Does someone remember the height of the dragon or the goliath? I was searching my past chapters but couldn't find it for reference.
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Hestia's steady hands remained pressed against Luki's back as divine texts continued changing beneath her fingers at an incredible speed.
Falna was no longer merely being updated, but completely rewritten. A new being was emerging from that mortal shell, completely different from what it had been moments before, and not only in strength.
The countless feats he had accumulated during months trapped inside the Dungeon were condensing together, every battle, every wound, every moment spent surviving inside those depths, becoming fuel for his growth all at once.
Everything that should have been revealed little by little over the course of months, through countless Falna updates after each adventure, was now surfacing in a single moment.
Name: Luki Bryan
Level: 1
Attributes:
(STR): 499 E (+4,351) > 4,850 EX
(END): 599 D (+3,701) > 4,300 EX
(DEX): 450 E (+4,650) > 5,100 EX
(AGI): 450 E (+4,150) > 4,600 EX
(MAG): 0 I
Skills: Tireless Explorer I
Magic: None
Bound Equipment: Hestia's Blade
At first, Hestia was surprised by how much his Falna had grown naturally. Not only that, but it had surpassed every limit a mere mortal should be capable of reaching at the lowest level.
However, she quickly pushed that thought aside and focused entirely on his Excelia reserves and how to use them.
He had stored so much Excelia that Hestia did not even bother distributing it evenly among all his attributes at first. Instead, she poured everything directly into Strength until it reached its limit, the numbers rising so quickly that she almost thought she had misread them.
4,900.
5,400.
6,100.
7,000.
The growth finally stopped at an impossible nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine!
More than five thousand attribute points at once!!
The Excelia required for such growth was so absurd that the amount she invested into Strength alone could have raised all the physical abilities of more than twenty adventurers to Rank S.
But even so, it barely seemed to affect his reserves. Without hesitation, Hestia redirected everything else into his remaining attributes, even Magic, which neither of them had ever touched before.
Luki's body began to swell unnaturally, veins bulging beneath his skin like cracks spreading across stone. A mysterious pressure surged around him as more of that blue energy poured outward, the ground sinking as though an immeasurable weight had been placed upon it.
Hestia recoiled for a moment, fear flashing across her expression as she sensed the unnatural reaction. This kind of thing was never supposed to happen during a normal Falna update.
For a brief instant, she wondered if she had made things worse.
However, she soon gritted her teeth and reaffirmed her resolve.
She had almost lost him too many times already. If something happened now, then fine. She would revive him, and if necessary, be happily banished from this world, taking her only family with her and leaving all this Dungeon nonsense and those bored gods behind.
The numbers rose one final time.
Strength: 9999 EX
Endurance: 9999 EX
Dexterity: 9999 EX
Agility: 9999 EX
Magic: 9999 EX
But that wasn't the end yet.
Hestia's eyes widened as entire paragraphs of divine language emerged across Luki's Falna, expanding the already massive descriptions of his Skills.
"Tireless Explorer" shone brightly before the rank engraved beside it began changing. The effects that already existed grew stronger while entirely new abilities were continuously added with each major advancement.
I > H > G > F > E > D > C > B > A.
But even that was not the most shocking part.
Another Skill, one that had not existed before his imprisonment inside the Dungeon, was also evolving at terrifying speed.
"Maze Runner."
The divine symbols surrounding its name distorted violently as its rank rose one step after another.
I > H > G > F > E > D > C.
But it still wasn't over.
The sword lying beside Luki had begun radiating the same overwhelming blue light engulfing his body. However, the weapon was not merely glowing; it was changing.
The already long blade rapidly extended further as the handle thickened and the guard expanded outward. Metal groaned beneath the pressure of the transformation while the entire weapon continuously restructured itself, growing larger and heavier with every passing second until the original sword could no longer be recognized.
What emerged from the light was no longer an ordinary weapon, but a colossal Zweihänder.
Then Luki's eyes suddenly opened, an intense blue radiance exploding from them and illuminating the entire battlefield.
His body arched violently as he inhaled for the first time since collapsing.
— AAAARRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A catastrophic eruption of blue light burst outward from his grotesquely deformed muscular body.
The shockwave tore through the Dungeon with enough force to send everyone sliding backwards while violent winds swept across the battlefield. Walls cracked. The ground split apart. Even the wounded dragon was forced to dig its claws into the floor to avoid being blown away by the pressure released in that single instant.
The light became so overwhelming that nobody could see anything.
And when it finally began fading, the battlefield had changed completely.
Luki was standing.
Blue light flowed endlessly from his body, wrapping around him so densely that he almost appeared to be made from pure energy instead of flesh and blood.
His grotesquely enlarged frame from moments earlier had completely disappeared. The overwhelming mass of muscle and distorted proportions had compressed back into leaner, more balanced body around two meters tall, as though all that monstrous power had been forcibly condensed into a far smaller vessel.
Only the glowing silhouette of his eyes remained clearly visible amidst the radiance covering his figure, a pair of golden four-pointed stars shining within the endless blue light.
Mysteriously, he looked very much like Hestia when she unleashed her divine powers, but there was one notable difference.
Small pairs of ethereal wings had grown around his body, one pair near each wrist, another near his ankles, and a final pair where his ears should have been, fluttering gently like fragments of divine light given form.
The massive zweihander rested calmly in his hand, now ridiculously large compared to his new height, glowing with the exact same energy as though weapon and wielder had become part of a single existence.
A heavy silence spread across the battlefield as everyone stared at him in disbelief.
Luki slowly looked down at his glowing hand before shifting his gaze toward the enormous sword resting in his grasp. He seemed strangely curious and detached from reality, a faint smile lingering on his face as though he felt an endless sense of peace.
Then Hestia's voice finally reached him.
— Luki...?
The glowing eyes shifted toward her.
— Hestia? What are you doing here? And why are you wearing my clothes? — he asked, as though nothing had happened.
Hestia stared at him with trembling eyes filled with emotion. For the first time since their reunion, it truly felt like he was looking back at her again, completely aware of himself and fully in control.
— LUKI!
Hestia rushed forward in tears.
— Whoa!
Luki instinctively caught her as she threw herself against him, clearly not understanding why she was crying so desperately.
— Wuaaaah! Lukiii! Wuaaaah! You idiot! Never scare me like that again! I thought- hic... I thought you... wuaaaah!!! Luki-kuuuun!!!
Hestia completely broke down as she clung tightly to him, rubbing her tear-covered face against his stomach.
Still confused, Luki simply smiled faintly and hugged her back, gently stroking her hair while whispering softly into her ear.
— Calm down, calm down... I'm here now. There's no need to cry.
Almost as if responding to his emotions, the blue energy surrounding his body dimmed slightly, becoming calmer and less oppressive.
The other adventurers watched the scene in stunned silence, their minds filled with questions.
But at that moment, none of those questions mattered to the two standing at the center of the battlefield.
Right now, they only cared about each other.
Luki slowly lifted his gaze and looked around the battlefield even though he had already sensed everything long before opening his eyes. It was an instinct that had become difficult to ignore.
He recognized several familiar faces among the adventurers nearby.
Then his eyes stopped on Hephaestus, more specifically, on the small body resting in her arms.
Lili.
Nearby, the dragon remained strangely motionless, silently observing the scene from afar as though waiting for something.
The moment Luki saw both of them, fragmented memories suddenly resurfaced inside his mind, the things he saw while he was being influenced by his newfound power.
His endless sprint through the Dungeon. The chase. The fight against the adventurers. The teleportation. Finding the body. Losing control and finally, the battle against the dragon.
As the memories finished connecting inside his head, the faint smile lingering on his face slowly disappeared.
He finally remembered why all of this had happened.
Luki turned his attention fully toward the dragon.
The enormous reptilian monster remained some distance away, staring back at him in silence. Its wounds had not healed properly, especially the lower half of its jaw, which had been completely obliterated. Blood still covered the ground around it, and when Luki focused on the creature, he could clearly sense the emptiness radiating from its body.
The monster did not have much time left, it was dying, whether succumbing to injuries or blood loss.
However, now that his mind was clearer and more controlled than ever before, Luki had no intention of letting any of this end without punishment.
— Hestia...
Luki gently called out to her as he brought his free hand to her face.
— Uhm...?
She only murmured in response as she lifted her head slightly, her body still trembling from crying.
— Are you alright?
— Yes...
She sniffed softly and tried to wipe away her tears with her arm.
— I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I know you don't like seeing me cry, but... I thought you...
— You don't need to explain anything. I understand. My goddess was worried about me, and I'm grateful for that.
Hestia responded with silence, simply closing her eyes and tightening the embrace slightly, seeking comfort in his warmth.
— Hestia, I-
— Go.
She interrupted him before he could continue.
Confused, Luki stared at her silently as Hestia slowly lifted her gaze again. Her eyes still glistened with tears that refused to fall, yet despite that, her expression had become firm.
— I know what you want to do. Go ahead. Finish this... then we can finally go home and forget all of this.
Luki looked back at her with visible surprise.
Apparently, he was not the only one who had changed since their last encounter.
Feeling a quiet sense of gratitude, Luki smiled softly before leaning down and kissing her.
The kiss was brief, little more than a gentle meeting of lips, yet countless emotions were conveyed through that single moment.
— Luki... idiot... not in front of everyone...
Hestia quickly pulled back afterward, covering her mouth as a deep blush spread across her cheeks.
— Okay, okay, sorry. When we're alone, I'll make up for all the lost time.
Smiling lightly, he placed another kiss against her forehead.
Then, while still embracing each other, the two suddenly vanished and reappeared dozens of meters away amidst the crowd in a single instant.
The sudden teleportation startled everyone nearby, drawing looks of surprise from adventurers and gods alike. However, after everything they had witnessed today, nobody seemed capable of reacting properly anymore.
Luki glanced around and immediately recognized many familiar faces among the gathered crowd.
There were adventurers from several Familias, gods he knew, and even people he didn't know and who had no reason to be here other than the fact that they had come to help search for him.
— Guys... sorry for causing so much trouble.
— It was nothing, just glad that everything turned well. You can apologize after we get out of this Dungeon alive. — Takemikazuchi laughed loud while slapping Luki's should vigorously.
— Fair enough.
The brief exchange earned a few smiles, but nobody continued the conversation. Too much had happened, and everyone present knew there were more important things demanding attention.
Luki's gaze eventually drifted toward Hephaestus.
The goddess stood quietly nearby while Hestia approached her. Without exchanging many words, Hephaestus carefully handed Lili's body back to her friend before stepping aside.
— Good to see you alive, Luki-kun.
— Thank you.
The response was simple, but sincere.
Then Luki stepped closer. He knelt beside Hestia and gently brushed a lock of hair away from Lili's face.
For a few seconds, he simply looked at her.
He should have felt devastated, he should have felt broken. Instead, he felt something else, a very special hallucination caused by his sixth sense when he looks at her.
— I'll be right back.
He leaned forward and kissed Hestia's forehead.
— This time for real, I promise.
— Go get him, my hero. — Hestia said encouragingly with a passionate expression.
Then he slowly stood and turned toward the dragon.
...
The dragon lay in a pool of its own blood, its body riddled with wounds of every kind, yet it waited patiently.
It knew the fight was not over.
— Hey, bro. Sorry for the delay, I was in the middle of a reunion.
The voice of his enemy stirred the dragon from its resting state. Slowly, it opened its eyes.
The loss of blood left it dizzy and sluggish, and every movement seemed to demand immense effort. Even so, it refused to remain on the ground.
With visible strain, the dragon forced itself to rise. Its paws struck the floor heavily as its weakened body trembled, but after a few painful seconds of resistance against its own failing flesh, it managed to stand tall once more.
— You know, we don't have to do this. You're not the target of my anger, and you've already had your revenge.
Luki met the monster's gaze as he spoke, his tone carrying none of the hostility one would expect from someone who had nearly died moments earlier.
The dragon gave no immediate reaction, it simply stared back. Whether it understood his words or not, nobody could tell.
— You're not a mindless monster. I can see it in your eyes, your expressions, even the way you carry yourself. You're as aware as any person standing here.
Luki paused briefly before continuing.
— I don't want to kill you.
This time, the dragon reacted.
A low growl escaped from deep within its throat, wet and distorted by the blood filling its mouth.
Slowly, it spread its forelegs apart and lowered its long neck. Its damaged wings opened slightly behind it, not enough to fly, but enough to make its intentions clear.
Luki could see it. Perhaps it was a hallucination or another strange effect of his new abilities. Whatever the cause, as he stared at the dragon, a second presence seemed to emerge behind it.
The wounded monster remained exactly where it was, bleeding, exhausted, and barely capable of standing, yet another dragon appeared to occupy the same space. Its immense silhouette rose into the darkness above the battlefield, far larger than the real creature before him.
Its scales were flawless where the real dragon's were torn apart. Its wings stretched proudly outward instead of hanging damaged at its sides, while its claws and fangs possessed the terrifying perfection expected of a creature at the absolute peak of its species.
For a brief moment, Luki found himself wondering which of the two dragons was the real one.
The image felt strangely real, as though it were not an illusion at all, but the dragon's pride given form. Even with its body broken and death approaching, some part of the monster still refused to acknowledge weakness or bow before a stronger opponent.
Luki let out a quiet sigh as he adjusted his grip on the Zweihänder.
— So that's how it's going to be...
The dragon answered with a growl and lunged forward despite its battered condition, refusing to surrender even now. Blood continued dripping from its wounds as its enormous jaws opened, yet there was not a trace of hesitation in its movements.
Luki smiled.
The next instant, he disappeared.
The dragon barely had time to register what had happened before Luki appeared directly beneath its head. Rather than swinging his sword, he simply clenched his free hand into a fist and drove it upward with all the strength in his body.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A shockwave erupted across the battlefield as scales shattered and blood sprayed through the air. The dragon's head snapped violently to the side before its entire body was lifted from the ground and launched away.
The sight was so absurd that several adventurers momentarily forgot how to breathe.
KRRRAAAASHHH!!!
The monster collided wuth the all behind and the resulting explosion shook the entire floor, rising a enormous dust cloud and leftinh a mountain of rubble where the monster had finally come to rest.
— That's... impossible...
One member of the Loki Familia struggled to finish the sentence.
— That's Level Six strength...
Murmurs immediately spread through the crowd. Questioning whether what they had just witnessed had actually happened.
Meanwhile, Luki remained completely indifferent to the reactions around him. His glowing eyes were fixed on the mountain of rubble in the distance where the dragon lay buried.
Moments ago, he had been the one lying broken on the ground while everyone watched helplessly, believing he was dead.
And yet he had risen stronger than before.
But what a deja vu!
A smile slowly spread across his face.
— DUNGEON!!! I'M COUNTING ON YOU!
The shout echoed across the battlefield.
The adventurers looked at one another in confusion while several gods frowned in complete disbelief.
— What is he talking about?
Before anyone could ask another question, the Dungeon itself answered.
A vast current of energy surged through the surrounding tunnels and chambers like a living river, illuminating the entire floor with an eerie glow. The phenomenon spread farther and farther until every visible wall pulsed with power.
Grow... stronger... keep fighting...
The gods immediately recognized what they were seeing.
— Impossible...
— The Dungeon is responding to him.
— Ara~ Ara~
The energy continued gathering, flowing toward a single destination.
The rubble.
Black mist began leaking from between the shattered stones as a crushing pressure spread through the battlefield. The air itself seemed to grow heavier with every passing second, forcing weaker adventurers to instinctively step backward.
Luki's smile widened.
The blue radiance surrounding his body intensified in response, almost as if he were excited.
— That's it...
He lowered his center of gravity and brought the colossal Zweihänder forward, assuming a combat stance.
— TIME FOR THE TIEBREAKER!
BOOOM!
The mountain of rubble exploded.
— ROOOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!
A roar powerful enough to shake the entire floor erupted from within the debris as countless tons of stone were blasted into the air. Then a massive figure emerged from the destruction.
The dragon had returned.
The crimson scales that once covered its body had vanished completely, replaced by obsidian-black scales that seemed to absorb the surrounding light.
The Dungeon turned him into a Black Monster. Bigger, stronger, with an intimidating aura that rivaled that of a Monster Rex.
— ROAR! ROOOOOAAAR!!!
It raised its head and roared toward the ceiling, causing the entire Dungeon to tremble in response before turning its gaze toward Luki.
Pure fury burned in its eyes.
Luki answered with grin.
— AAAAAAHHHHH!!!
— ROOOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!
They charged at each other, the battlefield exploded around them. A battle that would be marked at the history books, a hero against a evil dragon.