Chapter 10
Bad Ending Maker - Episode 10 (10/235)
<Bad Ending Maker Episode 10>
Inside a dim underground passage.
A massive cobra coiled its body and suddenly lunged forward.
"Whaaaaat?!"
Oasis screamed in terror and immediately dropped flat to the ground.
Labo, standing before Oasis, swung his sword. The blade cloaked in black flames struck the cobra's head.
Thwack!
Hsssss!
The cobra retreated with a vicious hiss. Though struck squarely, it appeared unharmed.
Cobra Level: 40. Labo Level: 25.
The level gap was too vast to kill it with mere strikes. Gripping his sword, Labo barked:
"Oasis! Focus on healing!"
"B-but! How am I supposed to focus when that thing keeps attacking me?!"
Healing generated as much aggro as dealing damage. With the monster fixated on her, Oasis couldn't concentrate.
"That's why you need to learn aggro control! Essential healer skills!"
"Easier said than done..."
"I'll tank everything for now. Keep healing and learn through experience. Go!"
"Ugh... I'll try..."
Oasis tearfully raised her staff toward Labo. Being low-level, she only had one healing skill.
"Wave of Healing!"
As his HP slowly recovered, Labo charged the cobra.
The cobra coiled again, this time striking at his legs.
Labo parried with his sword and followed up with consecutive head strikes.
Critical!
Hssk!
Repeated head blows turned the cobra's eyes crimson. Venom dripped from its jagged fangs.
The cobra lunged mouth agape—its envenomed bite pattern triggered below 50% HP.
'Non-targeted skills just require dodging the AoE.'
Labo sidestepped as predicted and struck its head again.
Critical!
He resembled a matador handling an enraged bull. Oasis gaped at the spectacle.
'I've memorized every monster's combat AI.'
He could toy with regional raid bosses—this low-tier mob was pitiful despite the level gap. Though taking ten minutes per kill...
Hssssss!
The near-death cobra lashed out with fangs and tail in final desperation. Labo blocked, dodged, then delivered the killing blow to its neck.
Venomous Cobra Defeated!
System messages cascaded as the cobra died:
[Repeat Quest - Cleanse the Underground Serpents' Lair: 1/30]
[Repeat Quest - Snake Hunt: 1/10]
[Achievement Unlocked: 'Serpent Ecology']
"Whoaaaa!"
Labo checked his quest log as cheers erupted behind him. Oasis bounced excitedly, arms spread wide.
"I jumped five levels from one kill! I'm already Level 15!"
"The level disparity was extreme..."
Labo collected the cobra's drops—only snake meat and spare gold.
'Well... This dungeon wasn't for loot anyway.'
Still, the meager rewards disappointed. Tch. He clicked his tongue.
'Next time, pick a dungeon with better drops.'
"Whee! Level up, level up!"
Behind Labo, Oasis busily allocated her new stat points, ignoring items entirely.
Dungeon: Underground Serpents' Lair
A snake-themed dungeon crawling with serpentine monsters.
"Originally planned as a Lizardman dungeon during development."
Two hours into luring monsters deeper into the dungeon.
Though rich in EXP, their progress crawled.
Taking a break, Labo and Oasis sat facing a campfire.
"They scrapped that and made it a snake pit instead."
Oasis tilted her head while roasting snake skewers over flames.
"Why?"
"Removed all demi-human monsters—Lizardmen included. CBT players found them unsettling."
Humanoid monsters were minimized in this VR game.
Fighting creatures caught in the uncanny valley—too human yet not—triggered intense player discomfort.
"Now we strictly separate monsters and humans. If unavoidable, design leans fully human."
"So that's the backstory..."
"VR's different from regular games. Learned a lot during development."
Labo bit into the skewer Oasis handed him.
"Hey, this isn't bad... Leveled your Cooking skill?"
"What else was I supposed to do while waiting for you...?"
"Good. You handle life skills—I've got no time for them."
They spent their break allocating stat points—Labo into Strength/Stamina, Oasis into Intelligence/Magic.
Standard early-game builds.
"Alright, let's move."
"Yes!"
The campfire died. Instead of advancing, Labo began tracing the nearby walls.
"What're you doing, Master?"
"Told you—this was a Lizardman dungeon. They're trap experts."
He pressed stones while explaining.
"Originally full of trap mechanics. Became boring after the snake conversion—no one visits now."
Clunk.
A cold mechanical hum echoed as Labo gripped a wall stone. His lips curled.
"Devs got lazy during redesign. Removed trap switches but left the traps."
Clank!
Labo manipulated the stone. The corridor ahead collapsed downward.
"Eeek!"
Oasis peered nervously into the pit.
Hundreds of glinting blades lined the floor.
"Looks painful, eh?"
"Painful?! That's instant death!"
"Most dungeon mobs would get one-shot here."
Clank!
Closing the trap, Labo grinned.
"Now, what happens if we lure mobs here and trigger this?"
Oasis' eyes widened.
"Lizardmen avoided their own traps. Snakes won't."
"Lure them in and mass-execute?!"
"Bingo."
Labo chuckled at the snakes crawling beyond the corridor.
"Time for some efficient grinding."
"Genius! You really are a game developer!"
"Not 'like' one—I made this game..."
He waved dismissively.
"Go."
"...?"
Oasis blinked.
"Huh?"
"Lure ten mobs."
"M-me?!"
Labo scowled.
"Should I go? Hmm?"
"...!"
"I'm Master, you're minion. Human vs AI. Obey. Understood?"
Pale-faced, Oasis stumbled deeper into the dungeon.
Snakes raised their heads, crimson eyes glowing.
Hss...
HISSSS!
"Kyaaa!"
Tearfully, Oasis glanced back. Labo shook his head.
"Ten. Exactly."
"Hyeeek...!"
Squeezing her eyes shut, Oasis sprinted inward.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Aggro alerts chimed consecutively. At the tenth beep, she whirled around.
Snakes surged from all directions.
"UWAAAAAH!"
Screaming horribly, Oasis scrambled back—dodging, rolling, but taking hits. Her HP frayed as she self-healed.
HISSSSS!
The snake horde pursued relentlessly.
"Master! Ten!"
"Good! Keep coming!"
"Ah! Another hit! I'll die!"
"Three more steps!"
"Save me, Master! Plea—"
Another strike. Her HP neared zero, vision flashing red.
"I DON'T WANNA DIIIIE!"
"Jump NOW, Oasis!" Labo roared.
Clank!
He triggered the trap. The floor vanished.
Whoosh!
Snakes plummeted to their deaths.
"KYAAAAH!"
Oasis leaped at the last moment.
"Master!"
"Oasis!"
Labo reached across the pit.
Gritting her teeth, Oasis stretched her short arms desperately.
Almost...!
Their fingertips brushed midair—missing by centimeters.
Oasis' petite frame doomed her.
"...Seriously?"
She impaled herself on the trap's blades.
Schlik!
...
...
Dead.
The trap offered no survival check—instant death.
Dangling pathetically, Oasis heard cheerful chimes.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Level-up sounds.
Looking up, she saw Labo glowing with upgrade effects—he'd absorbed her share of EXP.
...
...
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The chimes continued.
So did their awkward silence.
