The massive chamber deep within the hidden dungeon trembled as something heavy shifted in the darkness.
Ryuji Kuroda stood in the center of the stone floor, shoulders loose, fists clenched inside his iron brawler gloves.
Dust drifted lazily through the air.
Somewhere water dripped from the ceiling.
And then—
THUD.
A massive footstep echoed.
Ryuji squinted toward the shadows behind one of the pillars.
"…Alright."
"That's definitely not a normal goblin."
The shadow moved again.
Slow.
Heavy.
A shape stepped out from behind the pillar.
Ryuji's eyebrows climbed.
"Holy shit."
The creature standing before him was easily twice the size of the goblins he'd fought earlier.
Nearly seven feet tall.
Its body bulged with muscle.
Crude armor made from scavenged metal plates covered its chest and shoulders. Scratches and dents told the story of many fights.
A massive spiked club rested on its shoulder.
And its yellow eyes burned with pure hatred.
A blue system window appeared.
---
Goblin Champion – Lv.8
Dungeon Boss
---
Ryuji whistled.
"Well damn."
The goblin champion bared its jagged teeth.
"YOU… KILL TRIBE."
Its voice was deeper than the others.
More intelligent.
More dangerous.
Ryuji shrugged casually.
"Yeah."
"You guys attacked first."
The champion slammed its club into the ground.
The entire chamber shook.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
"YOU DIE."
Ryuji cracked his neck.
"Everyone says that."
Then the goblin charged.
---
The champion moved far faster than something that size should.
Its spiked club swung sideways like a wrecking ball.
Ryuji dove forward.
The club smashed into a stone pillar behind him.
CRASH.
Chunks of rock exploded everywhere.
Ryuji rolled across the floor and jumped back to his feet.
"…Okay."
"That thing hurts."
The goblin roared and charged again.
Ryuji stepped forward this time.
As the club came down, he slipped inside the swing.
Then punched the goblin in the ribs.
THUD.
The champion barely moved.
Ryuji blinked.
"…Right."
"Big guy."
The goblin headbutted him.
CRACK.
Ryuji stumbled backward.
Stars exploded across his vision.
"Shit!"
The champion followed up with a kick.
Its massive foot slammed into Ryuji's chest.
WHAM.
Ryuji flew across the chamber and slammed into the floor.
His lungs emptied instantly.
"…Okay," he wheezed.
"That's new."
The goblin stomped toward him.
Each step shook the ground.
Ryuji rolled sideways just as the spiked club smashed down where his head had been.
Stone shattered.
The floor cracked.
Ryuji scrambled to his feet.
"Alright."
"Plan B."
He grabbed a loose rock from the ground.
The goblin swung again.
Ryuji ducked.
Then hurled the rock straight at the monster's face.
THUNK.
The rock hit the goblin's nose.
The champion barely reacted.
It just growled.
"…Plan B sucks."
The club swung again.
Ryuji blocked with his forearm.
Bad idea.
CRACK.
Pain shot through his arm.
He staggered back.
"Jesus—!"
The goblin roared and lunged.
Ryuji dove behind a pillar.
The club smashed into it.
CRASH.
The stone cracked.
Ryuji winced.
"Man this guy really hates architecture."
---
The goblin ripped the club free from the broken pillar and swung again.
Ryuji ducked under the attack.
Then hammered three punches into the monster's stomach.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
The champion grunted but didn't fall.
Instead it grabbed Ryuji by the throat.
"CRUSH HUMAN."
Ryuji's feet lifted off the ground.
He clawed at the goblin's hand.
"…Rude."
The champion slammed him into the floor.
BOOM.
The impact rattled his bones.
His vision blurred.
A red system warning flashed.
---
HP Warning
HP: 34 / 100
---
Ryuji coughed.
"Alright…"
"Now I'm pissed."
The goblin raised its club for a finishing blow.
Ryuji grabbed a handful of dirt and dust from the floor.
Then flung it upward.
Right into the goblin's eyes.
"Pocket sand, asshole!"
The champion roared.
"RAAAAGH!"
It staggered back blindly, rubbing its eyes.
Ryuji rolled away and jumped to his feet.
"Street fight rule number two," he muttered.
"Fight dirty."
The goblin swung wildly.
Missing everything.
Ryuji sprinted forward.
Then slammed his fist into the monster's knee.
CRACK.
The champion howled.
Its leg bent awkwardly.
Ryuji punched again.
CRUNCH.
The knee shattered.
The goblin collapsed to one leg.
Ryuji grinned.
"Street fight rule number one."
"Take out the legs."
The goblin roared and swung its club again.
Ryuji ducked under the attack.
Then climbed onto the monster's back.
The champion tried to grab him.
Too slow.
Ryuji drove his elbow into the goblin's neck.
Then hammered punches into its skull.
One.
Two.
Three.
The goblin staggered wildly.
Ryuji jumped off just as the monster fell forward.
BOOM.
The floor shook.
The champion struggled to rise.
But its broken knee couldn't support its weight.
Ryuji walked forward slowly.
Cracking his knuckles.
"You're tough."
The goblin snarled.
"YOU… DIE."
Ryuji shrugged.
"Maybe."
Then he stepped forward and delivered one final punch.
Right to the goblin's jaw.
CRACK.
The champion's head snapped sideways.
Its body collapsed.
Silence filled the chamber.
Then the system exploded with notifications.
---
Goblin Champion defeated
EXP +120
---
Warm energy surged through Ryuji's body.
Stronger than any level-up before.
His muscles tightened.
His senses sharpened.
Two more messages appeared.
---
Level Up!
Level 5 → Level 6
Level 6 → Level 7
---
Ryuji laughed breathlessly.
"Oh hell yeah."
Another notification appeared.
---
Title Unlocked
Goblin Breaker
+15% Damage vs Goblins
---
Ryuji whistled.
"Nice."
He flexed his fingers.
His strength felt noticeably higher now.
The pain in his chest faded slightly.
He opened his status screen.
---
Level: 7
Strength: 22
Dexterity: 15
Constitution: 20
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 8
Luck: 20
Stat Points Available: 5
---
Ryuji rolled his shoulders.
"Not bad."
He dumped three points into Strength.
Two into Dexterity.
"Let's make these punches faster."
The numbers updated.
---
Strength: 25
Dexterity: 17
---
Ryuji stretched his arms.
"Yeah."
"That feels good."
He glanced down at the massive goblin corpse.
"…You were fun."
Then something happened.
A rumbling sound echoed through the chamber.
Ryuji turned.
In the center of the room—
The stone floor began to glow.
A circle of runes appeared.
Light gathered.
Then—
A stone chest slowly rose from the ground.
Ryuji's grin returned.
"Well well."
"Looks like the dungeon appreciates good violence."