Morning broke softly over the 18th Floor, the air alive with birdsong and the faint rustle of adventurers preparing to depart. The sprawling safe haven of Rivira buzzed with its usual chaos, but a quiet tension hung over Hestia Familia's camp.
Loki Familia was already on the move. Ais Wallenstein glided through the clearing with her usual grace, a wrapped bundle in her arms. She approached Liliruca Arde, who was sorting potions and rations with meticulous care.
"Liliruca Arde," Ais said, her voice soft but clear.
Lili looked up, startled. "Lady Ais?"
Ais extended the bundle. Lili hesitated, then peeled back the cloth to reveal her chain sword, its edge gleaming faintly in the dawn light.
"It's well-forged," Ais said simply. "Take care of it."
Lili's eyes widened, and she clutched the weapon tightly. "Th-thank you, Lady Ais!" she stammered, bowing her head.
Ais gave a faint, fleeting smile before turning to rejoin her Familia. With their usual efficiency, Loki Familia vanished into the forest, leaving only the echo of their departure.
At the camp, Bell Cranel knelt by the fire, adjusting his gear. His hands froze when he spotted a small, unmarked envelope tucked under a tent flap; when he picked it up, he found it was addressed to him. Heart pounding, he tore it open.
"To Bell Cranel—Come alone to the waterfall glade past the eastern ridge. We have someone you hold dear. No heroes. Just you. Or she suffers."
Bell's ruby eyes hardened. He stuffed the note into his pocket and stood, gripping the Hestia Knife. "I'll be back soon," he said, forcing a calm tone.
Welf, Mikoto, and Ouka exchanged uneasy glances. "Bell, what's going on?" Welf asked, his hand resting on his great sword's hilt.
"Nothing," Bell said quickly, already moving. "Just… checking something."
The trio didn't buy it. As Bell decided to follow the instruction, Welf and the other two secretly followed at a cautious distance.
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the 18th Floor's dense forest, adventurers secretly encouraged by Hermes struck with ruthless precision, dragging Hestia to a secluded cave near the waterfall glade. The goddess struggled, but she couldn't do anything.
"Stay quiet, Goddess," one of the mercenaries growled. "This'll be over soon."
Hestia glared, her blue eyes blazing. "Let me go, you idiots, before I get angry."
Bell reached the waterfall glade, the roar of cascading water drowning out the forest's hum. The adventurers were waiting—six of them, armed to the teeth, their smirks cruel. Their leader, a grizzled swordsman, stepped forward. "I didn't think you would really arrive all alone. Should I call you brave or stupid?"
"Where's Hestia?" Bell demanded, his grip tightening on his knife.
The leader sneered. "You'll see her—if you survive."
Steel flashed. The mercenaries charged, and Bell moved like lightning. His agility, honed through countless battles, let him weave through their strikes. The Hestia Knife glowed faintly, slicing through a spear shaft as Bell ducked under a swinging blade. He countered with a swift kick, sending one attacker stumbling into the shallows.
But there were too many. A mace grazed his shoulder, and a sword nicked his side. Bell gritted his teeth, his Argonaut skill humming faintly in his core, building for a decisive strike.
From the tree line, Welf cursed under his breath. "He's going to get himself killed!" He drew his great sword. Mikoto and Ouka nodded, weapons ready, and the trio burst into the glade.
"Mikoto, now!" Welf roared.
Mikoto slammed two mercenaries to the ground, knocking them out. Ouka charged, his katana a blur, parrying a strike meant for Bell's back.
"Be careful!" Welf shouted, slamming his great sword into another adventurer's shield, shattering it.
Bell nodded, his heart racing with gratitude. He darted toward the cave, dodging a final desperate lunge from the leader.
Inside, Hestia sat bound, her expression a mix of relief once Ouka released her.
Outside, the battle raged. Welf's fire-enchanted blade clashed with steel, while Mikoto fought with disciplined precision, but the adventurers were relentless, their numbers bolstered by reinforcements slipping from the shadows.
Hestia emerged, her divine power surging like a beacon. Her eyes locked on Bell, fighting with desperate ferocity. The sight of her Familia in danger ignited something within her. "Enough!" she shouted, releasing a wave of divine energy. The glade trembled, the waterfall's roar dimming under the weight of her presence.
From a distant ridge, Hermes watched, his trademark grin widening. A subtle pulse of his own divine power rippled outward. The air grew heavy, the Dungeon itself stirring in response to the gods' interference.
Asfi, at his side, paled. "Lord Hermes, are you insane? The Dungeon will—"
"Spawn something stronger," Hermes finished, his eyes gleaming. "I am afraid something weak would be killed by Luthar without the help of a bell."
The ground quaked. Trees swayed as an ancient, primal energy pulsed through the 18th Floor. From the depths, a roar echoed—a monster born of the Dungeon's wrath.
Back at the graves, far from the chaos, Luthar and Ryuu knelt in quiet reverence. The servo-skull above them whirred, its lenses scanning the horizon. A sudden tremor shook the earth, faint but unmistakable.
Luthar's eyes narrowed as his sensor picked up a divine signature; he was sure this was from Hestia.
Ryuu's hand tightened on her wooden sword. Another pulse hit—stronger, heavier, and ancient.
Luthar's terminal flashed red. "Herm—another energy signature." He stopped himself, already on his feet. "Let's go back."
Ryuu matched his pace, her elven senses sharp as they sprinted toward the disturbance. The 18th Floor, once a haven, now thrummed with the promise of war.
---
**Chapter 74: Dungeon's Wrath**
The ground parted with a guttural roar.
Roots writhed from the forest floor like serpents, ripping free from ancient soil. The very air twisted, saturated with mana so thick it shimmered. The glade that moments ago echoed with clashing steel now stood still—as though the Dungeon itself had paused to take a breath.
Then it screamed.
Deep within the forest floor, a stone cracked, and a pit opened, belching steam and stench. A massive, malformed creature clawed its way into the glade. Its body glistened with raw flesh, half-formed armor plates jutting from its shoulders and spine. Its eyes locked onto Bell and his companions.
"A Goliath?" Mikoto breathed, paling.
"No..." Welf muttered, stepping back. "It's... something worse."
A twisted variant—spawned by divine provocation. Taller than the standard Goliath, its limbs bent at unnatural angles, and arcane glyphs shimmered across its carapace. The Dungeon had crafted it in fury.
Hestia stepped back instinctively. "This looks like my fault…"
A massive tremor surged through the earth, toppling trees and cracking stones. From the shadowy depths of the Dungeon, a roar rose—deep, primal, and filled with malice. The very air seemed to twist as a creature stepped into the sunlight.
The Black Goliath.
Towering and grotesque, it was a nightmare of jagged bone and sinew. Its singular eye burned with unnatural hatred as it emerged, drawn by the divine powers released moments before.
Adventurers just walking around got confused and then started to get terrified as it started to kill.
"No... No way..." someone whispered.
Before the sentence could finish, the Black Goliath crushed the adventurer in a single blow. Screams echoed. Blood sprayed across mossy rocks.
Panic rippled across the clearing.
Welf shouted, "Fall back! Regroup at the ridge!"
Bell's eyes widened, his instincts screaming at him to act—but even he hesitated. This wasn't a battle—it was a massacre.
Liliruca, heart hammering in her chest, ducked behind a stone, gripping her chain sword. She stared at the gleaming edge, then at the monstrosity ahead.
"This... this won't work," she muttered while looking at her chainsword. "There is no way this thing would work against this monster. Should I run off?"
Suddenly, a soft mechanical hum drew her gaze. The servo-skull floated from their tent. A small compartment slid open, extending a compact but formidable long-range firearm toward her.
Lili blinked. "... looks like it's my lucky day."
She took the weapon, adjusting her grip with practiced caution.
Meanwhile, further up the ridge, Ryuu's sharp gaze caught a glimpse of the Black Goliath as it descended into the glade. Her breath caught.
"I have to stop the massacre," she murmured.
Then she ran.
Without hesitation, the elf bolted toward the chaos below, her cloak trailing behind her like a comet.
Luthar watched her go, the servo-skull hovering quietly at his shoulder. He sighed, brushing dust from his robes. "And there she goes."
He adjusted his bracer, checked the readings on his terminal, and began walking—calm, composed, and utterly unbothered.
Back in the glade, the Black Goliath continued its rampage. A spear shattered against its hide. Magic exploded across its flank—and it didn't even flinch. One adventurer tried to retreat. The creature blinked across the field in a flash of speed, cutting him down before he could scream.
Then Bell moved, pushing forward with renewed purpose. "We can't let it reach the others!"
Welf gritted his teeth. "It's not the time to think about others—protect yourself!"
The glade trembled under the Black Goliath's wrath, each of its steps a death knell that fractured the earth. Blood-soaked moss squelched beneath its jagged claws. Bell's boots skidded on slick stone as he darted forward, his knife flickering in the light aimed at the beast's flank. The Goliath's singular eye swiveled, locking onto him with predatory focus. It lunged a massive arm at Bell, which he barely dodged.
"Bell!" Welf bellowed, hammering his sword against the creature's leg. The sword sparked against its bony armor but couldn't even leave a scratch. "Can't even leave any injuries—how high is its defense?!"
Mikoto's breath came in sharp bursts, sweat glistening on her brow as she pressed her palm to the hilt of her blade. "O flame, in the name of the war god, grant me thy power and become my blade—Futsu no Mitama!" Her katana flared with violet light, the surge of magic enveloping her in a blazing aura. With a cry, she dashed forward and slashed the Goliath's shoulder. The strike landed with a burst of energy—but the beast barely flinched.
Lili crouched behind her rock, firearm heavy in her hands. She gripped it tightly, her fingers trembling as she adjusted the scope, peering at the chaos. "Okay, Lili," she whispered to herself, "don't mess this up." She aimed at the Black Goliath and squeezed the trigger. A pulse of energy lanced across the glade, striking true. The beast staggered, its eye dimming momentarily, but it whipped its head toward her, snarling. Lili's heart sank. "Oh, no…"
Before the Black Goliath could charge, a flash of green and silver cut across the battlefield. Ryuu descended like a falling star, landing squarely between Liliruca and the advancing beast, her twin short swords drawn in a defensive cross. "Fall back," she commanded, her tone cold and unwavering. With fluid grace, the elf launched forward, her blades dancing through the air with deadly precision, targeting the creature's joints and pressure points. Sparks flew with each impact, her strikes barely leaving a mark on its hide. The Goliath retaliated with a vicious swipe, but Ryuu twisted away, springing backward in a graceful arc and landing atop a moss-covered log, eyes locked, unblinking.
"Ryuu!" Bell called, relief flickering in his eyes. "Do you think we can defeat him?"
Ryuu's gaze hardened. "I don't know," she said coldly, stepping in front of Bell. Her hands shifted into position, fingers curling around the hilts of her swords as she drew in a breath, eyes fixed on the Black Goliath.
"O wind, turn into my blade and dance—Luminous Wind!"
A surge of glowing air gathered around her, condensing into sharp, spiraling arcs. With a swift gesture, she unleashed the spell. Blades of wind howled across the clearing, slamming into the Black Goliath's flanks. The creature recoiled slightly, more surprised than hurt—but it was enough.
"I'll draw its attention," she continued, swords flashing to life in her hands. "If anyone has a way to defeat it—do it. Otherwise... run."
Without hesitation, she sprinted into the storm of steel and fury, blades whirling, spell fading into the wind as her body moved like a shadow—swift, precise, and unyielding.
Hestia, still shaken by the chaos she had unintentionally unleashed, clenched her fists. "I have to do something... but what?"
Welf grunted, swinging his sword to block the Goliath's massive claw. "We don't have much time!"
The beast screamed, smashing an adventurer who approached too closely. Screams rang over the battlefield, littered with shattered weapons and dead companions.
Lilirica stabilized the long-range weapon. "I hope this does not explode," she said quietly.
She fired from her lasgun once again, its crimson beam slicing through the air and striking Goliath's shoulder. The searing energy scorched the creature's armored hide, causing it to wobble.
Ryuu stared, her breathing heavy. "It is not invincible," she remarked calmly, her eyes focused.
Bell leaped forward, his knife glowing faintly. "Lili, can you please destroy its eye?" he said while preparing his new skill.
Liliruca fired again, her hands steady despite the danger. The shot grazed the glowing eye, causing the Black Goliath to yell in anguish and thrash violently.
[ I am not being lazy it's just I am writing more chapter so I don't have time to properly upload them you know I even accidentally uploaded a wrong chapter on patron because I thought I have only written 2 chapters while in reality I have written 3 which and I completely forget about the one chapter even today I written to chapter currently I am trying to increase the speed of my writing so I can start writing additional novels ]