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The floor trembled as the massive silhouette of the Black Goliath came fully into view. Its charcoal skin seemed almost like molten stone, jagged and rough, and red cracks glowed like molten veins beneath its demonic exterior. Every movement made the ground quake slightly, and the air around it shimmered with raw, oppressive power.
"This is one big ass Goliath, all right," Damien muttered, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sheer scale of the monster. Its massive fists slammed against the boulder that had been keeping it from the Under Resort, each blow echoing like a cannon.
Riveria's lips parted slightly in awe, her hand resting on her staff."I… I did not know a Goliath could be this scary… From the looks of it, it might even be stronger than Rex of Floor 27, Amphisbaena," she said, her voice low but steady.
Ais simply crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised, and added,"Uhm… like Udaeus… more meat… and legs…"
Damien didn't quite understand what she meant, but there was no time for questions. The Goliath's pounding against the boulder slowed, then stopped entirely. Slowly, it turned its monstrous head toward them. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the trio, and a roar erupted from deep within its chest—an ear-splitting, bone-rattling sound that seemed to shake the very walls of the Dungeon.
The beast started to charge, each step leaving deep fissures in the stone floor.
Damien's smirk widened, and he clenched his fists."Arise!"
The shadows beneath their feet twisted and churned like liquid night. From the darkness, the creatures Damien had summoned emerged: twisted, loyal monsters of his own making, clawed and fanged, their eyes glowing with an unholy light. Beside them, Igris—the metallic, gleaming knight of shadow—stood ready, its massive sword reflecting the Goliath's glowing eyes.
Ais stepped to the left, her sword poised for perfect offense.Damien moved to the right, the shadows crawling ahead like an advancing tide.Riveria hung back, protected by the hulking Silverback shadow, her hands ready to unleash spells that could tear through both monsters and stone alike.
...
The Black Goliath charged forward, its monstrous fists smashing into the stone floor with each step. Every tremor from its body sent small clouds of dust flying, shaking the trio to their bones. But Damien and his Shadows didn't flinch.
"Shadows, forward!" Damien commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. The two infant dragons leapt from the shadows, roaring and spewing small jets of scorching fire. Three hellhounds surged after them, claws digging into the stone as they darted around the Goliath, nipping at its ankles and distracting it. Three minotaurs charged headlong, horns lowered, slamming into its knees and sides.
Igris moved as a gleaming bulwark of steel, intercepting a colossal swing from the Goliath's fist. Sparks flew as the knight's sword and the monster's knuckles collided, sending a shockwave that rattled the air.
Ais darted forward, her sword slicing through the dust like wind itself. "Damien, left flank!" she shouted. Shadows shifted instantly, wrapping around the Goliath's left side, blocking its vision and making the monster hesitate.
Damien grinned, his hands moving in tandem with his army. "Hellhounds, bite at its knees! Dragons, distract its head!"
The Black Goliath howled in frustration as the hellhounds sank their fangs into its charcoal flesh. The dragons leapt onto its broad shoulders, fire searing the red cracks of its skin. But the monster was far from defenseless.
With a roar, it swung its massive arms in a brutal arc, smashing one of the minotaurs into the ground and sending the other two flying back with bone-crunching force. The boulder behind it shattered as it smashed its fists to the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked Damien and Ais off balance.
Riveria's eyes narrowed as she stepped forward, raising her staff. "Damien, Ais, hold its attention! I'll cut its legs!" she called, her voice steady. She began weaving rapid motions, wind slicing through the air with razor-sharp precision. A single misstep could snap anything around her, but her Silverback shadow mirrored her movements, moving as a wall between her and the Goliath.
The first gust of wind shot out, slicing into the Goliath's knees. It roared in pain, the cracks in its skin glowing brighter. It swung wildly, trying to crush Riveria, but Igris intercepted, parrying with his massive sword while Damien's shadows lunged, clawing and biting at its torso.
Ais shouted, "Damien! Now, coordinate with me!" She vaulted into the air, using her speed to dart behind the Goliath's massive back. The shadows spread out, blinding the beast's vision with the flurry of moving forms.
"Shadows, trap its arms!" Damien commanded, his daggers flashing as they appeared in his hands. The minotaurs leapt and rammed the Goliath's shoulders, pinning its arms slightly. The hellhounds swirled, darting between its legs, while the dragons latched onto its shoulders, snapping and clawing viciously.
The Goliath screamed, a sound like boulders grinding together, and swung its fists with such force it shattered the stone beneath it. But every blow was anticipated—the Shadows flanked, Igris blocked, Ais darted, and Damien's daggers flashed with preternatural speed.
"Riveria, do it now!" Damien yelled.
Wind slices erupted from Riveria's staff, cutting through the stone floor and cleaving into the Goliath's legs. The Black Goliath stumbled, one leg snapping at the knee. Another slice from Riveria followed, reducing the other to splintered bone and mangled muscle. The massive body wobbled, balance lost, thrashing violently.
Ais didn't hesitate. She surged forward, her sword gleaming as she leapt onto the creature's shoulders, using its momentary stagger to position herself. Damien's Shadows circled around, keeping its attention divided.
"Now, Damien!" Ais called, her sword poised.
Damien lunged, daggers gleaming, and struck directly at the Goliath's glowing eyes. His blades sliced clean through the molten cracks, blinding the creature as it howled in sheer agony. Blood and molten ichor sprayed across the floor, but the monster's durability kept it from collapsing instantly.
Ais followed immediately, her sword carving a path through its twisted skull. With a final, perfectly timed strike, she drove the tip of her blade deep into its head. The Black Goliath shuddered violently, a final roar echoing through the dungeon, before crumpling to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Damien exhaled sharply, a long breath fogging the cooling air of Floor 17 as he leaned on Igris's shoulder for a moment. "Good work, buddy," he muttered between breaths.
Igris didn't speak — he never did — but he dipped his head with the solemnity of a knight receiving praise from his liege.
The wolves, on the other hand, were nothing like him. They spun around Riveria in wild circles, tails swishing excitedly, proud of their contribution. The Silverback thumped his chest with both fists, letting out a deep grunt of satisfaction. The three minotaurs lined up and saluted as if they were veteran soldiers reporting to a commander. And the two infant dragons… of course, they were busy slamming their foreheads together in a heated "I did better than you!" contest.
Ais approached Damien with her usual quiet grace, sheathing her sword as she wiped the last of the dark ichor from her blade. She looked at the rambunctious Shadows, her amber eyes softening. "I… didn't know fighting with monsters could be this fun," she admitted. For someone with a deep hatred of monsters, that was almost a confession. But these Shadows—Damien's shadows—weren't monsters, not to her. Not anymore.
Riveria knelt down with surprising warmth, running her fingers through the wolves' fur as they leaned into her touch. "That was an excellent team effort," she said, lifting her gaze to Damien. "You've become someone very reliable to fight beside. And these little special ones of yours… they're delightful in their own destructive way."
Damien rubbed the back of his neck, smiling like an embarrassed child. "Thanks… I just try to keep up with you guys."
But the moment didn't last.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor leading deeper into the floor. The trio straightened. Igris raised his sword. The minotaurs moved to the front. The Silverback positioned himself in front of Riveria. Even the dragons stopped headbutting each other.
Shapes emerged from the mist of the dungeon—dark cloaks, weapons drawn, expressions painted with malice.
Ikelos Familia.
And leading them was the god himself.
Ikelos stepped forward with a mocking smile, Dix walking behind him wrapped in layers of bandages like a mummy, glaring daggers straight at Damien. The god's voice dripped with arrogance.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't you three again. Truly shitty luck you've got." His eyes slid to the giant corpse behind them. "We came here to kill that Goliath ourselves, but since you've done the work for us… I'll offer you a generous ultimatum."
He pointed lazily toward the fallen monster.
"We'll take the Black Heart and leave Orario. Consider it payment for letting you walk away with your heads attached. Fair, right? You get to keep breathing."
Riveria's expression shifted instantly from warmth to complete steel. She didn't even turn her head when she whispered, "Damien. Ais. Weapons up."
She looked at the Goliath's corpse, her mind putting things together in a heartbeat. 'The Black Heart… that's Ikelos's goal. They need it for something dangerous. We cannot allow them to take it'
Damien's daggers slid out with a metallic rasp. Ais drew her sword, her eyes narrowing with lethal purpose.
The Shadows responded in kind—hellhounds baring their fangs, minotaurs bracing their weight, dragons snarling, Igris stepping forward like the king of a battlefield.
Ikelos let out an exaggerated sigh.
"You people really don't learn, huh? Always choosing the hard way." His grin stretched. "Fine. Kill them all. And don't let any of them escape this time."
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If you Like this story! Check out my other story ! Sukuna in DC!
AND
If you wish to read more or simply support me just because ? than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/Riadooo"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want !