I turned slowly, a grin tugging at my lips as I watched the Boss rise from his throne.

"Finally decided to join the party, huh? All your minions are dead," I taunted, my tone dripping with mockery.

He didn’t reply but his movements were deliberate, each step echoing with an almost reverent weight.

He was an imposing figure, towering and muscular, with an aura that seemed to distort the very air around him.

His eyes, now fully open, glowed with a malevolent intensity.

He reached behind his throne and unsheathed a massive warhammer that pulsated with a dark energy.

I wonder what the obsession was with these guys and hammers.

It was a fetish and it reminded me of Paul in a way.

With all his various skills and powers, he was especially fond of his warhammer.

Good thing that I would never see him swing it again.

Meanwhile this Boss twirled his effortlessly, the weapon seeming weightless in his grasp.

I shifted my stance, every muscle in my body coiled and ready.

In truth I was rather bored of dilly dallying.

Sariel’s eyes flickered with concern, but she remained silent, trusting my judgment.

~WHOOSHHHH!!!~

The Boss’s first move was a blur of motion but not anything above my capacity.

He lunged forward with surprising speed, bringing the warhammer down in a powerful arc.

~BOOOOMMMMM!!!~

I sidestepped just in time, the hammer smashing into the ground and sending shards of marble flying in all directions.

The force of the impact created a small crater, a testament to the immense power behind his strikes.

Unlike his minions, he was an opponent to be taken seriously.

~CRACCKKKK!~

~CRACCKKKK!!~

~CRACCKKKK!!!~

I countered with a series of rapid punches, aiming for his vital points.

This Boss was no ordinary opponent; he deflected each blow with the shaft of his warhammer, his movements fluid and precise.

"Not bad," I muttered, genuinely impressed.

He was already taking this very seriously unlike the other Tower bosses who had underestimated me until I beat them.

Perhaps he had noticed how formidable I was when I had taken out his minions quickly.

No doubt that they would have been very strong to any other gifted.

The Boss swung his hammer in a wide arc, forcing me to backflip to avoid being hit.

As I landed, I saw an opening and rushed in, aiming a powerful kick at his midsection.

To my surprise, he blocked my attack with his forearm, barely flinching.

"Okay, that’s enough display from you," I said, more to myself than anyone as I decided to put more effort in the fight.

With a swift motion, I retaliated, my fist connected with his chest and sent him flying backwards.

He crashed into the far wall, the impact knocking the wind out of him so that he clutched his chest.

Groaning, he tried to push himself to his feet as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

I wasn’t planning on letting him recover though.

~WHOOSHHHH!!!~

I flew to where he was with my legs raised then brought it down on his hulking form.

>THUDD!!!<

The ground under him gave way as he sank to the floor below with a loud crash.

I didn’t relent as I used his body as a surfboard.

The floor we landed on was much similar to the one above us.

I intended it to be the Boss’s final resting place too.

I pinned his two hands with one of my knees then punched him repeatedly with my left fist.

Apart from his squirming and struggling to get out of my hold, he took the blows quite bravely and didn’t make any sound.

I was about to change that.

I increased the tempo and force of my blows so much that it reverberated across the room.

~ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!~

He let out a gruff wail intermittently as my blows landed.

There was so much blood on his face that it was messing up my hand but I didn’t care.

I genuinely enjoyed pummelling him.

"Eh?" I slowed down as I saw that his body began to glow with a faint, ethereal light.

In a sudden burst of strength, he broke free from my grasp.

His strength and speed increased exponentially too.

The Boss seemed to sense the change and readied himself, his eyes narrowing.

He charged again, but this time I was ready.

Our clash was like a thunderstorm, each strike and counterstrike reverberating through the hall.

I ducked under a wide swing, using the momentum to deliver a devastating uppercut to his jaw.

He staggered back, but quickly regained his footing. He swung the warhammer horizontally, aiming to crush me against the wall.

I leaped over the hammer, flipping in mid-air and landing behind him.

Before he could react, I delivered a series of rapid blows to his back, each one infused with my heightened power.

The Boss roared in pain and frustration, but I didn’t let up. I grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back and forcing him to drop the warhammer.

With a final, decisive strike to the back of his neck, I sent him crashing to the floor. He lay there, unmoving, the fight finally drained out of him.

"Who are you?" He asked weakly without looking up.

"So you can now talk. What is it to you?"

"Nothing. I’m dying so what difference does it make."

I lowered my head to his ear and whispered my name.

"Jeremy Lew..." He repeated after me, the name dying on his lips.

As soon as he died, he quickly disintegrated into grains of sand.

I walked away to see Sariel peering down from above the upper floor and I flew to join her.

"Well, that was quick," She said as I landed and headed to the vacant throne that the Boss had left.

"So this was what the bastard was enjoying,"I said as I settled into the throne.

It was surprisingly comfortable or at least I felt so.

"Are you striking a regal pose?"

As Sariel pointed it out, I realized that that was indeed what it looked like.

I had unconsciously been posing for an imaginary audience.

Just then, the notification I had been expecting minutes back popped up.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[Congratulations!]

<You have completed the last quest!>

[Rewards will be given]

[Additional Rewards will be given]

<You will receive a Grand Prize>

[SEE MORE INFORMATION]