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Chapter 4 – Crunch Time
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The dungeon trembled as Rin marched down the corridor, his breath misting in the cold air, the bone sword gripped tight in one hand.
Muscles he never knew he had flexed with every step.
"Okay," he whispered to himself. "New body, creepy sword, glowing health bar I don't understand—this is fine."
Then he saw it.
The Boss Room.
A huge obsidian arch framed the entrance. Lava light flickered from within. The heat hit him like a punch. He stepped in.
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The Dungeon Boss Returns
The horned giant stood at the center of a cracked stone arena, hunched forward like a beast coiled to strike.
Its skin was armor.
Its eyes were coals.
Its grin was waiting.
"You again?" Rin muttered. "Thought I was a meat pancake by now."
The boss snarled, confused for a second. Then it saw the sword.
And charged.
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The Clash
Rin dove left, narrowly missing a cleaving fist that shattered the floor.
He spun, blade arcing—slash!—and caught the boss across the thigh.
It howled.
Rin grinned.
"Did that hurt? Want me to season it first?"
The boss swung again. Rin ducked, backflipped, landed light.
This body was insane.
Fast. Sharp. Like the old Rin was a shadow and this one was fire.
He danced between the monster's fists, carving light wounds with every pass.
For once in his life… Rin didn't run.
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Strength Meets Strategy
He slid between the creature's legs, kicked off a rock, and slammed the bone sword into its back.
The blade sank deep.
The boss roared.
> CRITICAL HIT!
Rin shouted, "WHO'S THE SNACK NOW?!"
The system chimed.
> Time Remaining: 04:12
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The Turn
Rin raised his sword for the final strike—
—and the walls exploded.
Crawlers. Beasts. Fanged things with too many eyes.
Dozens of monsters poured from cracks in the dungeon walls, shrieking.
"What—WAIT—NO CUTSCENE?!"
They swarmed him. He fought like a storm—dodging, cutting, kicking.
But numbers were numbers.
And his breath was fading.
Claws slashed his leg. Fangs grazed his shoulder.
The boss rose behind the chaos, eyes blazing.
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The Desperation
> Time Remaining: 01:32
Rin staggered, blood trickling from his side.
One monster leapt for his throat—he grabbed it mid-air and headbutted it into dust.
But they were closing in.
He fell to one knee. The bone sword cracked.
He reached into his pocket, fumbling—
The sugar cube.
Still glowing. Still warm.
He stared at it.
"…You're seriously my last shot, huh?"
The monsters circled. The boss raised a flaming club.
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One Bite
Rin raised the cube to his lips.
"If I die," he muttered, "I better wake up in a buffet."
And he bit down.
Crunch.
To Be Continued