PAID

After over thirty minutes of meticulous investigation, we discovered only one thing about the first named boss's battle area: the dragon-like bone stakes surrounding it were metallic in nature.

"Rain, please, be careful!"

Chris's worried voice reached me as she stood in position as a long-range damage dealer, her party buff spells ready to go.

I turned away from her without responding, focusing instead on the "Bone Dragon" before me.

*I'm sorry, Chris.*

No matter how skilled we are, defeating this monster—its HP scaled for a twelve-player party—is beyond us.

Chris likely suspects that the way I’ve been soloing raid dungeons isn’t normal. However, she has no way of knowing the truth: that I must face death at least once during this battle.

It’s natural for her to worry. Even after clearing the Abyssal Tree, I hadn’t hidden the fact that I was bleeding heavily.

But this truth is something she must learn eventually.

It’s impossible to keep it hidden until the end of everything.  @@novelbin@@

For now, all I can do is hope that I don’t need to use the power of the Hero to defeat this thing.

A raid party of just two—Chris and Rain.