The Stonebreaker Troll loomed, a four-meter titan of rock-like skin and primal rage, its iron club a harbinger of destruction. Its glowing yellow eyes burned with fury, the chamber trembling under its thunderous steps. Boss Identified: Stonebreaker Troll, E1 Awakening. HP: 5,000. Threat Level: High. The system's prompt lingered in Henry Gray's mind, a stark reminder of the stakes as he faced the beast barehanded, his F2 Enhanced Blade now a pile of shattered metal.
Henry's muscles hummed with raw power, his veins pulsing from the surge of allocating 150 of his 200 skill points to Strength. Strength: 265. The transformation was electric—his limbs felt like coiled springs, his frame supercharged, every movement brimming with force. His ribs still ached from Boros's axe on the 14th floor, HP: 145/250, but Recovery had dulled the pain, and Iron Will, Lv.1 sharpened his focus, numbing the strain. The troll's club had obliterated his sword, but Henry's fist had dented its armored hide, a feat that sparked a wild grin. "Come on, ugly," he taunted, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what you've got."
The troll roared, the sound a physical force that shook stalactites loose from the ceiling. It swung its club, the iron whistling through the air. Henry activated Dash, his body blurring as he sidestepped, the club smashing the floor into a crater. BOOM. Stone shards flew, stinging his face, but he was already moving, closing the distance with unnatural speed. His fist slammed into the troll's knee, the impact reverberating like a hammer on steel. EXP +20. The beast grunted, staggering, a crack forming in its stone-like skin.
Henry's grin widened, adrenaline surging. "Holy shit, I'm actually doing this." His Strength was a game-changer, each punch landing with bone-shattering force. He ducked another swing, the club grazing his shoulder, HP -10, and countered with a double-fisted strike to the troll's thigh. EXP +30. Blood trickled from a shallow gash, the troll's roar shaking the chamber. Its HP was dropping—maybe 4,800 now—but it was still a juggernaut, its attacks relentless.
The fight was a brutal ballet of speed and power. Henry's Dash kept him ahead, weaving through the troll's swings, while Precision Strike guided his fists to weak points—joints, seams in its armor. Each hit earned EXP +20 or +30, but the troll's size and durability were daunting. A glancing blow caught his ribs, HP -15, sending him skidding across the floor. He coughed, tasting blood, and activated Recovery. The warmth sealed his wounds, boosting his HP to 170/250, his stamina surging. Iron Will dulled the pain, letting him push through.
Henry's mind flashed to the 14th floor—Boros's axe, the hunters' greed for his beast crystals, the stampede of beasts that had given him an escape. He'd Dashed through the chaos, cutting down beasts for EXP +50 each, reaching the boss chamber just in time. The sealed doors had bought him moments, but Boros's roar—"GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!"—echoed in his memory. The hunters were close, their footsteps a faint rumble beyond the gate. He had to finish the troll before they breached the chamber.
The troll stomped, the shockwave knocking Henry off balance. He rolled, avoiding a crushing club swing, and sprang up, slamming his fist into the troll's wrist. EXP +40. The beast howled, its arm trembling, and Henry seized the moment, leaping onto its back. Gripping its rocky hide, he hammered his fists into the base of its neck, each strike a thunderclap. EXP +50. Blood sprayed, the troll thrashing, but Henry held on, his Strength anchoring him.
Pain exploded in his side as the troll's elbow slammed into him, hurling him to the ground. HP -20. He gasped, vision blurring, and activated Recovery, the warmth stabilizing him at HP: 150/250. The troll's HP was down—maybe 4,500—but its rage was unrelenting, its club swinging in a deadly arc. Henry Dashed, sliding beneath it, and punched upward into its underbelly. EXP +60. A deep gash opened, blood pooling, but the troll's counterattack was swift, its fist grazing his leg. HP -12.
Henry's stamina was waning, his breaths ragged, but Iron Will kept his focus razor-sharp. He needed a finishing blow. The troll's knee was weakening, its movements slower. He feinted left, then Dashed right, slamming both fists into the cracked knee joint. EXP +80. The troll staggered, its roar a mix of pain and fury, and Henry leaped, aiming for its head. His fist connected with its jaw, a sickening crunch echoing. EXP +100. The beast's head snapped back, but it wasn't down.
A distant screech pierced the chamber—the gate. Boros's axe was battering the iron, the hunters' voices sharp: "HE'S IN THERE!" Henry's heart raced, adrenaline spiking. He couldn't fight the troll and Boros's F9 strength. He Dashed onto a fallen stalactite, using it as a springboard to leap onto the troll's shoulder. His fists pounded its temple, EXP +120, blood streaming from the wound. The troll's HP was crumbling—maybe 4,200—but it swung wildly, forcing Henry to drop and roll.
The gate groaned, metal buckling. Boros's growl boomed, "BREAK IT DOWN!" Henry gritted his teeth, his focus narrowing to the troll. One more hit. He Dashed forward, feinting a punch, then slid beneath the troll's legs, hammering its weakened knee. EXP +150. The beast collapsed to one knee, its club slipping. Henry seized the chance, climbing its arm and driving both fists into its eye. EXP +200. The troll screamed, its body shuddering, and fell, the chamber shaking as it hit the ground.
Boss Defeated: Stonebreaker Troll. Reward: +1000 EXP, +30 Skill Points, E1 Core Crystal. A surge of energy flooded Henry, his wounds knitting, his stamina surging. You have reached Level 8, F Rank. All Stats Increased by +25. HP Increased to 300. New Skill Obtained: Stone Skin, Lv.1. The new skill promised temporary damage resistance, a shield for future battles. Henry absorbed the E1 Core Crystal, EXP +100, pushing his total to 6415/8000.
He panted, kneeling beside the troll's corpse, his fists bruised but unyielding. The chamber was silent, but the gate's wreckage echoed with footsteps—Boros and his hunters, their voices sharp with fury. "FIND HIM!" Boros roared. Henry's eyes darted to a narrow passage at the chamber's rear, its moss glow faint but beckoning. His bag, heavy with beast crystals, swung at his side, a prize the hunters coveted.
Henry stood, testing Stone Skin. His skin hardened briefly, a faint gray sheen fading as the skill deactivated. Iron Will dulled his exhaustion, his focus unyielding. Boros's F9 strength was a storm he couldn't face head-on, not yet. He Dashed toward the passage, his body blurring, the hunters' shouts growing louder. "HE'S RUNNING!" one yelled, Boros's axe scraping the stone.
The passage twisted, descending into colder, darker depths. The air hummed, the moss's light fading, but Henry's enhanced Perception caught faint vibrations—beasts, traps, or worse, ahead. The system remained silent, its next quest unissued, but the dungeon's pulse was alive, its challenges unending. Henry's smirk returned, tempered by caution. He was a Hunter, forged in blood and fists, but Boros's pursuit was a reminder: power wasn't enough without strategy.
As he vanished into the shadows, Boros's roar echoed, "YOU'RE MINE, RAT!" Henry didn't look back.