Nox figured he'd start simple. The direct approach had worked on everything else so far, so why not this thing too? He gripped the metal pipe tighter and charged straight at the boss monster.
'Just hit it really hard. Can't be that complicated.'
The creature watched him come, that amused grin still on its face. When Nox swung the pipe at its head, the monster caught it with one hand like it was nothing. Then it backhanded him across the face.
The hit sent him flying backward into the concrete wall. Hard. His back slammed against it and he dropped to the floor, the pipe clattering away from him.
"Damn," he muttered, pushing himself up. His jaw was already swelling where the thing had hit him.
'Okay, so it's actually strong. Good to know.'
The boss monster laughed. "Is that all, little insect? I expected more from someone who could resist my command."
Nox wiped some blood from his lip and picked up the pipe again. "Yeah, well, I'm just getting started."
This time he went low, sliding under the creature's guard and swinging the pipe at its knee. The metal connected with a solid thunk and actually knocked the boss monster back a few steps.
"There we go," he said, rolling away as the creature swiped at him with its claws.
It looked down at its leg, then back at him. Its expression had shifted from amused to something more interested.
"Impressive. You actually managed to hurt me." It flexed its claws. "I think I underestimated you, little insect. Let me correct that mistake."
The creature vanished.
'What the hell?' He spun around, trying to figure out where it had gone. 'Teleportation?'
A hand grabbed his throat from behind. The boss monster had appeared right behind him and now it was lifting him off the ground.
"Much better," it said, its hot breath on the back of his neck. "Now you will learn the difference between us."
It slammed him down onto the gymnasium floor face first. The impact drove all the air out of his lungs and made his vision go fuzzy for a second.
'Fuck that hurt.'
But as soon as he felt the grip on his throat loosen slightly, he spun around like he was doing some kind of dance move and kicked the creature right in its furry stomach.
It let go completely and stumbled backward, looking surprised.
"Not bad," he said, getting back to his feet. "But you talk too much."
Before the creature could recover, he stepped forward and swung the pipe as hard as he could at its head. This time he put everything he had into it.
The metal pipe connected with the side of the boss monster's skull with a loud crack. The creature's head snapped to the side and it took several steps back, shaking its head like it was trying to clear it.
"You little shit," it snarled, its voice not as calm as before. "That actually stings."
'Good. Maybe now we're getting somewhere.'
Behind them, he could hear Kendra yelling at the alpha gobdog. "Come on you ugly bastard! Is that the best you got?"
Vasa was being quieter but he could see ice spreading across the floor where she was fighting. They seemed to be handling their opponent okay for now.
The boss monster wiped some dark blood from its mouth and grinned at him again, but this time there was real anger in its eyes.
"Alright, little insect. No more playing around. Time to show you what real power looks like."
"Do all boss monster have the same cringe lines as you?" He taunted.
The boss monster's eyes flashed with something darker than anger. Its muscles rippled beneath that dark fur, and Nox felt the air around them shift like the pressure before a storm.
'Oh shit. I think I pissed it off.'
"Cringe lines?" The creature's voice dropped to a growl that seemed to vibrate through the floor. "Let me show you something that will make you beg for mercy, little insect."
It moved faster than before—not teleporting this time, but pure speed. Nox barely got the pipe up in time to block a claw swipe that would have taken his head clean off. The impact sent shockwaves up his arms and made his teeth rattle.
'Fast. Way too fast.'
Before he could recover, the creature spun and drove its elbow into his ribs. The hit lifted him off his feet and sent him tumbling across the gym floor. He rolled to a stop near the wall, gasping for air.
'Okay, that definitely broke something.'
He pushed himself up, spitting blood. His ribs screamed in protest but nothing felt completely shattered. Yet.
The boss monster was already closing the distance, not giving him time to think or plan. It grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him up, then slammed him down onto the floor so hard that the concrete cracked beneath him.
'This is not going well.'
He rolled sideways just as the creature's claws came down where his head had been, gouging deep scratches in the floor. He swept his leg out, trying to trip the monster, but it just stepped over his attack like he was moving in slow motion.
'Come on, think. There has to be something.'
A clawed hand wrapped around his ankle and dragged him across the rough concrete. His shirt tore and his back scraped against the floor, leaving a trail of blood.
"You know what the difference is between us?" it said, lifting him up by his leg. "You're still thinking like a human. Fighting like a human."
It swung him around and released him. He flew through the air and crashed into a pile of gym equipment. Metal weights and barbells scattered everywhere as he hit.
'Everything hurts. Everything hurts so much.'
But as he lay there among the scattered weights, something clicked. His hand closed around a heavy dumbbell, maybe forty pounds.
'Wait. I've been fighting this thing wrong.'
He wasn't human anymore. Not really. The system, the levels, the stats—he was stronger than he used to be. A lot stronger. He'd been holding back, fighting like he was still the same weak kid who got pushed around by Mark.
The boss monster was walking toward him slowly, savoring its advantage. "Ready to beg yet, little insect?"
Nox stood up, the dumbbell in his right hand, his left still gripping the metal pipe. His back was on fire and his ribs felt like broken glass, but his grip was steady.
"You know what?" he said, rolling his shoulders. "I think I was going too easy on you."
The creature laughed. "Easy? You call that easy? You're bleeding all over my floor."
"Yeah, well." He hefted the dumbbell, testing its weight. "I'm a slow learner."
He threw the dumbbell as hard as he could. Not at the creature's head or body, but right at its knee—the same one he'd hit with the pipe earlier.
The forty-pound weight slammed into the joint with a wet crunch. The boss monster's leg buckled and it dropped to one knee, howling in pain and rage.
'There we go.'
He didn't waste the opening. He charged forward and brought the metal pipe down on the creature's skull with everything he had. The impact rang out like a bell, and this time the monster actually staggered.
"You little shit!" it snarled, swiping at him with its claws.
He ducked under the swing and drove his fist into its ribs. The punch connected with a satisfying thud and the creature grunted in pain.
'Holy shit, that actually hurt it.'
But the monster recovered faster than he expected. It grabbed his wrist and twisted, forcing him to drop the pipe. Then it headbutted him right in the face.
His nose exploded in a spray of blood and his vision went white for a second. The creature used his momentary blindness to grab him around the waist and lift him over its head.
'Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck—'
It threw him straight down like he was a wrestling move. He hit the floor hard enough to bounce, his head cracking against the concrete. Stars didn't explode in his vision—instead, everything went fuzzy and distant, like he was underwater.
'Can't pass out.'
The boss stood over him, breathing heavily. Dark blood was running from a cut on its head where the pipe had connected, and it was favoring its injured leg.
"Still think you're going easy on me?" it panted.
Nox wiped blood from his eyes and tried to focus. His head was pounding and everything felt loose and wrong, but he could still move.
'It's hurt too. Good. That means I can hurt it more.'
Behind them, he could hear Kendra shouting. "Vasa! Ice wall, now!"
There was a sound like breaking glass, then the alpha gobdog howled in frustration. At least they were still alive.
The boss reached down and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him up again. "Time to finish this, little insect. You fought well, but—"
Nox drove his knee up into the creature's stomach as hard as he could. The monster doubled over, its grip loosening just enough for him to break free.
He stumbled backward, putting some distance between them. His throat felt raw and his legs were shaky, but he was still standing.
'Come on. One more round. Just one more.'
The creature straightened up slowly, its eyes burning with hatred. "You... persistent little shit."
"Yeah," he gasped, wiping more blood from his mouth. "I get that a lot." Not really.
The boss cracked its neck, then its knuckles. "No more games. 'm going to tear you apart piece by piece."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that."
The creature's muscles tensed, and he could see it was about to move again. He needed a plan, and he needed it fast.
That's when he noticed something. Every time the monster had hit him really hard, it had used its right hand. The left was always supporting or blocking, but never striking with full force.
'Is its left arm hurt? Or weaker somehow?'
There was only one way to find out.
"Hey, furry," he called out, forcing his voice to sound steadier than he felt. "Your left arm broken or something? You keep babying it."
The creature's eyes flashed with anger. "Shut that filthy mouth of yours!"
It lunged forward, leading with its left hand this time—probably to prove him wrong.
'Idiot.'