Min crouched low, muscles coiling like a spring. He bit down hard on his lip until it bled, letting his anger fuel him.

Then he unleashed his skill:

[Nightmare!]

Type: Field / Berserk

Effect: Conjures a confined, dark field isolating the user and a single target. Inside, the user loses all reasoning, attacking relentlessly on pure instinct—but cannot die or lose limbs. The target remains conscious, tormented by hallucinations and paralyzing fear. Observers may watch but cannot enter or interfere.

Duration: 1 minute

Mana Cost: 66

Cooldown: 24 hours

Debuff: Every wound and damage inflicted within Nightmare accumulates and carries over permanently. Even the tiniest injuries outside—paper cuts, bruises, scratches—hurt as if they were severe, reflecting the past violence unleashed within the field.

The dark, jagged aura surrounding Min flared outward, swallowing him and the massive lizard in a small, suffocating field of shadow.

Rocky's jaw dropped.

Koko tilted her head. "The… fuck?"

Ahrie's eyes widened, his frown deepening. That bastard said he doesn't even have a skill…

Koko laughed, low and amused. "Is he really… a tank?" She squinted, then leaned closer, raising her eyebrows and staring straight at the readers. "What do you think, Readers-chan?"

Ahrie just shrugged, brushing off her theatrics. His attention snapped back to Min.

The darkness thickened, curling around Min like living smoke. Thought slipped away. Only instinct remained. His muscles tensed, jaw clenched, eyes burning with raw focus.

The lizard dropped to its knees, muscles tensing, claws scratching the ground as it screeched, thrashing against the hallucinations clawing at its mind. Min was behind it in a blink. Knife raised. He slashed across its thick, armored side—scales cracked under the dark energy surrounding him.

The lizard swung its tail. Min ducked low, rolling under the strike, landing on his feet, knife snapping upward into its flank. It roared, thrashing, claws scraping the ground. Min spun, thrusting his blade deep between the shoulder plates. The lizard let out a hiss of pain.

It lunged, snapping jaws inches from his face. He twisted away, knife carving arcs through the air—stab, slash, dodge. Dust and shattered stone flew with each strike.

Min struck its legs, then shoulders, spinning into a rising thrust, forcing the lizard to stumble. It kicked, swung, slammed its tail down. Min rolled, slashed, jabbed, ducked. No pause. The dark energy amplified each strike, absorbing its pain, turning it into fuel.

The lizard screamed, its body convulsing under the relentless assault. Min's knife followed every motion: every flinch, every swing, every desperate strike. He was a storm, a blur, a nightmare brought to life..

A single thought cut through: I'll end your miserable life you fucking bastard.

The lizard twisted its massive body, tail whipping through the air.

Min's head snapped back as the tail struck his face, sending him to one knee. Slowly, deliberately, he lifted his head, staring dead-on at the Monster.

With a roar, the lizard lunged, claws tearing through the air. They raked across Min's body, shredding his light armor and flesh.

"MIIIIN!"

Ahrie's eyes widened, heart pounding. He started forward, ready to leap into the fray—but the dark miasma surrounding Min blocked his path, thick and unyielding force field. Every step into it felt like pressing through water made of shadow.

Min's body twisted mid-fall, dark energy crackling along his knife and limbs. The shredded wounds closed, knitting together as the miasma absorbed the damage. Blood vanished, replaced by an eerie, faint glow that shimmered across his skin.

Koko's mouth fell open. "Damn… that's OP…"

Min straightened, muscles coiling, eyes burning with instinctual focus.

"Heh… Let's go, Min. Beat that thing up!" Ahrie slammed his fists against the edge of the force field, the sound sharp and ringing, like someone tapping a ring platform to shout their heart into the fighter inside.

Rocky squeaked, hopping in excitement, tail flicking.

Min shifted, muscles coiling like springs ready to snap. The miasma around him surged, and the air itself seemed to lean forward.

The lizard lashed out, claws, tail, and teeth moving in a chaotic blur. Each strike tore through the air with bone-cracking force, smashing not just the hallucinations Min creepy conjured, but raking through Min himself over and over.

Cuts opened, bones scraped, and yet—Min rose each time. Shadowed miasma seeped from him, knitting flesh, re-aligning muscles, sealing injuries as if the attacks were nothing more than wind against stone.

Ahrie leaned against a nearby tree, brow furrowed. "Creepy as hell… not gonna lie." His voice was low, tense, but a thumbs-up followed anyway. "But… you got this, Min."

Rocky, perched atop Ahrie's head, squeaked and flipped a tiny paw, as if to echo the sentiment: "Go! Go! Go!"

The lizard was drenched in sweat, muscles trembling, eyes wide as hell. Min's attacks stacked up on it—hits, hallucinations, terror, everything.

It lunged. Full speed. Claws swinging, teeth snapping, tail smashing. All out. No holding back.

Min didn't hesitate. The dark miasma around him flared violently, his instincts overriding all reason. Knife in hand, he dove, rolled, and spun, slashing through scales, tearing into muscles. Every strike was precise, chaotic, and unrelenting.

With that, a minute passed. The dark field slowly dissipated, the oppressive miasma fading into nothingness.

The lizard was panting, muscles twitching, sweat everywhere, barely standing. It swung one final punch and raked its claws across Min's shoulder and arm.

Then—plink!

A small rock bounced off a nearby tree… and smacked Min square in the forehead.

"Ghk—!" Min stumbled back, legs shaking, barely keeping himself upright. His knife wavered in his grip, and his breath came in ragged gasps. For a moment, it looked like he might collapse entirely.

Ahrie was there in an instant, catching him by the shoulders. "Maaaaaan! I'm so freaking jealous… you've got an attack skill!" He rapped Min lightly on the back, grinning, trying to lift the mood.

Koko blinked, her brain taking a full second to process what just happened.

She slowly turned her head toward Rocky.

Rocky stood there—tiny, smug, and shining with pride.

Koko's eyes widened. "I-is that the rock you pathetically threw earlier?"

Rocky gave a firm nod… and a confident wink.

Koko gasped dramatically, hands over her mouth. "Owwemgeeee—W ROCKY!"

Rocky crossed its tiny arms, chin raised like a hero who just saved the world.

Min bit his lip hard, a sharp sting, and suddenly tears welled up, slipping down his cheeks before he even realized. His hands clenched, frustration and relief battling inside him.

Ahrie's eyes softened, seeing the raw vulnerability behind Min's bravado. Without warning, he flipped Min gently, dropping him face-first to the ground, steadying him with a firm hand on his back. "I've got this. Take a breather."

Min's fingers dug into the dirt, gripping tight. Anger, exhaustion, and pride mingled in his chest. "GODDAMMIT!"

Min's vision blurred. He couldn't focus anymore—every muscle screamed for rest. Then Ahrie's voice cut through the haze.

"Oii… I'm tight on mana, so… I can only heal you once."

Min gave a polite nod of thanks, still catching his breath. Then it hit him—Ahrie's healing skill wasn't like normal healing.

A shiver ran down his spine as he realized the raw, chaotic power that was about to be unleashed.

"H-Heey, n-nooo…" he whispered, the words barely escaping as he lacked the strength to shout

Ahrie's hand glowed, solid and searing, the air around him violently compressing.

"I'm healing you at full power… hang in there, okay?"

He wound up, muscles coiling like a spring, every fiber ready to release. Momentum built. The glow intensified.

"LOCK IN!"

"H-Hold on a sec…" Min tried to protest.

"Too late! HA HA HA HA!"

[P.A.I.N.]

Ahrie's fist slammed downward. WHAAAAAM! The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, carving a crater where Min landed. Dust and debris scattered like fireworks.

.Koko and Rocky dashed over, hearts racing. Min coughed, wheezing—but he was still alive.

"Remind me to never get injured, no matter what," Koko muttered to Rocky.

The squirrel nodded furiously, tail flicking like a metronome.

Ahrie cracked his neck… "Alright, big guy," he muttered, stepping forward, twirled his rapier once, the blade glinting under the dim light. His grin was sharp. "Round two, you scaly bastard."

The lizard hissed and lunged, claws slicing through the air. Ahrie sidestepped cleanly, the tip of his rapier tracing a thin red line across its forearm. He moved like a dancer—each step deliberate.

The beast spun, tail whipping toward him. Ahrie ducked under it, dragging his blade along its underside as he passed. Blood sprayed. The lizard roared, spinning again, faster this time—but Ahrie was already gone, sliding low, slashing through its leg tendons.

"Not so fun when you're the toy, huh?" he mocked, flicking the blood from his blade.

The creature charged, muscles bulging, fangs bared. It swung—Ahrie parried once, twice—then locked blades against claw. Sparks flew. He kicked the lizard in the gut, forcing it back, and thrust forward in one fluid motion. The rapier pierced through its chest, straight to the heart.

The lizard froze. Its breath hitched, eyes wide. Ahrie twisted the blade before pulling it free.

He stepped back, watching as the monster wobbled, then fell to its knees with a ground-shaking thud.

Ahrie spun the rapier, stabbed it to the ground beside him, and exhaled. "That's for earlier," he said quietly.

Behind the tree, Koko clapped slowly. "Our healer, ladies and gents—stab first, heal later."

Ahrie grinned. "Exactly my policy."

He stares down at the fainted lizard.

"Tch…" Ahrie clicked his tongue, "Min beat this shit to a pulp before I could even repay the beating I got earlier…"

He kicked the lizard's face. "Oiii, get up… Oiii…! I'm not done with you!"

Nothing. The monster didn't even twitch.

Then—ping!

A notification popped up in front of him.

[Secret Boss (Low-Tier) Cleared]

"Eh?" Ahrie blinked, leaning closer.

Exp+

"Ohhh! EXP! Let's gooo—" he said, eyes sparkling.

Then the next line appeared.

+100

Ahrie froze. "…Huh?"

He waited, thinking maybe the rest just hadn't loaded yet. But the numbers stayed the same.

His jaw dropped. "ONE HUNDRED? We almost died and that's all we got?!"

He looked up at the sky like the system itself was mocking him.

"SCREW THIS FUCKING WORLD!

Koko covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Rocky raised a tiny thumb. "W…?"

"Shut it, Rocky!" Ahrie yelled, kicking the dirt in pure despair.

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