The seventeenth floor was unlike any other level before it.
A vast, open plain stretched endlessly before them, so wide and bare that there wasn't a single obstacle in sight. It felt purpose-built—a stage designed to accommodate large-scale battles. Or perhaps, a space created solely to house the creature known as the floor boss.
Even the walls were different here. Instead of the usual rock, they were made of a reflective crystal that gleamed like polished glass. Beautiful, yes—but there was danger in that beauty.
From his place among the group, Tsuna froze as a massive shadow flickered behind the crystal. The pressure that rolled across his skin was unmistakable—heavy, suffocating, monstrous. It was as if a mountain had come alive and was pressing down on his shoulders.
"ROOOOAAARRR!!"
The roar erupted from behind the crystal wall, a beast's cry that shook the entire floor. The shockwave rippled outward, making the ground tremble like a localized earthquake. Cracks split the crystal walls, and from within emerged a colossal figure—freshly unearthed, newly born.
Not a normal Goliath.
Tsuna immediately noticed something wrong—the color of its skin. A regular Goliath's body was bronze, almost earthen in tone. But this one… this one was pitch black.
A mutated Goliath? Like the one that appeared in the original story?
His thoughts raced. There were no gods present this time, and yet such an aberration had still manifested. Could this be tied to the Dungeon's ongoing "abnormality"?
The giant's enormous body tore itself free from the crystal wall, step by thunderous step. Crimson light burned in its eyes as it locked onto the Loki Familia, unleashing another earth-shaking roar.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
Finn Deimne's gaze sharpened on the monster. A sharp pain pricked at his thumb—a sign, an instinct, an omen. That uneasy feeling screamed louder than ever. The change in the Goliath's appearance… it had to be connected to the Dungeon's abnormal behavior.
A hand settled on his shoulder. Before he could turn, a familiar voice spoke quietly.
"It's an 'abnormal situation.'"
Hearing that voice calmed him. It confirmed that his instincts hadn't dulled.
"That floor boss is definitely part of the abnormality," Tsuna said, eyes never leaving the monster. "The Dungeon doesn't change easily—it's as constant as the gods themselves. But when it does change, it usually means something big's about to happen."
"The Goliath's skin color changed. It feels more violent, more unstable," Tsuna continued. "We should observe it first. Rushing in could cause unnecessary trouble."
He was right. Acting blindly would only make things worse.
Finn's expression tightened. His instincts screamed caution, but someone had to test it. And that task fell to him—the captain.
"Then I'll take the first move."
Before anyone could protest, Finn launched forward like a fired arrow. His small figure blurred, vanishing from sight as he charged straight for the Goliath.
The monster reacted instantly. It raised both massive arms high above its head—then slammed them down with earth-splitting force.
"BOOM!!"
The impact sent a spiderweb of cracks racing through the ground, a shockwave rippling outward like a tidal wave of destruction. The entire floor shuddered violently.
Dust engulfed the battlefield, cloaking everything in a brown haze. But a moment later, a flicker of movement cut through it—a small shadow arcing through the air before landing on the Goliath's massive arm.
"Shhhk!"
Finn's spear slashed down, carving a line across the monster's skin. Blood spilled—but his expression only grew graver.
So tough.
Even with a first-tier weapon, cutting it had felt like stabbing stone. That black hide was far denser than any normal Goliath's—its defense had skyrocketed.
"ROOOAARRR!!"
The Goliath's mouth opened wide, and a glowing magic circle formed before Tsuna could even warn him.
A deafening explosion erupted from its arm.
The blast ripped a hole clean through its limb—an injury that would've crippled any creature. But before their eyes, the wound shimmered with a red aura, and in mere seconds, the destroyed flesh reformed, whole again.
Rapid regeneration.
"ROOOOOOAAAAARRR!!"
The Goliath roared once more, tilting its head toward the ground and releasing waves of sonic energy that tore through the lingering dust.
A magic attack. And self-healing.
Tsuna's eyes narrowed. So it really is the mutated Goliath from the story… He hadn't expected to face it this early.
He moved closer to Riveria and Gareth, voice calm but serious.
"Riveria, Gareth—normal Goliaths don't have ranged attacks, right?"
"…Of course not."
Riveria hesitated for a moment, stunned by what she was seeing. Her gaze followed the creature's bombardment before finally answering, her tone tight.
"A standard Goliath can't use magic, let alone regenerate like that. If it truly possesses both, then no number of low-level Adventurers could defeat it without a large-scale, high-damage spell. Regular attacks would be useless."
A monster that massive, with ranged magic and rapid regeneration—it was a nightmare combination. If every Goliath were like this, Orario's streets would be half-empty of Adventurers by now.
"Agreed," Gareth rumbled. "A Goliath that can strike from afar and regenerate wounds? That's beyond dangerous. Unless someone can land a devastating blow strong enough to overwhelm its healing, there's no killing it."
He clenched his fists. Low-level Adventurers lacked that kind of destructive power. Without the strength to suppress its regeneration, a battle would only drag on until exhaustion—or death—claimed them.
There was no doubt about it.
This was an abnormal situation.