My Best Friend, the Final Boss

I was transported into a horror game with my best friend.
She became the final BOSS, and I became a player.
When my teammates shoved me forward as a human shield, I threw myself into the BOSS’s arms and whined.
“Babe, they’re all bullying me.”
The BOSS’s pale fingers paused at my neck for a fraction of a second before lashing out, striking my teammates with brutal force.
With him on my side, I was unstoppable, raking in points like it was nothing.
Then one day, the game glitched, and two instances merged.
The BOSS from the other instance saw me and let out a triumphant shriek, tackling me in a hug. “My darling bestie, I finally found you!”
Wait.
If she’s my best friend... then who is the BOSS holding me right now?

1.
[Welcome to the instance: The Lost Woods.]
[Instance Difficulty: SSS-Rank]
[Objective: Survive for one month.]
[Commencing rules announcement:]
[Rule 1: Do not act alone at night.]
[Rule 2...]
It took until the second rule for the reality to sink in: I was in a horror game. As the cold, mechanical voice droned on, a live-stream chat feed exploded in my vision.
[WTF, a whole month? No wonder this is the hardest instance. Most are just a week.]
[Well, this is the instance the elite squad chose. It’s gotta be different.]
Reading that made my eye twitch.
Forcing myself to stay calm, I scanned the five people around me, drawing on years of playing horror games. A good team was half the battle.
There were three men—one average-looking, one with glasses, and one heavy-set guy—and two women, one with fiery red hair and another with a dark, brooding look in her eyes. None of them showed a hint of panic.
The red-haired woman’s gaze met mine, and she shot me a look of pure venom. My heart sank. She didn’t seem very approachable.
I ignored it for now and focused back on the chat, trying to glean any useful information.
[I remember this instance has a hidden rule... something about sacrificing one person to the BOSS every three days...]
[Hey, is that a noob?]
[Poor girl. First time in and she lands in a hell-tier instance.]
[And she’s with Carter’s squad... yikes. She won’t last three days.]
Before I could process that, the average-looking man, Carter, walked over to me and extended his hand.
"Hey, newbie. I'm Carter, this squad's leader. We'll need your full cooperation if you want to survive."
I reached out to shake his hand, but he pulled his back at the last second, leaving me hanging awkwardly.
The red-haired woman let out a derisive snort. "He was just being polite. Don't get ahead of yourself."
I pressed my lips together. Fine. If that’s how they wanted to play it, I wouldn’t be telling them that my best friend was the BOSS of this instance.
The man with the glasses, Dexter, tried to smooth things over, but his eyes, magnified behind his lenses, were fixed on me with a cold, reptilian focus that made my skin crawl.
The sky was darkening, and the woods around us began to rustle, as if something was waking up. I remembered the first rule. As much as they creeped me out, I couldn't risk being alone.

2.
Carter and his team operated with a chilling efficiency. A single glance was all they needed to communicate. As the temperature in the forest plummeted, they expertly started a fire and began roasting their rations.
I was completely out of the loop, so I huddled to the side, trying to start my own small fire.
Now I understood why the chat was so ominous about Carter's squad. Every new player unfortunate enough to be matched with them probably got the same treatment.
This was their first time in this instance too, so on the first night, they stuck to the rules, unwilling to make any reckless moves. After eating, they prepared to sleep.
The heavy-set one, Gus, grinned at me. "Hey, newbie. You're on watch tonight."
It took me a second to register. "Huh?"
His smile didn't waver as he pointed to the fire he’d built a dozen feet away. "You warmed yourself by our fire. It's only fair you pay us back now."
The red-haired woman, Ruby, shot me a disdainful look. "You should be grateful. We're giving you a chance to gain some experience."
The other two said nothing, simply closing their eyes.
I was trapped. I couldn't risk being ambushed by some monster while I slept. I still had to find my best friend and get her protection; I couldn't die here.
So, I kept watch all night, my heart pounding with every snap of a twig.
The next morning, Carter’s team woke up refreshed and full of energy, ready to tackle the instance objectives. My eyelids felt like lead weights, but I forced myself to trail behind them, terrified of being left alone.
After last night, they seemed to have decided I was a total pushover. Under the guise of "training me," they ordered me around constantly. And when it came time to collect rewards, they snatched all the credit, having the points transferred to their accounts.
The chat was full of pity.
[They’re really walking all over this noob.]
[The three-day sacrifice is coming up. Guess we know who they're picking.]
Someone argued back.
[It's survival of the fittest. This is a horror game, not a charity.]
Carter's team saw the comments, of course. The cold cruelty in their eyes was unmistakable. They might as well have said it out loud.
But I wasn't upset. In fact, I kept pushing the boundaries of the rules, doing little things to attract attention.
I couldn't wait for the BOSS to show up.

3.
The day passed without incident. Carter’s team, now familiar with the immediate surroundings, decided it was time to test the rules. That night, they used me as bait, hoping to lure out whatever monster lurked in the darkness.
My struggles and protests earned me a sharp slap from the brooding woman, Mara. My cheek stung, swelling instantly, and the taste of blood filled my mouth. They dragged me away from the fire and left me in the open.
Seconds later, a sinister wind tore through the trees.
Countless glowing red eyes blinked open in the shadows. A black mist rolled in, and from it emerged a man, the lower half of his face wrapped in bandages. Behind him, a mass of inky black tentacles writhed and clawed at the air. Everywhere he walked, the trees in his path were pulverized into dust.
The chat erupted.
[HOLY SHIT, they actually did it! They baited out the final BOSS!]
[Are they crazy? I thought they were here for points, not to get themselves killed!]
[Carter's team is ranked in the top ten! I thought they might actually be the first to clear this instance. Looks like they’re here to set the record for the fastest team wipe instead.]
Seeing the BOSS, the calm, collected masks on Carter’s team finally shattered.
"Run!" Carter shrieked, his voice raw with terror.
But the BOSS was too fast. It would be on them in seconds. Running was pointless.
Desperate for more time, they exchanged a look, then used an item to launch me through the air, directly at the BOSS.
The chat began mourning my terrible luck.
But I didn't fight it. Instead, I threw myself right into the BOSS's arms, sobbing and whining.
“Babe, they’re all bullying me.”
The tentacles that were about to crush me… paused.
The BOSS’s pale fingers, hovering over my neck, hesitated.
The chat went into a frenzy.
[WTF, did the noob snap from fear?]
[Does she have a death wish?!]
[DO YOU SEE WHO THAT IS? THAT'S THE FINAL BOSS!]
[I guarantee you, in the next second, those tentacles are gonna rip her in two.]
In the next instant, the flood of comments came to a dead halt.
Because the BOSS lifted his gaze, looked at the five people scrambling for their lives, and his tentacles shot out, impaling their legs.
[HUH???]
[NO WAY. AM I SEEING THIS RIGHT?]
[This is... I've never seen anything like this in my life.]
I snuggled deeper into the BOSS’s chest. It was surprisingly firm, yet yielding.
"I knew you were the best to me, babe!" I chirped. "Hehe, and this body is a masked type? That's totally my thing."
The BOSS’s body went rigid.

4.
Carter’s team was elite for a reason. They had extensive experience dealing with life-or-death situations, or they wouldn't have survived this long. Seizing the BOSS's momentary hesitation, they gritted their teeth, ripped the tentacles from their thighs, and bolted.
But the BOSS was faster.
They’d barely taken a step before slender, impossibly strong tentacles wrapped around them, binding them tight and squeezing, inch by inch. As the tentacles began to bite into their flesh, a look of agony crossed Gus's face. In a flash, he used an item.
A blinding golden light erupted.
The light was so intense it stung my eyes. When my vision cleared, Carter and his team were gone. The tentacles in the air still held the shape of their bodies, grasping at nothing.
The chat was on fire.
[An SSS-Rank escape item! No wonder!]
[I knew they had to have an ace up their sleeve to take on a hell-tier instance.]
[Wait, didn't this squad just grind SS-Rank instances to get elite status? Where did they get a 3S item?]
[Yeah, you can't even buy those in the point shop. You have to clear a 3S instance.]
[Speaking of which... don't you guys remember that elite player who teamed up with them and then disappeared...?]
With Carter’s team gone, the BOSS retracted his tentacles. The forest fell silent, except for the red eyes still glinting from the shadows. The wind rustled the leaves with a chilling sound.
But wrapped in the BOSS’s embrace, I felt completely safe. I was so relaxed I even started reading the gossip in the chat. As I was getting to the good part, the comments suddenly stopped and were replaced by a collective scream.
[Is this noob for real? The BOSS is standing right there and she’s reading the chat?]
[BOSS: Ahem. I'm still here.]
[OMG, is there something wrong with her?]
[She must have been scared senseless. Did she really just call the BOSS 'babe'?!]
[DUMMY! STOP READING THE CHAT! THE BOSS'S TENTACLE IS ON YOUR LEG!]
I instinctively slapped downwards. "Babe, don't interrupt my gossip," I mumbled.

5.
The BOSS seemed displeased by my neglect. Instead of retracting, the tentacle coiled even tighter around my leg. The sensation was cold and slick against my palm. A novel experience.
Since the gossip train had stopped, I turned my attention to the BOSS holding me. He had striking features, a high-bridged nose, and messy bangs that, combined with the bandages, gave him an aura of mystery. His black clothing clung to his body like a second skin, outlining every muscle. His powerful chest and lean, defined abs were clearly visible. The only skin exposed was on his hands and face, creating a very ascetic vibe.
Damn. My bestie really scored with this avatar. It was hitting every single one of my preferences.
The strange thing was, there was a distance in his eyes when he looked at me. And he hadn't said a single word. That wasn't like my bubbly, chatty best friend at all.
It must be because she saw me get thrown to her as a human shield. She must have been terrified. She attacked those people to save me. That was so bloody. My bestie, who's normally too scared to even kill a chicken! She must be in shock. And after they ran away, I was too busy reading the chat to comfort her.
Thinking about it, I felt terrible. I hadn't considered her feelings at all.
The more I thought, the more I regretted it. I wrapped my arms around him and started stroking his hair soothingly.
"Babe, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking about how you must have felt."
His entire body tensed. Even the tentacle around my leg went rigid.

6.
I figured she was just getting used to this new body and wasn't comfortable with our usual physical affection yet, so I didn't overthink it. I launched into a stream of heartfelt apologies.
"Those people were horrible! They bullied me, they wouldn't let me sleep, and they kept taking advantage of me and stealing my points."
"The only reason I didn't comfort you right away was because I was trying to learn more about them so they couldn't get away next time! It wasn't because I don't care about you!"
He remained silent, his long lashes hiding the expression in his eyes. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
I looked up at him pitifully. "Babe, why aren't you talking to me? Are you still mad?"
He didn't move. I tried again, nuzzling against his chest. "You really can't forgive me?"
[What is this newbie doing???]
[Does she think sweet-talking the BOSS will save her? How naive can you be in a horror game!]
[OMG, does she think this is a dating sim?]
[Just because the BOSS is hot and she's kinda cute, she thinks she can romance him? Get a grip!]
[Doesn't she know what a 'hell-tier instance' means? NO ONE has ever cleared it!]
[Yeah, the BOSS is devastatingly handsome, but he's also devastatingly lethal!]
[Okay, but quietly... the BOSS really does seem to be treating her differently. He protected her right away.]
[Even X, the strongest player in the guild, only lasted five minutes against this BOSS, and that was with spamming god-tier items. This newbie has been alive for over ten...]
[What are you thinking? She's openly a player. What monster doesn't kill players? Maybe the BOSS is just saving her for a slow, torturous death?]
The chat was a chaotic mess. It was making my head spin.
Just then, the BOSS awkwardly lifted a cold, pale hand and gently covered my eyes.
His voice was a low rasp. "Sleep."

7.
I peeked through a tiny gap between his fingers, confirming that the BOSS really wasn't angry. My eyes met his dark, intense pupils. He spoke again, his tone a little unnatural, as if he hadn't spoken in a very long time.
He was trying to soothe me. "Don't... be afraid."
So, I obediently closed my eyes and went to sleep.
In a corner I couldn't see, the chat collectively lost its mind.
[WTF??? THE BOSS CAN TALK!]
[AND THE NEWBIE ISN'T DEAD!]
[Could she be some kind of hidden master player?]
[This is getting interesting. I'm following this newbie's stream for sure!]
[Heh. I, for one, can't wait to see how this arrogant newbie finally dies.]
[OMG, I can't believe I'm shipping this.]
[^^ Same.]
The BOSS supported me with his tentacles. Each one was carefully controlled, moving with a delicate precision, as if afraid of hurting me. He carried me back to his lair, where I slept soundly and safely.
The next morning, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the BOSS. He had even thoughtfully prepared breakfast for me. I launched myself at him, hugging him tightly.
"Babe, you're too good to me!"
My bestie was clearly still not used to being so close in this body. She immediately handed me a piece of bread.
"Eat," she said, ever so concise.
The chat was flabbergasted.
[??? This world is getting weirder and weirder.]
[Am I hallucinating from watching this newbie’s stream all night?]
[^^^ Nope, you’re not. I watched all night too. The BOSS guarded her while she slept, never tried to kill her, and then left for a bit just before dawn and came back with bread.]
[Wait a minute. The BOSS from this instance went for a stroll through X's instance? The alarms were blaring, X and his team were freaking out thinking it was a once-in-a-century bug, and it turns out the BOSS just stole a loaf of bread... for a player???]
I munched on my bread while reading the comments. Honestly, these people. A best friend grabbing a snack for her bestie—is that really so shocking? Besides, she knows me so well. The bread she stole was delicious.
I was only halfway through it when a bright white light flashed before my eyes.
Huh? The chat never mentioned that the bread in this game came with special effects.
When my vision cleared, I was face-to-face with a haggard-looking Carter and his team.
The BOSS, who had been right beside me, was gone.

8.
This time, there was none of the arrogant disdain I’d seen when we first met. Carter and his team were in tatters, their clothes ripped and their ration packs gone. Their eyes immediately locked onto the half-eaten bread in my hand. Gus, in particular, swallowed hard, looking like he was about to snatch it from me.
But he forced a smile. "Newbie, you're okay! We were so worried..."
Before he could finish, I shoved the rest of the bread into my mouth in three quick bites. Revealing food in front of a starving group was just asking to be robbed. I'm not an idiot. Better in my stomach than in their hands.
Gus's smile froze on his lips. The others looked livid.
The chat exploded with laughter.
[This is the first time I've ever seen Carter's team get owned by a newbie.]
[Why is this so satisfying LOLOLOL.]
[Shhh, don't say that too loud, their fanboys will come for you.]
[This newbie has zero empathy. Her teammates are starving, what’s wrong with sharing half a piece of bread?]
[Hey, who are you to lecture her? Where was your 'empathy' when the newbie was starving on the first night while they ate their rations in front of her?]
The debate was cut short by a system announcement.
[Warning! Player has intentionally violated the rules. Punishment is imminent!]
[Repeating.]
[Warning! Player has intentionally violated the rules. Punishment is imminent!]
The moment the mechanical voice faded, six identical doors materialized in front of us. Carter and his team knew what this was. Their faces paled. They had no intention of explaining it to me, and I had no intention of asking. I just waited for the system to announce the new rules.
This time, it was simple.
[Five doors of life, one door of death. Players may choose freely.]
[Enter a door and clear the challenge within to complete the punishment.]
As if to warn us against any further violations, the system added a final note.
[Warning: Only one player may enter each door. Violators will bear the consequences.]
Then the system went silent. Carter’s team didn’t move. I copied them, studying the identical doors with no clue what to do.
After a moment, they exchanged a knowing glance. Carter slowly approached me, extending his hand again. I eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he was plotting this time. I didn't take it.
He wasn't fazed. "Newbie, we were out of line before."
"But it was all just a test. We've now confirmed that you have what it takes to join our elite squad. I'm officially inviting you to join us. Let's face this challenge and clear the instance together."

9.
I didn't say a word.
[Is this the first time Carter’s squad has ever invited a newbie to join?]
[This girl is so lucky. She gets to join an elite team right off the bat.]
[What is she waiting for? A top player like Carter invited her, she should be on her knees thanking him.]
The chat was swarming with Carter’s fan club. Any dissenting comments were quickly buried.
Seeing my lack of reaction, Carter rubbed his nose and chuckled. "Our team is focused on absolute strength, so public opinion on us is a bit... polarized."
"But don't worry. If you join us, we will absolutely take care of you..."
I cut him off. "What are the benefits?"
[There’s a new weirdo every year, but this year is special. The BOSS in the other instance won't kill anyone, and this newbie player is negotiating terms with an elite team.]
[She's so full of herself. If it were me, I'd pay to get into Carter's squad, and she has the nerve to ask for benefits!]
[Yeah, if I got into an elite team, I'd be smiling in my sleep!]
[Seriously, does she have any idea what being on an elite team means?]
I ignored the chat. After just two days, it was obvious that Carter and his crew were purely self-serving. They wouldn't be inviting me to join unless they thought I was useful. And what use did I have?
It had to be because I'd returned unharmed from an encounter with the BOSS.
Of course, the only reason I was still alive was because the BOSS was my best friend. But they didn't know that. From their perspective, I was incredibly powerful. If I agreed to join too easily, that would be suspicious.
My interruption didn't seem to annoy Carter. Even Ruby, who had always despised me, was holding her tongue.
"One hundred thousand points," Carter offered, "and one SS-Rank item. How does that sound?"
Before I could answer, the chat blew up.
[WTF, that’s what they pay 3S-cleared guild members for help!]
[What's so special about this newbie that they're willing to pay so much?]
[Heh, you all have no idea how powerful our Newbie Queen is.]
[She had the hell-tier BOSS watch over her while she slept and make her breakfast. How about that?]
Carter and his team saw those comments, and the last shred of doubt in their eyes vanished. Ruby even came over to apologize.
"Hey, girl, I have a bad temper. A newbie got me in trouble once, almost cost me a hand—" She paused, showing me a faint scar on her wrist. "I guess I was just paranoid after that."
I smiled at her. "Alright. Since we've cleared the air, it's better to have a friend than an enemy."

10.
Carter moved quickly, transferring 100,000 points to my account and sending over an SS-Rank item. I clicked [Accept].
After a few pleasantries, it was time to face the punishment. They said that to make up for their previous behavior, I could choose a door first.
I picked one at random and walked toward it. Immediately, Dexter sidled up to me, his voice a sinister rasp. "What a coincidence. I was going to pick this one too." He stared at me, his gaze slimy and repulsive.
Not wanting to deal with him, I stepped back and moved toward another door.
But it happened again. Every time I chose a door, someone else would immediately claim it with some flimsy excuse. Mara didn't even bother with an excuse; she just walked into the one I was approaching before I could.
Finally, there was only one door left. I had no choice but to go in.
As soon as I stepped through, a flurry of black tentacles shot toward me. They moved so fast I couldn't even see the afterimage, only the sound of them slicing through the air filling my ears.
[HOLY SHIT, IT'S THE DEATH DOOR!]
[Heh, no wonder they invited her. If she survived the BOSS, she’s either skilled or super lucky. They took all the other doors, leaving her with the most dangerous one. If she dies, her points and items drop, and they can just loot her corpse. What a perfect plan, zero losses!]
[Classic Carter move. How else do you think their points grew so fast?]
[I knew they couldn't be that generous.]
[Finally an interesting newbie, but she’s so clueless. What a shame.]
The chat was already preparing my eulogy. But in the next second, the razor-sharp tentacles screeched to a halt just inches from my face.
They softened, gently brushing against my cheek as if trying to confirm something.

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