[19] Monster Rex

Chapter 19: Monster Rex

The dungeon is classified as the middle floors starting from the 13th floor.

From this point on, it's difficult to clear solo, requiring at least a party of three. That's why they say this is where the real dungeon exploration begins.

Only LV.2 adventurers can come here, so that makes sense.

"Solo hunting is still the best way to earn experience."

Unless it's a party quest, of course.

Fighting alone is simply more convenient. A party makes things easier, but that's more in terms of mental comfort than physical.

If Riseria or Lili were here, I'd just end up worrying about them. Besides, the two of them are currently focused on leveling up in the upper floors.

I, on the other hand, racked up achievements through some reckless actions, but most adventurers steadily accumulate Excelia to Rank Up properly.

The safer route is always better.

"Oh? This place feels different."

By the time I reached around the 17th floor, I noticed something unusual—there were no signs of monsters. Instead, an eerie silence filled the area.

Only stark white, glossy walls surrounded me, and the floor was eerily empty—nothing else existed in this space.

I remember Eina mentioning that the dungeon has safety floors where no monsters are born… Is this one of them?

No, that can't be right. She said that was on the 18th floor, but this is the 17th.

"Huh?"

A wave of extreme tension washed over me.

Every survival instinct I had honed until now screamed at me—danger.

Crack!

The walls split open.

The dungeon, which continuously spawns monsters, was now giving birth to something massive.

Wild, unkempt hair grew chaotically.

A towering figure, several times my height.

The hulking beast, with its enormous body, let out an earth-shattering roar the moment it was born.

"U-Uwooooooaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

Its sheer presence alone made the air tremble.

That strength… Just from a glance, it's about on par with Ryuu. While they might differ in various ways, at least in terms of raw power, it could be equal or even greater.

I hate troublesome situations.

But—

Before I even realized it, my body had already launched forward, charging straight at the monster.

...

The upper floors don't have Monster Rex (Floor Bosses), and the closest one exists on the 18th floor.

However, on the 17th floor, in the Great Wall of Lament, a Monster Rex is born—Goliath.

This massive, giant-shaped monster boasts strength equivalent to an LV.4, requiring multiple high-ranking adventurers to work together to take it down.

That said, since the 18th floor just below is a safe zone and home to Rivira Village, adventurers from there periodically hunt Goliath to keep the path clear for travel.

Since no other Familia expeditions were scheduled, the adventurers from Rivira Village gathered to take down Goliath themselves, as they always did. They made their way up to the 17th floor.

What they found there—

Was a single adventurer, locked in a fierce battle against the massive giant.

The boy, though slightly taller than others his age, still had a youthful face. Blood trickled down his forehead, likely from a hard impact—at the very least, he had a concussion.

In contrast, Goliath had sustained some damage, but none of it seemed too deep. Even so, the fight was evenly matched.

"What the hell…?"

Bors, the leader of Rivira's adventurers, gawked in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him.

The boy was smiling.

Even in a battle that could cost him his life, his lips curled upward—not in desperation, but in exhilaration.

He wasn't fighting some small fry. He had finally found a worthy opponent, and despite his recklessness, his movements were terrifyingly calm and calculated, striking Goliath with precision.

"Huh? Wait… isn't that guy [Thousand Slayer]?"

"A LV.2 adventurer? Hold on—didn't he just Rank Up two months ago?"

There was no way a third-class adventurer—a LV.3—could fight Goliath like that.

No, to display such a battle, he would have to be at least LV.4.

"He's in danger!"

One of the adventurers shouted as Goliath's massive fist came crashing down toward Luke, pinning him against the wall.

He had only two options—left or right. But no matter what, he would have to brace for a fatal injury.

Bang!

At that very moment, Luke's body soared into the air.

With a swift kick against thin air, he launched himself upward, dodging Goliath's crushing blow. Then, twisting midair, he propelled himself forward, leaping multiple times in the air.

"He… he just flew?!"

"Magic?! No, there was no sign of mana or a magic circle!"

Rather than thinking about helping, the adventurers were more focused on watching the fight unfold.

Right in front of them, a single adventurer was battling a Monster Rex alone.

Of course, they were known for being ruthless when it came to money, but they weren't cold-hearted enough to abandon a fellow adventurer in a life-threatening situation.

But—

Something about that boy made them think he wasn't going to die.

"It's been so long since I found someone actually worth killing! I'm getting fired up!!"

If there was one way to describe Luke's state right now, it would be: "He's been under a lot of stress."

Ever since he became LV.2, he had fought in the middle floors, but his battles had been one-sided—his chances of dying were far lower than his chances of killing.

But the enemy before him was different.

This time, he was fighting for his life against an opponent where victory wasn't guaranteed.

For the first time in a long while—he could actually die.

A battle where he risked death—fighting to kill his opponent.

That was how Luke proved himself.

That he was alive in this moment.

That he was not dead, but instead, Luke Blade, the reincarnated warrior, standing here and now.

"Rankyaku (Tempest Kick)"

His leg struck out in a flash.

At the same time, blades of energy burst from his kick, slashing toward Goliath's neck.

Goliath's hardened hide was not just a formidable defense—it was also a valuable drop item, tough enough that only magic or overwhelming power could inflict real damage.

"Magic?!"

"No! He didn't even chant!"

"And he's firing off multiple attacks?!"

Dozens of Rankyaku strikes rained down on Goliath, carving through its body.

But—none of them were fatal.

Even as a LV.2, his power had limits.

But the fact that he had even managed this much—was an incredible feat in itself.

"Tch, it's not working! Damn thing's tough as hell... Fine, I'll feed you my original!"

Luke launched himself behind Goliath using Moonwalk, reaching for the monster's rugged hair and clenching his fist.

Then, he unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, completely disregarding the strain on his arms.

His attacks had no form, no technique—no thought behind them.

Just raw, unbridled destructive force.

Mad Sky Strikes.

He kicked off again with Moonwalk, repeatedly targeting the back of Goliath's head.

Even with its insane durability, the monster staggered under the onslaught.

"UOOOAAAAAHHH!!!"

Goliath roared in fury.

Despite turning its body, Luke relentlessly pursued its weak spot, further enraging the beast.

Then, a deafening shockwave erupted from Goliath's Howl—a sonic blast that slammed straight into Luke at point-blank range.

Before he could even react, the impact sent him crashing down.

His body hit the ground, rolling uncontrollably, before slamming into the dungeon wall with a sickening thud.

"What the hell?!"

"He did more than enough… Alright, get him out of there! Everyone, we're taking down Goliath! That guy's something else—if anyone has an Elixir, pour it on him and keep him alive! He's a hell of a guy!"

Crazy as he was, he was still an adventurer.

That was Bors' conclusion as he barked out orders to the others.

For a LV.2 adventurer to put up such a fight against a Monster Rex was unbelievable. Even LV.3 adventurers needed a group to barely take down Goliath.

When he first heard the rumor about this guy slaughtering 1,000 monsters in the Pantry right after Ranking Up, he thought it was insanity.

But now?

Now, that madness was thrilling.

This guy was a true adventurer—one who understood the meaning of adventure.

Just as the others were preparing to attack Goliath—

"Don't make me laugh, you bastards!"

A voice rang out.

Luke, his body groaning in protest, pushed himself back onto his feet.

His eyes burned with bloodlust, and yet—

A smile still lingered on his lips.

"I'm not dead yet! This is my prey, so keep your damn hands off! Since when did monster stealing become a thing? Where the hell are your manners?!"

"What?!"

He had taken Goliath's Howl head-on and was still conscious?!

After rolling across the ground and slamming into a wall, it wouldn't have been surprising if he'd broken several bones. Yet, even as blood poured from his body, Luke stood tall, his limbs completely intact.

"Move."

His quiet, murderous glare sent a shiver down the spines of the Rivira adventurers.

Without even realizing it, they stepped aside, making way for him.

He wasn't some hero trying to save everyone.

He was the most ruthless villain, walking his own path.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Goliath. Let's start round two."

A vicious grin spread across Luke's face.

As if answering his challenge, Goliath roared, swinging its massive fist straight at him.

He didn't dodge.

As Goliath's fist came hurtling toward him, Luke tensed every muscle in his body.

"Iron Body (Tekkai)!"

The impact landed squarely, sending Luke skidding backward. He couldn't completely absorb the shock, and even as he dug his heels into the ground, he couldn't fully stop himself.

But—he didn't fall.

Then, suddenly—Goliath's fist rebounded.

It was as if it had struck rubber, the force bouncing back and sending a portion of the impact straight into Goliath's own hand.

Luke didn't miss the opening.

Clenching his fist, he threw a counterpunch—aiming directly at Goliath's fist.

"Triple Nail Punch!!!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The first hit landed dead center, sending a jolt of force through Goliath's massive arm.

A split-second delay—then a second shockwave followed.

Then—the third strike detonated.

The stacked impacts rippled through Goliath's arm, dislocating its shoulder with a sickening pop.

It wasn't enough to shatter bones, but—

Goliath's entire arm went limp.

However, the opponent was still standing strong.

Goliath was unfazed.

Its limbs were intact, and it had sustained no fatal wounds.

In contrast, Luke was bleeding profusely—if he didn't get treatment soon, he was as good as dead.

"Yeah… I guess short battles suit me best!"

With a defiant shout, Luke kicked off the air again, launching himself upward.

"『Show the fear of a killer to the enemies before me.』"

A short incantation.

Luke wasn't supposed to be capable of parallel chanting, but at this moment—driven by a reckless, do-or-die mentality, pure killing intent, and sheer survival instinct—he forced it to happen.

"[Fear of Reaper]!"

An instant-death effect.

But Goliath was at least LV.4—even if he used a death-inducing spell, it wouldn't actually kill the monster outright.

However—

When there's a gap in power, sometimes, even a partial effect can be enough.

For a brief moment, Goliath stiffened.

The killing intent-infused magic surged through the air, striking Goliath's entire body.

A split second of paralysis.

That was all Luke needed.

Seizing the opening, he dashed forward using Moonwalk, slipping right into Goliath's chest—right where a human heart would be.

No matter how much strength he had, Luke alone couldn't deal a fatal blow to Goliath.

But—

Every monster had one universal weakness.

The core that acted as its heart—its magic stone.

"Doesn't matter if you're a monster—lose your head or your heart, and you're dead all the same."

Of course, Luke lacked the sheer power to punch through Goliath's thick hide and rip out its magic stone.

So—he chose to ignore that fact.

Luke clenched both fists and thrust them forward in unison, aiming directly for Goliath's magic stone—right where a human heart would be.

"Maximum Wheel."

He applied the principles of Moonwalk to both arms.

Defense? Irrelevant.

This was a technique that could harm even a rubber-bodied opponent—with or without Haki.

"Six King Gun (Rokuougan)!!!"

His fists struck out in an instant, then snapped back, unleashing a shockwave that pierced straight through Goliath's body.

A single strike—**pushed beyond its limits by pure killing intent—**smashed through Goliath's magic stone.

And that wasn't all.

The force didn't stop there—it continued outward, shattering the dungeon walls in the distance.

"GRAAAAHHHH!!!"

Goliath let out a final agonized roar before its massive body crumbled into dust.

All that remained was its dropped item—its hardened hide.

And Luke.

His body, now completely spent, collapsed onto the monster's fading remains.

Unmoving.

Unconscious.

A mere LV.2 adventurer had just taken down a Monster Rex—alone.

The adventurers of Rivira Village stood frozen in shock, their mouths hanging open, unable to say a word.

...

Luke Blade

17th Floor – Monster Rex (Floor Boss) Goliath – Solo Defeat

Achieved LV.3 on the same day.

Final LV.2 Status:

Name: Luke Blade

Level: LV.2

Strength: SSS 1478

Endurance: SSS 1645

Dexterity: SS 1130

Agility: SSS 1307

Magic: C 601

Resilience: H

...

[Fear of Reaper]

Incantation: 『Show the fear of a killer to the enemies before me.』

Support-type Magic

•Affects all enemies within a certain radius centered around the user.

•Inflicts instant death, paralysis, stun, or fear-based debuffs on affected targets.

•Effectiveness varies depending on the level difference between the user and the target.

...

[Lord of Killer]

•Grants the ability to kill anyone.

•Greatly reduces guilt associated with taking lives.

•Temporarily increases all stats during battles fueled by killing intent.

•Permanently increases stats upon defeating strong opponents.

[Killer Doll]

•Breaks physical limits.

•Allows movement even when all stamina is depleted.

•Enables continued combat even with fatal injuries.

[Character Imagin]

Can imitate abilities, techniques, or skills.

Grants temporary access to mimicked abilities.

Effectiveness depends on the user's mental strength.

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