Kira watched the exchange with quiet admiration. "Not bad. You’ve got the manner of someone who actually knows how to lead people."

"Stop flattering me and get online," Don said. "We were supposed to log in at two. We’re already a minute behind."

He didn’t say it aloud, but he’d kept their numbers for Extraordinary Studio’s sake - Star’s sake, really. And something about the thirty-dollar meal allowance stuck with him. It was a small thing, but it carried weight. A company that feeds its people that well isn’t just running a business - it’s building something that feels like family. He recognized that feeling from somewhere further back than he cared to admit.

The silvery light coalesced and solidified, and the three of them materialized on the first floor of the Anya Mine almost simultaneously.

The rest of the team was already there.

Diana’s expression was composed, but her eyes held a trace of amusement. "You’re late."

"Sorry," Don said. "The studio let some people go today. I stopped to talk to them before they left."

"You don’t need to explain yourself in a paragraph."

"Right."

He wasn’t sure why, but something about Diana made him second-guess every word before he said it. He caught himself doing it again and quietly dropped the thought before it could lead anywhere inconvenient.

Diana glanced at him briefly, seeming to read something in his expression, then turned to the group. "Now that everyone’s here and fed, let’s move to the second floor."

Kira took the lead. She was level 27 now, sitting at 89% proficiency, her HP pool swelled to 6,400 points - more than 2,000 above Don’s. A textbook tank: immovable, reliable, built to absorb punishment.

Behind her came Yates and Diana. Don and Lily followed, with Bernita anchoring the rear. The formation was deliberate - ranged attackers would struggle to reach the healer at the back, and if anything broke through the front, there were layers between the threat and the most vulnerable.

The wisdom of the arrangement proved itself before they’d even taken ten steps down the staircase.

A muffled bang rang out against Kira’s shield.

She didn’t pause. In a handful of explosive strides she had closed the distance to the attacker, snapping over her shoulder, "Bernita - watch my health."

Don was right behind her. He swept a quick look in both directions - nothing else - then locked onto the thing Kira had already marked.

It was a blood-red zombie, headless from the neck up, yet the severed head was right there in its grip: a glistening, black-stained skull, its two rows of teeth chattering and clicking without pause.

[Demolitionist Scar Rank: Normal Boss | Level: 32 | HP: 700,000

Physical Attack: 1,600–2,000 | Physical Defense: 1,000 | Magic Defense: 850

Skills: Bloodthirsty Throw, Three-Second Explosion

Once the most gifted demolitionist in Anya Mine, he perished in a tunnel collapse and rose again - his grief curdled into vengeance, his spirit poisoned beyond redemption by demonic corruption.]

Lily loosed an arrow with more indignation than precision. "Disgusting thing, you scared me right after lunch. I’ll kill you for that."

Don noted, with quiet satisfaction, that her hands hadn’t shaken at all.

Demolitionist Scar turned out to be unlike any zombie they’d encountered. Where ordinary undead lumbered, this one moved - darting and retreating with an almost insulting ease, hurling its skull like a projectile and pulling it back to its hand like a boomerang, each throw landing with unsettling accuracy.

Kira, Divine Armor active, was absorbing the hits well enough - around 700 damage per strike, critical hits landing in the 1,400–1,500 range - but catching the creature was another matter entirely. Every time she reached for it, it was already gone.

"Yates." Diana’s voice was sharp with contained irritation. "With me. I’m done watching this."

The skull cackled before Yates could move. "Come and catch me, then, you pretty little things! We’ll eat every last one of you - hahaha!"

Yates wiped the sweat from his brow. "Lecherous and undead. Fantastic."

That was the moment Don, moving soundlessly in stealth, came up behind Scar and swung hard at the arm clutching the skull.

A sharp crack. The arm separated at the root. The skull hit the ground and rolled.

Yates was already moving. He planted a boot on it, raised his halberd high, and brought it down like a falling verdict.

The tip touched bone.

The skull detonated.

A concussive boom shook the tunnel, a cloud of red-black smoke blossoming outward with grim efficiency, carrying with it heat and shrapnel and something wet that no one chose to examine closely. By the time the red damage numbers became legible, they were already half-obscured by the haze.

"Ding-dong! System Notification: Player ’Yates’ was struck by [Three-Second Explosion] - 5,405 HP lost. Player ’Yates’ is dead. As penalty, Demolitionist Scar’s HP has been reduced by 54,050 points."

Don stared at the notification. He was angry, and then despite himself he almost laughed. Only someone with a deeply specific creative affliction could have designed a boss whose signature kill was lending you its own head to destroy. He had to admit - grudgingly - that he was impressed.

Then came the sound from Scar’s neck. A wet, organic gurgling, rising in pitch. And before any of them could process what they were watching, a brand new head pushed its way up from the stump.

Scar regarded it for a moment. Then he grabbed it with his remaining hand, braced, and snapped it free.

They were all stunned.

Lily cursed angrily. "How could this guy be so shameless?"

Dust, feeling extremely frustrated, asked over team chat, "Lily, what’s the boss doing now?"

"It actually grew another head."

"Damn it, that’s ridiculous!" He cursed. "Everyone hold on, I’ll be there soon!"

Then Scar the Demolition Expert took things even further. The head that had been flying horizontally through the air was now being hurled downward like a bowling ball, smashing toward the ground. Wherever it rolled, the team had to scatter, terrified of being caught in the blast radius. After they dodged, the head exploded with a deafening bang, sending coal dust raining down from the surrounding walls and ceiling.

What was even more infuriating was that these self-destructions cost the boss nothing - no attack needed to land on a player. It simply grew a new head moments later and did it again.

The three warriors and Don finally couldn’t hold back any longer. They charged in, weapons clattering as they attacked. But the creature was disturbingly intelligent. It cackled, cradling its freshly grown head in both hands, and shrieked, "Explode!"

Everyone froze - then scattered five or six meters back.