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Fuuu…Sixth breath.
As I crossed into the boss layer, the air itself seemed to change, growing heavy and oppressive, as though I’d stepped into a storm about to break. My lungs strained against the sudden pressure, each breath feeling thick, weighted, as I fought to stay steady. My step faltered for a split second, my legs nearly giving out beneath me, but I caught myself, pushing forward before I could lose my momentum.
Behind me, the snarls and hisses of the pursuing elites came to an abrupt halt. I glanced back out of instinct and saw them skidding to a stop at the edge of the boss layer, their claws scraping against the stone floor as they recoiled, their bodies tense with hesitation. They snarled low, their eyes fixed on me with hatred, but none dared follow.
They won’t cross.
Their fear was palpable, their aggression swallowed up by the suffocating aura that blanketed this space. Even in their mindless ferocity, they weren’t foolish enough to enter the Overlord’s domain.
Lucky me.
I didn’t stop moving, though my pace slowed as I turned my focus back to the behemoth ahead. The Overlord lifted its massive head as I approached, its glowing green eyes locking onto me with an intensity that threatened to freeze me in place. Those eyes weren’t just beastly—they were calculating, intelligent, filled with an awareness that sent a shiver through my already tense frame.
For most, that gaze would have been enough to inspire a primal, bone-deep terror—the kind of fear that made every instinct scream to run. I was really thankful for my Exira, with extreme concentration my senses heightened and I think Mom called it entering the zone. All of my thoughts were suppressed in a way that I didn’t panic, or gave too much into my thoughts.
Only my task mattered and nothing else.
My feet moved without hesitation, each step bringing me closer to the towering beast. As I neared, I caught the faintest flicker of surprise in its gaze, a subtle shift that seemed to say,
Fuuu…. Seventh breath.
Groaarrrrrrrrrrrr
The Overlord roared, the sound a bone-shaking, earth-rending bellow that echoed through the cavern like thunder. The sheer force of it vibrated in my chest, rattling my ribs and threatening to throw me off balance. The entire cave system seemed to tremble in response, loose stones clattering from the walls as dust rained down in thin streams.
With an earth-shaking stomp, the Overlord began to move, its massive frame uncoiling from the pillar like a serpent waking from slumber. Another roar ripped through the cavern, louder, more feral, as the beast reared up, its clawed limbs stretching out like the harbinger of death itself.
I was twenty meters away now, close enough to feel the ground tremble beneath each of its steps. The Overlord’s claws rose high into the air, the jagged tips glinting in the dim light of the pulsating pillar. And then, with a roar that shook the very foundation of the cavern, it brought them crashing down.
Fuuu… Eighth breath.
I leapt forward with every ounce of strength Exira could muster, the force propelling me just far enough to avoid the crushing impact. The Overlord’s claws slammed into the ground behind me with a deafening boom, the force sending a shockwave rippling outward.
Pieces of the stone floor shattered under the weight, chunks of rock flying into the air like shrapnel.
I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. To glance at the beast now, to give it even a second of my attention, might have betrayed my true intentions. I had to stay focused, to act like I was a fool rushing toward the Overlord in some misguided attempt to kill it.
The truth was, killing this thing wasn’t even on the table. Not now. Not like this.
I gritted my teeth, gripping my spear tightly as I poured a surge of peak Level 2 Exira into it. The weapon hummed to life, crackling with a brilliant purple energy that danced along its surface like lightning. Every muscle in my arm tensed as I reared back, the spear feeling heavier than ever under the weight of the power I was channeling into it.
“Take this,” I growled, launching the spear with every ounce of force I could muster.
The weapon cut through the air with a sharp swish, the crackling energy leaving faint streaks of violet light in its wake as it hurtled toward the Overlord’s neck.
Fuuuu…. Ninth breath.
Squelch.
The spear struck true, piercing deep into the Overlord’s thick, scaly neck. Blackened blood spewed from the wound, hissing and sizzling as it splattered across the stone floor, eating through it like acid.
The Overlord reared back, a deafening, guttural roar ripping from its throat as it writhed in pain. The sound was almost unbearable, a raw, primal scream that reverberated through the cavern like an explosion. The massive beast thrashed violently, its movements shaking the ground as it swung its massive head, trying to dislodge the spear.
The wound wasn’t fatal—I hadn’t expected it to be. Killing this thing outright was impossible, not in my current state. But that wasn’t the point. The spear was never meant to kill. It was meant to distract, to buy me the precious seconds I needed.
I grabbed the rope attached to the spear, feeling it go taut as the Overlord’s massive form twisted and thrashed. My hands gripped it tightly, the rough fibers digging into my palms as I braced myself for the pull.
“Hold on,” I muttered to myself, gritting my teeth as I steadied my footing. “Here we go.”
With a quick, forceful tug, I launched myself upward, using the rope to scale the beast’s towering frame. The Overlord’s thrashing made it difficult to keep my balance, the sheer force of its movements threatening to throw me off at any moment.
My boots scraped against its scales as I climbed higher, the jagged ridges along its spine providing just enough grip to keep me steady. The heat radiating from its body was oppressive, each breath bringing in the acrid scent of its blood, its rage, its sheer monstrous presence.
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“Almost there,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of the beast’s roaring. The rope burned against my hands as I pulled myself higher, inching closer to my target.
This was it—the make-or-break moment. The Overlord was wounded, distracted, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. If I hesitated, if I faltered, this entire plan would come crashing down around me.
Fuuuu…. Tenth Breath.
The Overlord shifted beneath me, its massive frame twisting and bucking like a wild animal finally realizing the danger clinging to its back. My grip tightened, fingers digging into the rough, scaly ridges along its spine as it thrashed violently, trying to throw me off. Each movement sent shockwaves through my body, my muscles screaming with the effort of holding on.
“Stay still, you bastard,” I hissed through clenched teeth, fumbling for the first bomb in my pack. The vibrations beneath me were relentless, each jolt threatening to knock the device from my hands as I scrambled to secure it.
Drawing my sword, I slashed at the beast’s hide, cutting a fresh wound in the already mangled flesh. Black blood oozed out, sizzling as it met the air, the acrid smell burning my nostrils. Without hesitation, I shoved the bomb into the wound, pressing it deep before releasing the trigger and leaping back.
Boom!
The explosion rocked the Overlord, sending a spray of blood and flesh into the air as a chunk of its back was ripped apart. I landed awkwardly on the ground, rolling to absorb the impact, my ears ringing from the blast. The beast let out a deafening roar, its body spasming violently as it twitched and writhed in pain.
But the moment of triumph was short-lived. My eyes widened as I saw the gaping wound begin to close, the flesh knitting itself back together with terrifying speed.
Bones erupted from the surface, sharp and jagged, forming grotesque spines that jutted out like twisted weapons. The mass around the wound began to swell, growing and shifting as the Overlord’s body warped into something even more monstrous.
Fuuuu…Eleventh Breath.
Ha…haaaa what the fuck!...
The Overlord’s transformation was horrifying to watch. Its once recognizable form now looked like a grotesque nightmare, a shifting wall of flesh and bone that pulsed with chaotic energy. Its green eyes, glowing brighter than ever, locked onto me with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine.
It roared again, the sound reverberating through the cavern like an earthquake, and then it charged. Each step was an earth-shaking stomp, the ground beneath me trembling as it closed the distance.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself as I felt the strain of Exira building in my mind. Pushing it to its limits, I forced my power to Level 3, my body screaming in protest as the energy surged through me. My vision blurred, the edges of my consciousness fraying as blood trickled from my nose, but I held on.
“Just a little more,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Come on, Lexi. Don’t give up now.”
As the Overlord reached within twenty meters of me, I pushed harder, forcing Exira past its breaking point.
Fuuuuu... Twelfth Breath.
Shua.
The air shifted, a visible pressure descending over the cavern like a suffocating blanket. Everything stopped. The monsters froze in place, their snarls and growls silenced mid-breath. Even the Overlord’s massive form came to an abrupt halt, its massive claws inches from the ground as its entire body stiffened.
The cavern was deathly silent, the oppressive weight of Exira at its peak Level 3—no, beyond Level 3—holding everything in a suspended, unnatural stillness.
I staggered, my legs trembling under the strain, my vision swimming as blood trickled from my ears and nose. My gaze locked onto the Overlord’s eyes, still burning with rage and hatred, the raw emotion bubbling just beneath the surface of its frozen frame.
“Not much time,” I muttered, turning toward the pillar. Every step felt like a monumental effort, my muscles screaming in protest as I moved. With the last of my strength, I reached into my pack and hurled all the remaining bombs toward the pillar.
Fuuuu. Thirteenth Breath.
The bombs sailed through the air, their paths unerringly true as they neared the pulsating pillar. The moment they came close, the pillar seemed to draw them in, sucking the devices into its core like a vortex.
I felt the energy shift instantly, the steady hum of the pillar turning erratic, chaotic. The cavern trembled as the energy within it began to destabilize, a low, resonating pulse building into a deafening crescendo.
“Time to go,” I growled, stumbling as I forced my legs to move. My body felt like it was on fire, every nerve screaming as Exira drained the last of my reserves. Blood dripped from my eyes now, staining my vision red, but I kept moving, forcing one foot in front of the other.
Behind me, the Overlord let out a guttural roar, breaking free from the frozen stillness. My gaze flicked back for a split second, just long enough to see the monstrous creature lunge for the pillar, its massive frame slamming into the chaotic energy source. It clung to the pillar like a parasite, its body pulsing and writhing as it absorbed the unstable energy.
But it was too much. The energy was too wild, too chaotic, and the Overlord’s body began to twist and mutate further, flesh and bone spiraling outward into a grotesque, ever-growing mass. The sight was enough to turn my stomach, but I didn’t have the luxury of stopping.
Fuuuu… Fourteenth Breath.
I staggered forward, barely able to keep my balance as the oppressive energy in the cavern grew heavier, pressing down on me like a physical weight. The air was thick with power, each breath feeling like I was inhaling molten lead. My Exira reserves were nearly depleted, the once steady hum now a faint whisper as I struggled to even draw Level 1.
Crawling now, I dragged myself toward the end of the cave, the faint glimmer of my escape just barely visible in the distance. My limbs felt like lead, my head pounding with every heartbeat, but I refused to stop.
From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the Overlord—or what was left of it. Its body had become unrecognizable, a seething wall of flesh and bone that pulsed and expanded uncontrollably. The sight sent a shiver down my spine, but I didn’t dare slow down.
fuuu…huuu…huuuff. Fifteenth Breath.
Finally, I reached the end of the cavern, my body collapsing against the stone as I struggled to draw even the shallowest breath. The energy in the air was unbearable now, a chaotic maelstrom that set every nerve in my body on edge.
I could feel it—the explosion was coming, the energy building to a breaking point that would consume everything in its path. My skin crawled with the sheer magnitude of it, every instinct screaming at me to run, to shield myself, to survive.
With trembling hands, I activated my shield, pouring the last dregs of Exira into it. My vision was almost gone, my eyelids heavy as my body fought to stay conscious. Pulling out the final bomb, I threw it toward the wall, the device detonating on impact and blasting a hole through the stone.
The roar of water filled my ears as a torrent rushed in, the force slamming into me as the pillar behind me exploded with a deafening boom. I turned instinctively, raising my shield to face the blast, the shockwave slamming into me with enough force to knock the air from my lungs.
I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t hear it. The world was a blur of chaos, my vision narrowing to nothing but darkness and pain.
The force hit me like a hammer from the gods, a crushing, all-consuming power that slammed into my shield with an impact so violent it felt like the air itself had turned solid. My arm snapped instantly, the bones shattering under the sheer weight of the blast, the pain so sharp and immediate that it stole the breath from my lungs.
For a fleeting moment, I thought the shield might hold, that the last remnants of Exira I’d poured into it would be enough to save me. But then the heat came. Searing, unbearable, it tore through the barrier like paper, and I felt the water behind me evaporate.
The shockwave tore me from the ground, my body twisting and spinning in the air like a broken marionette, the laws of physics themselves seeming to shatter around me. Every nerve in my body screamed as I was flung through the blasted opening in the cave wall, my limbs flailing uselessly as the pressure of the blast threw me out into the rushing water beyond.
The world around me faded into a blur of noise and sensation—roaring water, a distant ringing in my ears, the taste of blood in my mouth, the cold rush of water slamming into my broken body.
And then, mercifully, there was nothing. Darkness swept over me like a shroud, pulling me under as the pain, the chaos, and the light of the cavern disappeared into oblivion.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, there was silence.
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