The three of them then set off toward the floor they were designated to reach. The upper floors were a breeze for them. Although they didn't go out of their way to fight every monster they encountered, they swiftly cut through the enemies that blocked their path. Their pace remained steady and focused as they descended deeper, until finally, they arrived at the 11th floor of the Dungeon.
"This is my first time on the 11th floor," Welf said, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and awe. He looked around, taking in the vast stone caverns and the eerie ambience.
"Well, this floor has monsters much stronger than the ones we faced before," Lili replied, offering some insight for the blacksmith's benefit. "Silverbacks start spawning here, along with Hard Armors… and even Infant Dragons."
Welf nodded slowly, absorbing her words. He scanned the area with sharpened awareness, until he spotted a pair of massive figures lumbering in the distance.
"Orcs incoming!" Welf warned, unsheathing his weapon and readying himself for battle.
Bell and Lili didn't hesitate. The moment they locked eyes on the enemy, they dashed forward in perfect coordination. In a matter of seconds, the orcs were slain with swift, decisive strikes.
"Incredible…" Welf muttered, still holding his weapon as he watched the two move like seasoned warriors. Their movements were sharp, efficient and almost unnatural for their level.
"We should get moving," Aurelius said with quiet authority, not willing to let time slip away. "The faster we get there, the quicker we'll finish this expedition."
The others nodded in agreement, preparing to head further down. But just as they began to move, a distant roar echoed from deeper within the floor. Following the monstrous cry were panicked voices.
"RUN! AN INFANT DRAGON IS HERE!" someone screamed.
Three adventurers sprinted in their direction, eyes wide in fear. The party stopped to let them pass, and in the next breath, the ground trembled as the dragon emerged.
ROAAARRR!
The Infant Dragon bellowed, its voice reverberating through the dungeon walls as it locked onto fresh prey.
"Shit! We should go!" Welf shouted, alarmed by the approaching beast. He glanced at his companions, expecting them to flee with him.
But instead, the titan beside him, Aurelius, charged forward.
"Wait, don't—!" Welf began, reaching out, but it was too late.
Aurelius leapt with thunderous momentum, his body launching into the air with terrifying precision. In one blinding move, his foot crashed into the dragon's neck, slicing through with overwhelming force.
CRACK!
The beast's head was severed cleanly. A moment of stunned silence followed as the Infant Dragon's corpse dissolved into glittering particles, leaving behind its magic stone.
Welf stared, speechless.
From afar, a few surviving adventurers who had been watching were just as astonished.
"Now, let's go," Aurelius said coolly, turning to the others as if nothing had happened.
"Yes, Captain!" Bell and Lili responded in unison, falling in behind him as they prepared to descend into the Middle Floors.
Welf blinked, looking at them, particularly at the man who had just crushed an Infant Dragon in a single strike. Their casual demeanor, even after such a feat, was almost more unsettling than the monster itself.
Any Level 1, or even most rookie Level 2s, would have run for their lives. Yet these three treated it like another walk in the Dungeon.
'What monsters…' Welf thought, tightening his grip on his weapon as he followed after them, stepping into the unknown depths of the Middle Floors.
They continued on their entourage towards their designated floor, descending deeper into the Dungeon's vast underbelly. They passed through the 12th floor with minimal difficulty, ignoring anything that wasn't directly in their path, brushing aside threats with effortless precision as they pressed onward into the Middle Floors.
Upon arrival, they wasted no time and immediately made their way toward the entrance leading into the 14th floor. The blacksmith, who had been accompanying them, found himself increasingly overwhelmed, struggling to keep pace with the unrelenting momentum of the group. His breath grew short, and sweat beaded across his brow as the weight of his gear began to wear on him.
As they advanced, the atmosphere grew heavier, the air denser with the distant echoes of monsters lurking nearby. Just as they rounded a narrow bend in the corridor, a sharp sound broke the stillness. Footsteps, distinct and deliberate, approaching from a direction opposite their own.
They turned on instinct, hands already moving toward weapons as their eyes scanned the dim passage behind them, searching for the source of the sound.
What they saw were six adventurers heading their way.
"?!" One of them had noticed the four and immediately prompted his party to move straight past them, not even offering a word. They charged forward with urgency, leaving three of the four a bit confused by the abrupt encounter.
As the group disappeared into the tunnel's dim corridor, their figures slowly vanishing into the void, Aurelius narrowed his eyes in suspicion. There was something familiar in their silhouettes, especially one woman in particular.
'Yamato Mikoto… the Takemikazuchi Familia,' Aurelius thought, recognizing her distinct presence. 'That means—'
His intuition was right.
The moment he connected the dots, his worst assumption was confirmed.
"?!" Welf's expression hardened, eyes narrowing in sudden realization. "No way…"
Now understanding what those six had just done, the four turned forward and saw them.
A horde of Hellhounds, snarling, drooling, eyes blazing red, came stampeding toward them with feral bloodlust.
"A Pass Parade?!" Lili exclaimed, her voice sharp and alarmed. Without hesitation, she readied herself, stepping into a battle stance with grim resolve.
"Tch. Bastards," she spat, clicking her tongue in disgust at the cowardice of the fleeing adventurers.
Aurelius, unshaken, stepped forward, his imposing figure radiating confidence and command. His voice boomed like thunder as he barked orders with zero hesitation.
"Advance! Our goal is still the same!" he roared, his presence igniting courage in the others. "Welf, stay behind us—keep close and stay alive. Bell, Lili, you're with me! I'll be on the front. I'll cut through as many as I can. You two handle the stragglers that get past me. Welf, support them with range or magic when you can. Ease the pressure off them!"
"Understood!" the three shouted in unison, steel filling their hearts.
Aurelius planted his foot forward and unsheathed his weapon with purpose.
"Now, LET'S MASSACRE THESE DOGS!"
Their blood boiled.
The tunnel trembled, not just from the stampede of monsters, but from the rising fury of the adventurers who refused to fall like prey.
Steel clashed. Fire roared. And with a defiant cry, they charged into the oncoming tide.
They broke through the lines of Hellhounds with minimal effort, slaying several in a single sweep as they pushed forward to the 14th floor below. Despite the ferocity of the beasts, they managed to dispatch all the enemies present. Two of the four were left sweating from the constant onslaught, their breathing heavy from the relentless pace, while the smith, Welf, appeared a bit winded, clearly feeling the weight of their most recent battle.
Upon reaching the 14th floor, they took a moment to scout the area, eventually locating a small, secluded safe zone nestled between jagged stone formations. The faint glow of the Dungeon's crystalline ceiling offered some solace, and the group finally settled down to catch their breath.
"That was something, huh?" Welf muttered, his voice ragged between labored breaths. "How unlucky of us to have run into a damn pass parade?"
Lili, meanwhile, was far from composed. Her brows were furrowed, her arms crossed in irritation as she let out a sharp "Tch."
"Those bastards! I swear, when I get my hands on them, they won't see the light of day!"
"Relax, Lili," Bell said, his tone soft and soothing in an attempt to ease the anger boiling inside the prum. "They probably didn't have a choice..."
"Yeah, what the brat said," Aurelius added, leaning against a nearby wall as he addressed Lili with a calm, reasoning tone. "There's no way they would've survived with that many monsters on their tail. If I were in their shoes, I'd probably do the same."
"But... isn't that a bit scummy, mister?" Bell asked, clearly disheartened by the practical, if cold, logic his captain offered.
"It is," Aurelius admitted without hesitation. His voice carried no resentment, only truth. "But when you're in the Dungeon, kid, you do what you have to do to survive. Those six, whoever they were, they're not like us. If they were, they wouldn't be running. They'd be standing and fighting."
Both Bell and Lili nodded slowly, their expressions darkening with the weight of those words. The reality of the Dungeon had once again reminded them of its unforgiving nature.
"Enough with the depressing talk," Aurelius said suddenly, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he tried to lift the gloom that had fallen over them. "Get some rest. We'll move out once we've all caught our breath. We've got a long way to go, and the floors below won't be any kinder."
The others nodded, each settling in, some on the cool stone floor, others leaning against walls, as the silence of the Dungeon crept in once again, wrapping them in a momentary calm before the trials yet to come.
After a couple of hours of resting, they got up and continued their journey. They passed through the 14th floor, steadily making their way down toward the 15th floor of the Dungeon.
On this floor, they moved with more caution than before. Unlike the upper floors, this one was infamous for spawning the bane of all Level 2 adventurers who dared tread the Middle Floors.
MOOOO!!
The unmistakable roar echoed through the dim corridors.
The Minotaurs.
"Tch! Of course Minotaurs would be the first thing we encounter," Lili said, her voice laced with frustration as she readied herself.
"By the looks of it, there are six in total," Bell added, narrowing his eyes as he drew both of his swords, preparing for the oncoming battle.
However, before they could engage the hulking beasts, Aurelius stepped forward, calm and unfazed.
"[RULER'S AUTHORITY]," he declared.
His hand stretched outward, a golden aura radiating from his palm and engulfing the area around the Minotaurs. The magic pulsed through the air with an oppressive force, making the very floor beneath them tremble.
MOOOO!!
The Minotaurs screamed in agony as their massive bodies began to contort under the pressure. The crushing force of the Titan's magic bore down upon them like the weight of a mountain.
CRACK!
Bones shattered with sickening clarity. The sound echoed through the chamber as the adventurers stood in stunned silence, watching the impossible unfold before them.
All six Minotaurs, creatures that normally required coordinated party effort to defeat, were being reduced to helpless prey. Their limbs snapped, their chests caved in, and their eyes bulged in pain and terror.
One by one, they were crushed into dust, their forms collapsing entirely until nothing remained but a faint shimmer and the soft thud of their magic stones hitting the ground.
The battle was over before it had even begun.
Bell sheathed his swords slowly, still processing what he'd just witnessed.
"...That was terrifying," Lili murmured, wide-eyed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"No.." Welf said. "More like incredible." Welf said as he was in awe upon the straigth one sided massacre that the titan did.
Aurelius lowered his hand, the golden glow dissipating as calmly as it had appeared.
"Let's keep moving," he said, as if nothing had happened.
They then continued moving, pressing onward through the fifteenth floor. At times, the two Hestians, Bell and Lili, took the initiative to engage any foes that crossed their path. These included dangerous monsters like Minotaurs and Ligerfangs, whose defeat would no doubt contribute significantly to their growth and excelia gain. Both adventurers fought with discipline and a sense of hunger for improvement, their eyes scanning the terrain for any signs of movement. Every encounter became a test, and every victory, a stepping stone.
After some time exploring and fighting through the floor, the group made their descent toward the sixteenth floor of the Dungeon.
"So this is the 16th floor," Bell said, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment. He looked around at the surroundings, his ruby eyes narrowing slightly. "It looks almost the same as the 15th floor. It's kind of lackluster."
"Yeah," Welf agreed, nodding despite the fact that this was his first venture into the Middle Floors. Though he shared Bell's sentiment, there was also a subtle sense of unease resting beneath his voice.
"Don't let that fool you," Aurelius said, cutting in with a sharp warning. His voice carried the authority of experience. "The spawn rate of monsters on the 16th floor is higher than what we faced above. It may look the same, but the threat here is greater. So I suggest the three of you stay alert. Mobs can ambush us at any time if we're not careful."
"Yes, captain!" Bell and Lili responded in unison, straightening up with renewed focus. Welf gave a firm nod, silently acknowledging the warning and tightening his grip on his greatsword.
The party proceeded with caution, advancing deeper into the 16th floor. Every turn of the corridor brought new tension, every shadow was a potential threat. Bell and Lili took it upon themselves to memorize the layout as they went, their eyes darting from wall to wall as they passed through tunnels and chambers. Their captain led with purpose, guiding them through every nook and cranny he knew, teaching them the paths that could one day save their lives.
Monsters came at them in waves. Needle rabbits, Minotaurs, and more Ligerfangs. Yet none were spared. The trio carved through each threat with precision. Bell's blade gleamed with each strike, Lili's spear piercing through with brutal means, and Aurelius's heavy fists blows left carnage in his wake. Welf gathered the remains of their enemies, scooping up monster cores and materials.Some times, even assisting the Hestians to lessen their bruden. Even in the middle of combat, the blacksmith's instincts didn't fade.
Time passed. They lost count of how many enemies they had slain, how many chambers they had crossed, or how many turns they had taken. Fatigue slowly began to creep in, not enough to weaken them, but enough to warrant a break.
Eventually, after a long push through the twisting paths of the 16th floor, they came upon a safe zone. A wide, quiet cavern where monsters would not spawn. The air felt calmer there, and the tension in their shoulders eased.
"Let's take a break here," Aurelius said, his tone softer now, though still alert. "Drink some water, catch your breath. We'll resume in a bit."
The group sat down against the cool stone walls. Bell pulled out his canteen, Lili adjusted her gear, and Welf leaned back, letting out a slow breath as he examined a handful of rare drops from earlier battles.
Though the 16th floor may have looked ordinary at first glance, it was anything but. And all four adventurers knew, the deeper they went, the harder it would become.
While resting, Welf couldn't help but strike up a conversation with the titan about the looming battle against the Goliath, which awaited the titan once their break was over.
"To think that I'd be going down this far," Welf said, exhaling deeply as he leaned back against the wall. "Not in ten years would I have imagined reaching this kind of feat, to be honest."
He rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to process the events that led them here.
"Plus," Welf continued, glancing toward the hulking figure sitting across from him, "it's nerve-racking to think you'd actually go up against a floor boss alone, big guy. Normally, people would call someone insane for even entertaining the idea at your level. But after everything we've been through, and watching you walk through it all without even breaking a sweat, I'm honestly starting to believe you'll pull it off."
Aurelius let out a booming, haughty laugh that echoed through the chamber. "HAHAHA! Even if I don't succeed in taking it down alone, the two here will jump in to help finish the job. Of course, I wouldn't let them steal the excelia from me," he said with a confident grin, tossing a glance at his two cohorts.
"Hmph, your words better not bite you back, mister!" Bell shot back, folding his arms with a smug smirk. "Or else we're gonna steal just enough of the excelia to make sure you don't level up. Bleh!"
"HAHAHA! You wish, kiddos!" Aurelius replied, grinning from ear to ear, laughing as if the deadly challenge ahead was just another minor inconvenience on their journey.
The air between them was light, almost playful, despite the battle that waited below. The moment was brief, but it was real, a quiet breath before the coming storm. And even though death could be waiting on the next floor, they shared something stronger than fear, trust, and just enough madness to make the impossible feel within reach.
After some time, maybe hours, of resting and recovering their strength, they were finally ready to head down toward the floor where the captain of the Hestia Familia would carve his name into the pages of history.
The 17th Floor.
A place that would soon become the stage for a battle of epic proportions.
Aurelius stood firm within the safety zone, his body still and his eyes sharp. Every muscle in his form was relaxed, yet prepared. His breathing was calm, and his heart was steady. The silence around him was thick, as if the Dungeon itself was holding its breath for what was about to come. He was ready, both in body and spirit, to face his greatest adversary yet.
And he would face it alone.
"Are you really going to face the Goliath all by yourself, Captain?" Lili asked, her voice carrying a mixture of concern and admiration. She looked at Aurelius with wide, anxious eyes, while Bell stood quietly beside her, anticipation clear on his face. Welf, too, said nothing, but his gaze was fixed on the Titan-like leader of their Familia, as if trying to measure the weight of the moment.
"Yeah," Aurelius replied, his voice firm and unwavering. A small grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he added, "I was born ready."
The other three nodded, silent but moved, each wearing a look of respect and rising determination in the face of the titan's bold challenge. A shared sense of destiny lingered in the air, as if the fates themselves were watching.
Aurelius stepped forward, clenching his fists as he turned to face them all.
"Alright," he said, his voice rising with purpose. "Let's go make history, Hestia Familia!"
"Yeah!" Bell and Lili answered in unison, their voices echoing with excitement and nerves. A strange cocktail of fear and thrill rushed through their veins, their hearts pounding not just from what awaited, but from the faith they had in their captain.
Welf remained a step back, watching the three of them charge into fate without hesitation. His eyes narrowed slightly, not in doubt, but in disbelief.
'Yup… these three really are monsters,' he thought, with a smirk.
Without another word, the three adventurers descended, sliding down through the entrance into the depths of the 17th Floor. The air grew heavier as they moved, the light dimming, and the roar of the floor's guardian beginning to echo faintly in the distance.
The battle was coming.
And history was about to be written.
As they descended onto the 17th floor, the three, Bell, Lili, and Welf, took a moment to gaze at the layout spread out before them. They looked towards a a big tunnel infront of them, indicating it to be the entrance for the room of the boss. Once they entered, they saw that the space was far more expansive than they had expected, and each of them couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer size of the chamber that opened up before their eyes.
"This place looks amazing," Welf remarked, his voice echoing slightly through the cavernous room. His eyes wandered, scanning the walls until they landed on something curious. A faint glow shimmered along the stone surface, forming a translucent layer that pulsed gently like a living barrier.
"What's that over there?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as he pointed toward the glowing wall, clearly puzzled by its strange, almost magical quality.
Aurelius, looking toward the direction the blacksmith was pointing, knew very well what that towering wall was.
"The Great Wall of Grief... That's where the Goliath resides. And soon, it will spawn from within it," Aurelius said, his voice serious and grounded, heavy with anticipation.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet. A powerful vibration surged through the entire chamber as the very air seemed to grow tense with foreboding.
ROARRR!!
A monstrous scream echoed from the direction of the wall. Cracks began forming along its surface, long, jagged lines spidering outward like lightning across stone wall of the floor.
CRACK!
The Great Wall of Grief started to crumble, slowly but unmistakably breaking down piece by piece. The three behind the titan stood frozen, their eyes widening in horror and awe at what was beginning to emerge.
"?!"
All of them were stunned speechless as they saw the outline of something colossal stepping forth from the ruin, an enormous figure, impossible in scale, breaching through the enormous stone wall.
"So that's... the floor boss..." Lili muttered, her voice soft and trembling. A mixture of awe and fear was plain on her face as she gazed up at the monstrous being.
"Yeah... we shouldn't even think about fighting that thing alone, huh?" Bell added, eyes fixed on the giant. His body shivered, not from cold, but from the sheer pressure of the apocalyptic presence standing before them. The 17th Floor Boss... the living catastrophe that reigned over this level of the Dungeon.
Welf stood motionless, his eyes locked onto the hulking beast. His jaw hung slightly agape as his mind struggled to process what he was seeing.
"And you said you want to fight this thing alone, big guy?" Welf finally said, turning slightly to glance at Aurelius. The disbelief in his tone was impossible to miss. Only now did he realize the scale of madness standing beside him.
"Yeah." Aurelius, now staring directly at the beast, slowly curved his lips into a smile. It wasn't the kind of smile born from joy. It was wide. Unnatural. Maniacal.
"This is it..." he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His eyes were gleaming with a feverish light, locked onto the massive figure that loomed ahead. "The key... to my rise towards greater heights!"
As if answering his declaration, the Goliath let out another earth-shaking roar, this one even more primal than the last.
ROARRRR!!!
The force of the cry rattled the chamber. Dust and loose stone trickled from the ceiling. The very air vibrated with the power of the beast's voice.
Aurelius spun around to face his companions. His expression was wild, thrilled, unshaken.
"THE THREE OF YOU!" he bellowed. "GET TO A SAFE PLACE! I'LL HAVE MY FUN WHILE YOU LOT WATCH!"
There was no hesitation. The three turned on their heels and sprinted toward the far end of the chamber, toward the pathway leading to the 18th Floor. They knew better than to argue when Aurelius was like this. From there, they'd have a clear view of the battlefield and, more importantly, a straight path to the escape route in case everything went wrong.
From the distance, they turned back, just in time to see Aurelius, alone, standing tall against the titan, shield at his side, eyes alight with purpose.
And thus, the clash between man and monster began.
ROARRR!!!
The Goliath was striking at the little titan man with its massive fist, intending to squash him like minced meat.
Aurelius, seeing the incoming blow, raised his shield in a defiant stand, bracing himself to block the attack head-on. His instincts screamed at him to dodge... but no. He silenced the voice of caution and followed the roar of his ego, daring to take on the brute strength of the Goliath with sheer will.
The titanic fist crashed against Aurelius's shield, the force reverberating through his entire body, sending him skidding backwards several feet across the dungeon floor. Dust kicked up in his wake, the ground cracking under the weight of the impact.
Aurelius let out a heavy sigh, his arms trembling from the force of the blow. The shock had surged through the shield, up his bones, and into his core. And yet… he stood.
"Heh," Aurelius grinned through clenched teeth, reeling from the lingering sting of pain that laced his muscles. Blood trickled from his lip where he had bitten down too hard.
"Excellent," he growled, voice thick with excitement, "This battle will be LEGENDARY!"
With a primal roar, Aurelius charged forward like a thunderbolt let loose, ferocity in every step, his burning desire to take down the colossus roaring louder than any fear or pain.
The Goliath, towering and unshaken, roared back, winding up another colossal punch in defiance. The earth beneath it groaned under its shifting weight.
But Aurelius wasn't slowing down. He too riled up his own punch, fury crackling in his eyes, intent to meet brute strength with unrelenting will. The air thickened as the distance between them vanished.
And then—
BOOM!!
Their fists collided with earth-shattering force, the collision birthing a thunderous shockwave that echoed across the entirety of the 17th floor. The very walls of the Dungeon trembled. Cracks split the ground beneath them, forming a massive crater that spread outward from the clash point. The raw power of their impact even reached the floor below, rattling the depths with their fury.
Bits of stone rained down from above, the Dungeon groaning in acknowledgment of two monsters in mortal combat, one born of its walls, the other of sheer defiance of humanity.
________________________
As that was happening, on the 18th floor, every adventurer who felt the tremor grew cautious and unnerved by the unknown cause behind the sudden quake.
"What was that?!"
"A monster appeared somewhere?!"
"Shit, this ain't good."
"Goddamn it! I can't even focus on wankin' my junk in peace with this shaking!"
Panic and confusion spread like wildfire. The rumbling wasn't just distant, it was close. Too close. It shook the very ground beneath their feet, and it was strong enough to rattle even seasoned adventurers.
That included a certain powerhouse Familia, whose presence on this floor stood out like a mountain among hills.
"What was that?" asked a long-haired Amazon, her tone shifting into caution as she steadied herself from the quake.
"Some monster appearing on this floor maybe?" her short-haired Amazonian sister replied, matching her vigilance.
"Heh... whatever it is, it must be something strong," a grey-haired werewolf added, grinning with eager anticipation, his blood already rushing at the thought of a worthy fight.
The remaining five members in their immediate group stood on edge, eyes sharp, postures tense, alert, just like the rest of their Familia who were stationed nearby, already preparing for the worst.
This group was none other than Loki Familia, one of the mightiest in Orario.
Standing among them, their leader, Finn Deimne, the Braver himself, stared toward the source of the quake. His thumb throbbed with that strange, tell-tale pulse. An omen he had long come to trust. Something was stirring. Something serious.
He said nothing at first, merely keeping his gaze fixed on the stony ceiling that loomed over them.
"What's wrong, Finn?" asked Riveria, the high elf and vice-captain, as she too kept watchful eyes on their surroundings.
Finn exhaled slowly, his instincts whispering something only experience could translate.
"The source of that rumbling... it came from the 17th floor," he finally answered, his tone laced with tension.
His words caught the attention of everyone around him. Surprise, then concern, flickered across their expressions.
"Wait, do you mean someone spawned the Goliath, Captain?" Tione asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes, not just about the situation, but also hoping to draw the attention of the man she fallen in loved.
Finn shook his head slightly, gaze still fixed upward.
"No... it's more like—" he paused for a beat, the air thick with anticipation.
"—someone is fighting it... and holding their ground."
Silence fell. The statement echoed in their minds.
Shock rippled through the group. Even the executives, the finest of the Loki Familia, were caught off guard by that revelation.
"All of you, remain here and keep watch," Finn ordered the rest of the Familia members. His voice regained its commanding sharpness.
"Riveria, Gareth, Ais, Bete, Tiona, Tione, you're with me. We're heading up to see what's going on."
Each of them nodded in unison.
"Understood!" they replied as one.
Without delay, Finn turned on his heel and led the way toward the staircase that led back up to the 17th floor. His trusted companions followed closely behind, weapons ready, senses sharp. The tension in the air was electric.
Whatever was happening above... was no ordinary skirmish.
And the Loki Familia was about to find out who, or what, had just made the 17th floor tremble.
________________________
Aurelius and the Goliath were going at each other, trading blow after blow with unrelenting force. Each strike echoed through the cavern like thunder, and yet neither combatant showed signs of backing down. It was as if they had become living punching bags, each taking the other's attacks head-on with unwavering determination.
Welf, witnessing the absurdity of the battle unfold before him, muttered in awe, "To think that your captain here can actually go toe-to-toe with a Floor Boss... while being just Level 2." His voice held a mix of disbelief and amazement, his eyes wide as he tried to make sense of the spectacle before him. "This is the most outrageous thing I've ever seen."
"You can say that again, Sir Welf," Lili added, equally awestruck as she stared at the chaotic yet mesmerizing clash. Her voice carried both pride and wonder. "Even though we knew our captain was strong, we had no idea he was this strong."
"Yeah," Bell agreed, nodding slowly, his gaze still fixed on the duel. "Never thought he was this powerful..."
As the shockwaves from the ongoing battle continued to shake the ground, rumbling through the 17th Floor like distant earthquakes, the trio suddenly heard footsteps echoing from the direction of the floor's entrance. The sounds grew louder, approaching steadily.
The three instinctively turned toward the source of the noise, hands drifting to their weapons, ready to defend themselves if an enemy appeared.
But what emerged from the mist was anything but hostile.
"Loki Familia?" Bell said, his voice tinged with surprise at the sight of the approaching figures.
The tension that gripped the other two melted away upon recognizing the newcomers. Welf exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and Lili lowered her guard, both relaxing as they saw who had arrived.
The renowned Loki Familia had appeared onto the floor, their presence commanding attention. Their eyes scanned the area before settling on the three.
"What's going on here, you three?" Finn asked, his usual sharp tone edged with curiosity as he approached them.
"Well," Lili replied, gesturing with a small smirk as she pointed toward the center of the battlefield, "how about you take a look for yourselves?"
The seven executives followed her direction, eyes focusing on the origin of the chaos.
What they saw left them speechless.
There, in the heart of the 17th Floor, amidst the dust and thunder, stood Aurelius, locked in fierce, evenly matched combat with the Goliath. Neither giving an inch, neither faltering. A Level 2 adventurer exchanging raw, brutal strikes with a creature that was meant to be invincible for any level 2s.
Silence fell over the Loki Familia for a brief moment as the realization of what they were witnessing sank in.
And then, as another shockwave rippled out from a titanic clash of fists and steel, they knew, this was no ordinary adventurer.
This was something else entirely.
BOOM!!
Another clash echoed across the 17th floor as Aurelius collided with the Goliath once more, the impact sending tremors and shockwaves rippling throughout the cavernous expanse. Dust burst into the air. The dungeon's walls groaned from the force of their collision.
Aurelius, panting heavily from the unrelenting onslaught of the monstrous titan, clenched his fists. Sweat and blood streaked his face, but his will hadn't faltered. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself into a charge once again, aiming straight toward the towering behemoth that barred his path to greatness.
The Goliath roared in defiance, its crimson eyes burning like twin embers. It swung its colossal fist, intent on halting Aurelius once and for all. But this time, Aurelius ducked at the last moment, just a hair's breadth from death. The giant's punch missed its mark, slicing through the air above him with thunderous force.
In that fleeting window, Aurelius closed the distance. With a grunt of effort, he leapt upward, channeling every last ounce of strength into his legs. Time seemed to slow. He raised his fist high, preparing to deliver a devastating uppercut to the monster's chin.
But then, against his expectations, the Goliath shifted its head aside.
"?!" Aurelius' eyes widened in disbelief. 'It dodged my attack?!'
His heart pounded in his ears, but there was no time to react.
The Goliath retaliated instantly, slamming a massive palm sideways with terrifying speed. The slap struck Aurelius midair, hurling him like a ragdoll across the battlefield. He crashed into the wall with such force that the stone cracked and cratered around him. Dust and rubble fell like rain.
"AURELIUS!!" Tionna cried out, her voice laced with panic. She instinctively stepped forward, ready to jump into the fray.
"Don't," said a firm voice beside her.
Tionna turned, glaring at the one who spoke. "What do you mean, 'don't'?!" she snapped at Lili, her anger flaring. "Can't you see your captain's about to be killed?!"
But Lili didn't flinch. Her sharp eyes locked onto Tionna's with calm intensity.
"He wants this… This is his trial," she said. "It's the key to greater heights, Lady Tionna."
Finn turned toward her, perplexed. "What are you talking about, Liliruca Arde?"
Lili didn't hesitate. "This… is his chance to level up."
Her words silenced the group. Welf and Bell looked to one another, their expressions showing determination as they nod at each other. All eyes turned back toward the battlefield.
The Goliath roared, its fist raised high. It aimed to finish the job, to crush Aurelius against the wall.
"AURELIUS!!" Tionna shouted again, anguish tearing at her voice.
The Goliath's fist descended like divine judgment.
But then, it stopped.
"?!" The Goliath looked in confusion. A strange sensation gripped its massive hand.
A golden aura had enveloped its arm. It was being… pushed back.
Gasps rose from the spectators as the hand slowly lifted, revealing Aurelius beneath it. Though bruised, bloodied, and beaten, he stood with trembling legs and defiant eyes.
"Huff... Huff..." Aurelius exhaled heavily, a wild grin spreading across his face.
"If you think you can take me down with that," he snarled, "you've got another thing coming, you damned giant."
He shouted, the golden aura around him flaring even brighter. His arms surged with magical power as he began to push against the Goliath's hand, step by step.
"You'll need to do MORE than that to take ME OUT! RAAAAHHH!!"
He roared with such force that even the dungeon itself seemed to recoil. His magic exploded around him, and with one final push, he hurled the Goliath backward.
The beast staggered.
Aurelius leapt from the wall and landed on the titan's torso with a resounding crash, knocking the wind from its lungs. He gritted his teeth, locking his left arm in place as he activated his magic once more.
"[RULER'S AUTHORITY]"
The Goliath flailed, its massive limbs crashing around wildly. But Aurelius held on with everything he had, his aura now a radiant storm. His left hand kept the giant suppressed with his magic, while his right reeled back, formed like a spear.
With a thunderous cry, he drove his arm downward, his magic condensing into a sharpened force. His hand pierced through the Goliath's stone-like flesh, plunging into its chest.
The Goliath screamed, a beastly wail of agony that echoed for miles.
ROOOOOARRRR!!
It thrashed harder than before, its monstrous body flinging itself about in desperation. Aurelius' vision blurred, blood dripping from his eyes as his magic strained his body to its limit. Yet still, he held firm.
His fingers brushed something.
The core.
"You… will NOT overcome me!" he yelled, teeth clenched in sheer effort.
"I will strive—no—I will become the strongest this world has ever known!!"
With an animalistic roar, Aurelius ripped the core from the Goliath's chest in a single, brutal pull.
The monster gasped.
Its eyes dimmed.
And then, its body dissolved into golden particles of dust, fading into the dungeon winds.
Silence.
Only the magic stone remained, gleaming in Aurelius' bloodstained hand.
He landed on the ground on both feet. He then stumbled forward, his legs barely able to support his weight. His body screamed in pain. Blood trickled from his arms, face, and legs. And yet, he smiled, weakly.
"Heh…" he muttered through labored breaths. "I… goddamn did it…"
And with that, his knees buckled. His body collapsed forward, unconscious before he hit the ground.
From in front of him, voices cried out.
"Captain!!"
"AURELIUS!!"
The floor was quiet once more… save for the fading echoes of a name that would soon shake the very foundations of Orario.
A name whispered not in fear, but in awe.
Aurelius.