The Catacombs Boss Battle and a Hidden Floor Reveal
Kim Ganghan had first started playing games back when he was six years old, right in front of the arcade coin-operated machines he saw at a neighborhood stationery shop.
Standing behind the crowd gathered at the corner store, Kim Ganghan stared blankly as everyone else played.
“Hey, you wanna try?” a middle-school student in uniform asked one day as he pushed through the line.
The screen showed a character with almost no HP left.
“I’m going,” the middle-schooler announced, stepping away.
Kim Ganghan slid onto the plastic chair and started twisting the joystick.
Stage 10 cleared.
Congratulations.
Please enter your nickname.
Nickname: __.
“Whoa, crazy.”
“He actually cleared it all with one coin.”
The crowd around the machine buzzed with excitement.
That was when Kim Ganghan snapped back to reality.
“How did he even do that?” a bystander asked.
“It was like he had ghosts in his head. Dodging every single bomb that came at him…”
Another middle-schooler watched intently and asked, “You just have to watch once. If you see it once, you understand how to play.”
You only need to watch once to learn.
Thinking back, that’s exactly when it all began.
Observation Skill.
No matter who the opponent was, as soon as Kim Ganghan saw them once, he could figure out the perfect strategy.
‘Even pro gamers would have reached that level thanks to this.’
He realized around that time that only he could see the perfect playstyle.
Of course, the system window never popped up.
He just understood it all through pure logic.
Fafnir scanned the zombie troll and began writing notes on a piece of paper.
“Master Fafnir?” Hilde called out.
“Here.”
Fafnir handed Hilde a folded note filled with records.
Hilde read it and jumped in surprise.
“This actually works?”
“We don’t have much time.”
The zombie troll in front of them had dropped to less than half its HP.
Thanks to Vane’s snipes, not a single elite monster remained nearby.
But that window was short-lived.
The troll’s HP would climb back up again.
And its loyal minions would reappear.
“By then it would already be too late.”
Fafnir locked eyes with Hilde.
“Can you do it?” he asked.
“…Yes, I can.”
Hilde answered quickly.
“Defeat the boss monster that wiped out the entire party. That would be the ultimate humiliation for them.”
“It’s decided.”
Fafnir nodded and handed Hilde the blindfold.
But Hilde raised her hand.
“I’ll handle it this time.”
Fafnir clapped.
“Then let’s begin right away.”
The zombie troll strategy was about to start.
Name: Zombie Troll
Classification: Undead
Attribute: Dark
Type: Melee
Level: 48~50
Risk Level (compared to player): ★★
Patterns:
• Charge: Pulls in the first target it sees. Must be dodged at the same level.
• Arm Sweep: Wide area attack after charge.
• Normal Attack: Follows the target’s movement.
• Ground Stomp: Raises both arms and slams the floor. Affects anyone within 5 meters.
• Berserk: Goes into a rage after five successful dodges. Movement and attack speed triple.
Caution: Immune to pain-based debuffs because it is undead.
Crouch!
Hilde reviewed the notes Fafnir had written down and wondered aloud, “How did he manage to record this level of detail just from watching once?”
The strategy itself was within expected limits.
What amazed her was the Observation Skill that let him gather so much information after only one look.
‘He didn’t prepare this ahead of time…’
But there was no time to wonder. It was time to test whether the information was correct.
Hilde clenched her fists as the zombie troll immediately charged forward.
KRAOOH!
Ignoring its fallen subordinates, it barreled toward Hilde at speeds faster than most cars.
If Fafnir hadn’t given the order, Hilde would have been hit even knowing the pattern.
Whish!
Hilde dodged the attack and countered with a Holy Punch.
The troll’s body shook violently from the impact.
KREH!
Every strike from Hilde was fatal against the undead troll.
It was a fist that chilled you to the bone!
At the same time, Fafnir started his own attack.
Dark Energy Ball struck!
The effect was almost none.
‘This skill alone can’t even scratch it.’
The necromancer’s main weapons were summoned undead and curses.
Basic skills were meant only for early farming—nothing more.
At best they could distract for a moment.
KREH?
The zombie troll reacted the same way.
After glancing at Fafnir once, it focused its gaze on Hilde.
Of course.
Hilde’s sharp punches were dozens of times more threatening than Fafnir’s casual water balloon toss.
“Here I come, you bad monster!”
KAAAK!
The troll swung at Hilde, but she slipped through the gap with perfect timing.
Using the pattern Fafnir had analyzed, she dodged at the exact moment she saw the opening.
She even felt a thrill when she landed extra damage to a vital spot.
“We’ll really get it this time!”
Even the attacking Hilde was filled with overwhelming momentum.
But Fafnir’s gaze told a different story.
‘If we keep going like this, the strategy will fail.’
At first glance it looked like the troll was being beaten mercilessly, but Fafnir knew it wouldn’t last.
‘Even the boss monster rots… the gap in mana and stamina is too large.’
The monk’s skills also consumed mana.
Hilde’s mana bar in the party window had already fallen to less than half.
Plus, time was on the troll’s side.
Even if they stopped the healing, elite monsters would respawn elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Fafnir was losing too much.
He hadn’t learned the Bone Soldier skill yet.
And the remaining elite Bone Soldiers were in reverse summons.
‘That’s why I came up with this plan.’
Of course Fafnir had perfectly predicted this situation.
‘Everything focused on Hilde while I stay hidden.’
The Bone Soldiers would handle the damage, and while they did, Fafnir would ready his blade.
‘Now.’
The moment Hilde completed her combo, Fafnir raised his sword.
Burn End.
MP vanished in an instant, and black light gathered at the tip of his sword.
“Hilde!”
Fafnir shouted and leaped into the air.
KREH?
The troll ignored him and focused on Hilde.
This mosquito can wait until I take care of this bug.
That thought was exactly what Fafnir had intended.
Thrust.
The Burn End-boosted attack sliced straight through and beheaded the zombie troll.
Weak Point Attack!
Critical Hit!
Fatal damage dealt.
New understanding gained.
New skill ‘One-Point Strike’ created.
Craftsmanship Stat +1.
KWOONG!
The zombie troll’s head rolled off, and rotten blood splattered everywhere.
Fafnir raised his sword again.
“It’s not dead yet. Keep attacking!”
“Y-yes!”
Hilde snapped out of her daze.
At the same time, the zombie troll that had only its lower body left began moving.
KWOONG! BOOM!
Desperate struggles from a body that could no longer speak.
But this phase was far easier than the last.
Of course.
Dodge the sloppy attacks of a body that couldn’t see.
No need to analyze patterns—just react to what you see.
Time was even more on the troll’s side.
The amount of health it lost after losing its head was far greater than the healing it could receive.
How much time had passed?
Whish.
The moving troll’s body suddenly lost strength and fell backward.
It collapsed onto the floor, twitched its fingers a few times, and went still.
Clear the Catacombs 1st Floor Boss!
Clear Catacombs 1st Floor!
Experience gained.
Level Up! Level Up!
Achievement ‘Finish It Together’ unlocked.
Stat Points +2 gained.
Hailon’s Robe (Rare) obtained.
Imp Ring (Rare) obtained.
Troll Blood tainted with Dark Mana obtained.
Slaughterer’s Sword (Rare) obtained.
Dark Mana Stone (Rare) obtained.
91 Silver obtained.
“We won.”
Hunt successful.
But Fafnir didn’t stop.
“Y-you actually… got it?” Hilde stammered.
“As expected.”
Fafnir spoke briefly and scanned the troll’s corpse.
‘I have to collect everything before it disappears.’
Collection successful.
Dark-corrupted troll blood crystal obtained.
Dark-concentrated troll heart obtained.
He swept up even the small items before the body vanished.
“Now let’s divide the loot.”
Fafnir split the rare items 50/50.
Three rare items remained, along with six normal equipment pieces and dozens of junk items.
‘Rares are each 300,000, 600,000, and 350,000 won.’
Five people total, so about 240,000 won per person.
If they split it two ways, the difference would be obvious.
‘Half would be 60,000.’
“Wait a second!” Hilde protested.
“What is it?” Fafnir asked.
“I can’t take this much.”
Hilde waved her hands.
“Master Fafnir did everything. If I take it, I’d feel guilty. I’m fine with just the experience and achievements. Please don’t worry.”
The entire strategy—from planning to execution—had been Fafnir’s.
Fafnir thought, ‘Why is he being like this?’
Could it be that he wanted to quit their relationship and leave because he didn’t need anything anymore?
‘That won’t do.’
No other place offered such fast leveling right now.
Fafnir forced the items into Hilde’s hands.
“It’s really fine!” Hilde insisted.
“Things like this should always be divided fairly. It causes no problems.”
“I won’t cause any trouble later either…”
“It’s because I’m picky.”
The long argument finally ended when Hilde accepted only 20 percent of the gold, the amount she had earned.
“You can take more.” Fafnir offered.
“My share is enough. Taking only 20 percent of the total profit is fine.”
“But truly…” Hilde began.
“You planned the entire strategy, Hilde. I never would have been able to attempt it without you. This is correct.”
Fafnir tried to persuade her one more time, but Hilde refused to change her mind.
In the end, Fafnir had no choice but to take some items.
That was when:
Blood-stained Key obtained.
‘A key?’
Fafnir’s eyes scanned the dungeon surroundings.
Between the cracked stone walls, a small opening that hadn’t been there earlier appeared.
“Shall we head back together?” Fafnir asked.
“You go first. I have some work to do here for a moment.”
“Should I wait?” Fafnir asked.
“I’d rather not. A necromancer and a monk together might not be suitable.”
“Ah… okay! Then I’ll work hard here.”
Hilde’s face showed regret, but she had no choice and walked away.
Alone in the boss room, Fafnir inserted the key into the small hole.
‘It fits.’
The moment he turned it, the side of the wall he had been leaning against opened.
“A secret room?” Fafnir muttered.
In Horizon, a few dungeons hid secret rooms or passages.
Most gave small gold, potions, or items.
Sometimes they held important quest items or big rewards.
Especially boss rooms.
‘Maybe one more equipment piece will drop.’
Fafnir had to recalculate his share.
That was when:
Hidden Floor Discovered!
You are the first to discover the 2nd basement floor of Byron City Catacombs (Public Cemetery).
Achievement ‘Hidden Floor Discovery’ achieved.
New title ‘Secret Excavator’ acquired.
You can register information at the Explorer Guild.
Craftsmanship Stat +1.
Luck Stat +2.
Stat Points +1 gained.
First Discoverer Buff activated.
Double experience event for one week applies during hunting in this dungeon.
Highest-grade items are guaranteed to drop when this dungeon is cleared.
‘This… is a jackpot.’
It was no ordinary jackpot.
A secret room large enough to make a “bonus room” seem like a joke.
The novel titled “I Became a Necromancer Villain in a Game Novel” continued.