The Horse-Headed Dungeon Boss
I'd practiced Nuker swordsmanship enough times to slice through thin iron plates about half a millimeter thick, but this was my first time cutting a solid iron lock like this in actual combat. Honestly, if it hadn't worked, I would've just kept kicking the door until it gave way—but surprisingly, the blade sliced right through with ease.
"Did it open?"
"We're alive!!"
"I thought we were done for, trapped in there forever... Thank you so much!!"
As the lock shattered with a sharp crack, the people inside rushed out, each blurting something in relief. The three women wore nothing but ragged sackcloth-like garments, without even the basic gear essential for any dungeon. Their exposed limbs showed signs of training, confirming they were hunters, but their faces were gaunt from long captivity. Yet their eyes blazed with fierce hope at the chance of survival.
"Calm down first. If you know anything about this place, could you explain?"
Once they'd somewhat composed themselves, the short-haired woman who'd spoken to me through the door stepped forward.
"Thank you again. We were hunters from a party that mainly cleared 8th grade dungeons. All three of us are 8th grade hunters."
"8th grade?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"I fell into this place from the 10th grade Chimera Labyrinth dungeon."
"10th grade...?"
The mention of 10th grade made their faces drain of color. They'd assumed a stronger hunter had come to rescue them, only to learn otherwise—it hit them hard.
"...If you're 10th grade, you're as good as dead too. How many hours do you have left on the tracking magic?"
"About four."
"Ahh... We're screwed. We'll end up gang-raped by that crazy horse-headed bastard and die!"
One of the women behind her whimpered, her voice breaking. Whatever this Nuker guy was, he clearly terrified them.
"What do you mean?"
The short-haired woman, who'd been talking to me, explained in a defeated, hollow tone.
"When we first dropped here, it wasn't just the three of us. Our whole party fell in—six people total."
Her legs gave out, and she slumped against the wall as she continued.
"We checked the system messages at first and wandered the maze trying to escape the dungeon. We even searched for the 'hostages' to complete the additional objectives. But then, one by one, the number of listed hostages started dropping."
Just recalling it made her shoulders tremble in fear.
"Sensing something wrong, we split up to search the maze faster, ignoring the objectives—we just wanted out before the tracking magic ran out. But we never found the exit. When the time limit hit, the dungeon boss Nuker tracked us down."
"Sniff... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
One of the women buried her face in her knees, sobbing apologies to someone.
"We were a stable party that cleared 8th grade dungeons reliably, so we thought we could take him. But it was a massacre. All our male party members died by his hand, and we women were stripped of our gear and locked in that room ever since."
"Why didn't he just kill you?"
"Because he loves human women. A horse-headed freak like him. We weren't the first in that room, either. There were other female hunters captured before us—the very 'hostages' we were supposed to rescue."
She pointed to the back of the room they'd emerged from.
"She's in there now. A corpse, but... if you want to know what he did to her—what he'll do to us—take a look. It won't be pretty."
I approached the spot she indicated. In one corner of the spacious room lay a human-shaped lump covered by a blanket. The air reeked of rot and a metallic, fishy stench from days-old decay. Frowning at the familiar smell, I pulled back the blanket.
"Ugh...!"
The woman's corpse was horrific. Every bone in her body was crushed, her chest torn open as if gnawed by teeth. The worst damage was to her abdomen and genitals—like something had burst from inside, punching a hole near her solar plexus, with her lower body shredded and stretched beyond recognition. Dried semen crusted her entire form, adding to the foul odor.
"Brutal. Forced to take something that didn't fit, huh."
"Exactly. Men for food, women as disposable fucktoys. That's why Nuker kept us alive."
The short-haired woman stood beside me, staring at the body with half-dead eyes, her voice empty.
"We still have time on the tracking magic, but now that you've opened the door, he'll come soon. Then we're both done for. Haha... Never thought I'd go out like this... Sniff..."
She broke into quiet sobs, and the other two women wailed openly.
I started to say something but closed my mouth. Even if I wasn't a true 10th grade hunter despite coming from a 10th grade dungeon, they wouldn't believe me after seeing that corpse. Besides, there was no time—rumbling footsteps echoed from afar.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
"Mommy...! Mommy...!"
"No, nooo!! If I'd known I'd get raped to death by some monster, I never would've become a hunter...!"
The women freaked out at the sound, screaming and crying. Even without weapons or armor, their unique abilities and physical prowess remained—they were just too broken by fear to fight, their will shattered.
Figuring a full retreat wasn't viable, I prepared to face him alone.
"Hoo... Alright, let's see what you look like."
BOOM—
"GRRROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!"
"Whoa..."
The dungeon boss Nuker burst in with a deafening roar. He was a muscle-bound monstrosity with a horse's head on a humanoid body, veins bulging everywhere. Battle axes filled his massive hands, and he even wore ill-fitting armor—likely looted from hunters. His hide was white with black stripes, like a chimeric zebra-horse hybrid.
"You dare steal the offerings my master gave me, and now touch my things too? RAAARGH! Unforgivable! Die!"
"Wait—!"
The bastard could even speak human language. I'd hoped to buy the women time to flee with talk, but the hot-headed brute hurled his battle axe at me without hesitation.
"Shit."
The three women huddled behind me, trembling in terror since Nuker appeared. Dodging wasn't an option. I raised my sword to parry the incoming axe.
"Nngh!"
"You blocked that? Not bad!"
His strength was insane—I barely deflected the axe, but even that partial impact numbed my arms. His power clearly outclassed mine, and his bulk suggested stamina to match.
Strength's no match... Let's test his agility.
He'd thrown an axe, so it was my turn. I drew two throwing knives from my thigh holster and flung them at him with a timed stagger.
Clang— Clang—
"Heh, pathetic. That your idea of a throw?"
He swung his hefty battle axe like a twig, batting away both knives effortlessly.
Agility's equal to mine, maybe a hair better.
Physically, he had the edge overall.
But when did I ever rely on raw stats? I cleared 8th grade dungeons in the military with shit physicals.
Technique had always been my mainstay. Fighting foes with superior physiques was routine.
And this... might actually be doable.
Unlike back then, I now had Posture Control and Regeneration. Plus, this narrow passage cramped his style but gave my smaller frame room to maneuver.
Yeah, I got this.
Weighing it all, I saw no reason to lose. Nuker was the strongest foe I'd faced yet, but defeat didn't cross my mind.