Jay woke up after only a few minutes of sleep. He felt disoriented, not 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! Quickly, get out!"
Jay didn't understand anything—until he noticed a small rock trembling in rhythm with footsteps. Moments later, the ground itself began to shake.
He quickly stood up, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, staring ahead as if expecting that same giant.
But he couldn't see anything beyond the darkness of the night.
Even while ignoring Lillith's desperate cries for him to run, he remained in place. He couldn't leave… he refused to go back to being a small rat inside a cage full of lions.
Time passed.
The ground beneath him continued trembling as he held his sword tightly, his grip tense in the cold air.
Yet… nothing happened.
His patience began to wear thin.
The tremors slowly weakened, while the tension only grew.
'This is strange… could it be—?'
He stepped back while maintaining his stance—
Then suddenly—
Something rushed toward him.
Jay instantly drew his sword and swung with force.
A sharpened wooden log cut through the air toward him.
The sound of wood being sliced echoed in his ears.
It passed him and fell behind his back.
Something moved within the darkness.
The sound of leaves revealed its position.
Jay advanced, striking forward with his blade.
His attack cut through the air and slammed into the ground with a loud crash that echoed through the trees.
Then—
He saw it.
Another giant.
But this one was smaller, around three meters tall. Its clothes were dirty and worn, its skin blending with the darkness of the night, and its eyes glowed red as it stared at its prey.
Jay swallowed.
Two things bothered him.
One—he felt like he knew this place, yet at the same time felt completely lost.
The other—his body still hadn't fully recovered.
The two stood still, staring at each other.
The moment the giant moved its foot, Jay stepped back.
"Please, Jay… leave this battle alive," Lillith said, though she knew it was useless.
In this hellish place, not even the strongest always survived their battles.
Jay's pupils dilated the moment the three-meter giant swung its bone sword toward him.
The air split as their weapons collided.
The force was greater than the previous giant's.
Even blocking it, Jay felt the impact deeply.
His foot slid across the ground, dirt staining his shoe.
The bastard smiled arrogantly as he looked at the "rat" before him.
Even at a disadvantage, Jay charged forward with ferocity.
The giant responded with a vertical strike—
Forcing him back.
Jay bit his lip in frustration.
The colossus didn't stop. It swung its blade again.
Jay barely dodged.
As he escaped the cut, a fist came toward him.
Slow—
But impossible to avoid.
His jaw tightened, the muscles in his face tensing, his eyes shutting as he wished the inevitable wouldn't happen.
A blue shield appeared.
The impact came.
The sound of thick glass cracking echoed.
Jay was thrown backward, his body carried by the force of the blow. He was almost unconscious—only the pain kept him awake.
His icy sword shattered into small fragments.
The wind hit his body harshly.
Everything hurt—muscles tightening, bones creaking, his arms refusing to respond.
He crashed into a rocky area nearby.
The impact echoed in all directions. Dust rose, cracks spreading through the ground.
Small stones fell around him as Jay coughed blood.
His regeneration had already begun.
Jay tried to at least lift his torso—
But couldn't.
'Damn… I haven't felt like this since my second mission… in my past life.'
Four full minutes passed.
Lying there, he felt something cold growing inside him, while his arm burned more and more.
Now, at least, he could stand—barely—leaning against the wall beside him.
Those same calm footsteps approached again.
Clenching his fist, Jay slowly descended.
Running away wasn't an option. If he tried, the colossus would catch him in an instant.
Standing on the ground, still leaning slightly against the wall—
He formed another weapon.
A white blade, like snow, appeared in his right hand.
The ice spread further, climbing up his neck like a silent parasite—
But he didn't notice.
He only waited.
Watching.
Expecting red eyes to appear in the darkness.
The giant attacked again—
A vertical strike.
The sound of stone being cut echoed.
Jay blocked.
Pain shot through his muscles, sharp and heavy—far beyond what his regeneration could ease.
Then—
The strike stopped.
The colossus widened its eyes.
It let go of its weapon.
Jumping back, it stared in disbelief.
The entire blade… frozen.
'Now it's my—'
A smile returned to the giant's face.
Arrogant.
It stepped forward—
And disappeared.
Like the wind.
Jay suddenly felt pressure all over his body.
His skin tightened, his flesh compressed, his bones strained, his feet lifting slightly off the ground.
He inhaled sharply, forcing his foot firmly into the ground, refusing to be thrown again.
A powerful gust burst behind him.
Blood ran down from his head.
Ignoring the pain, he stared forward into nothing.
The giant reappeared—
Pulling its body back, preparing a high-speed punch.
A wall of ice formed instantly.
The arm pierced through it—
But stopped.
Jay began to laugh.
A cold, arrogant laugh.
The giant tried to pull its arm back—
But couldn't.
Jay raised his hand.
And closed it.
A scream echoed in the darkness—
For the first time, it wasn't Jay's.
Ice spikes burst through the giant's thick skin.
A stream of dark liquid flowed.
The colossus struggled, pulling and twisting its arm, but the spikes only drove deeper.
The ice spread—
Reaching parts of its face.
Slowly.
The giant dropped to its knees.
Jay walked toward it.
Laughing at its downfall.
In the silence of the night, birds scattered as the sound of flesh being cut echoed through the forest.
Covering his face, Jay laughed.
Dark.
Uncontrolled.
"Jay?!" Lillith called, appearing in the air with her familiar purple aura.
She rushed toward him and embraced him tightly.
"I'm so glad you're alive!" she said, her voice filled with relief.
But then—
She frowned.
Something felt wrong.
He was colder than before.
Not just physically.
His skin was paler.
His lips dry.
And his eyes…
Without saying anything, Lillith simply hugged him again.