The Dreamer's POV

[00 Months: 02 Days: 01 Hours]

As I stepped into the Boss Room, a chill ran down my spine.

The atmosphere crackled with an oppressive energy, and my eyes widened as I beheld the two grotesque and towering creatures that awaited me.

[SYSTEM WARNING]

<You Have Encountered Two Dangerous Demons>

I watched them growl as I drew closer to them, unchanging in my pace.

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRR..."

They were a twisted fusion of flesh and nightmare, their bodies contorted and bloated with muscle.

Jagged spikes protruded from their hulking forms, and their eyes glowed with a malevolent intensity.

"Well, this is a surprise." I couldn't help but admire the audacity of this Dungeon's design.

It was the first time I had encountered a dual Boss battle, pitting me against two formidable adversaries simultaneously.

The odds were stacked against me, but instead of fear, an exhilarating surge of excitement coursed through my veins.

"Usually, you're supposed to challenge something like this with a Party, but..." I glanced at my trusted minion.

"... I have all the help I need."

With a swift motion, I gestured to Mr. Stone, instructing him to handle one of the Bosses while I took on the other.

"ROOOARRRR!!!" The Golem Demon rumbled to life, charging towards its assigned opponent with an unwavering determination.

It unleashed thunderous blows upon the first Boss, its massive stone fists slamming into flesh and bone.

~BOOOOMMM!!!~

"Now, then... it seems my opponent is you."

I focused my attention on the second Boss, my senses heightened and my body ready for the imminent clash.

With unparalleled speed and agility, I darted towards the monstrous creature, closing the distance in an instant.

~WHOOSH!~

The thrill of the battle surged within me as I prepared to face this colossal foe head-on.

The creature swung its massive claws towards me, but I effortlessly evaded the attack with a fluid dodge, my movements a blur.

I countered with a series of lightning-fast strikes, my black-gloved fist empowered by the surge of energy pulsating through it.

~BOOOM!~

The impact reverberated through the room as my fist collided with the monster's flesh, tearing through its grotesque exterior and leaving a gaping hole in its wake.

Blood sprayed into the air, and the Boss let out a deafening roar of agony. But I was relentless.

I weaved through its desperate retaliatory strikes, my movements calculated and precise.

With each blow, I exploited its weaknesses, aiming for vulnerable spots and delivering devastating strikes.

'Not relying on my Skills and. simply using my raw Stars seems to be working out well so far...'

It would definitely be much faster to use my new Skills or my upgraded older ones to gain a greater advantage in this fight, but I wanted to savor more.

I wanted to see, with my own eyes, and feel, with my own flesh... how strong I had become!

As the battle waged on, I noticed Mr. Stone struggling with its own opponent.

The second Boss was faster than the Golem, evading its attacks with unnerving agility.

'In the end, it's just a Golem with no intelligence.'

It couldn't read movements or anticipate attacks. If I added its inferior speed and robot-like assaults, it was painfully obvious that it would be struggling like this for a while.

'Let's help it out a little.'

Using my <Gravity Press> Skill, I focused my energy on the swift Demon creature, causing an intense gravitational force to pin it down.

"G-GURGH...?!"

The creature's movements were momentarily stilled, and Mr. Stone seized the opportunity, pummeling it with relentless force.

The combined assault left the Boss reeling, bloodied and weakened.

"Haha! That's more like it. Now then, back to you." I turned towards the bloodied mess of a Boss I was facing.

"Where were we?"

Refocusing my attention on my own opponent, I channeled my strength, my very essence, into a final devastating strike.

The energy within my glove surged to its peak, crackling with immense power.

"Best to put you out of your misery!"

With a sharp leap, I launched myself forward, my fist colliding with the Boss's core.

~BOOOOOOOMMM!!!~

The force was cataclysmic, ripping through its body, and the monster let out a final, agonized scream as it crumbled to the ground, defeated.

Breathing slightly heavily, I turned to face Mr. Stone, who had triumphed over its opponent as well.

The two of us stood amidst the carnage, clearly the victors.

As the echoes of the battle settled, I looked upon the destroyed Bosses and let out a satisfied chuckle.

The Dungeon of Carnage had thrown its most fearsome challenges at me, and I had emerged victorious.

"And I did it all by myself. Well, technically..."

I truly did not need a Party, and the.mere.fact that I had barely spent an hour in this place made it yet another miracle.

"I should be able to clear the remaining Dungeons today." A smile formed on my face.

But after that, then what?

'I suppose I'll have to leave this area really soon.'

The Wild Lands was just a portion of the entire Lyma Region, after all.

'Well, I'll consider what to do after I'm done with the Dungeons. For now, though... let's see what we have, shall we?'

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

<You Have Cleared This Dungeon>

{User has cleared the <Dungeon Of Carnage> by himself, and will now be rewarded for his accomplishments}

<Here Are The Rewards Given For Your Achievements>

~Two Treasure Chests (Rare)~

~One Treasure Chest (Epic)~

~1,000 Currency~

~New Non Exclusive Skill: <Carnage>

~Carnage Beast Demon (Lvl 4) and Carnage Beast Demon (Lvl 3) Essence~

~Additional Level Up (2 Levels)~

[End Of Rewards]

"Oh? Not bad... especially considering how easy this was."

The higher my Level was, the less the rewards would be for these kinds of Dungeons. I knew that already.

'What if I never properly invested in my Stats and Items? I would have suffered to conquer this place and would still receive this very same reward.'

After all, the System took account of an individual's Level, not necessarily the Stats or Items.

'I really was an idiot. If I hadn't met Lucy, then...'

I swiftly shook my head once I started trailing down that line of thought.

Ever since we parted ways, I found myself thinking about her very frequently.

My heart would race anytime her face popped into my mind, and I just couldn't get her voice out of my head.

Most of all... I didn't want to disappoint her.

I suspected it was an aftereffect of her <Compulsion> Skill, or maybe a hidden effect of the <Prey> Skill, so I had to be conscious of my thoughts.

'You can't afford to slip up, Mikey.' I cautioned myself, sighing in the lonely expanse of the Boss Room.

'... You can't trust her.'

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[A/N]

Well, well, well... is this what I think it is?

I wonder, though.

Hehe...

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