I drink half of a healing potion before raising my hand to aim. It helps, you know?

Now, the boss has pretty much understood that I can hurt it and jumped back, spitting acid on my shields. Thankfully, even though one of them fizzles out of existence, I’ve got into the habit of making three overlapping shields.

Why?

Because I don’t want to die, obviously.

The giant dark hound stalks in circles around me.

I drop my focus skill for a second, and I look at Vilith. With the skill on, my mind can’t be distracted. I can banter in my head, but I cannot be distracted.

The woman is fighting so savagely that the dark dogs around her are afraid of approaching her. She screams with gory discipline every time she rains a blow and grunts every time she parries. Her hair is matted by blood and looks like a solid chunk of red tar.

Isn’t she a brunette?

So, that’s blood.

Now, in this world, they classify beasts based not only on their strength but also on their intelligence. When the stupid boss sees me looking at Vilith, a savage glint blazes through its eyes.

Son of a—

“Vilith! Move! Come here!” I scream the words in rapid succession while my brain starts tracing a matrix in mid-air.

Converting the flames takes me a couple of seconds.

[Restructuring Conditions Met: Advanced Light Lance → Flame Lance!]

This time, the spell misses, and many little bastards start swarming me.

Goddammit.

[Advanced Light Blade]

[Advanced Light Blade]

[Advanced Light Blade]

I uncork a Mana potion while killing dozens of the little bastards and pour its contents down my throat. I can feel my Mana becoming sluggish in my veins, getting harder and harder to move around. I’m reaching my natural limit for these stupid potions.

Suddenly, while tapping my fingers on the wand, the word slows down several beats. It’s like everything just started working in slow-motion.

I can see the huge boss pouncing toward Vilith while she helplessly tries to run to me. Her face is a mask of anger and ruthlessness even at this moment. She has sharp features, but her eyes are fiercer than the boss’s glazed corneas.

Am I seeing things this slowly because I will die soon? Is this one of those otherworldly pre-death experiences?

I stay still, waiting for the world to go back at its own natural pace.

Several moments go past me, but nothing changes. Everything is still slowed down.

Am I missing something?

I think I’m forgetting—

Whatever, it doesn’t matter.

I aim with my right hand while clutching the wand with the other.

“Eat this, you wretched New Jersey bastard!”

I gather all the power in my body for one final attack. I can’t pull my punches because the boss could very well evade light-hearted attacks. So, it’s time to go all-in.

The day I summoned ten [Lights] in my room seems so distant now, but the sensations that grabbed my heart that day are still in me. And I’m using them to recreate a feat a hundred times harder and more magnificent.

Ten [Advanced Light Lances] start taking shape before me, and I convoy all my insights and feelings into the matrixes, making a swift shift from Light Magic to Fire Magic. I put the blaze in my heart but, gripped by sudden insight, I fuel my own anger. I let go; I gather all those parts of me that I’ve always shunned, that I’ve always dismissed.

Now, it’s time for them to come home like the Prodigal Son.

And anger pumps in my vein, giving renewed strength to the Mana, making it mightier than ever. It’s a sensation beyond what can be described with words. It’s like my limbs are aflame and can set on fire the very air I caress with my fingers.

The boss, albeit slowly, is getting closer and closer to Vilith. I don’t like the woman. For my taste, she tries too hard, but you can bet on my future grave that I won’t let such an arrogant prick die before I can lord over them the fact that I saved their life.

I weave the anti-matrixes over the spells, adding polarity on top of more polarity. A strange resonance is created – something that I would love to study if I wasn’t at imminent risk of losing my life.

Many people might look at me one day and think that this was one of the most asinine things I’ve ever done in my life. Why risk everything like this? Why help people who are little more than strangers?

Why?

Why all of this, Joey?

It’s not even because of Mr. Miyagi or anything like that.

It’s just that sometimes you have to be the [Hero] of your own story.

Ten [Flame Lances] shoot at insane speed even in this slowed-down world. They are about two fists larger than usual, double their normal size. Plus, their fire is not the typical red, but something close to vermillion. It must have been my anger doing that.

They pierce the boss simultaneously, and all the lights in my head go out. I’m only aware that they went through the monster like a hot knife through butter and then impacted the walls of the mine with a world-ending bang.

I can feel a massive vibration go through the cave while my body falls to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut loose.

The world goes back to normal speed as the boss falls dead on the ground. The dogs start running around in a panicked frenzy, and the entire cave sheds a few rocks from its ceilings – starting to collapse in its entirety.

One last thought before I die.

I hope they put something cool on my tombstone.

“Joey Luciani, slayer of monsters and pu—”

I finally faint.