“Haahk!”

I let out a scream as I jolted awake.

“Hee... Hee…”

I gasped for breath, clutching my chest.

*Thump thump thump thump.*

My heart pounded violently.

Every part of my body ached.

My hair was plastered to my forehead, drenched in sweat.

I was soaked with cold sweat.

“.....”

I looked around, still sitting up.

A small, dark room.

My sanctuary.

In one corner of the room, a pile of "Cup Noodle Shin Ramen Mild" wrappers had accumulated.

Come to think of it, I hadn't taken out the trash in days.

I really needed to throw those away.

The green light on my fully charged electric wheelchair glowed, indicating it was ready for use.

I stared blankly at my surroundings for a moment, then touched my chest.

The chest of a girl, small and undeveloped, just like my height—unchanged for so long.

*Thump, thump.*

The pounding in my heart had subsided a little.

But still...

“Hik.”

I shuddered as the memory of moments before came flooding back.

The sight of the blade piercing through my chest, my consciousness slipping away.

My first death experience had shaken me deeply.

Thankfully, the pain hadn’t been overwhelming.

There was just a sharp sting in my chest, and then everything went numb.

I had taken an instant-kill blow that drained all of my HP in one hit.

"Synchronization."

The 100% synchronization rate between my brain and the virtual body.

It truly felt like I had experienced death.

Of course, I hadn’t really died.

I rubbed the spot where the blade had pierced through my chest, mumbling quietly to myself.

“…Is this really okay?”

---

[Welcome back to *Astra Online*]

After a brief hesitation, I couldn’t help but log back into the game.

*Whiiooo.*

Even inside the elite dungeon, *Orc King's Cave*, the wind blew softly.

A breeze from outside the cave tickled my hair.

*Hop hop.*

My legs still moved just fine.

Though the experience of dying had been terrifying, I couldn’t give up these sensations.

In the real world, my legs didn’t move, and there was nothing enjoyable for me.

This vibrant, more-real-than-reality world of *Astra*—I couldn’t let it go.

I pouted my lips.

“I’m a total gaming addict now.”

The only term that fit my current state was “gaming addict.”

My character had respawned at the entrance to the second boss area.

The path leading up to the second boss was clear.

Since it was an instance dungeon, the monsters I’d already defeated didn’t respawn.

There were no penalties for dying.

Elite dungeons were meant to be cleared through repeated deaths and retries—having death penalties would’ve been unreasonable.

*Step, step.*

I marched steadily back to the second boss.

[Second Boss]
[Level 16 *Orc Assassin*]
[HP 17700/17700]

[Level 15 *Orc Mage (Ice)*]
[HP 3000/3000]

[Level 15 *Orc Mage (Fire)*]
[HP 3000/3000]

“Hmm.”

I was back, but honestly, I felt lost.

The *Orc Assassin*'s unseen backstab attacks were hard to predict.

In theory, they could be blocked.

The *Orc Assassin*’s backstab seemed to be a stealth attack, so if I turned around and entered a blocking stance, I could stop it.

Unlike the *Brawler*'s *Counter* skill, which required perfect timing, the *Block* skill for the swordsman class didn’t require seeing the exact moment of the attack. As long as I maintained the stance, I could block it.

But what about the magical attacks from the *Orc Mages* that would come at the same time?

“That’s the real problem.”

I sat down in front of the second boss and picked up a stick, drawing on the cave floor.

*Scratch, scratch.*

---

This was my current formation, with all three orcs in front of me.

But when the boss used the backstab skill, it looked like this.

---

If I turned to block the backstab from behind, I’d leave myself open to the magical attacks from the *Orc Mages*.

“Isssh!”

I drew and redrew lines, trying to think of a way to block all three monsters' attacks at once.

Blocking only worked for a 180-degree frontal range.

The boss's backstab covered the rear 180 degrees.

So…

“Aha!”

Something clicked in my head.

I picked up the stick and drew a new line.

*Scratch, scratch.*

---

If I blocked at just the right angle upward, I could barely cover the 90-degree range on my left for the *Orc Mages’* attacks while also blocking the *Orc Assassin*’s backstab within the 90-degree range on my right.

The angle had to be perfect—exactly 180 degrees.

But it was theoretically possible.

I tossed the stick aside and jumped to my feet.

"Alright…!"

It was possible!

With this method, I could defeat the second boss!

*Hop.*

As I dashed into the *Orc Assassin’s* aggro range, it bared its fangs and glared at me once more.

The dagger it held glinted menacingly in the torchlight within the cave.

A shiver ran down my spine.

That dagger had pierced through my chest before.

But I couldn’t afford to be scared now.

A hero must have courage.

I steeled myself and shouted at the *Orc Assassin*.

“Alright! Come at me!”

---

[Second Boss]
[Level 16 *Orc Assassin*]
[HP 3011/17700]

*Clang clang clang!*

The *Orc Assassin’s* five-hit combo clashed against my sword as I blocked the blows.

When the five-hit attack failed, the *Orc Assassin* instantly disappeared.

Behind me.

I quickly spun around and activated my *Block* skill.

*Clang!*

The *Orc Assassin’s* backstab was perfectly blocked.

*Thrust!*

“Ssssk!”

My lightning-fast thrust pierced the *Orc Assassin*, making it shriek in pain.

I smiled faintly.

The *Orc Mages* were already dead.

Now I could turn my back freely.

There was no longer any need to maintain the perfect 180-degree blocking formation to protect against attacks from all sides.

My “side block” strategy had worked perfectly, allowing me to defeat both *Orc Mages* without taking any hits.

It had required intense concentration to keep the angle flawless, but I had pulled it off.

“Die! Dieee!”

I vented my frustration by stabbing the *Orc Assassin* repeatedly.

“Kiiiiiik-!”

*Thud.*

At last, the *Orc Assassin* collapsed, its HP fully drained.

“A... Ahhh!”

I did it!

*Hop hop.*

I bounced in place, jumping for joy as if I could fly.

I was so happy.

I could practically feel the dopamine surging through my brain.

I, the Hero Rain, had finally defeated the second boss!

I hadn’t done it on my first try.

I had been scared when the *Orc Assassin* disappeared and messed up my blocking angle.

I had even been hit by the *Orc Mages’* attacks, fleeing as if my butt were on fire.

But, thankfully, I hadn’t died.

As long as I didn’t get hit by the *Orc Assassin’s* backstab, I wouldn’t lose all my HP in one hit.

“Hehe! Hehe!”

Giggling like a fool, I savored my victory as I approached the spot where the *Orc Assassin* had fallen.

As expected, the item I received this time was a ring.

[*Orc Assassin’s Ring*]
[Elite]
[Strength +5, Agility +5, Intelligence +5]
[Reduces general damage by 1%]
[Reduces critical damage by 5%]

Its options were focused on defense rather than stats.

The earring boosted offensive stats, while the ring boosted defense.

“Hehe.”

I grinned brightly and tucked the ring safely into my inventory.

I liked it even more than the earring.

This would make hits hurt a lot less.

---

The long, seemingly endless corridor stretched ahead.

At the end of it was the *Orc King’s* chamber.

In the center of the massive cavern where the *Orc King* resided, I saw it.

“Grrk.”

It let out a deep growl.

It was, without a doubt, a “giant walking pig.”

Its body was at least three times the size of a grown adult.

The war hammer it wielded was even bigger than my entire body.

If I got hit by that, I’d surely die in one hit.

I’d be flattened—Rain would become a dried-up snack.

I steadied my racing heart and checked the *Orc King’s* HP.

It was a whopping 30,800.

“Guh…”

I gasped.

The *Orc King* had nearly double the HP of the second boss, the *Orc Assassin*.

How was I ever going to drain all that HP?

But there was one good thing.

“He’s alone.”

There were no other monsters around the *Orc King*.

Of course, new monsters might spawn as I reduced its HP, but at least I didn’t have to deal with three enemies from the start like with the second boss.

That made things easier.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

*Beep.*

“Hey! You

 big pig with a huge health bar!”

“Grrk?”

The *Orc King* looked at me with a confused expression.

*Smack smack.*

I turned around and smacked my butt.

“Try and catch me!”

*Rumble.*

“Oh no.”

The cave trembled.

Could AI-named monsters feel emotions?

It seemed like the *Orc King* was pretty angry.

“Grrrrrrrr!”

*Boom!*

The *Orc King* let out a roar, and despite its massive body, it leaped high into the air.

---

[Third Boss]
[Level 16 *Orc King*]
[HP 30800/30800]