One minute was not too short, but it wasn't long either. The Apollo Familia had exerted their full strength but clearly could not defeat the defense-specialized Floor Boss, Goliath.
Hearing Roy call for a change, Hyakinthos cried out unwillingly, "You can't do this! We've already severely damaged Goliath. This is monster stealing!"
Looking at Goliath, with one arm severed and covered in wounds, it was clearly on low health.
To let Roy's group simply snatch the reward would be intolerable to Hyakinthos and the Apollo Familia.
"An agreement is an agreement!"
Roy laughed. "I didn't force you to go first. Besides, if we fail to defeat Goliath in one minute, you can still go again."
Hyakinthos laughed with anger. Nonsense! The Astrea Familia had the LV.4 Gale on their side.
Roy's tone shifted. "Or… do you want to break the agreement and fight us first?"
Hearing the coldness in Roy's voice, Hyakinthos' expression flickered, and he waved his hand.
"Everyone retreat."
The Apollo Familia members looked unwilling but had no choice but to fall back. In the Dungeon, they had to obey commands, as everyone's life was at stake.
No one liked someone who disobeyed orders, disrupted the formation, and acted independently.
"If not for Lord Apollo's favor, I would have killed you!" Hyakinthos stared coldly at Daphne and Cassandra. In his view, they could have succeeded if the healing had been timely.
Cassandra was too intimidated to speak.
Daphne's face was unhappy. Her resentment toward the Apollo Familia reached its peak. Blaming the two rookies? How dare they!
"Captain, we did most of the work!"
Several members complained to Hyakinthos.
"Don't rush. It's still unknown who will defeat Goliath." A vicious look flashed across Hyakinthos' face.
It was Roy and Ryuu's minute to attack. The entire Apollo Familia retreated, their eyes fixed on the magic clock, refusing to let Roy use a single second more than necessary.
A fierce grin spread across Roy's face. He pulled the massive sword from his back—the rarely used Giant Killer. The heavy sword was unsharpened, like a blunt weapon.
The special effect of this equipment was highly unique: the larger the monster's size, the higher the damage. Conversely, the smaller the monster, the lower the damage.
Its upper limit was Epic grade, and its lower limit was Low-Grade.
Roy and Ryuu flanked Goliath.
Ryuu's swift speed reached the creature first, drawing Goliath's attention. The golden figure moved rapidly, like an illusion, engaging Goliath in a fierce struggle.
Goliath couldn't catch the nimble Ryuu at all.
Roy appeared behind Goliath, raising the Giant Killer high and bringing it down onto the monster's back.
Sensing the target was Goliath, the Giant Killer seemed to respond. The dull blade became razor-sharp, flashing with cold light.
Roy gripped the hilt tightly, pouring all his strength into it. The blade tore fiercely through Goliath's rough skin, exposing the muscle beneath.
The wound was deep enough to glimpse the Magic Stone inside.
Roar!
Goliath let out a cry of pain. Its steps staggered forward, and it nearly fell.
Seeing this, the Apollo Familia members looked displeased. They were unaware of the Giant Killer's special effect, so they assumed Roy was able to easily break Goliath's defense only because they had already weakened it.
Goliath turned its head, about to attack Roy, when a golden blur flashed past its heels.
Bang!
Ryuu's sword chopped down on Goliath's Achilles tendon. The monster's massive body crashed heavily to the ground.
"Assault, Thunder Spear! In the name of the Deputy, I command you. My name is Lord of Thunder, Avatar of Lightning, Controller of Thunder—"
Roy stabbed the Giant Killer into the ground and quickly began chanting. Golden currents surged from his palms.
Ryuu couldn't help but glance at Roy. What is he doing? After fighting together for a week, she knew his Magic was no-chant.
Roy pretended to chant a spell. As he finished, the golden lightning in his palms formed two long spears.
"Go!"
Roy's leg muscles tensed. He darted forward and hurled the two Thunder Spears, which flashed past like golden lightning bolts.
They accurately pierced Goliath's two eyes.
Boom!
The Thunder Spears exploded. Goliath's eye sockets became two bloody, charred holes. The surrounding electric snakes seemed to be tearing at it further.
Seeing Roy and Ryuu about to kill Goliath, Hyakinthos grew increasingly anxious. He had never felt a minute stretch so long and agonizingly.
Hyakinthos anxiously asked, "How much longer?"
"Captain, thirty seconds left."
Hyakinthos' heart sank. Half the time remained—enough for Roy and Ryuu to kill the wounded Goliath several times over.
"No waiting! All members, advance!"
Hyakinthos shouted loudly, charging forward first. The resentful Apollo Familia members responded to his call, surging forward to pounce on Goliath.
Seeing this, Roy sneered.
He knew these guys wouldn't behave.
Coincidentally, if the Apollo Familia were about to defeat Goliath, Roy would certainly try to steal the kill, too.
In the Dungeon, trust between non-allied adventurers was worse than a pile of dirt. Neither side was composed of good people; it was just a matter of whose methods were more ruthless.
"Ariel—"
Ryuu's clear voice rang out. While engaging Goliath, she had already completed her spell chant. This was the mark of a master who understood parallel chanting, while the Apollo Familia mages could only stand back, protected by others.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ryuu's powerful LV.4 Magic Power erupted, illuminating the area. Emerald-green spheres of light rained down, covering the path of the advancing Apollo Familia.
Continuous explosions erupted.
The fierce blasts forced the Apollo Familia members to retreat, preventing them from approaching Goliath.
Seizing this brief opening, Roy grabbed the Giant Killer, leaped forward, and drove the greatsword into Goliath's abdomen through the wound he had previously created.
The blade struck the Magic Stone inside the monster.
Bang!
The colossal Goliath dissolved into dust, and a Magic Stone the size of a baby's head fell heavily to the ground.
As the dust settled from the Ariel explosion, the Apollo Familia members saw that Goliath had been defeated, and their morale instantly hit rock bottom.
Most members were crestfallen.
The only exception was perhaps Daphne, whose delicate face showed a hint of delight.
"Hmph, we're leaving!"
Hyakinthos' face was gloomy. He led the large group of defeated forces toward the passage to the sixteenth floor.
Roy laughed, "Have a safe trip!"
Hyakinthos turned back, wanting to throw a few threats, but after much hesitation, he simply gritted his teeth and left.
"Let's go." Daphne pulled the blue-haired girl away. Cassandra Ilion was her roommate in the Apollo Familia—timid, weak, and constantly babbling like a child about her dreams.
Cassandra looked at Roy's retreating figure, her eyes glazed over. "Justice will pierce the sun!"