Flocks of birds soared swiftly over the green meadows. In one area of these fields, there was a land full of tall grass, and it seemed that some disturbing noises were coming from there. A large number of adventurers surrounded the place. Within the grass, there was a rather large two-headed snake, and in front of it stood a young man of average height. His brown hair was extremely long and wet, with a long strand trailing down like a tail. He held two swords—one was very long, and the other was short with a broad blade.
"That's Boss Slayer! Looks like he found another prey!" exclaimed one of the female adventurers as she stared at the young man standing before the two-headed snake.
"Snadra! This is going to be an awesome fight!" shouted another adventurer, his eyes burning with excitement. From his clothes, it was obvious he was a beginner who had no idea how powerful the man standing ahead truly was.
The snadra began swaying, staring into the eyes of its opponent. Meanwhile, Boss Slayer didn't seem to take a combat stance at all. He looked as if he were merely here to mow the grass. After a while, he finally drew his two swords. In that moment, the snadra lunged at him with both of its heads—but it only caught empty air, not realizing that its prey was already above it.
In a flash, with both his blades moving faster than the spectators could see, with only the flick of his long trailing hair visible, he struck. In the blink of an eye, the snadra's heads were severed and sent flying high into the air, accompanied by a large gush of violet-colored blood. Its body then collapsed, and Boss Slayer landed on his feet, calmly shaking the blood off his blades before sheathing them. Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, he walked away from the grassland, heading toward the nearby town, Iveleth.
"My goddess, that was so fast... I thought it would be an amazing battle," one of the disappointed spectators muttered.
"What did you expect? He's Boss Slayer—the strongest adventurer in the town," said another adventurer, as they all watched him walk away with an air of overwhelming dignity, clad in his shining light armor.
"Boss Slayer..."
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Another day, another boss. Well, tomorrow I'll beat the Tank Golem. But right now, it's time to have some fun! As I was heading to my favorite spot, I noticed a group of demi-humans walking around comfortably. Damn it, why did the kingdom decide to free them from slavery?! And the worst part is, they've even started working as adventurers! Disgusting. Just seeing their ears makes my skin crawl.
"Yo, Boss Slayer!" shouted a dwarf with a thick beard as he approached me—Glov.
"What is it?" I asked after stopping to talk to him.
This is Glov, an old friend of mine and the son of the greatest blacksmith I've ever known—the man who crafted the two best swords I have ever seen. Glov himself was a strong adventurer too, though obviously not on my level. Still, he was a Gold-ranked adventurer. What I hated about him was how annoying and talkative he was. He never behaved like a normal dwarf, and he was about to start again...
"So what are you up to today? Which boss did you kill this morning? Oh, are you heading to the tavern? Don't bother—Olley isn't there," Glov chattered, his giant hammer slung across his back, as if it were trying to shut him up.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Just because I said Olley is pretty doesn't mean I love her!" I said, irritated.
"I'm just kidding... so, you're still going?"
"Of course I am! Now get lost, please," I said, ending our conversation as I walked away from him.
I'm not going to lie—it did bum me out a little to hear that Olley wouldn't be there. Look, I'm not good at forming relationships, and worse, I can't even confess if I feel anything. Actually, I don't think I've ever truly been in love. Sure, I've felt urges for physical or romantic connections with many girls, but it all felt dull after a while. It's like... how do I put it... I was looking for a girl who would make me feel something special—what people call "love."
Maybe it sounds stupid, especially coming from the strongest adventurer in Iveleth, but I really wanted to experience that feeling. I was bored of always winning and dominating. I wanted a real challenge. And the challenge I had to conquer now wasn't just defeating another boss—it was falling in love with a girl in a special way.
Goddess, that sounds ridiculously cheesy. As I was drowning in these stupid thoughts—maybe my brain's way of wasting time—I finally reached my favorite tavern. Even before stepping in, I could hear shouting. Once inside, it was pure chaos, as usual. Still, this tavern held a special place in my heart. I headed to the counter, and sure enough, Olley wasn't there. So, I waited for the ugly old man to appear.
But what I saw wasn't ugly at all. It was a girl I'd never seen before. She had short orange hair and wore a waitress outfit. She was incredibly beautiful—but what annoyed me was that she was a demi-human, with cat ears. And yet... I don't know why, but I didn't hate her. Her beauty was surreal, so much so that I kept staring at her—staring and staring, unable to stop gazing at that breathtaking beauty.
"How can I help you, sir?" she asked, in the most feminine voice I'd ever heard in my life...
My goddess, why am I feeling nervous?!! My heart started pounding violently, and I felt an itchiness all over. What the hell was happening?! My face grew hot, and for the first time, I couldn't speak fluently like I usually did. I was the Boss Slayer—the guy who always talked down to others, who could always speak confidently because, simply put, he was the best. These thoughts usually made it easy to talk to anyone. But it never really worked... when it came to girls.
I always had a hard time talking to girls, but at least I could still talk. Now? Now it felt totally different! Who was this girl? And why was I blushing in front of her, of all people?! She's just a demi-human—a former slave! There's no reason for me to feel this way... I took a shallow breath, glanced awkwardly around the room, then finally answered.
"Where's Olley?" What?! Why the hell did I ask that?!
"She has the day off... I'm the new waitress. Sorry if my presence is bothering you," she said in her wonderful voice.
"N-no, not at all... uh... umm... I... uh... I want to..."
Huh?! What's happening?! Why can't I talk? Did she cast a spell on me? Damn it, I can't even use magic! Suddenly, another man appeared and placed his order, leaving me sitting there alone. My goddess, she's so beautiful. Her golden eyes shining so gently, her pure lips... it's all just too perfect. It looks like... I found her—the girl I longed for!
I left the tavern like a madman without even ordering a drink. I have no idea how I'm going to do this, but I have to confess to her. I have to get her. I've never been in a relationship in my life, and now's the time to crush this challenge. If I don't, then I don't deserve the title of Boss Slayer!
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Another day in the town of Iveleth. A bit outside town, on the tenth floor of the western dungeon, the massive body of a giant golem crashed to the ground. It was so huge that the sound of its fall caused an enormous boom. It was a rocky golem with an arm shaped like a shield. A cloud of dust rose after it fell, and then a figure emerged from the dust, walking slowly and smoothly, with one hand resting on a long sword strapped to his waist, and another sword strapped to his back. With his cold black eyes, he stared at the area with an intimidating and majestic aura... Boss Slayer.
"Oh my goddess, he defeated the Tank Golem so fast!" whispered one of the adventurers who had been watching the fight from the start.
"He's definitely the strongest adventurer!!"
Look at them, weak and weird. I know I'm insanely strong, but it seems they're overhyping it too much. Whatever. I left the floor, exited the dungeon completely, and returned to town. Another day, another boss. Since yesterday, I haven't been able to stop thinking about that girl. She won't leave my mind at all. Her beauty is carved into my brain with extreme precision... I have to confess to her.
"Yo, Boss Slayer!" echoed Glov's voice. Oh goddess, does he always show up whenever I'm heading to the tavern?
"By the way, have you seen the new waitress?"
"Oh, yeah... Glov," I muttered.
"What?"
"Dude, I fell in love with her at first sight," I said with a sarcastic smile.
"Yo! Slow down! At first sight?!!" he shouted loudly.
"Lower your voice, you clown!" I said, shoving him with both hands.
"So what are you gonna do?"
"I wanna confess to her."
"But you hate demi-humans! You're such a hypocrite."
"My thoughts don't matter. All that matters is that she's insanely beautiful. I can't imagine a future without her."
"Are you sure it's not just lust, like you usually have with other girls?" Glov asked with a sly look.
"I thought that at first, but unlike the other girls, I didn't get any dirty fantasies about her. All I can think about is living a peaceful life together on top of a mountain, raising two kids... it'd be wonderful."
"So, are you gonna confess to her?"
"What do you think?"
"You're Boss Slayer. There's no way she'd reject you. Just go and tell her."
"Imagine if she rejects me?"
"That'd suck... but think of it like a fight. You always defeat bosses, right? So think of this as a boss challenge. If you win, it's a victory. If you lose, then you're not Boss Slayer anymore... Understand me? Treat this as an extremely important challenge, and dedicate yourself to winning her over."
"Dude, I can't even talk to her properly! How do you expect me to convince her?"
"Look, I'm a dwarf, and I don't believe in plans. All we dwarves prefer is improvisation. So just charge in and kill that boss!" Glov said as he pushed me away.
Alright, I have to do it! It's not that hard. I marched toward the tavern, my heart pounding wildly. I hadn't felt this way since my first battle against the Slime King. But today is different. Today, I'm fighting a special boss. I think it's a Mythic-ranked boss—a type I've never dealt with before. Alright, let's do this!
As soon as I entered, the first thing I saw was her—the beauty. She stood there in a waitress outfit that fit her insanely well. Her innocent gaze, her furry ears, her short, unique hair, and her sparkling eyes... Please don't reject me. Alright, no acting shy this time.
I rushed to a table and sat down, but she was busy with a bunch of other guys. Damn it! Then that ugly old man approached me. Oh goddess, what luck. I wanted her to take my order! I ordered a mug of beer and sat there alone. Then the old man ordered her to take an order at one of the tavern tables. What's going on? Are the gods purposely keeping her away from me?!
I tried not to stare at her, but I couldn't help it. I started imagining us living together peacefully— me, a retired adventurer, and her, a housewife. I want this life so bad. Suddenly, while I was daydreaming, I heard a loud thud at a nearby table. It was the same table she had gone to. Three angry adventurers stood up and approached her aggressively.
"You damn wench! How dare you spill ale on my armor?!" one of them shouted.
"This is a clear insult," muttered another.
Man, this is my chance. I moved toward them as they got closer to her. The moment they saw me, they immediately backed off, fear spreading across their faces, and they fled the tavern, leaving her alone. In that moment, all the customers turned their eyes toward me, whispering as always: "Boss Slayer."
"Are you alright?" I asked, picking up the fallen mug from the floor and setting it back on the table.
"Yes... thank you, sir," she replied while wiping the spilled drink.
She looked busy. Not the right time. I returned to my table and started drinking. So... how should I talk to her? Should I ask her to meet elsewhere and confess, or should I do it now? Damn it, improvising doesn't suit me at all. I should have made a plan last night instead of daydreaming about us being married.
I waited, and waited, and waited. Sitting alone. Everyone knows me, yet no one really knows me. Maybe this love is just born out of my strange loneliness. A loneliness where everyone fears you. They don't even know my real name. Making friends is something I left behind in my teenage years when I lost my first party. And it seems I can't live without relationships, as I once wished.
"Hello... thank you again for stepping in," a soft female voice said suddenly, and hearing it brought me peace.
When I lifted my eyes, which had been staring at the table, I saw her—the most beautiful girl ever. I felt nervous as usual, but this time, there was also excitement, a desire to talk. Still, it was hard.
"No thanks necessary..."
"What's your name?" she asked. Great, maybe this conversation can actually start now.
"Uh... Jeen, my name's Jeen. But most people know me as Boss Slayer, and hardly anyone knows my real name," I replied.
"Oh! You're Boss Slayer! I heard about you—the strongest adventurer in the town, ranked Emerald!"
"Yeah, that's me."
"Well, would you like to order anything else?"
"Uh... what's your name?" Why did I ask that?!
"Felis. Thank you for asking..." she said shyly, averting her eyes from mine.
"Oh, you are welcome... So... uh... umm... why did you decide to work as a waitress?" I asked, honestly just wanting to get her to talk.
"It was the first place that accepted me. Also, I'm not good at fighting, so I can't become an adventurer... Plus, I..."
"I like helping people, so working at a shop felt like the best choice for me," she said shyly, averting her eyes from mine.
"Oh, really?! I also love helping people. Actually, helping people is my life... I realized a while back that most adventurers who die, die because of bosses. So I decided to dedicate my life entirely to slaying bosses, to give Iveleth's adventurers a better life. I also plan to someday travel all across Staria and slay bosses everywhere—not just in Iveleth. Sounds crazy, right?"
"..."
"That's amazing, Mr. Jeen! Truly amazing! You're so brave. Only the truly courageous would even think about traveling the world to slay bosses. Please keep doing it, because I'm sure you'll bring so much happiness!" she said enthusiastically. Wow, I think she's falling for me!
"Thanks for the compliment... Could I get another mug of beer?"
"Of course!"
After that, she left to fetch the drink, leaving me alone. I started thinking about my next move. It's incredibly hard to confess. Should I tell her now? Or ask her out? Damn, this is so difficult. This is a strong boss. No... this is the strongest boss I've ever faced, and if I can't defeat it, I don't deserve to be called Boss Slayer anymore. So come on—do it!
"Yo, Felis!" a male voice called from behind.
When I turned, I saw a male demi-human with cat ears and a twitching tail. He wore leather armor and had a sword strapped to his waist, and he was grinning widely as he approached. Upon seeing him, Felis smiled beautifully as well. She handed me the beer and then turned her attention to him. Her brother?
"I finished the goblins quest," he said as he reached the counter.
"Great! Will you take another quest?" Felis asked.
"No... I'm done for today. Give me a mug of beer, please."
"Right away."
I started drinking, but my mind was racing. Who is this guy? Definitely her brother. They have the same ears and yellow eyes. Definitely siblings. Oh goddess, for a moment there, I thought he was her boyfriend. That was terrifying. Absolutely terrifying!
"Whaaat?!!! Boss Slayer?!" her brother shouted as he sat on the stool. Looks like he's new to this tavern.
"Oh, Paun, I forgot to tell you. He's Boss Slayer. He comes to this tavern often. And he helped me when some adventurers tried to harass me," Felis said kindly, with her usual sweetness.
"Oh! Thank you for helping my wife!"
Thank you for helping my wife!
for helping my wife!
helping my wife!
my wife!
wife!
!!!!!
At that moment, a cold chill spread throughout my entire body, and my heart almost stopped. I felt an overwhelming urge to cry. I couldn't hold it together. I felt like I was about to burst into tears! Goddess, what's happening?! Unable to endure any longer, I quickly said: "You are welcome... Well, I have to go," and rushed out.
I left the tavern, a huge lump in my throat, trembling as if I had just faced the Demon King. What a horrible feeling. I had been crushed in the ugliest way imaginable... Yes, the ugliest way. I ran home quickly so I could cry freely. Suddenly, as I ran, I heard a voice behind me: "Yo, Boss Slayer!"
"Glov, not now," I said, ignoring the dwarf who approached me.
"Wait, did she reject you?"
As Glov continued asking questions, Jeen moved away from him, ignoring him, carrying a huge sense of frustration. On that day, Jeen suffered a great loss in his career—perhaps a loss he would never forget. Seeing a dream fade away after life gave you hope for it is an incredibly hard feeling. And in the eyes of that dwarf, the person who had gone through that feeling walked away. He walked further and further, until he faded into the horizon, returning to his den—no victory, no draw, just loss.
Maybe Boss Slayer is not the Boss Slayer.