One minute wasn't short, but it wasn't long either. The Apollo Familia had gone all out, yet it was clear they couldn't bring down the defense-specialized Floor Boss, Goliath.
Hearing Roy call for a switch, Hyakinthos protested unwillingly, "You can't do this! We've already dealt massive damage to Goliath—this is stealing the kill!"
Over there, Goliath had lost one arm, its body covered in wounds, clearly on its last legs.
Letting Roy's side reap the benefits for free—how could Hyakinthos and the Apollo Familia accept that?
"An agreement is an agreement," Roy said with a smile. "And it's not like I forced you to go first. Besides, if we can't defeat Goliath within our minute, you can go again."
Hyakinthos laughed in anger. What a joke—over there stood Gale Wind, a Lv.4 adventurer of the Astraea Familia.
Roy's tone suddenly turned colder. "Or… are you planning to break the agreement and fight us first?"
Sensing the chill in Roy's voice, Hyakinthos's expression fluctuated. Finally, he waved his hand sharply.
"All units, fall back."
The Apollo Familia members were unwilling, but they had no choice but to retreat. Inside the Dungeon, orders were absolute—this concerned everyone's lives.
No one liked those who disobeyed commands, broke formation, and acted on their own.
"If it weren't for Lord Apollo's favor, I'd have killed you already!" Hyakinthos said coldly, glaring at Daphne and Cassandra. In his view, if the healing had kept up, they would have succeeded.
Cassandra shrank back, too frightened to say a word.
Daphne's face darkened. Her resentment toward the Apollo Familia reached its peak—pinning all their hopes on two newcomers, they'd even pull something like this?
"Captain, we did most of the work!" several members complained to Hyakinthos.
"Don't rush," Hyakinthos said, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. "Who takes down Goliath is still uncertain."
Now it was Roy and Ryuu's one-minute turn. The Apollo Familia withdrew completely, eyes glued to the magic stone timer, determined not to let Roy use even a second more.
A ferocious grin spread across Roy's face. He drew the greatsword from his back—the rarely used Giant Slayer. Its heavy blade was blunt and unadorned, more like a massive club.
This weapon's special effect was extremely unique: the larger the enemy's size, the higher the damage dealt. Against smaller foes, its power dropped sharply.
Its upper limit reached the epic tier—its lower limit, merely low-grade.
Roy and Ryuu attacked Goliath from both sides.
Ryuu's blinding speed let her arrive first, drawing Goliath's attention. Her golden figure darted about like an afterimage, engaging it in close combat.
Goliath couldn't catch the agile Ryuu at all.
Roy appeared behind Goliath, lifting the Giant Slayer high before bringing it down toward its back.
As if sensing its prey, the Giant Slayer responded. The once blunt blade turned sharp, gleaming with a cold, lethal light.
Roy gripped the hilt with both hands, pouring all his strength into the swing. The blade tore through Goliath's coarse hide, exposing the muscle beneath.
The wound was so deep that the magic stone inside was nearly visible.
"ROAR!"
Goliath let out a pained howl, staggering forward, nearly losing its balance.
Seeing this, the Apollo Familia members looked displeased. Not knowing the Giant Slayer's special effect, they assumed Goliath's defenses had only been broken so easily because they had already crippled it.
Goliath turned its head, about to strike at Roy—when a golden blur swept past its feet.
Bang!
Ryuu's blade slammed into Goliath's Achilles heel, sending the massive body crashing heavily to the ground.
"Charge—Thunder Spear. By the authority of my proxy, I grant the order. My name is the Sovereign of Lightning, the Incarnation of Thunder, the Master of Lightning—"
Roy planted the Giant Slayer into the ground and began chanting rapidly, golden lightning surging into his palms.
Ryuu couldn't help but glance at him. What was he doing? After fighting together for a whole week, she knew full well that Roy's magic was normally cast without chanting.
Roy put on a show, completing the chant as the golden lightning in his hands took shape, forming two long spears.
"Go!"
Roy's leg muscles tensed as he lunged forward, hurling both lightning spears. They streaked through the air like twin bolts of gold.
Both struck true—piercing straight into Goliath's eyes.
Boom!
The lightning spears detonated violently. Goliath's eye sockets became two charred, bloody craters, arcs of electricity still crackling as if gnawing at its flesh.
Watching Roy and Ryuu close in on the kill, Hyacinthus grew increasingly frantic. Never had one minute felt so long—so agonizing.
"How much time left?!" he shouted.
"Captain, thirty seconds!" came the reply.
Hyakinthos's heart sank. Half the time still remained—more than enough for Roy and Ryuu to kill the weakened Goliath several times over.
"We're done waiting—everyone, charge!"
Hyakinthos roared, rushing forward himself. The Apollo Familia members, burning with resentment, followed his lead and surged toward Goliath.
Roy snorted coldly.
He knew it. These people were never going to play fair.
Coincidentally, if the Apollo Familia had been about to defeat Goliath, Roy would've jumped in to steal the kill as well.
In the Dungeon, trust between non-companions was worth less than dirt. Neither side was innocent—it all came down to who played dirtier.
"Wind of Light—"
Ryuu's clear voice rang out. While fighting Goliath, she had already completed her spell chant. This was the mark of a master capable of parallel chanting—unlike the Apollo Familia's mages, who had to stay behind under protection.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ryuu's overwhelming Lv.4 magic power surged forth, illuminating the surroundings. Emerald-green orbs of light rained down, covering the Apollo Familia's advance route.
A chain of violent explosions erupted.
The fierce blasts forced the Apollo Familia members to retreat, unable to get any closer to Goliath.
Seizing this brief opening, Roy lifted the Giant Slayer and leapt forward. Aiming through the previously opened wound, he drove the greatsword deep into Goliath's abdomen.
The blade pierced straight into the magic stone within.
Bang!
Goliath's enormous body disintegrated into ash. A magic stone the size of a baby's head slammed heavily onto the ground.
As the dust from the explosions caused by Wind of Light settled, the Apollo Familia saw that Goliath had already been subjugated. Their morale collapsed instantly.
Most of them hung their heads in defeat.
The sole exception was Daphne, whose pretty face showed a trace of satisfaction.
"Hmph. We're leaving!" Hyakinthos said darkly, leading his defeated troops toward the passage to the 16th Floor.
Roy smiled. "Take care."
Hyakinthos turned back, wanting to spit out a few threats, but after hesitating, he clenched his teeth and left.
"Let's go," Daphne said, pulling the blue-haired girl with her. Cassandra Ilion—her roommate in the Apollo Familia. Timid and weak, always muttering about strange dreams like a child.
Cassandra looked at Roy's back, her eyes vacant.
"Justice… will pierce the sun."
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