Titan's Fall

After hearing what Ares said, Magnus instantly nodded, Ares didn't expect it—he was shocked, his eyes widening in surprise, almost ready to pop out of their sockets. He never thought Magnus would go along with Sylphir's risky plan.

Before that, Magnus whispered into Ares' fluffy ear, "Okay, brother, but promise me one thing—you will save me at any cost when I can barely fight back anymore." His voice was full of confidence, yet tinged with worry.

Hearing this, Ares laughed, curling his lips in amusement at Magnus' courage.

"And brother, that monster is pissing me off. I want revenge—I want to pulverize that bastard's face into pieces! And if I get the chance, not only will I do that, but I'll also kick him continuously and torture him until he begs me to stop!" Magnus added, his eyes burning with fury.

"Yeah."

Hearing this, Ares felt more confident. He had grown even closer to Magnus, and the doubts that had clouded his mind earlier had vanished. Magnus' words touched his heart.

He also felt that Magnus had grown a lot within the dungeon. The weirdo he had first met had become courageous when it truly mattered.

"See? I knew he would go along with it," Sylphir said smugly.

Ares took a deep breath before shifting his gaze forward, locking eyes with the titan. It was time to present the agreement.

After explaining the details of the plan to Magnus, Ares immediately walked toward the titan, causing the massive creature to furrow his brows in confusion.

"You monster," Ares said, his voice loud and clear, his cold gaze and serious expression exuding a badass aura.

"I'm giving you two choices, and it's up to you to decide," he continued.

The titan furrowed his brows, his massive frame tensing as he processed Ares' words. His deep blue face twisted into a mix of confusion and anger.

"First, you will fight my best friend standing behind me. If you defeat him, you're free to do whatever you want with his body. But if you lose, you will surrender yourself and not even think about running away from me.

"And the second option?" Ares' voice grew even more menacing. "I kill you instantly, right here and now."

The titan's eyes darted toward Magnus, studying him with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. Magnus stood tall, gripping his spear tightly, his burning determination evident.

"You dare give me choices, human?" he growled, his voice rumbling like a landslide. "Do you take me for a fool?"

The titan's instincts screamed at him that this plan would only lead to his death, yet his heart raced with excitement. The thought of devouring Magnus in an instant was too tempting to ignore.

"Then prepare yourself," Ares said coldly.

The titan flinched, panic flashing across his face. After a moment, he sneered, his voice laced with mockery.

"Are you really sure, human? You're willing to let this one die by my hands?" He chuckled darkly, trying to probe for hesitation, attempting to twist the agreement in his favor.

"Huh?! Don't underestimate him, or you'll be the one to die!" Ares said, provoking the titan into accepting the agreement. His voice carried the confidence of someone negotiating with a high-ranking CEO.

Kirk! Kirk! Kirk!

The titan started to believe Ares' words.

"I don't know what this man is up to, but handing this human to me so freely is acceptable. Once I devour him instantly and regain my armor and strength, I'll go after him next," the titan thought to himself.

Since Ares had initiated the plan, the titan was willing to accept this opportunity with his whole heart—he wouldn't let it slip away.

"Then what are the rules?!" the titan asked, narrowing his eyes, impatient to fight.

Ares was momentarily shocked—he hadn't expected the titan to fall for the plan so easily, just as Sylphir had predicted. Quickly, he organized his thoughts, making sure his words would be convincing enough to gain the titan's trust.

"Rules?" Ares said, holding his chin in thought. "Hmm, let's see..."

Meanwhile, Sylphir whispered to him, "No weapons allowed."

Ares immediately repeated, "No weapons allowed. No magic or traps either. Anyone who disregards this rule will have the fight stopped immediately." His voice was serious yet firm.

Ares didn't know the reason why weapons weren't allowed either. He was dumbfounded, processing his thoughts. Magnus already had only a small chance of winning with a weapon, yet now he had to fight with his bare hands. This could end up favoring the titan even more.

"What?" the titan muttered under his breath. "They're really taking this as a joke? Well, in that case..."

The titan became even more enraged, his eyes filled with pure bloodlust. He couldn't hold back the overwhelming killing intent radiating from him.

"Then, if you agree, I will step back two meters so I won't interfere in this battle," Ares said. Without hesitation, he immediately walked away from them.

Magnus, who had been holding his spear, suddenly threw his dagger aside, sending it flying into the distance. The titan followed suit, keeping only his armor, which was already on the verge of breaking into pieces.

Before they could even begin, Magnus and the titan stood close, staring each other down. Magnus swallowed hard, but he remained calm in front of the titan, refusing to let his fear take over.

The moment Ares started counting, the titan lunged forward without hesitation. Magnus, barely able to stand from fear, managed to dodge just in time—the titan's attack nearly took off his head in an instant. Ares immediately grew concerned.

Magnus pushed forward, throwing a punch, but the titan remained composed, effortlessly tapping his feet against the ground to evade each of Magnus' attacks. Then, when the titan finally struck back, Magnus was sent flying backward, coughing up blood as he hit the ground.

"D-Damn… this monster really is a monster," Magnus muttered, wiping his mouth. "But I can't let my brother be disappointed… I need to buy him some time."

Magnus was still determined to continue. He refused to signal Ares for help, remembering what Ares had said—only when he could no longer fight back should he surrender. Instead, he simply winked at Ares, a silent message to let him handle it. The moment Magnus reached his limit, Ares would deliver the final blow to the titan.

But Magnus had a plan—he wasn't just fighting to win. His goal was to exhaust the titan, wearing him down so that when the time came, Ares could easily finish him off in an instant.

He had been prepared to sacrifice his body from the very start. After all, he had felt like a burden to Ares earlier, and this was his way of paying him back for all the help he had received.

Damn, Magnus… I wish I had a friend like that.

After a while, Magnus' body started to tremble. He was being beaten down by the titan, but he remained standing, using his arms to block as best as he could. Ares, waiting on the sidelines, grew impatient. He was ready to lunge in at any moment. The plan was simple—once Magnus gave him the signal, a wink, Ares would immediately activate the Shadow Stone artifact. But still, he held back, determined not to interfere before the right moment.

"Damn… damn… I still need more time," Magnus muttered. His vision was blurring, nearly blinded by his injuries.

Then, the titan prepared to deliver the final blow. For a moment, Magnus froze. His body refused to move. But just as the titan was about to devour him, Magnus suddenly grabbed onto the titan's waist with all his remaining strength. With a final burst of will, he turned toward Ares and winked.

Even though Ares couldn't clearly see Magnus' eyes, he knew—that was the signal. Without hesitation, he activated the Shadow Stone artifact. But something was wrong. The teleportation was delayed.

The titan, enraged, widened his mouth, ready to lunge at Magnus' face. Time seemed to slow.

Then—slash!

Out of nowhere, Ares appeared behind the titan in an instant. Before the titan could react, a swift slash cut through his body. A moment later, his massive form collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Ares had severed his head in a single, decisive strike—silencing him forever.

[You have slain the Level 50 Frostbound Titan!]

[You have received a reward!]

After defeating the titan, Ares' system suddenly issued a warning, making his anxiety spike.

[Warning: The surroundings will begin to shake at any moment.]

[Warning: The surroundings will begin to shake at any moment. Be careful!]

[Warning: The surroundings will begin to collapse at any moment!]

Ares clenched his fists. "Sylphir, what is this?" he asked urgently.

Sylphir remained calm. "That's the final test of this cave before you can claim the fragment," he explained. "But don't worry about that right now—help your friend first."

Ares turned to Magnus, who had been lying unconscious Slowly, Magnus began to stir, his eyes fluttering open. But he could barely keep them open—his entire body ached, and the pain from the brutal beating made it difficult to move.

...