Jay woke up after only a few minutes of sleep. He was disoriented, barely understanding what was happening, his hair completely messy.
Frowning, Jay looked around.
'Am I… going crazy? Am I hearing things, or was that Lillith's voice?'
"Jay, get out of there—now! Run!"
Jay didn't understand anything until he saw a rock trembling in rhythm with footsteps. Moments later, the ground itself began to shake.
He quickly pushed himself up, hand gripping the hilt of his sword, staring toward the source of the steps—just like that previous giant.
He could see nothing but the darkness of the night.
Even as Lillith desperately urged him to flee, Jay ignored her. He couldn't run away again and return to being a small rat trapped in a cage of lions.
After a while, despite the trembling ground beneath his feet, nothing happened.
His patience began to wear thin.
The tremors weakened, but the tension only grew.
'This is strange… could it be—?'
He jumped backward while maintaining his stance, just as something rushed forward.
Jay drew his sword and slashed with force.
A sharpened wooden log cut through the air.
The sound of wood being sliced echoed in his ears as the projectile flew past him and crashed behind his back.
Something moved within the darkness.
The rustling leaves betrayed its position.
Advancing, Jay swung his blade. The attack sliced through the air and struck the ground, a thunderous boom echoing through the trees.
Another giant emerged—but this one was smaller, about three meters tall. Its clothes were dirty and worn, its skin stained with the color of night, and its eyes glowed blood-red as it gazed upon its prey.
Jay swallowed hard.
Two things troubled him. First, he knew where he was—yet felt completely lost. Second, his body still hadn't fully recovered.
They stood still, staring at one another.
The moment the giant moved its foot, Jay stepped back.
"Please, Jay… leave this battle alive!" Lillith pleaded, even knowing it was futile.
In this infernal place, not even the strongest emerged from battle unscathed.
Jay's pupils dilated as the three-meter giant swung its bone sword toward him.
The air split as their weapons collided.
The force was far greater than that of the previous giant. Even while blocking, Jay felt the impact surge through his body.
His foot slid across the ground, dirt smearing his boots.
The bastard grinned arrogantly at the poor rat.
Despite being at a disadvantage, Jay charged forward with ferocity.
The giant swung vertically, halting his advance.
Jay bit his lip in frustration.
The colossus didn't stop. It swung its bone blade again.
Jay dodged with difficulty. The moment he escaped the slash, a fist came flying toward him.
It moved slowly—but he couldn't dodge. It was impossible.
His jaw clenched until his facial muscles bulged, eyes shut tight, wishing the inevitable wouldn't happen.
A blue shield appeared.
Impact.
The sound of thick glass cracking echoed.
Jay was launched through the air, nearly unconscious, pain alone keeping him aware.
His icy sword shattered into fragments.
The wind battered his clothes violently.
His entire body screamed—muscles spasming, bones grinding, arms refusing to obey.
He crashed into a nearby rocky area.
The impact echoed in all directions, dust engulfing the site, cracks spreading everywhere.
Rocks fell as Jay coughed up blood.
Regeneration began.
Jay tried to lift even his torso—but failed.
'Damn it… I haven't been through this since the second mission… in my past life.'
After four full minutes lying there, he felt something cold growing inside him, his arm burning more intensely.
Now, at least, he could stand by leaning against the nearby wall.
Those same calm footsteps approached.
Clenching his fist, Jay carefully descended.
If he tried to flee, the colossus would catch him with a single dash.
Reaching the ground, still leaning on the wall, he felt the steps draw closer.
Jay conjured a new sword.
A white blade, snow-colored, formed in his right hand.
Ice spread upward, creeping toward his neck like a fungus consuming its host—but Jay neither felt nor noticed it.
He simply waited for the figure with wolf-like red pupils to emerge from the darkness.
The giant lunged, delivering a vertical strike.
Stone was sliced apart.
Jay blocked it, but his muscles screamed in agony—pain so intense not even regeneration could reduce it.
The blade stopped.
The colossus's eyes widened as it dropped its sword.
Leaping backward, the giant stared in disbelief.
Its entire weapon was frozen.
'Now it's my—'
An arrogant smile returned.
The giant stepped forward—and vanished without a trace, as if it had become the wind itself.
Jay felt his entire body being crushed, skin tightening, flesh pressing against bone, his feet lifting off the ground.
He inhaled deeply, planting his foot firmly, refusing to be thrown again.
A violent gust erupted behind him.
Blood streamed uncontrollably down Jay's head.
Ignoring the pain, he stared into nothingness.
Arching his torso backward, tightening his back muscles, the colossus delivered a high-speed punch.
An icy wall appeared.
The arm pierced straight through it.
The rat laughed arrogantly.
Grinding his teeth, the giant tried to pull its arm back—but failed.
Jay raised his hand and clenched it shut.
A scream tore through the darkness—for the first time, it wasn't Jay's.
Icy spikes pierced through the thick layer of flesh.
A river of red flowed.
The colossus struggled, twisting its arm in every direction, but the spikes only burrowed deeper.
Ice spread across parts of its face.
The giant collapsed to its knees as Jay approached, laughing at its misery.
In the darkness of the night, birds scattered as the sound of flesh being cut reached the air.
Covering his face, Jay began to laugh darkly.
"Jay?!" Lillith appeared, her familiar purple aura surrounding her as she flew toward him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank goodness you're alive!" she said in relief.
She pulled back, frowning as she noticed something was wrong.
He was colder than normal—no, far colder. His skin was pale, lips dry, eyes…
Lillith embraced him again.