6

What made these nightmares so different? I couldn't shake the feeling that they were different somehow. It was as if something was reaching across the void to connect me. I had a feeling that it had something to do with the dragon egg. I'd have to be stupid not to connect a dream about dragons to a dragon egg I was caring for. 

I frowned to myself as I waited for the banging to start. Yet it didn't. I turned, and saw it's eyes focused on me. I was strong enough to hold my own in most situations. I could feel my guts melting with those eyes on me. 

It felt as if everything on my insides turned to liquid, and pooled just above my hips. This was beyond a sinking feeling. This was downright dangerous. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to get out of there as quickly as possible. Yet I had nowhere to go. 

Trapped in this dungeon with a monster that would happily turn my insides out without the slightest bit of hesitation. Those six beady eyes were completely focused on me. I expected it to have eight eyes like a spider since it had a spider's head, but no. Just six eyes. It's crab claws opened, and closed slowly. 

Silently as the monster before me judged me. Was it sizing me up? Was it learning my patterns bit by bit? Intelligence was a dangerous thing when applied properly. I guess I should just be glad that this thing didn't regenerate. 

Having all my hard worked snapped away would be the death of me. I was already feeling severe exhaustion from all the sprinting, and the weight of my empty mana core. My forehead hit the stone as I leaned forward into the wall in front of me. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to pretend that the world was calm, and peaceful again. 

Maybe play some video games, but this fucking thing was in my way. Rage boiled up in my gut as that sinking feeling was replaced with hot wrath. This thing was in my way. It was time for me to remove it. The problem was that that was going to take some time. 

My mana was only about half regenerated. I could give it one good hit before fleeing again. I needed to catch this creature by surprised when I left this crack. That would be much harder now that it was calmer. I needed to blind it. 

I smirked tiredly. It was a good thing I had my fire. If making sure it didn't see me coming was the best way to get past it then my fire was a good. I jumped into action as soon as my mana hit the halfway mark. Throwing a bloom of flames out before using my high jump skill to bound off the air, and around the creature. 

It's claws snapped in the air around me. It dared to reach into the flames to try, and snap me up. I aimed high this time since the beast was used to me dashing underneath it. I landed on it's back, and aimed for the base of one of those big legs of his. Snapping it off near the monsters body. 

Then it had four good legs. I didn't bother trying to attack again, and danced out of it's range before it could attack me. Glancing back at the monster as I landed about a hundred feet away. I was one hundred percent ready to sprint away, but the beast hadn't moved. It didn't scream when I snapped it's leg off either. 

It waited for me in front of that crack. How was I supposed to escape to rest now? This thing was taking advantage of the spot I liked. Choosing to guard it, and wait for me to go down naturally. Considering how exhausted I was it wasn't a bad strategy. 

As soon as I tried to rest then it would strike. This truthfully was a battle of endurance. We watched each other warily as time marched forward. He was waiting for me to collapse, and I was waiting for my mana to regenerate enough so I could strike again. Praying in my mind that I wouldn't stumble when I struck this time. 

Life was getting harder by the minute. I could very easily stumble, and die the next time I tried to attack. My head drooped a little. Exhaustion setting in. I slapped myself across the face. 

Snapping myself back into full awareness. I wasn't going to remember most of this when it was all over. I wanted to run as fast as I could. Get out of here, and go take a break, but that wasn't an option right now. You could only leave a floor of the dungeon after you'd beat everything on that floor. 

I'd trapped myself by coming here. I knew that when I stepped into this dungeon, but I thought I could survive it using my five star class. I was too weak. I'd learned just how weak I was several times over, and yet I still walked into this dungeon. What had driven me to do this?

Oh right. I chuckled to myself as I looked at the beast in front of me. I wanted to get stronger. I came in here because I wanted to be stronger then anyone else. I wanted to get ahead of the game. 

The monsters were going to keep on getting stronger, and stronger as time went on. The best way to get ahead was to do the things no one else was willing to do. Challenge a deadly dungeon by myself was one of those things. I kept on watching the monster carefully. Waiting for it to make a move. 

This beast was going to force me to confront it, and it would be waiting for each move. I needed an opening to get rid of those claws. If I could get rid of those claws then I'd be able to fight freely. I frowned to myself as I prepared to force myself to stay awake. I had no intention of allowing this thing to beat me.