He watched as the toned woman hesitated before begrudgingly helping her shorter, silver-haired companion up and moving out of the chamber with her.

Good, he thought.

For some reason, he smiled despite the bad situation he had found himself in.

“I did something good”–that was the feeling that caught itself in his mind, though he had little time left to his thoughts as the Defects rapidly closed in.

It’s not as if he strove to be a “hero”, but he simply felt he could be proud of making something out of the wasted life he had lived all of these years.

“Even an idiot like me can do something good if he tries,” —that was the resolve he experienced now.

Against the obsidian flooring, their feet stomped as they howled out towards him with distorted voices, stretching and twisting their own bodies in abnormal ways as they approached.

Around him, there were three closing in, wielding their thin spears with clear malice in their grip.

…Alright, I can do this. I’m at the right level–I can do this, he told himself.

Just as the Defects got close enough to rear their weapons back, he snapped his fingers, “Flinch!”_.

[Spirit: -20. Remaining Spirit: 2210/2500.]

The concussive snap momentarily froze the thin, shadowy Defects as he didn’t waste any time with his offensive turn.

Without any use of skills, he charged forward and spun around, slicing the head off the middle Defect clean off as a fountain of inhuman blood poured upwards.

[EXP+25. Current EXP: 145/1750.]

One down, he thought.

Not wasting his momentum, he pivoted around, using an overhead strike to send his sword through the skull of the leftmost Defect before turning towards the last, who had just snapped out of [Flinch].

[EXP+25. Current EXP: 170/1750.]

“Hyup…!”

He leaned back, avoiding the swift, lethal strike of the Defect’s spear as he watched it narrowly sail past his face.

Quickly glancing to the side, he realized a couple more were approaching him, prompting him to end the current one quickly as he kicked its knee, causing it to fall before he took its head off in one, clean slice.

[EXP+25. Current EXP: 195/1750.]

A puddle of Defect blood began to form, running along the ridges of the obsidian flooring as he flipped his sword, glancing to his left and right as two more Defects of the same class approached simultaneously.

Attempting to backstep one of their strikes, the left Defect’s spear grazed his skin, cutting it as he winced.

[Health: -300. Remaining Health Points: 1700/2000.]

It was a surprising amount of damage, but he remembered he was fighting enemies that were even with him in level.

A single mistake is huge here. I can’t let that happen, he thought.

“Cast: Dark Edge!”

As he flipped back, he ran his fingertip along the surface of his blade, engulfing it in darkness again before he dashed towards the two Defects.

With a spinning slash, he bisected both of the Defects cleanly, but not before receiving a last blow from one of the cut-in-half Defects. Its spear grazed his side, chunking away at his health points further.

[Health: -350. Remaining Health Points: 1350/2000.]

He was nearly at half of his total health from just two, glancing strikes. Though he cleared out the Defects, he held his side, huffing as sweat clung to his skin.

[EXP+50. Current EXP: 245/1750.]

That’s the downside to being an assassin-class. It comes with incredible movement abilities and dexterity, but I’m about as tough as paper, he thought.

“…I did it, though,” he sighed out with a small smile as he held his side, feeling the warmth of his blood running against his hand.

As he looked towards the entrance of the chamber, knowing that the two girls had likely escaped already, he felt his task had been completed.

THUD.

Like a meteor landing behind him, something fell onto the spot behind him with such weight that the entirety of the dungeon creaked, supplementing a small shock wave that made his eyes widen.

That’s right…He thought in terror.

As he began to turn around, he was faced with a system notification that blinked vibrantly with a warning.

…I never found the boss of this dungeon, he realized.

[WARNING. Enemy Identified: “Fallen Champion” | Level 13 | Obsidian Dungeon BOSS.]

It towered over him, over four times his height with thick, all-black armor that exuded steam like a train. A magnificent, fur-lined, black cape flowed behind its back as it stood there, wielding two, colossal greatswords that carried royal designs etched into their dark steel.

Level 13…? He thought.

With the appearance of the dungeon boss, the chamber finally lit up as the black lanterns attached to the many pillars within the room lit with emerald flames.

All of his confidence was tested when met face-to-face with the gargantuan boss, who looked down at him with an all-black helmet that carried reverse-horn designs that protruded from either side of its head.

[System Tip: Your current best strategy would be to [Run].]

“…Yeah, I think I agree,” he muttered as sweat dripped down his cheek, mixing with the blood that ran from his cut.

Though is that really an option? He thought.

Looking back, he could faintly see the barrier of gray energy blocking off the exit from the chamber, frowning a bit at that realization.

As I thought…I’m stuck here until this guy is gone, he thought.

For some reason though, he felt he wouldn’t run even if the chance showed itself. It wasn’t bravery, or any such aspect, but something else.

He remembered it: the man he witnessed at the start of this entire ordeal, who achieved the level he reached only moments ago, but months earlier. He also remembered the woman who had just saved him that very day.

They would be able to handle this without a problem, wouldn’t they? Who says I can’t? My conviction to live is just as powerful as theirs, so why is it they had a head start? Why was I left in the dust?

In spite of that, I’m still here. I haven’t fallen yet. I’m level ten now. I’ll reach them, and I’ll survive, he thought, clenching his fists.

But, resolve alone wasn’t enough to win a fight. He was quickly reminded as such as he witnessed in slow-motion that felt like his life being flashed before his eyes as the Fallen Champion swung one of its massive blades towards him.