Chapter: 4

As Veronica was getting ready to fight the Stone Talus, I was trying to run as far I could from it. While I was running for my life, a screen popped up in front of me.

Bding!

[You have one new message]

[would you like me to open it?]

(Yes) or (No)

A message, From who? Who could have sent me a message I have no one added to my friend's list so it must be a local message? A local message is a message that goes to everyone in the area, sort of like airdrop you could say.

I tapped yes on the screen.

[Message from Victor Reinhardt]

An audio message played.

[ "This is for everyone in the dungeon, you must not engage the Stone Ta-l-l-l-u... Crrrrrrrrrrrcccccccccckkkkkkkk... Ahhhhhhhh!!!! Oh, God! Everybody run! Ahhh."]

[End of the message]

The message horrified me. They sent the message right before the Stone Talus slaughtered them.

"This message doesn't scare me!" Veronica let out.

"Looks like she got the message, too," I muttered. "You heard the message, we can't fight that thing!" I shouted at Veronica. Veronica ran toward the talus yelling, "that message doesn't scare me! They were probably weaklings who couldn't take it but let me tell you I'm no weakling!"

I slapped my head, "can't beat 'em join them... I guess, " I ran towards the Talus flailing my hands "ayayayayayayahhhh!!!!" I screamed.

Veronica looked back at me, "now that's spirit!"

I pulled out my switch dagger from my belt and flicked the blade of the dagger out of its grips I sprinted past Veronica. My heart was racing with the thrill of fighting my first actual monster. Sure, it was scary and nerve-racking, but it was exhilarating. As I approached the Talus, I looked up at its tag.

Level 100 Boss: Stone Talus

Hp: (1000/1000)

I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't.

"It's level 100!" There was no way I would stand a chance against it, and neither would Veronica. I looked back at Veronica and signaled for her to turn back.

"Elton behind you!" she shouted. I looked back at the Talus, it was flinging its boulder fist at me.

"Oh, sh-" Crack! I heard all of my bones snap in an instant. It hurt so badly. It flung me airborne, and I crashed hard into the wall on my back.

Veronica shrieked, "Elton!!!"

Blood was everywhere. My entire body was mangled and twisted. I tried to lift my head to look at my hp, but it hurt too much to look up. I must be at around 1-5 hp since I'm not dead.

"When you're down to your last bit of strength, you must still fight. As long as you're not dead or unconscious you will be fine" my grandpa always would repeat that while he was In the hospital. When he said it back, then it made little sense, and I just thought he was crazy, but as I grew older, I realized that when he said it, it meant he wouldn't stop fighting until cancer killed him. Maybe I should do the same, keep fighting until the Talus kills me, even if I only last a minute I can probably still knick a little hp off of him. I struggled to get up. I was in so much pain and discomfort. I tried to lift my dagger, but my arm was shattered.

"Elton, what are you doing you're going to die!" Veronica shouted as I got up.

"When you're down to your last bit of strength... You must still fight. As long as you're not dead... You will be fine," I said.

"But you're not fine, you're at 1 hp!"

"Do you have any more of those health potions?" I asked.

"Yeah, I have 1 left, and I was planning to use it for me since you already used yours, but it seems like you need it more than me so here." she reached into her inventory screen and grabbed the health potion. She tossed it to me.

I tried to catch it but it hurt too bad so I dropped it.

"Ehhhhhhhh!!!!!" we both gazed at the shattered potion on the ground.

"This game is way too realistic," Veronica sighed.

The stone Talus grew closer to us. It threw rocks at us. Veronica snatched me off my feet and carried me away.

She ran in zig-zags, avoiding the rocks that were being thrown at us.

"So much for my heroic speech," I thought to myself. My vision blurred. I think I was going unconscious. I grew weak and felt heavy.

"Goodnight Veronica," I yawned.

"Wait, don't fall asleep just yet,"

I drifted to sleep.

***

As Elton slept in the arms of Veronica, she was running for her life, trying not to get hit by a boulder.

"I can't believe you dropped the damn health potion!" Veronica said.

"I know you can't hear me but you're an actual moron!"

Veronica kept going on about how much of a moron Elton was even though she is the true moron for tossing the health potion to the person who clearly cannot catch because he has a shattered arm.

Veronica finally calmed down.

"Will that thing ever stop chasing me?" Veronica wondered.

"Aerial give me details about this monster." Veronica's Left eye glowed blue.

[Scanning...]

[Gathering Data...]

Bding!

[Name: Stone Talus]

[Race: Talus]

[Gender: Male (Because the light is blue in the center of it instead of pink)]

[Info: Stone Talus are extremely hostile and persistent, they will not stop until they get what they want. Most Stone Talus will be a high level but will drop lots of Exp and loot.]

"That last part was all I needed to hear!" Veronica set down Elton then turned around to face the Talus.

"Alright for real this time," Veronica said while pulling out her daggers.

"Dark magus!" Veronica's eyes glowed pink, and her cloak levitated in the air. The Stone Talus stopped in its tracks.

"Shadow buff!"

Bding!

A pink screen appeared in front of Veronica.

[Health increase] (220-???)

[Armour increase] (100-???)

[Speed increase] (100-???)

[Mana increase] (150-???)

Pink glowing bubbles floated around Veronica.

Veronica smirked, "so the plugin worked, hah. Daniel, you really are a genius"

"Alright Stone Talus, you're going down," Veronica said while pointing her finger down.