Champion Interface Basic Stats

Name: ??? Level: 8. Experience Points: 690/800. Mana Points: 10/10. Mana Recovery Rate: 10 mana points per day. Race: Cyclops. Class: None.

Physical Stats Strength: 70. Agility: 5. Endurance: 70. Dexterity: 12. Toughness: 70.

Abnormal Stats

Intelligence: 3. Wisdom: 3. Perception: 8.

Skills Destruction [Level 4]

Abilities Tough skin – Your skin is harder than steel.

Inventory Empty! Quests

Main quest – Survive the second trial – Ongoing! Side Quest – Gather eighteen beacons [100/18] – Completed. Side Quest – Find Mama – Ongoing!

Scott furrowed his brow while perusing the cyclops' data. This guy is just as dim-witted as he appears, but his physical prowess is off the charts. We're in deep trouble if he lands a single blow.

The colossal creature closed in with rapid strides, its singular eye fixated on the small figures before it. A constellation of radiant lights gathered on the robust arm of the giant as it closed the gap.

“Zara, that guy's strength is off the charts. We can't afford to take even one hit,” Scott communicated mentally.

“I had a feeling,” Zara responded, the memory of cascading boulders still vivid in her mind. A being capable of hurling enormous rocks was undoubtedly excessively strong.

Scott's voice resonated in the ears of the cat girl once more, “Despite his strength, he's not exactly a genius. We can exploit that to our advantage.”

“Naturally, cyclopes are renowned for their poor eyesight. It won't be easy taking him down, but it shouldn't be overly difficult either. We need to target its eye; it's a known weakness for all cyclopes,” Zara advised.

Scott turned to Zara, seeking confirmation. “That's the plan then. Are you ready?”

Zara nodded, taking a confident step forward.

Simultaneously, the colossal cyclops loomed over the boulder, concealing the remains of Althea's companions. The scout rose, breath quickening, fingers tightening around the hilts of her daggers. Her bloodshot eyes fixated on the approaching embodiment of destruction.

Without acknowledging Althea, the cyclops diverted its attention to the stack of beacons. Another step, and it would reach the flashing pile, but Althea interrupted with a maddening howl, sprinting toward the cyclops. Slashing and hacking at its massive leg, her bloodshot eyes revealed the desperation within her.

Clangs echoed as the silver daggers clashed against the rough skin of the cyclops. However, the giant paid no heed to the relentless attacks. None of Althea's strikes left a scratch or injury on its skin. Oblivious to her futile attempts, the cyclops reached for the beacons, swallowing them into his massive right hand.

“Go away!” The cyclops bellowed, swinging its arm with a surprising gentleness. Its wrist collided with Althea, sending the scout hurtling towards a nearby rock. Her face smashed into the coarse barrier, the unmistakable crack signaling the gruesome end. Brain matter, blood, and a cascade of fluids spilled from the shattered skull of the fallen scout.

Scott, Zara, and Slim fixed their gaze on the lifeless form of the woman for a brief moment before redirecting their focus to the looming cyclops. Without hesitation, Zara surged forward with a menacing burst of speed, closing in on the colossal creature. Meanwhile, Scott raised his hand, extending it like a firearm, as mana coalesced at the tip of his outstretched finger, targeting the cyclops' massive eye.

In tandem, he shifted his left hand towards the cyclops' feet, causing the ambient temperature to plummet rapidly.

Mana Missile activated! Mana Points have decreased by 10! Frost Nova activated! Mana Points have decreased by 10!

The mana missile sped towards the creature's eye, and a frost nova rapidly blanketed the ground around the cyclops in ice. The concentrated mana beam reached the giant, and it blinked, feeling the magic missile connect with its eyelid. Wincing, it sensed a slight tingle on its face, prompting it to massage its eyelid while taking a step back. The barefooted creature slipped, hands thrashing about as it struggled to regain footing. It reached for nearby boulders, but they shattered upon contact, sending the creature sprawling to the ground.

Simultaneously, Zara closed in on the cyclops, running along its bulging arms and racing towards its head with her claws unsheathed. Meanwhile, Scott hovered above the cyclops, utilizing levitate. Tossing aside the empty vial of a mana recovery potion, he reached for the handle of his war hammer, which ejected itself from the mask. With all his might, the eldritch knight pulled it out.

Levitate has been deactivated!

Scott descended from the skies, war hammer poised to strike the cyclops' eye.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Why is the floor cold and slippery?” the cyclops muttered, using the tip of his club to delicately shatter the ice. Each impact of the bone club bore massive holes, causing the surrounding rocks to rumble incessantly. The creature then hoisted itself into a sitting position just as Scott and Zara materialized in a flash. The eldritch knight gripped one eyelash, swinging his war hammer with all his might. Simultaneously, Zara thrust her claws into the giant's eye, the war hammer colliding with the crimson orb.

Mana Missile activated! Mana Points have reduced by 10! Poison Cloud activated! Mana Points have decreased by 80!

The war hammer and claws found their mark, piercing the cyclops' eye. A thunderous roar of agony erupted from the creature, sending tremors through the ground beneath them. The colossal giant convulsed in pain, its massive form thrashing about wildly. In its disoriented state, the cyclops swung its club blindly, attempting to strike its assailants. Scott and Zara swiftly retreated, narrowly avoiding the bone club as it crashed into the icy floor.

Blinded and stumbling, the cyclops meandered aimlessly, colliding with rocks and boulders in its desperate attempt to locate its attackers.

Frost Nova activated! Mana Points have reduced by 10!

An additional icy patch blanketed the area around the creature, causing the cyclops to slip once again, this time falling awkwardly to the ground. Despite the rough and jagged rocks littering the terrain, they failed to pierce the frenzied champion's resilient skin.

“Get as far away from him as possible,” Scott urged telepathically. “We only need to wait for the poison to finish him off.”

Scott swiftly retrieved another mana recovery potion, downing it in a single gulp. The duo sprinted away from the scene while the cyclops struggled to rise, shattering the ice beneath him. “Cowards! Show yourselves!” he bellowed, swinging his club wildly in all directions.

Explosions echoed through the area as the giant creature bled profusely from its ruptured eye. Meanwhile, the hound extermination crew observed the frantic spectacle from a safe distance, their focus fixed on the cyclops as it pulverized everything in its path.

“Do you think the noise will attract others?” Slim inquired mentally.

“Yes, but not many would dare confront a cyclops. If I didn't have the skill and speed to evade its attacks, I would have fled without a second thought. Their strength is not to be underestimated,” Zara remarked.

“It helps that they have poor eyesight, and this one looks like a proper dumbass," Scott added from the side.

Slim glanced at the roaring cyclops. “How long will it take for your poison to incapacitate it?”

“I honestly can't say. Most people wouldn't be standing after taking a war hammer to the eye, but that guy endured both my attack and Zara's. His resilience is off the charts. All we can do is wait for him to succumb to his injuries. Fortunately, it seems he lacks any means of healing,” Scott said.

Zara, curious, turned to the masked man. “Don't take this the wrong way, but how do you know all this?”

Slim interjected, “I don't think it's polite to pry. We each have our secrets, you know.”

Realizing her question might be intrusive, Zara apologized, “I'm sorry; forget I said anything.”

“It's okay,” Scott reassured, pointing toward the cyclops. “Looks like our guy is slowing down.”

Zara and Slim shifted their gaze to the giant, now moving with less vigor. A network of bluish, pulsating veins snaked across its head and upper body. Thick steam billowed from its nostrils, its lone nose hair swaying in the mini windstorm. Kneeling on one knee, the creature clutched a bone club for support. Despite its efforts, it struggled to rise, huffing and puffing in a futile attempt to regain its footing.

“Ma-Ma, help… me.” The giant collapsed in a heap, its fresh blood slowly turning purple.

Zara enthusiastically draped her arms across Scott’s neck. “The poison really worked. Should we head over and finish the job?”

Scott shook his head, not bothering to shake off Zara’s arms. “Let’s wait for the poison to finish him off. Who knows, he might be faking it,” Scott said.

Zara chuckled softly. “I always had a hunch you were the cautious type. That’s great. Slim, I mean, Minion 03, and I will be counting on you to stop us from doing something stupid in the future.”

The cat girl loosened her grip while staring at the motionless creature. She turned toward Slim. “Can your friends check if mama’s boy over there is playing dead?”

“Sure, but I demand to be promoted back to Minion 02. Deal?” Slim asked.

Zara narrowed her gaze, a sly smile gracing her lips. “Deal. In fact, let me promote you in advance.”

A system window appeared in front of Slim, and the necromancer chuckled softly as he summoned Ivory. Without saying a word, the skeleton sprinted toward the cyclops.

Scott's gaze shifted from the smiling duo to the motionless cyclops. Doubt lingered in his mind; he doubted the creature’s intelligence, questioning its ability to convincingly play dead. I honestly don’t think that fella is intelligent enough to play dead, but it’s always good to be cautious. He squinted midway through his musings. Look at those bastards! They're attempting to profit from our hard work.

The eldritch knight, concealed behind a mask, smiled, and his voice resonated in the minds of his companions. "Slim, instruct your boy to return. Some annoying lizards are closing in on the cyclops.”

Zara and Slim's expressions instantly soured; their attention now fixated on the surrounding area. Despite detecting neither trace of a trialist nor unfamiliar sounds or scents, they trusted Scott's judgment. The necromancer swiftly conveyed the message to Ivory, and the summoned being submerged into the earth, defiantly raising a middle finger for all to witness.

“What's our move, buddy? Should we make a run for it, or are we gearing up for a fight?” Slim asked mentally. Despite Scott's earlier warning about lurking lizards, none were visible, and the surrounding area remained devoid of the anticipated glowing beacons.

“Run?” Scott chuckled, shaking his head. “No need. Those guys won't pose much of a challenge. Let them get closer, and we'll wipe them out in one swift move. Their camouflage won't hold for long.”

Zara and Slim exchanged a glance, silently concurring with Scott's strategy. They redirected their attention to the unmoving cyclops, anticipating the emergence of their concealed adversaries. Scott, disregarding a flurry of system messages, remained fixated on the slithering reptiles with elongated tails and thorny backs.

What will be the best way to deal with these guys? Scott thought to himself, slowly counting the number of concealed lizards. Twenty-five of them, huh. We should be able to handle them somehow, but we absolutely can’t let them finish off the cyclops or take the beacons.

Scott turned to his companions, his telepathic voice resonating in their minds. “Slim, we're going to need your assistance with those guys.”

“Sure, buddy. What do you need?” Slim asked, flashing a smile.

“You'll have to summon your boys and employ...” Scott's words were abruptly cut off by an ear-deafening roar. The trio instinctively turned their attention to the motionless cyclops.

“Mama! Save me!” The cyclops screamed, struggling back into a sitting position.

The blind creature thrashed around, its flailing limbs smashing several rocks in the process. For a moment, all explosions within a two-kilometer radius ceased, the desolate voice of the champion carrying even farther.

Fresh blood splattered on the surrounding rocks, and pools of crimson formed on the earth with every movement of the cyclops. The concealed lizards emerged but displayed no signs of fleeing. Only ten of them remained from their initial numbers, but they quickly regrouped, observing the final moments of the creature from a safe distance. A few focused their attention on Scott, Slim, and Zara. They understood that the one who moved the quickest would claim the experience points from killing the cyclops and its beacons.

“Let’s move,” Scott declared.

Zara clenched her fists, cracking her neck with a determined expression. Slim sported a modest smile that, with each passing moment, transformed into an unsettling grin. Scott advanced, prompting another roar from the cyclops. However, this time, the intensity surpassed all previous outbursts. The air itself seemed to shift, with small fragments of rock and sand visibly scattering in all directions.

“Mama, help me!” The cyclops cried before going limp.