The Goliath—a Level 4 Juggernaut, the first true boss of the dungeon.
It towered over the battlefield at eight meters, its grotesque, muscle-bound form reminiscent of the monstrous Titans of legend. A creature of raw destruction, it stood as the gatekeeper to the 18th floor, blocking the path to the safe zone—a resting place for adventurers before they delved deeper into the abyss.
Ordinarily, only the strongest familias dared to challenge it. The likes of Freya's or Loki's elite warriors would be the ones to cut it down, ensuring the passage remained open.
But today?
Today was different.
---
Ryan stepped into the sprawling chamber, his gaze locking onto the towering beast.
At the same time, another group of adventurers emerged from the opposite entrance.
A squad from the Loki Familia—likely stationed on the 18th floor, awaiting the Goliath's respawn.
Among them:
Two fierce Amazons, their bronzed skin and battle-scarred bodies radiating raw ferocity.
A doll-like blonde girl, her expression eerily calm, yet her presence as sharp as a drawn blade.
A lithe elf, emerald eyes narrowing as she swiftly analyzed the battlefield.
Their instincts kicked in immediately—but not toward the Goliath.
Instead, all their attention snapped onto Ryan.
Because before they could even process the situation, he had already moved.
---
In a single step, he vanished from his position, reappearing directly before the monstrous Goliath.
The Keyblade in his grip shimmered, carving a deadly arc through the air.
And then—
One slash.
A perfect cut from shoulder to waist.
For a heartbeat, the world held still.
Then—a thunderous crash echoed through the chamber as the Goliath split in two, its massive bulk crumbling like a collapsing mountain. The dungeon itself shook as the fallen behemoth's body disintegrated into shimmering motes of light.
The Loki Familia adventurers stood paralyzed, their battle-ready stances faltering, their minds struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
An instant kill.
No drawn-out fight. No desperate struggle. Just one perfect strike.
---
As the boss vanished, two rare drops appeared in its place:
A colossal magic crystal, radiating an aura of pure energy.
A Goliath Tooth, a legendary material prized by blacksmiths and enchanters.
Ryan barely spared them a glance as he gathered his loot and turned away.
Behind him, the Amazons, the elf, and the doll-like girl remained frozen, their wide eyes flicking between the scattered remains of the Goliath and the man who had erased it in a single stroke.
"...Who the hell is he?" one of the Amazons whispered, voice tinged with shock, awe, and something else—curiosity.
---
[Level Up: Level 30]
More notifications flooded Ryan's vision, yet he barely paused before selecting [Blacksmithing].
His feet never stopped moving.
Reaching the 18th floor, he completely bypassed the so-called safe zone, pushing forward into the 19th. The hunt continued.
Everything in his path fell.
With each swing of his Keyblade, monsters collapsed, their bodies shattering into aether and loot.
Still, nothing truly challenged him—until the 24th floor.
---
The labyrinth of trees stretched endlessly, a vast forest dungeon bathed in eerie, golden light.
There, standing before an ancient tree with gems embedded in its bark—rubies, sapphires, emeralds, even diamonds—was a large green dragon.
Ryan's eyes flickered with intrigue.
A Treasure Tree.
A rare miracle of nature, its gems held immense value—both for their magical properties and sheer wealth.
But the dragon?
It barely registered as a threat.
A flicker of movement. A glint of steel.
One strike.
A headless dragon collapsed, its lifeblood soaking into the roots of the sacred tree.
The Treasure Tree vanished in an instant—absorbed into his Inner World.
Ryan didn't hesitate.
There was still time left on his luck-enhancing abilities.
And he intended to make the most of it.
---
Descending deeper, the dungeon responded.
It began to resist.
Monsters surged in droves, entire hordes of creatures swarming from the abyss.
Deadly Hornets, their venomous stingers glistening, spawning in endless waves from pulsating nests.
Igauze, tiny red swallow-like beasts, moving in swarms of thousands, attacking in suicidal dive-bomb formations, their speeds blurring the air.
A lesser adventurer would have panicked, been overwhelmed by the sheer numbers.
But for Ryan?
It was just another challenge.
His Keyblade blurred, slicing through enemies in a non-stop torrent of destruction.
Magic cores rained from the sky, but before they could touch the ground, they were instantly sucked into his Pagoda, Gem in control acting like an auto-loot function gathering every last drop of wealth.
For every one he struck down, ten more surged forward.
For every step he took, another dozen lives were erased.
---
At first, each swing took one life.
Then two per slash.
Then three. Four. Five.
His keyblade moved faster, sharper, deadlier.
A single step erased ten enemies.
A single breath spelled extinction for an entire swarm.
His swordsmanship refined, his Observation Haki sharpened, his power surged.
And as the numbers of the swarm dwindled, Ryan's level skyrocketed—
Level 35… 37… 39… 40.
And still—he kept going.
His body flickered with lightning as he started moving faster and faster.
[It's me again here to drop off your next chapter this one is a tad bit shorter. Anyway send Powerstones, Soda Money and Sexy Anime Waifu, see my throats a little dry and I could use something to drink. All this writing really works up a thirst. Cashapp $Ryantheholy ]