The rebound force was surprisingly strong—so much so that Bell nearly lost his grip on the dagger.
Sensing a gust of wind approaching, he tightened his hold and leapt away.
"Smack!"
A massive hand, mountain-like in size, slammed down where his neck had been. The impact was so powerful, Bell could still feel it even after dodging.
He hadn't even stabilized his footing on Goliath's body when it began to tilt. With a calm expression, Bell crouched down and drove his dagger directly into the surface beneath him.
"Shhk!"
This time, the blade didn't bounce off—it pierced straight into Goliath's flesh beneath the tough outer layer.
Almost instantly, a purple streak spread from the wound, quickly branching outward. But just as it began to spread wider, the effect was suddenly suppressed.
Seeing this and feeling the slope beneath his feet steepen, Bell swiftly retracted the dagger and jumped off Goliath's body.
...
Meanwhile, the two goddesses of the Hestia Familia were watching the projection intently.
"So that's what Goliath looks like..."
Hestia had only ever read about him in books. This was her first time seeing the real thing.
"It's my first time too. The Floor Boss of the 17th floor—Goliath."
Hephaestus was stunned by its sheer size and speed. If Bell hadn't reacted as quickly as he did, he might've been killed by that first blow.
"Massive body, overwhelming strength, fast reflexes... and it can even use sound-based magic. Floor Bosses really aren't ordinary monsters."
...
But something felt off to Hephaestus. A strange doubt crept in—'Is this really Goliath?'
Back in the Dungeon, Bell landed and retreated quickly, keeping his eyes locked on the spot where the Hydra Dagger had struck.
'He's deliberately containing the poison near the wound to stop it from spreading.'
Hydra's blood was potent enough to corrode even a monster's magic stone. Bell hadn't expected Goliath to have the means to suppress the poison's spread, minimizing its effect.
Still, Bell didn't consider switching weapons. He pressed the attack.
Charging toward Goliath's now-stabilized leg, Bell raised the dagger, aiming for the ankle.
"Boom!!!"
A tremor rippled out like a miniature quake. Bell's face tightened. The accompanying sound told him exactly what kind of attack this was.
He immediately aborted the strike and darted away from Goliath.
Once outside the attack range, Bell saw the giant had already raised its enormous hand—aimed precisely at the ankle he had just targeted.
'He knew I'd go for that spot. So he used the soundwave to mimic an earthquake, forcing me to rush and throw off my balance. Then he timed his counterattack for that opening.'
'I see now... This is the Floor Boss's battle instinct at work.'
Bell was certain this Goliath wasn't above Lv.4. But even at this level, the enhancements Floor Bosses gained in one-on-one battles were undeniable.
It reminded him of how Udaeus, who normally never drew his sword, did so when facing the Sword Princess alone.
A solo battle against a Floor Boss was simply on another level from a group fight.
As he processed this, Goliath had already gotten back on its feet and was charging at him again.
'I really do need to manage my speed more carefully.'
With that massive frame, absurd reaction time, and strength and endurance to match—it would be game over if Bell wasn't cautious.
He gripped the dagger tighter and dashed forward to meet the attack.
But Goliath suddenly halted. Its mouth opened wide, a flicker of white light forming within—just like before.
Only this time, Bell could tell—Goliath wasn't aiming at the ground. It was aiming at him.
Magic gathered beneath Bell's feet, propelling his body into an even faster sprint.
"Boom!"
The soundwave exploded against the floor, sending another tremor through the 17th floor. But this time, Bell was ready.
Of course, Bell was certain Goliath had made his own preparations.
"Raaahhh!"
With a deafening roar, Goliath raised his massive fist and slammed it down.
"Boom!!!"
The impact shook the entire 17th floor as if the ground itself might be flipped upside down.
A dense cloud of dust rose beneath Goliath—yet from within that cloud, a lone figure burst out and appeared behind him.
Somehow, Goliath sensed the presence. He turned his head with unnatural speed and opened his mouth, unleashing a sonic blast toward the figure.
The attack landed, hitting its mark—only for the target to crumble into a human-shaped piece of wood.
The real Bell had already reached Goliath's ankle.
With the Hydra Dagger in hand, he slashed cleanly across Goliath's Achilles tendon.
The blade, infused with deadly sharpness, sliced effortlessly through the thick hide, letting the Hydra venom seep directly into the tendon.
Without hesitation, Bell retreated and began charging his next move.
"Dong!!"
The resonant toll of the bell echoed once more—ringing out every five seconds.
"Aaaargh!"
The venom took hold. With his Achilles tendon compromised, Goliath lost balance and crashed face-first into the ground.
Where moments ago the giant had sprung up with terrifying speed, now he struggled, his movements no longer sharp.
'So the poison wasn't ineffective—he was just containing it in one area.'
'But once the legs, the foundation of movement, are affected, a body that large can no longer maneuver properly.'
Just seconds ago, Goliath had been nimble and relentless. Now, his fighting ability was clearly diminished.
But before Bell could relax, Goliath's head suddenly twisted toward him. Deep inside, a faint white light began to glow.
'...Damn it! I forgot he still has that move!'
Still channeling energy in his right hand, Bell slammed his left hand onto the ground.
A thick wall of earth surged up between him and Goliath.
"Boom!"
The wall shook, but it withstood the sonic blast.
"Boom!"
The second wave cracked its outer edge.
"Boom!"
The third blast shattered half the wall. Still, the bell's toll continued.
"Boom!"
The fourth sonic burst obliterated the wall entirely.
But even as the echoes of the bell rang throughout the floor, Goliath couldn't pinpoint Bell's location.
Suddenly, the ringing stopped.
"Slice!"
A vertical flash of white sword light cut through the air, striking from behind.
Sensing the danger too late, Goliath tried to react—but his body was already caught in the blast.
His enormous frame disintegrated in an instant, reduced to a heap of white ash.
Bell reappeared, breathing heavily.
"Whew... Once a Floor Boss is enhanced, it really does become a pain to deal with."