Something heavy fell from the ceiling several feet away from us, the thumping sound echoing through the cave. Following it, we heard other similar sounds. It was hard to tell if it was just the cave's echo or if creatures were indeed flooding the place.

  I counted one massive thump and five consecutive ones.

  As soon as the last sound’s echo faded, a new message popped up:

  Field Boss - Kobold Chieftain - Rank F4

  Defeat it to collect rewards.

  I wasn't expecting to face another boss so soon, but I guess this was just the way of the game making the action non stop. As the sound of boots stomping on the ground grew closer and closer, their silhouettes started to emerge against the faint torchlight.

  A massive kobold led the group. It was probably six feet tall and wore armor that covered its entire body. Close behind it, the other kobolds hurried to stay near. These ones seem much different from the ones we’d already killed, but they had a murderous gaze, as if being near their leader had somehow buffed them.

  Knowing how the system worked, I assumed that was exactly the case.

  As if reading my mind, Tress nocked an arrow and shot it toward one of the smaller kobolds at the same time I threw a dagger at another.

  The creatures fell to the ground immediately, and notifications popped up to alert us of our new credits. Still, the group kept advancing. The boss, plus three of its minions, moved steadily toward us. We targeted the remaining three small ones, attacking from a distance and as cleanly as possible. I needed a few more throws than Tress, but they were all dead before the boss twenty feet away from us.

  However, as soon as the last kobold hit the ground, something seemed to trigger in the boss. It started rushing toward us at full speed.

  Mary stepped forward, her shield raised high, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her with me as I leaped to the side. Something about the creature’s behavior felt wrong.

  When it crashed against a nearby wall, making a giant hole with just the weight of its body, I understood what it was.

  The death of its minions had somehow triggered a skill in the boss, making it stronger and more aggressive. Mary seemed to notice the same, but she was too busy trying to heave herself up to thank me.

  The boss shook its head; the crash had clearly inflicted some damage, but only enough to be a nuisance. It turned toward us, its face twisted in a grimace of hatred.

  At the far end of the room, we heard more kobolds descending into the boss room. As soon as the first one touched the ground, the boss’s expression softened slightly. Instead of charging at us, it unsheathed a massive sword from its belt, gripping it with both hands at waist height.

  The kobolds rushed toward us at full speed, while the chieftain moved with deliberate steps. I started to form a plan.

  “Follow me!” I shouted to Mary and Tress, and thankfully, they obeyed without question.

  Tress unsheathed her sword and helped me dispatch three of the kobolds. They died quickly, our reach and speed far superior to theirs. Mary kept shoving the other two back with her shield as the boss trudged toward us.

  The short woman stepped back, turning her shield and slamming it hard against the temple of one of the kobolds. It died instantly. The last kobold looked at its fallen comrades, seemingly unsure of what to do next. Mary raised her shield to strike again, but I grabbed her arm just in time to stop her attack.

  “What!?” She seemed as confused as the kobold, which hesitated, unsure whether to step forward or retreat.

  “Keep it alive! Don’t kill it,” I said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

  She swallowed the doubt rising to her lips and nodded, running toward the kobold and shoving it just hard enough to send it tumbling away. The kobold was getting back up, but I turned my focus to the chieftain.

  The creature wasn’t far now. Its steps were deliberate, almost as if it were in a trance. When it was just a few paces away, it suddenly hastened its stride, raising its sword high before bringing it down toward me.

  I used [Lightning Momentum] to propel myself to the boss’s back, flying past the creature, inches away from its blade. I rolled twice before managing to stand again. When I got a glimpse of the boss, it was already stepping toward Tress, a horizontal slash carving through the air with its movement.

  Summoning my wand, I unleashed a lightning strike at the creature. The magic flew fast and connected with the center of its back.

  Poisoning Effect - Ineffective.

  The system delivered the message, but I hadn’t been counting on the poison. The effect I was expecting occurred anyway. The magic energy electrified the creature’s metal armor, stunning it in place as it grunted in pain.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Seeing the opportunity, Tress raised her bow and nocked an arrow. The bolt flew straight into the creature’s chest. She fired a second shot, then another. I couldn’t see where they landed since the monster’s back was to me, but it grunted with each impact.

  I moved closer, another lightning strike forming at the tip of my wand. The creature took a single step forward, only to be halted again by the lightning magic. Tress kept firing until her quiver was empty. Still, the monster stood, struggling to move forward one agonizing step at a time.

  At the far end of the room, Mary grappled with the remaining kobold. The creature seemed to realize she was merely toying with it, and it was livid. It thrashed wildly, feinting attacks and attempting to strike her from the side, only to be hurled away again and again.

  With every attack, Mary had to respond with more force. Meanwhile, Tress charged the boss, preparing to attack up close just as Mary flung the kobold one final time. The creature hit the ground, its skull colliding with something solid, and a sickening crack echoed through the room.

  I didn’t need the system to confirm the kobold was dead. The boss told us itself.

  The lightning strike effect faded as the monster released an imposing roar and dashed toward an unsuspecting Tress. She was charging straight at the creature, with no chance of slowing down.

  I used [Lightning Momentum] again, aiming for Tress, hoping to get her out of the way, but I ended up hurtling toward the creature instead.

  I’d collide with its armor in less than a second, so I did the first thing that came to mind. I spread my arms wide and braced to tackle it.

  If I was going to crash into a block of metal, I’d bring it down with me.

  Pain exploded in my head as my forehead slammed into the back of its armor. I tackled the monster, and its knees buckled—or at least, I think they did.

  The next second, we were rolling on the ground, the monster screaming with frantic hatred. I wasn’t sure if Tress had been hit in the crash, but I definitely was. Our fight became a blur of armor and blood.

  The taste of iron filled my mouth; I was sure I’d bitten my tongue, but I didn’t care.

  With the dagger in hand, I kept stabbing it.

  Stunning Effect - Ineffective.

  I struck again, the monster’s massive hands finding my neck as we rolled once more. It started squeezing, pressing harder with each second.

  I stabbed it again.

  Stunning Effect - Ineffective.

  My throat dried instantly as I forced myself to breathe. The creature loomed over me as I continued stabbing it in the ribcage.

  Stunning Effect - Ineffective.

  Metal, flesh, and muscle yielded to my blade as torrents of blood soaked the monster’s armor, but its grip only tightened around my neck.

  My eyes burned, bulging from the effort to stay conscious.

  Stunning Effect - Effective.

  Its grip loosened, and I sucked in air like a newborn taking its first breath. I tried shoving the creature away, but it was too damn heavy. I reached for its neck but couldn’t quite get to it.

  Something struck the creature in the side, and it fell, releasing its hold on my neck. My left hand instinctively dismissed the wand and felt my neck, ensuring it was still intact.

  It took only a second. In the next, I was back on my feet, striking toward the creature’s neck, aiming for the small opening in its armor that revealed its red, leathery skin.

  I slit its throat in a single motion, and the message appeared instantly.

  Congratulations, you have slain Field Boss - Kobold Chieftain - Rank F4.

  Ding! Congratulations! Your soul core has been upgraded.

  Calculating…

  Magic upgraded.

  Mana upgraded.

  New Stats:

  Subject: Zach Walker

  Race: Human (Earth)

  Class: Mage, Rogue

  Merged Class: Undergoing calculations

  General Rank: F5

  Constitution: F4

  Magic: F3

  Mana: F3

  Speed: F3

  Strength: F3

  Congratulations! You Earned a Platinum Shard Chest.

  Congratulations! You Earned 100 credits.

  Congratulations! You earned a new Title - [Boss Addicted] - You were the first to slay a boss in the Desolation Forest.

  Effect: +1 Strength

  I panted, both hands on my knees as I dismissed my weapons and glanced around. Tress was lying on the ground, her head resting against one of her sprawled arms. I ran toward her, Mary catching up quickly, worry all over her face.

  As I turned Tress over, Mary started mumbling.

  “Is she okay? It’s my fault. I should’ve kept it alive.”

  The elf’s eyes opened slowly, consciousness returning as I checked her for injuries.

  “I’m all right, dear,” Tress said, cupping Mary’s face.

  “Are you sure?” I pressed.

  “A little dizzy, but I’ve had worse.” Tress tried to sit up, but she clearly didn’t have the strength. I helped her, easing her into a sitting position. She raised a hand to her forehead and began massaging it.

  “How did you know we needed to keep one of the short ones alive?” Tress asked after a few moments.

  “This is a game, and games follow rules and patterns. We call it Game Design,” I explained. She seemed thoughtful.

  “So on your planet, people fight monsters as a game?” Tress’s genuine curiosity made my smile all the more satisfying.

  “No, but we make video games about it. The fight here wasn’t too far from the ones in video games,” I replied. Even with a hint of confusion in her eyes, she seemed to grasp the concept, though ‘video games’ clearly meant nothing to her.

  “We’d better get going. We’ve got enough to buy healing potions for Elk.”

  “You also earned a hundred credits?” Mary asked, standing and moving closer to me.

  “Yeah. I guess they always split the rewards between those who helped kill it. They also mentioned a shard box, but I don’t see it anywhere.”

  Just as the words left my mouth, a green-lit box materialized before me with a following message.

  Choose one shard.