____


    ____


    ...


    [{Appraisal} skill level 1 has been activated]


    [Name: Bone Spikes


    Type: Monster


    Level: 22


    Rank: D+


    ...


    <Description>


    An almost humanoid  monster encased entirely in a tough exoskeleton made of bones. Not only do they excel in defense, but their long and sharp appendages can be used as weapons....]


    ...


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    Level 22 Monster, huh.


    That''s something out of my league. A mid Mortal Rank Monster, the Bone spike was one of the many creatures I came across when venturing down the left tunnel.


    Actually, it was the only Monster specie I came across in the entire tunnel.


    There was a whole herd of them scattered around, I spent each second holding my breath and hiding behind corners to avoid getting noticed.


    The Bone Spikes had two extremely long bony  limbs for arms that ended with even longer and sharper ws that were only inches from scraping the ground. They were extremely tall, and their whole body was encased in creamish-brown bony skeleton armor.


    They had high knees and their tall figures were slightly hunched. The much stronger once wererger, and some even had sharp bony sythes for limbs instead, with sharp potruding spikes from their joints and back.


    They were  immensely horrifying Monsters to look at. I had never seen anything so deeply frightening before.


    Ah, except for the silver knight which gutted me some time ago.


    Speaking of which...


    [Meta, how long has it been since I was teleported.] I had been upied with getting out and then there was the issue with the Bossir, that I had totally disregarded the time.


    [There''s a dissonance in the time. ]


    ''You mean a time dtation? '' I asked, amused.


    A dungeon, a boss monster, three lives... Ah, it was truly starting to feel like a fantasy world.


    Except for the three lives...


    [It''s only been two hours since the teleportation in the real world.]


    ''To what degree is the dtion? ''


    [Negative. That would be hard to say without further information. I''ll crack the shitty system soon, anyway...]


    I hummed as I heard Meta openly express herplex against another system.


    Well I mean, it was obvious thest time she spoke about the Dungeon''s system...


    Three hours in the real world since I teleported. When I thought about the whole situation, I had the feeling I would be spending quite a lot of time in the dungeon.


    I could only hope the time dtion works in my favor.


    But I''m slowly beginning to see a pattern here..


    [Amusing. You too?]


    I didn''t respond back to Meta''sment and turned my attention back against the herd of Bone Spikes roaming the cave from beyond the corner i hid behind.


    ''If I''m going to have to go up against the Silver Knight to get to the Throne one more time, I''ll need a weapon at the very least. ''


    But I knew that would not do much. I was innately a hand to handbat fighter, but I had slowly gotten used to and better at swinging a spear or pulling a bow.


    At the moment, all I had with me was my dagger.


    And my body.


    I summoned my status screen.


    ...


    ______


    ______


    [Name: Victor Bright


    Level: 16


    Rank: Mortal


    Race: Human


    Hp: ???]


    ______


    ______


    ''Odds. ''


    [60% says you''ll die...]


    Geez, thanks.


    [An aggravating 40% says you''ll almost die.]


    ''...''


    I shouldn''t have asked.


    An entire six levels ahead of me, huh? I thought with a slight chuckle and a sinister smile.


    Let''s break bones that hopefully aren''t mine...


    I drew the attention of one of the Bone Spikes monster and led it further down the cave, far away from the main group andid an ambush.


    I decided to make this quick and put away my dagger. Even without the Appraisal skill summary, a single nce and I could tell I wouldn''t be able to cut through.


    I took in a deep breath and erased all outside thoughts. My Aura surged down my arms and two ethereal gauntlets with sharp ws encased my fists.


    I kicked off the ground and lunged forward at the Bone Spike, which was still turned away from me. Clenching my fist, I aimed for a straight jab to the back of its head. But as if the Monster had eyes in the back of its head, it turned around at the veryst second.


    In an instant, four ghastly ws shed through the air toward me.


    My senses tingled, and I reflexively withdrew my attack. Jerking my head backward, I narrowly missed the long, sharp tips that threatened to slit my throat. Twisting my body, I threw myself to the ground, evading the deadly ws by a hair''s breadth.


    "That''s fast!"


    I thought, my eyes sharpening with focus.


    Before I could even catch my breath, another set of ws swept the ground, aiming for my feet. This time, they grazed my legs, sending a sharp pain through me like the nibbling of a hundred thousand ants.


    The sensation coursed up my arms, nearly overwhelming me.


    I furrowed my brows, suppressing a wince. Quickly, I rposed myself, adjusting my footing and putting some distance between myself and the Bone Spike.


    The creature''s speed and reflexes were far beyond anything I had anticipated. I backed away, aiming to put some distance in-between.


    ...at least I wished to.


    The tall, bony monster, which looked like the amalgamation of children''s nightmares, stretched their long body and swiped their long, wed fingers at me. Four bloody red lines tore open across the skin of my stomach, and another sizable portion of my shirt was shredded. The pain this time was insane, and I inadvertently cried out in anguish.


    I stumbled backward, feeling my blood seeping against my skin. Thanks to my earlier action of retreating, the four gashes in my stomach weren''t deep enough to prate my organs. Still, the pain was excruciating.


    It had only been a couple of seconds since the confrontation began, but I was already panting heavily. My face was drenched with sweat, and my muscles twitched, ready to explode with movement at any given moment.


    The pain helped. My mind instantly became much more clearer as I began to rapidly analyze the situation, and my instincts screamed at me to flee.


    Should I retreat?


    I asked myself internally while ncing around at my surroundings. My mind, filled with the sensation of my shed stomach, raced as I tried to formte a n. The tunnel offered little in the way of escape or hiding ces, and the Bone Spike''s speed and agility were far superior to mine.


    "Meta," I growled inwardly. The heat from my wounds sharpened my senses as my tattered shirt slowly dyed red with blood.


    [Odds just rose to above 73% you will die,] the cold synthetic voice of Meta announced. Compared to before, there was no trace of amusement or sarcasm in her tone.


    Iughed internally at myself. When had there ever truly been ''emotion'' in Meta''s voice? She was just a system, after all.


    Oops, my mind is straying...


    My vision swayed, and the world appeared darker. I stumbled backward once more, realizing I was losing blood quickly. Just one sh... I was done in by a single blow again.


    "The difference in levels between us isn''t even thatrge," I thought bitterly. "Have I truly been this weak and feeble all this time?"


    Fortunately, the bone spike didn''t advanced. It kept staring at me from the shadows.


    I had been deluding myself into thinking I was powerful. But today, I had already met three creatures that could kill me in a single blow. Heck, one already did. The red Dungeon system screen appeared before my hazy eyes.


    ...


    [Number of Lives remaining: 2]


    ...


    As if a mocking reminder, the red notification red at me.


    I should retreat, I thought through the fog filling my mind.


    Meta was right; I no longer felt I had a chance to win. Not like this.


    "Did my spirit just get broken?" I wondered. I smiled bitterly and took a step back.


    "Like hell it did."


    This was only a tactical retreat.


    I had only two lives left; I couldn''t afford to waste them before confronting the Bossir again. My breathing was ragged, and the pain in my stomach was a constant reminder of my vulnerability.


    If I was weak now, all I had to do was get stronger. Enough so I couldn''t be swatted like a fly in a single blow. Strong enough to actuallynd a hit.


    Strong enough to get my revenge.


    While my heartt boiled with my emotions, the burning pain from the gashes in my stomach suddenly felt reinvigorating.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I stared at the tall Bony and terrifying figure of the Bone spike that just stood there, partially embraced in the darkness, and seemingly aloof to whatever I did.


    I couldn''t see the eyes encased in its bony head but the indifferent gaze it gave me was infuriating enough for me tough out loud.


    "Am I not a threat to you? I don''t even amount to it?! You only attacked because I did, not because I could take your life, is that it?" I don''t know why I said that, when I wasn''t expecting a response.


    Perhaps the pain a d sense of frustration was muddling my mind, and making my emotions oversensitive.


    In reality, I have been stressed over everything for thest few years. I was able to manage and restrain myself all this time for this long, but having been near so near death consistently in one day, and even actually already dying once, it felt like something thin inside of me was about to snap.


    The infuriating taste of blood filled my mouth as I red at the monster. The blood from my slit stomach spread and painted a morbid vermilion rose against my shredded shirt, and my body continuously trembled in defiance to my mind which wanted to pass out.


    The blood lost was getting to me, but I still stood and stared at the monster.


    It wasn''t even moving.


    In it''s eyes I was like a puny rat, an insignificant insect. Monsters were known to be feral, but this one wasn''t even reacting to me.


    In the first ce, it only bared it''s ws at me because I attacked led first.


    I satred at the Bone Spike thenughed.


    Hehe...ahahahaha....


    I switched Armament from Strength to speed; my aura flowed and became ethereal boots there were skintight and seemed to be made out of pale muscle fibers of energy.


    Feeling my vision darken even more, and cold seep into my bones while my wound continued to boil with infuriating heat, I shot onest nce at the unmoving Monster hidden in the depths and raised one bloody finger at it.


    I could feel the edges of my lips curled wide into a sinister smile.


    Then I growled.


    "I''ll be back!"


    I turned around and sprinted down the opposite direction of the tunnel. My steps were silent and in haste, my heart pounded as my wound continued to bleed incessantly leaving behind a bloody trail.


    But I wasn''t bothered. Because even till I got out, the Bone Spike never came after me.


    In the end.


    I wasn''t worth it.