I Claimed the Final Boss in a Horror Game

After 72-hour work overtime, I died.

Then I woke up inside a horror game.

The simmering rage of overwork meant I wasn't scared.

In fact, I was more crazy than the monster NPCs.

When the BOSS tried to strangle me at start, I snapped his neck.

I shoved a gag into the banshees mouth before she could utter a sound.

But when players tried to kill the BOSS to win,

I shoved the BOSS behind me and snarled,

If you hurt him and Ill end you!

...

[Welcome to the Escape the Manor Dungeon]

[Survive 5 days to win]

[Initial Players: 20. Current Players: 20.]

When I heard those weird words, my overworked heart still ached.

After decades of hardwork, mountains of unpaid overtime, I died before getting the bosss promised future opportunities?

Wtf.

[What the hell is this place? I was driving to meet a client! Whats this stupid dungeon? I bill by the hour, pal, I dont have time for this crap!]

A classic rich guy scolded.

He was drunk and walked with a limp. DUI casualty, maybe?

Dim lights flickered on, revealing 19 other confused faces.

They had no idea what happened.

Watching our clueless newbie group, the live stream chat exploded.

[What kind of matchmaking is this? Zero veteran players but all fresh meat? How are they supposed to play?]

[Seriously? And they got dumped into an SSS-tier dungeon? Thats a death sentence!]

[Damn, they will all be screwed.]

[RIP in advance.]

[Wait is that? I think I recognize a veteran player who pretends to be new here. Maybe theres hope.]

I couldnt see the chat, obviously. But I knew I need to survive. Just survive.

Corporate drone versus haunted manor? It sounded like a high-risk, zero-reward gig with a risk of sudden death.

So, I decided to nap.

There were plenty of rooms. I picked the plushest one and crashed on the ridiculously comfortable bed. .

This bed is heavenI totally forgot the risks.

I was too tired to notice the shadow in the corner, and blissfully unaware of the exploding chat.

[She walked right into the BOSSs room! Game over!]

[Seriously, who designed this place? Drag them out of their grave and shoot them!]

A blood-curdling scream jolted me awake.

Why wasnt this good room soundproofing? \

How did anyone lived here bear it?

My complaint lit the chat on fire again.

[Is she a new player? People are getting slaughtered out there, and shes napping?]

[Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Its nonsense that she shared a room with the BOSS and dozes off?]

[I bet she would faint the second she sees a monster!]

[I bet she would faint opening the door!]

But in face, I flung the door open, took a deep breath, and yelled,

Shut the hell up! Someone here is trying to sleep!

They didnt know, that the simmering fury of an overworked drone was way scarier than any monsters.

Outside, a group froze players, eyes wide like I was the monster.

Psst behind you, sweetie~ a voice hissed.

I frowned, turned, and faced a hulking butcher figure, cleaver dripping crimson in his hand.

Go on! he rasped, face twisted. Kill me!

I grabbed a nearby mop and whacked the cleaver out of his hand.

Its the middle of the damn night! Keep it down!

The butcher blinked, glanced nervously at the guy beside me, scooped up his cleaver, and scurried away.

Smart man.

I turned to go back to bed, but saw the butcher reappear behind the drunk rich guy.

Go on! Kill me~! he bellowed, and suddenly energized.

The room held its breath except me.

The butcher lunged. The drunk guy yelped, panicked, and yanked the girl whod warned me in front of him.

Too late.

Splat.Both vanished into a grisly red mist. Not even bone chips left.

Another scream pierced the air. Thats when I noticed, only eight people left.

The system chimed in.

[Initial Players: 20. Current Players: 8.]

Only four were here now. The rest were hiding.

The scream grated on my last nerve. Then the butcher was back, right in my face.

Go on! Kill me!

I closed my eyes, body trembling.

Everyone held their breath.

Some were so scared that they looked away.

Then I snatched the mop again and cracked it sideways against his head.

Thwack! His neck snapped at an unnatural angle.

I grabbed his fallen cleaver and swung it hard at his neck.

Enough! Shut up! I shouted.

Fear? Nah. That was pure excitement.

Years of stress-relief via ultra-violent video games (bad for the psyche, quit ages ago) had honed this reaction.

Everyone was shocked.

The chat went dead for a solid minute.

Then it exploded.

[Did she just kill an NPC?!]

[BRUTAL!]

[Is that how youre supposed to play this level?!]

[I thought everyone just needed to hide!]

[This chick IS the horror game!]

[So kill me was the actual password? Damn!]

[Is she even human?!]

[Shh, Im processing.]

[The rage of the overworked drone was visualized.]

[I will be nicer to my coworker tomorrow.]

[Anyone else wondered whos more scary? Her or the BOSS in her room.]

[Dont be silly! Butcher NPC vs. BOSS? Worlds apart!]

[Shes toast!]

Peace restored, exhaustion slammed back into me.

Time for bed.

Half-asleep, I felt a man beside me. Must be a hiding player.

But I was too tired to care about propriety.

Shh. Sleep, I mumbled, pulling him close.

The stream lost its mind.

[Shes cuddling the BOSS?!]

[And hes not killing her?!]

[Wait...Did the BOSS just smile?]

[Oh boy. BOSS smiles, player dies. Classic.]

[Okay, but dont you guys notice the BOSS is kinda hot?]

[Get your shipping goggles off! This is horror!]

The man, however, seemed like didnt wanna me sleep.

His hands fidgeted. His breathing was loud.

Out. Youre noisy, I grumbled.

Thud.I kicked him off the bed.

Not even God himself interrupts my sleep.

Wake up! Or you wont see dawn! he commanded.

Hearing that tone, my last nerve snapped.

Dawn? I hadnt seen dawn properly in years. Every day, I got up before sunrise, and went back home long after streetlights turned off.

Right now? I wont let him see the moon tonight.

Bang! Crash! Thump!I pinned him to the floor.

Dawn? I havent seen a proper sunrise in years! All I want is for you to meet Satan!

I snarled.

He tried to say something, but I wasnt listening.

A sharp twist to his neck, I meant to knock him out.

Crack.Oops. Too much force, his neck snapped.

Oh well. Finally, no more noise.

If I could kill an NPC, it might be fine if hes a player.

I was asleep in seconds.

The chat, however, was losing it.

[She killed the BOSS?!]

[BOSS is immortal! No way he dies like a basic NPC!]

[This girl is next-level terrifying.]

[Ive barely seen the BOSS decapitate players, but her snapping his neck?]

[She was dumb, but shes strong.]

Waking up, I found myself staring into the BOSSs very much alive eyes.

Hi. Im Jo.

A.J., he replied flatly.

Chat:

[Why does this feel like a disastrous first date?]

[They look like a couple.]

[I feel awkward for her.]

So snapped his neck, but hes fine. Now what?

Awkward. I tried to examine the damage, but thankfully, it was pixelated.

Not scary, just mortifying.

I felt awake now.

Since I had nothing to do, small talk was the only option.

How long you been doing this?

Too long. I lost count.

Got KPIs?

Nah. I can kill whoever pisses me off.

Cool. I wish I could do that at work.

I must be insane. The chat agreed.

[Theyre chatting!]

[Girl, wake up! Hes a disembodied head!]

[Okay, shes officially scarier than the BOSS.]

[Not gonna lie, shes literally me. Her vibe is just on a whole different level.]

Later, I found myself studying A.J.s headless body with him.

Nice legs.

...

Smooth. No legs hair.

...

It must be easy staying pale since you stayed here all the time. Theres no need to wear suncream.

Youve built some solid muscle. Those quads are impressive they must feel as solid as they look.

Can I touch?

I reached out. He blocked me with a spectral hand.

No?

Can you reattach that?

Scared? he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Nah. Just figured youd find this whole admiring your own corpse thing awkward.

He seemed speechless.

He stood, picked up his head, and walked off.

Nice glutes, by the way, I called after him.

I swear I saw him stumble.

A.J. returned, head firmly attached, and fully dressed in dark silk pajamas.

His collarbone peeked out with chest muscles subtly defined...

I couldnt help a quiet Wow!

Huh. Now thats a look. Clothes on definitely hit different than clothes off.

You wanna head downstairs to murder players?

No.

Come on. Be a good host!

I stared him down.

Refusal wasnt an option.

Id slept through everything, and I needed a guide to show me what it looked like downstairs.

No!

A.J. seemed to remember he was the terrifying BOSS.

Really no?

No!

Not even if I threaten you?

You cant kill me. Im immortal. He sounded almost proud.

Weirdly cute.

I tugged. He didnt move.

A.J., crouch down. Theres something on your face.

Lower a bit lower

Crack.

I snapped his neck again.

Id just take his head downstairs instead of the whole body.

I could admire that later.