Chapter 20: The Real Boss
'Damn.'
'This is bad for my heart.'
I couldn't even say a word.
This is a really weird atmosphere indeed.
This place is so silent...
Damn... I hate horror games and jumpscares.
'And now I'm in a whole freaking horror dimension or something?'
'Why everything has to be so gloomy and dreadful like this...'
'Don't you even dare do that to my weak-ass heart!'
The portal led directly to the forest.
I knew it would be a forest already, it's just that maybe it will have some changes... right?
I detested this place in the game too much...
But seeing it in virtual reality hit different!
'Everything felt so much worse!'
In the heart of the dead forest lies a silent place that instills a sense of fear and unease in anyone who ventures near.
The air hangs heavy with an eerie stillness, devoid of the usual sounds of nature.
This place, also known as the Dead Palace, holds an inexplicable power to unsettle the bravest of souls.
As I approach the Palace, the long shadows seem to dance menacingly among the towering trees.
The silence becomes palpable, muffling even the faintest rustle of leaves or the gentle chirping of birds.
It's as if nature itself holds its breath, aware of the sinister presence within.
The ground beneath my feet is blanketed with a thick layer of decaying leaves, creating a carpet that muffles my footsteps.
Every sound I make seems amplified in the silence, echoing through the stillness and intensifying the feeling of being watched.
I tried to hold all of my breath inside my chest and started crouching.
Thump thump.
Time seems to slow down, making each step a deliberate and cautious effort.
I could even feel death waiting for me at the door.
As I venture deeper into the Dead Palace, a bone-chilling coldness seeps into my bones, sending shivers down my spine.
The air takes on a stale quality, devoid of the refreshing scents of the forest.
The absence of life is unnerving, with no signs of animals or insects whatsoever, as if they too have been driven away by an unseen force.
The trees themselves stand tall and twisted, their lifeless branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, seemingly attempting to grasp at any unsuspecting traveler.
In this case,
Surprised, surprised.
'It's me.'
Their bark bears the marks of long-forgotten rituals and symbols, hinting at a dark history that lingers within the confines.
The mystery in this place is also unknown in the game.
No player has found any signs or even a small hint about why this place exists.
As I stop crouching and pause to listen, hoping for even the faintest whisper of wind, a soft, haunting melody begins to fill the air.
It emanates from nowhere and everywhere at once, a mournful tune that evokes sadness and despair.
The melody grows louder and more dissonant, causing my heart to race and my skin to prickle with fear.
In this silent place, the absence of sound becomes an ominous presence, amplifying every creak, every rustle, and every breath.
'Even though it looks pretty luxurious... and carries a bit of a royal-like presence... it looks kinda lonely and deadly at the same time.'
The weight of the silence presses against my ears, creating an overwhelming sense of isolation and vulnerability.
'Damn, I also really hate being alone...'
My old girlfriend again appeared in my mind.
Although I loved her a lot, she still betrayed me at the end...
Sigh.
A heavy feeling weighed on my shoulders.
It feels as though I have entered a realm where my thoughts are no longer my own and where unseen eyes watch my every move.
As the long shadows stretch infinitely, the fear intensifies.
The whispers that give the Dead Palace its name begin to echo through the air, too faint to decipher their meaning, but filling me with an inexplicable dread.
But anyways, when I got accustomed to it, I took a few items along the way to the final place.
'This is really bad... no, it's gotta be the worst decision ever to come to this palace.'
I opened the final door in this palace.
Creak.
'Freak! The door got me there!'
"Well, well."
Some deadly aura began to emit everywhere.
It has totally covered the whole room-no, the whole freaking castle!
"Look at my surprised guest today."
Every word the hidden creatures said.
'It feels like the aura of a King.'
'Yeah. No wonder.'
The creature appeared in front of me abruptly.
'Yeah. This is indeed a King.'
'The Skeleton King to be exact.'
This is one of the hidden bosses in the game.
It's a really hard boss.
Because it's a real boss.
A lot of Players, including me of course, have died under this monster.
But beating this skeleton king has lots of benefits.
It has one of the most overpowered items in the game.
And it's also one of the most necessary items in order to advance faster.
My second ring.
But before getting that ring.
I have to defeat this monstrous skeletal creature.
'It looks exactly like a Lich, but taller and deadlier.'
"You should run if you still have a chance."
It talked really slowly, but like I was saying.
Each word contains a murderous threat like a predator.
It tried its best to not kill me immediately.
I don't know why though.
Maybe this is some kind of fetish? Or the pride of a powerful and intelligent predator
I don't know.
But it has nothing to do with me or my purpose when coming to this place.
I just had to kill it!
'Charged Attack.'
'Aim Assisting.'
'Stab.'
I took a sword out along with 3 of my favorite skills.
"Well, so you don't want to run. Huh?"
"That's the spirit."
"But, hey, from when did I allow you to look at me like that?"
The monster said calmly and looked directly at my eyes with its hollow, yet extremely dangerous eyes.
'Damnit, it looked way more friendly in the game.'
But its Aura kept getting stronger and stronger without a stop.
'Are my pants wet yet?'
After thinking that, my heart began shaking crazily.
'This is not good at all!!!'
'I'm dying even before having an actual chance to fight it!'
Urgh.
Blood came out of my mouth.
And afterward, it's my eyes' turn.
My body started trembling and lay down.
'I HAVE TO STAND THE FUCK UP!'
'HURRY UP MY BODY!'
[Warning: The Host will die if continue receiving this amount of Aura.]
["Alteration" forces your body to develop a certain resistance to fear.]
[Acquired "Fear Resistance" (Low).]
'Damnit, the damage has been minimized a bit.'
'But still, my heart rate is not stable yet.'
Huff.
Huff.
Huff.
I mustered all my strength left in my body and tried my best to stand up.
"Ho ho."
"Not bad."
"Not bad for a little human indeed."
"I saw some potential in you."
"But unfortunately, you have missed your only chance."
"Too bad for a prodigy like you."
...
I tried breathing in and said.
"No."
"?"
"I'm not a prodigy at all."
"No, little human. You are a prodigy."
"Nuh-uh. It's just because you saw only the surface of my power."
"What do you mean?" It looked kind of surprising.
"With this amount of pathetic power, I couldn't protect anyone."
"That's right, but in the future-"
"No. I knew the fate of humanity already."
"..." It looked somewhat surprising and... miserable.
"You're somewhat right, little human." Said the Skeleton King.
"But again, you cannot carry the whole world on your weak shoulder like that."
"You think that I don't know that? It's just that I don't have any choice either."
"Humans should connect their strength as a whole, that's what makes humans different from other creatures."
"That's just an assumption. What if a ▮▯▯▮▯▮▯▯▮▮▯▯▮ come to the Earth?"
"!!!"
"See."
"No-no, who are you?! It is supposed to be"
"Hehe."
"You blasphemy!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
AistinaBer
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