Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented

Chapter 9

“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.

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]