(Riven POV – Dungeon, 17th Floor)
"I'm back here again." My voice echoes faintly through the enormous chamber as I take in the familiar sight.
The cavern is vast. An empty arena carved from living stone, empty except for the massive wall to my far left. A dark silhouette is embedded within it, half-formed, like a corpse sealed in rock, and the entrance to the 18th Floor directly in front of me at the opposite end of the chamber.
"Not much longer now…" I smile faintly as my gaze settles on the stone silhouette.
"Goliath."
'How much longer?' I ask internally.
[Answer: Approximately 1 hour and 22 minutes.]
"…I still arrived too early." I sigh. "And here I was, thinking I took my sweet time."
I glance back the way I came.
'Guess I should've taken more time farming monsters on the way down.'
With nothing else to do, I sit next to the entrance, resting my back against the wall and waiting.
The only real concern gnawing at me is…
'Am I being followed?' I wonder.
I had already asked GS to check and scan my surroundings at all times, but the range isn't too large yet.
And so far, I have yet to find anything.
'Just because I can't find someone, doesn't mean they aren't there.' I frown slightly. 'Or maybe I got really lucky and Freya didn't notice me?'
'…No.' I counter immediately. 'That's the dumbest thought I've had in a while.' I let out a small chuckle.
Between the uncharacteristic time I entered the dungeon, Goliath's spawn, and her general influence in Orario, it'd be absurd if she didn't notice me.
'Which means I shouldn't use any abilities I'd rather keep secret.' I think.
The only exception being if my life is in danger, but against Goliath, that's unlikely.
Even if Goliath is a Level 4 Monster Rex, it's relatively slow, a big, easy target, and extremely predictable.
I spend the remaining time running simulations with GS, measuring my chances of victory, and generally planning for anything.
'And even in the worst case scenarios… I already have a foolproof fallback.' I barely finish the thought when—
Rumble.
The entire floor vibrates.
I straighten instantly.
Deep cracks crawl across the Wall of Sorrow like veins as the stone groans under pressure. Pebbles fall first, then large chunks of rock follow.
A face pushes the rock first.
Short black hair, ash-grey skin, and eyes burning crimson against pitch-black sclera are revealed as the wall finally gives way.
"ROOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!"
The roar explodes through the chamber, violent and deafening. Boulders rain down as the monster tears itself free, stepping out of the ruined wall in a cascade of dust and rubble.
Each step it takes sends tremors through the floor.
Seven meters tall.
As broad as a house.
A living fortress of muscle and stone.
"…You're bigger than I imagined." I mutter, staring up at it. And as if provoked by my words, its eyes lock onto me.
Then, without hesitation or warning…
It takes one step.
Then another.
The walk becomes a jog.
The jog becomes a charge.
The ground cracks beneath its feet as it barrels toward me at full speed.
Even with its size, I don't panic.
Sword slips out of Stomach and into my hand, its familiar weight grounding me as Goliath looms closer, its shadow swallowing me whole.
'Now.' I explode forward.
The moment its foot comes down, the air itself compresses from the force alone. The shockwave as its foot lands sends an impact booming through the chamber, and nearly throws me off balance, but I twist aside, boots skidding as a crater forms where I once stood.
I don't slow down.
Gripping Sword with both hands, I sprint straight between its legs, slam my foot into the ground, and pivot as I swing Sword.
"I won't underestimate a Level 4." I put all my strength into the strike, and the blade bites into its Achilles tendon.
Sword sinks into it with a wet, grinding resistance.
"…Tough bastard." I mutter, as I fail to cut clean through, the blade lodging itself halfway.
I blink, and my vision is instantly filled with stone-grey knuckles as a fist the size of a wagon comes down on me.
It'd be too late to pull Sword free, so I absorb it back into Stomach as I throw myself backward and resummon it mid-air.
The punch smashes the ground where I once stood, generating a large pit.
"ROOOAAARR!"
Goliath sweeps its arm low, followed by the other crashing down vertically.
'Which bastard said it was slow?!' I curse.
I dash forward, vault over the first arm, kicking off its forearm to avoid the second, and ride the momentum up its body.
I balance myself as I run up to its shoulder.
'Against giants…' I leap forward, finding myself mid-air, directly in front of its face as it opens its mouth, and every instinct in my body screams at me to dodge. 'Blind them.'
A bloodthirsty grin adorns my face as I thrust Sword forward, plunging the blade deep into its eye.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRR!"
A violent roar tears from its throat.
I cling to Sword, barely lifting myself out of the way as a shockwave explodes outward, smashing into the cavern walls. Stone fractures, cracks spread, and dust erupts in a rolling cloud.
Using the Sword as an anchor, I haul myself upright, plant my boots against its face, wrench Sword free, and drive it into the other eye.
Blood burst from its eyelids as its screams resonate with unspeakable pain.
Its massive hands slam to its face as it stumbles backwards from the force, and I jump off, landing on the ground in a fluid roll.
Blinded, it thrashes randomly, swinging its arms through the air and into walls recklessly.
I dash in and finish what I started with a single slash.
Its Achilles snaps, like a stretched wire, and Goliath crashes to one knee with a thunderous impact.
It continues swinging wildly, fists pulverizing the ground, but I weave between them, slipping past its blind strikes.
'Two down.' I muse internally, as three more cuts sever the second tendon, causing both its legs to give out, bringing it to both knees.
Goliath falls forward, smashing into the ground… but that doesn't stop it. It crawls forward in a frenzy, arms gouging trenches into the stone as it tries to crush me.
"I've already won." I say with finality, climbing onto its back.
It tries to roll and crush me, but it's too late.
Slash.
Right rotator cuff… severed. Its right arm crippled.
Slash.
The left one… gone.
'It can't lift its arms anymore.'
I move to its neck next, and plunge my sword into the base of its skull, the blade digging into the gap and severing its spine.
'Can't turn its head either.'
Next, I slash across its throat.
Vocal cords… trachea… I split them apart.
The pained and furious roars that had been echoing throughout the floor cease instantly, bringing an eerie silence to the chamber.
'Just to be safe…' I think, grabbing what's left of its throat, and ripping out the flesh, leaving a gaping void in its neck.
Dark blood begins to pool in the gap, draining into its lungs as Goliath twitches as it drowns in the fluid.
But… it's still alive…
Still struggling…
Still clinging to life…
"Is this too much…?" I wonder aloud, before shaking my head. "Nah. It's 100% necessary."
Most adventurers would've shattered its magic stone by now. There's no point torturing the creature.
But—
"I don't want you dead."
I stand on its chest, gripping Sword tight, as swing after swing, I carve into its chest, peeling flesh away until pale blue light shines through blood and muscle.
The magic stone, its source of life, glows softly and peacefully.
I calmly place my hand on it.
'Predation.'
Black smoke pours from its body, flowing into my arm like ink in water.
Even now, it fights.
Its body convulses, unable to scream, unable to move, as it's dragged piece by piece into Stomach.
'If I hadn't disabled it, predation probably would've failed.'
The absorption takes nearly two minutes, and by the time it's done, nothing remains but gouged stone, silence, and rivers of blood coating the walls and floor.
"That was… easier than I expected." I roll my shoulders and pull Sword back into Stomach.
'I almost feel disappointed.' I muse. 'Goliath didn't live up to its hype. No wonder it could be beaten by a Level 2 Bell.'
And with that…
"Time to head ba—"
My words are cut off as the entire floor shudders.
The world seems to tilt and shake beneath my feet, and my body tightens, a sense of foreboding and danger flooding my senses.
Before I can react—
[Warning: Fatal danger detected. Auto-Battle Mode activated.]
My vision blurs—
As everything explodes around me.
***********
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
Firstly... I warned y'all. It's a steeeeeeeeep cliff. Even I feel bad, but did it anyway. The next part is better when seperated. This cliff is functional😭. Trust me, it hurts me more than it hurts you😔 (whoever says that is always bullshitting, and should be cursed... Except me!)
Anyway, super short fight. Almost underwhelming 😂, but there's a reason, which you can all probably guess by now. To be fair, Riven is only around mid Level 3 in physical stats (except durability and magic), with him having such an easy time mainly due to his skill. Goliath is slow (around Level 3), which is why, otherwise it'd be a lot harder, and Sword, at its edge, is measured in atoms. Super sharp. So that's why he can hurt Goliath as well.
He's not that OP that he can beat it barehanded.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
So yeah. Hopefully the fight was enjoyable... The cliffhanger forgiven👀 And that you all have a wonderful rest of you day/night😊