Why the Boss Kneeled
A massive vine door blocked the boss room.
No sounds could be heard.
Even in the heart of a C-class dungeon, the forest held its breath in an eerie silence.
Not even the rustle of leaves.
Normally, you'd hear some monster catching its breath somewhere, but right now, even my own swallow would echo loudly.
The entire forest stood frozen, as if spying on someone, despite the lack of wind.
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
My mouth was parched, and a metallic taste lingered on my tongue.
'I don't want to go in. I really, really don't.'
I wanted to turn around and bolt through the forest right then.
No matter how tempting the porters' loot, this terror was worth more than my life.
The 40-kilo bag pressing on my shoulders felt heavier than ever today.
At this point, it wasn't time for loot lists—it was time to write a will.
Normally, an F-class porter like me would huddle at the back, not making a peep.
That's me, but right now, I stood smack in the center of the party, facing the boss door head-on.
All because the party members saw monsters avoiding me after we entered the forest.
Those people started treating me like some hidden powerhouse.
The B-class and C-class hunters surrounding me had eyes that were way too serious.
As long as I didn't run right now, it'd be a miracle, but they looked like imperial bodyguards.
"Minsu, are you ready?"
The B-class swordsman leader swallowed hard as he asked.
I couldn't speak and just nodded.
I wanted to beg them to pull me back, say I wasn't ready, but my lips wouldn't move.
As I nodded, grim resolve filled the party members' faces.
No, why are you guys looking more determined?
And filling my vision: a translucent blue window.
Current Viewers: 31,504
Thirty-one thousand.
The heat from that number crushed the air like a lead weight.
The creepy pressure that had silenced the whole forest was now converging on the boss door.
It felt like tens of thousands of eyes silently shoving my back.
The more I wanted to flee, the thicker the pressure grew.
The contrast between the held-breath forest and the wildly boiling chat window was even more chilling.
"Opening the door!"
Kkiiigiiik!
As the vine door creaked open, rotten wood stench and damp mana rushed out.
Under blue torchlight, the boss stood in the center of the stone chamber.
A massive dead tree mimicking human form.
Thick roots tangled like legs, branches whipping out like lashes.
Knots embedded in the trunk twisted like human faces.
At a glance, a slaughter machine built for humans.
C-class boss, Giant Treant.
"Grroooaaarrr!"
The moment the door opened, it roared.
The floor shook, dust rained from the ceiling.
The entire chamber's air trembled from the thunderous bellow.
My heart dropped.
"Eek!"
I clutched my bag strap and froze solid.
I had to run, but my body wouldn't obey.
My head screamed to turn and sprint, but my legs were rooted.
Knees knocked, palms slick with sweat.
I just stared up dumbly at it head-on.
That instant.
Viewers' anticipation exceeds critical threshold.
Gaze Pressure deploys at B-class.
Wooong—
A sharp ringing pierced my ears.
It felt like thirty thousand gazes crushing down at once.
The sticky pressure wrapping my body suddenly burst outward.
The pressure exploded.
Trapped air in the sealed chamber twisted violently.
Breath caught in my throat.
Vision warped at the edges, ears buzzed and tingled.
Even the air in my lungs felt foreign and heavy.
And that force poured straight onto the Treant before me.
"Grro… ugh?"
Its ceiling-shattering roar cut off abruptly.
Like an invisible hand gripped its throat, twisting the sound oddly.
Pajijik! Kwajik!
The Treant's thick roots and bark couldn't hold—they warped.
Bark burst from its trunk, green sap oozed from cracks.
The mighty giant shook like it would shatter in seconds.
Its tendon-like roots buckled one by one.
"Uh, uhh…?"
The monster that had thrashed to tear me apart moments ago began folding its roots.
Thick branches propped on the floor, trembling.
Weakened roots curled inward one after another.
Thud.
The Giant Treant's trunk sank deep into the ground right before my nose.
Not just knees—its entire root system buckled.
Its branch crown lowered near the dirt floor.
Twigs scraped the ground. It couldn't even lift its head, prostrating flat.
As if even looking up at me was forbidden. Its ferocious aura vanished, leaving only submission.
The boss room fell silent in an instant.
Weapons clattered to the floor from the party behind me.
"The boss… bowed its head…."
The leader muttered first, his voice barely a whisper.
The healer covered her mouth, shaking her head. The shield warrior averted his eyes entirely. No one cheered.
Their faces said my position looked more dangerous than surviving.
"That's not surrender…."
The healer swallowed.
"Or maybe… judgment."
The warrior stepped back, murmuring low.
"Won't even let it lift its eyes—this is pure terror."
I couldn't comprehend this at all.
Why? Why was it doing that all of a sudden?
I didn't do anything! I just clutched my bag strap and froze!
"Um… is it sick or something?"
The words slipped out before I knew it.
I meant it.
It had roared fine moments ago, but now its trunk was lowered, sap dripping steadily.
It looked like some acute illness hit, so I asked.
"Ah…."
The leader looked up at me with trembling eyes.
"Did you… spare it?"
"Huh? No, I mean, it really looks hurt…."
Before I finished, their faces paled further.
The healer clasped her hands, staring. The warrior swallowed silently, speechless.
"You judged it unworthy of your blade…."
"No, I really just asked because it looks sick…."
I was on the verge of tears.
But their eyes were already far gone.
Awe, fear, strange ecstasy—all mixed.
Regardless of my true feelings, the chat went berserk.
The Treant still trembled prostrated.
The crushing force poured from behind me onto it.
It couldn't even dream of lifting its head.
"Minsu has subdued it!"
The leader raised his sword.
"We'll handle the cleanup! Everyone, charge!"
"Waaaaah!"
The party rushed in unison.
What followed wasn't a fight.
Swords and spells rained on the immobile Treant.
A few seconds later, its trunk shook violently.
No counterattacks came.
The massive tree monster took hits to the end, still bowed.
As if it had lost all will to fight entirely.
Thwack!
Kwaaang!
Craaack!
C-class Dungeon 'Silent Forest' Boss Defeated.
No Damage / New Fastest Clear Record Set.
A massive green magic stone shattered, the dungeon clear alert echoing through the chamber.
"We did it!"
"Zero damage!"
"Fastest record for real!"
The party hugged and cheered, then turned to me in unison.
And bowed deeply all at once.
"Minsu! We'll never forget this grace!"
"Thank you!"
"We survived because of you!"
Receiving those fervent gazes, my throat tightened. It wasn't something to thank me for.
I was the most scared. I couldn't tell them, but this situation terrified me more than the boss.
I gripped my bag strap with trembling hands.
We'd beaten the boss, but instead of relief, chills rose.
I'd done nothing, yet the giant boss folded before me.
Unexplainable events were snowballing.
What if something truly unmanageable exploded next?
Today it bowed its trunk—what would pop out tomorrow? Unimaginable.
"Minsu, escape route open."
The leader said cautiously.
"Please lead."
"No. Um… I'll stay back."
I shook my head, and the leader nodded with an even graver face.
Even refusing that one line, he took as consideration.
The healer glanced at my face, then looked down.
The warrior never faced me directly, stepping aside.
Just that formation made my neck stiffen.
Moments later, the escape gate glowed blue.
More than relief at surviving, dread loomed—what misunderstanding awaited outside?
I trudged heavy steps toward the gate.
"Heading to the slaughterhouse" fit perfectly.
Clearly escaping alive, yet why more anxious?
As I neared the gate, the gazes from behind settled colder.
They gripped me before the door beyond.
I ignored it desperately and threw myself into the gate.