"Wow, that monster is huge!"
"Do all adventurers fight monsters like that? Doesn't that mean Bell will have to face it someday?"
Hestia exclaimed in awe, her blue eyes widening as she gazed at the towering, intimidating figure of Goliath, which struck fear into anyone seeing it for the first time.
"That's Goliath, one of the Monster Rexes. It's the weakest of them." Hermes explained briefly, his tone casual. "Its strength is at the threshold of a Level 4 adventurer. Though I call it the weakest Monster Rex, that's only relative to First-Class Adventurers. For instance, any executive from Loki Familia could defeat it single-handedly if they wanted to."
He glanced at Charlie, as if hinting at something unspoken.
It wasn't impossible for Asfi to defeat Goliath alone. As Orario's premier magic item crafter, she could bombard the monster with various single-use items. However, that would require significant effort and expense, making it an inefficient and costly decision.
Moreover, Asfi was a Level 4; defeating Goliath wouldn't yield her worthwhile Excelia.
Charlie, on the other hand, was a genuine Level 5. Unlike Asfi, who might rely on external aids, Charlie could defeat Goliath with his own strength alone.
"Alright, I'll hold Goliath off. Use the time to pass through Floor 17."
Understanding Hermes' implication, Charlie didn't mind.
"Let me help you." Asfi offered, feeling uneasy about letting him face Goliath alone.
"No need, Perseus. I can handle it myself." Charlie declined without hesitation. "You should focus on protecting God Hermes and Goddes Hestia. Some rocks might fly their way during my fight with Goliath."
As Hermes had thought, Charlie could indeed defeat Goliath, and it wouldn't take him ten seconds.
"Why not defeat Goliath first, then let us pass safely?" Hermes asked.
"There's no benefit in defeating Goliath. It won't give me any Excelia." Charlie answered honestly. "For Low-Class Adventurers, Goliath is a resource. If I kill it, it'll take two months for it to respawn. So, I'll just hold it off."
"Oh, you're quite considerate, huh… Your character's pretty good, Charlie." Hermes said with hypocritical praise.
"…"
Without responding, Charlie stepped onto Floor 17. The moment he crossed the tunnel, he immediately drew Goliath's attention.
"OOOOOOHHHHH—"
Goliath's deafening roar was so loud it shook the ground and walls. The Monster Rex instantly focused on Charlie, diverting its attention from the tunnel leading to Floor 18.
"Everyone, this is a rare chance to witness a Level 5 adventurer in action. Try to learn something from it—it'll be very beneficial for us."
Ouka, the captain of Takemikazuchi Familia, reminded Mikoto, Chigusa, and the others.
Truthfully, he felt a bit offended. Charlie had entrusted Asfi with protecting Hestia and Hermes, as if implying they weren't capable of doing so.
Sure, they couldn't fight Goliath, but blocking stray debris from the battle should be manageable, right?
"Est would definitely sulk if she knew I was using another sword as a weapon." Charlie mused, not taking the approaching Goliath seriously. With an outstretched hand, he created an ice sword using his Spirit Arts.
*WHOOSH!*
Charlie sprang into action. His running speed was so fast that in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Goliath's massive body!
"OOOOOOHHHHH—"
Goliath let out a booming roar, swinging its tree-sized arm as it attacked Charlie.
*BAM!*
A loud crash shook the ground and cave walls. The shockwave sent nearby rocks flying, but Charlie stood firm. He blocked the deadly blow with his ice sword, held in one hand.
"What?!"
Ouka and the others were stunned by the scene. Blocking a full-powered punch from Goliath with just one hand was an unprecedented feat. At best, only a Level 4 shield-user could withstand Goliath's blow without flinching.
"How tough is that guy's body…" Asfi muttered, realizing she'd still underestimated Charlie's strength.
"Don't just stand there—move!" Hermes snapped at the group, mesmerized by Charlie's display. "Don't waste the opportunity Charlie's giving us!"
Snapping out of their shock, the group hurriedly entered Floor 17. They ran as fast as they could toward the tunnel leading to Floor 18, leaving Charlie and Goliath behind.
"OOOOOOHHHHH—"
Detecting others entering Floor 17, Goliath roared in fury. It shifted its gaze from Charlie to Hestia's group running away.
"Don't look away—your opponent is me."
Charlie didn't let Goliath change its target. For the first time, he took the initiative to attack.
*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
In an instant, Charlie left numerous slashes on Goliath's body, from its legs to its shoulders. Blood splattered as his ice sword cut through the monster's flesh like tofu.
Yet, despite such brutal attacks, Goliath's body regenerated. As if nothing had happened, it returned to normal.
"Tch, annoying regeneration ability." Charlie muttered under his breath.
Of course, he wasn't without solutions. This wasn't his first time facing an opponent with regeneration.
Among his vast array of abilities was a magic called Aithra Athanatos—a curse-inflicting magic that left unhealable wounds.
If Charlie used Aithra Athanatos, Goliath's regeneration would be neutralized.
However, his goal wasn't to kill Goliath but to stall it. Even without Aithra Athanatos, Charlie, who had reached a new realm in swordsmanship and awakened Mind's Eye, only needed a few vacuum-crack-inducing slashes to slaughter Goliath in an instant.
"OOOOOOHHHHH—"
Goliath swung its fists blindly, forgetting Hestia and the others. It lost all reason, focusing solely on one thing: the enemy before it.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
Each punch struck the ground, causing earthquake-like tremors. Yet, not a single blow hit its target.
With Six Eyes, Charlie perceived time as if it slowed, clearly seeing the trajectory of Goliath's punches.
"Alright, that's enough."
Glancing at the group that had entered the tunnel, his task of stalling was complete. Charlie decided to retreat.
Shukuchi!
*WHOOSH!*
His figure crossed dozens of meters in an instant. He appeared suddenly among the group that had just escaped Floor 17.
"Whoa, you appeared out of nowhere—you startled me!" Hestia exclaimed, patting her ample chest, barely held by her blue ribbon.
"How can you be that fast?" Mikoto couldn't contain her curiosity.
"Just footwork." Charlie replied lightly.
Shukuchi was a technique for instantly closing the distance to an opponent. Beyond mere speed, it involved interconnected phenomena like steps, body movements, breathing, and exploiting blind spots.
The highest level of Shukuchi became a long-range dimensional leap, falling into the category of Xian Arts. Of course, Charlie hadn't reached that realm yet.
"Sorry if I asked about a sensitive topic." Mikoto apologized sincerely, feeling her question was rude.
"It's fine." Charlie shook his head.
"Come on! Bell is close—I can feel it!" Hestia urged everyone, eager to reunite with Bell.
They traversed the tunnel and finally arrived on Floor 18.