled deeply as his arm began to heal. Skin stitched itself back together, and bone regenerated before his eyes in a surreal display. But the potion’s effect wasn’t as fast as before. Was it a weaker potion, or was the injury simply harder to mend?

Questions for another time, Kaiden thought, his focus snapping back to the fight. With his good arm, he grabbed one of his shields, scanning the area for more threats.

He glanced over at Zinnia. “Thanks,” he said, expecting her usual quip about adding to his debt. However, Zinnia didn’t respond immediately. She was focused on the battle, her face unusually serious. Even in the chaos, though, she gave him a quick smirk and a subtle nod, acknowledging his words before turning her attention back to the fray.

The adds around Kaiden finally seemed to die down, and he allowed himself a moment to assess the rest of the battlefield. His eyes darted toward the fight between Ashkar and Boork against the boss. Both of the boss’s guards were gone, dissolved into mist, and only about a dozen or so of the smaller amphipteres remained.

Kaiden watched as Ashkar slashed clean through one of the boss’s massive wings mid-dive, grounding the creature. The swordsman moved with deadly precision, ignoring the smaller monsters still circling. Zinnia picked off those stragglers with her lightning spells one at a time, giving each spell enough juice to insta-kill them.

The remaining amphipteres swarmed Boork, but the mercenary held firm. He absorbed their attacks with his shield, jabbing out at any that got too close. Each well-placed strike either brought the monsters down or sent them retreating, leaving the wounded ones for Zinnia to finish off easily.

Meanwhile, Ashkar closed in on the boss. With one wing crippled, the monster couldn’t escape into the air, giving Ashkar the chance to unleash his full arsenal of skills. The swordsman struck with unrelenting speed, his blade cutting deep as he danced around the boss’s tail, claws, and snapping teeth without breaking a sweat.

After a series of expertly placed strikes, Ashkar finally delivered the killing blow. His sword cleaved through the creature’s head with devastating force, and the massive beast dissolved into mist as the battle came to an end.

Kaiden cast Healing Touch on himself again, noting that the effects of the potion seemed to have worn off. His health was sitting at a concerning 80%, but there were no more immediate threats.

Then, a notification popped up in his vision:

Title Upgraded!

Ultimate Survivor - Juggernaut Cockroach

You continue to face foes many times stronger than yourself and survive repeated near-death encounters in rapid succession. Where others would be crushed, you endure. No longer a simple bug, you are a juggernaut among cockroaches. Your resilience is unparalleled, and you live to crawl another day.

+40 Constitution and +20% Constitution

Kaiden blinked at the message, caught between irritation at the title’s absurd name and awe at its upgraded description. Despite its ridiculous moniker, he couldn’t deny the value of the recognition—or the accompanying stat boosts. What truly shocked him, though, was the fact that the title had upgraded at all. He hadn’t known such a thing was possible.

This wasn’t just a minor improvement, either—the benefits had doubled. The sheer magnitude of the boost left him wondering: Could it upgrade again? And if so, would it follow diminishing returns, or would it offer yet another increase of +20 and +20% to constitution?

As enticing as the possibility sounded, Kaiden had no desire to test it. This was a dangerous title to earn—one that flirted too closely with death. While the rewards were incredible, the risks were far too high.

I suppose this just proves that what doesn’t kill you... Kaiden mused grimly, letting the thought trail off.

In addition to the words in his vision, this time, Kaiden noticed a change in his body. Unlike the previous boost, this one was unmistakable. A deep, steady warmth spread through his core, radiating outward like a heavy blanket draped over his muscles and bones. His breathing felt easier, his lungs expanding effortlessly as though they had more room. The ache in his ribs from earlier seemed to fade, not just because of Healing Touch, but as if his body had become tougher, more durable.

He stretched his shoulders experimentally, feeling a new solidity in his frame. His joints felt stronger, as though they were reinforced, and his muscles didn’t just feel powerful—they felt unyielding, almost impervious. Even the lingering fatigue from hours of stress and fighting seemed to dull slightly, replaced by a quiet endurance he hadn’t known he possessed.

Maybe I hit some kind of threshold? Kaiden wondered. The thought seemed plausible. After all, with his constitution now climbing to a respectable level thanks to his boosts, it made sense that the effects were starting to manifest in more noticeable ways.

He clenched his fists, testing his grip. Even that felt firmer, steadier, as though his hands could hold their shields longer without tiring. For the first time since entering this dungeon, he didn’t feel like he was entirely at the mercy of the monsters around him even though he knew that was still the case. But he was growing.

Kaiden couldn’t help but smile. I might still be a cockroach, he thought wryly, but I’m one tough cockroach now.

“Kaiden, what’re you spacing out for? Let’s go,” Zinnia’s voice cut through his thoughts. She was standing in front of the portal, motioning for him to hurry up.

Kaiden glanced around and realized the others had already looted the chest and were ready to move on. He sighed internally, mourning the loss of yet another batch of loot. Still, at least he’d gained something valuable in the process.

“Coming,” he called, scooping up his second shield and walking toward the portal. As he approached, he whispered a silent prayer to Oros, hoping the next floor would be another farm-like recess area where he could secure more gains.

Joining the others at the portal, he gave one last glance behind before stepping through alongside the group.

Please be a recess area!