Episode 12 Don't Be So Rough

Before us stood a monstrous abomination that could only be described as a giant flesh spider. Its form was a nightmarish fusion of arachnid and biological horror, with twisted limbs and an oozing, pulsating body.

The room itself was a nightmarish battlefield, with puddles of corrosive acid sizzling on the ground, emitting an eerie, green glow that reminded me of Mountain Dew.

With Eyseck at my side, I drew my weapon, ready to face this boss head-on.

My weapon resembled a harpoon, albeit with a high-tech twist. Its design resembled a mechanical pencil, but its function was far more lethal. Instead of pushing out lead, this mechanical appendage extended pre-cut segments with a sharp point and a slim, cylindrical body.

Each segment of the weapon contained command-initiated bombs, patiently waiting for my command to unleash their destructive power.

The flesh spider let out a guttural, unnatural hiss as it scuttled toward us on its numerous, misshapen legs. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as we prepared to engage in a battle against this creature.

The plan was clear: I would embed a bomb into each of the flesh spider's looming legs, hopefully affecting its mobility. Meanwhile, Eyseck would provide a distraction with his handgun, diverting the creature's attention away from me as I maneuvered into position. After embedding a bomb on all legs, I would press the detonation button, and it would fall to the ground, crippled.

As Eyseck readied his firearm, I focused on the first leg of the monstrous spider, carefully extending the segments of my weapon and driving the sharp point into the fleshy appendage. It screeched; I could sense the floor twitch like it was part of the monster.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The creature screeched in pain and fury, its attention now firmly fixed on Eyseck, who expertly dodged its attacks while maintaining his fire. I continued my assault on the spider's other legs, methodically embedding segments and weakening its mobility.

As we pressed on in our battle against the flesh spider, the creature's movements became increasingly erratic and unpredictable. Eyseck continued to provide cover fire, his handgun blazing with energy.

Suddenly, in a horrifying twist of fate, one of the spider's free legs swung with unexpected speed and force. It struck Eyseck, sending him hurtling through the air until he slammed against the fleshy wall of the chamber with a sickening thud.

"Eyseck!" I cried out in alarm, my heart pounding as I witnessed my secretary pinned against the grotesque wall. The impact seemed to momentarily stun him, leaving him vulnerable and disoriented.

With a quick decision, I activated the detonation button on my weapon, and in an instant, chaos erupted. Four of the bomb segments embedded in the spider's legs exploded simultaneously. The massive arachnid let out an ear-piercing wail and an agonized shriek as it lost four of its vital appendages in one explosive burst.

Great, four more legs to go.

Despite losing four of its front legs in the explosion, the monstrous spider continued to scuttle relentlessly toward me. My heart pounded with dread as I realized that the spider, now even more grotesque and menacing, closed the distance between us with frightening speed.

With a desperate slide, I narrowly avoided the monstrous spider's deadly leap, its eerie and savage movements resembling those of a wild horse. My heart raced as I felt the floor's slimy mucus, tainted with corrosive acid, graze my jumpsuit. The material of my elastic clothing snapped open in multiple places, exposing my skin to the acrid dungeon air.

As I scrambled to regain my footing, my gaze locked onto Eyseck, who was still slumped over against the wall, vulnerable.

The spider, sensing an opportunity, lunged once more in our direction, its remaining legs propelling it forward with startling speed.

I knew I had to defend Eyseck at all costs. I took a deep breath, my fingers trembling as I aimed the mechanical pencil-like contraption at the advancing monster. In a swift motion, I plunged a bomb segment and detonated it immediately while I was still in its blast range.

I could feel the explosion push me back, knocking the air out of my lungs. These might be small bombs but they packed a punch.

I pressed on. I had to. I wasn't going to let this spider kill my only love interest! For the 2%!

Explosions tore through the air as each bomb segment struck their mark, and the monstrous arachnid let out a deafening, inhuman screech as it lost the last of its legs. It crashed to the ground, writhing in agony.

Seizing the opportunity, I rushed to Eyseck's side, helping him to his feet. "Hey, Eyseck," I gently slapped his cheek. "Wake up, buddy."

His eyes fluttered open. He looked around in a daze.

Eyseck, his voice filled with genuine concern, immediately asked, "Are you alright?" His eyes, filled with a mix of relief and worry, searched mine for any sign of injury or distress.

Oh, typical Eyseck.

"I'm fine, Eyseck," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Let us go home now."

We stumbled out of the portal, our bodies covered in a thick layer of the dungeon's gruesome residue. The sudden transition from that nightmarish place to the more familiar surroundings of our world was a welcome relief. The clean air of Proxima was a stark contrast to the putrid stench of the dungeon.

I took a moment to catch my breath and wipe off some of the foul slime from my jumpsuit.

Eyseck's eyes fell upon the gaping holes in my jumpsuit, and a somber expression crossed his face. It was clear that he was concerned about my well-being and the state of my clothing, a tangible reminder of the perilous battle we had just faced together.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his fingers tracing the broken elastic on my jumpsuit. "I couldn't be of much service, Your Highness."

A blush crept onto my cheeks despite the fact that we both probably smelled terrible. The setting sun in front of us and the comfortable distance between our bodies gave the moment an unexpectedly romantic atmosphere. "I-I... I'm fine, Eyseck. Please, this is nothing."

"Why do you say that? Why do you always do that, Your Highness?" His voice carried restrained passion.

I blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

His emerald eyes locked onto mine, pleading. "Why do you always push yourself to the breaking point and then insist you are 'fine'?"

His words struck a chord within me. Why had I invested so much in this world? I honestly didn't know. My fingers reached out to gently touch Eyseck's cheek, as if to confirm he was a real person. "Isn't this my responsibility?"

I found myself reminiscing about my previous life in my old world, where I often felt incompetent and useless—a lost girl who didn't know how to stand up for herself. I kept running away from responsibility. I thought I should be different here, I should submerge myself under the pressure and make up for my lack of a spine here.

I wanted redemption.

The realization hit me like a truck. It was like death all over again.