The giant approaches closer. We need to wait until it walks past us.
*BOOM!*
Each step uplifts an explosion of sand. All of us grip our weapons firmly, ready to charge towards our deaths.
As the titan advances, its shadow precedes it, elongating across the unforgiving terrain, stretching out like an ebony serpent and engulfing us.
However, the shadow stops and we no longer hear footsteps.
??
The colossal giant stops before our ambush point. It raises its feet high into the air and crashes down upon the ground.
*BOOOOOM!*
The cataclysmic impact shudders the desert floor, sending ripples of sandy shockwaves bursting.
Both hidden teams are swept along by the forces of nature, expelled away from the giant.
A block of mana used as a footing plunges me back to the ground.
How did it find us?
"Damn it! Plan B!" Melissa blurts out.
She immediately activates the turrets' abilities. The turrets, at their maximum level, are now metal towers with a roof over the archers. Slender slits are positioned along the outer walls for archers to shoot. Purplish armoured rangers wielding a cannon replace the black figures.
After activation, the cannons rapidly collect energy before blasting barrages of mana missiles at the giant, leaving trails of mystical power.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
Each impact explodes a massive mana cloud residue, disorienting the colossal creature. I take that chance to swoop in and cut a large slit at its left heel, causing it to stumble back.
The headless giant raises its arms, trying to block the attack. Audrey and her team attack at that moment, taking out the other heel and forcing the giant to its knees.
Melissa and Kasli immediately respond with their respective shots. Two powerful columns of blue mana zap the giant, emitting rings of shockwaves along its path and erupting upon contact. The blast knocks the giant back as its massive form crumbles into the sand.
Even without the sand clearing in the air, everyone instinctively feels the giant's rage. It's a failure.
"KKKKKKYYYYYARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" A piercing screech ejects from the headless giant, forcing everyone to cover their ears.
I can feel something rumbling beneath the sand.
In an instant, many blue tentacles spike from below and skewer one of us. His body pours blood down from the sky, spiraling in the air as the tentacle-like blue matter wiggles. We can only glance in shock and fear.
I clench my fist firmly, brows furrowed, and teeth gritted. This is the trait of the Cyclops giant. Why does this monster have it?!
"Kasli said nothing about this," says Leo.
The giant's body is unlike what Kasli mentioned. Many tentacle-like limbs stretch from the body, and the wound at its heel has regenerated. However, a small crack is present in the abdomen. The regenerative ability has swapped places.
"Fuck...nothing is going to plan," I mumble.
The giant picks itself up. All ranged shots are blocked or deflected by the tentacles.
I rapidly rack my brain for strategies until an aching headache hits. The hours of mental fatigue are catching up.
With a ringing pain in my head, I can only dodge the fierce attacks of the mysterious tentacle limbs. One limb sweeps overhead, and I duck. Another shoots out from the sand, which I barely avoid by sidestepping.
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"Huff...Huff...I don't care anymore."
Without solid judgment and a plan, I rush forward while evading the ruthless whips of tentacles.
Like a giant whirlpool sucking up an entire city, the mana within and around me fluctuates and circulates intensely to the point where some of my veins and flesh start breaking and bleeding. I leap off the sand and jump my way through swarms of mana attacks and reach the abdomen. Above me, many tentacles form a "barrier" to prevent me from going further, blocking even the sunlight and casting darkness.
"FUCKER!!!" I scream.
Left with no choice, I simply go for the arms protecting the abdomen, thrusting through the arms and piercing its skin.
!
Nevertheless, it's not deep enough to reach the brain.
I quickly jump away from another horde of tentacles attempting to shred me. The now exposed abdomen gave Melissa and Kasli another chance. They activate the turrets' ability and charge their strongest attack. I can see blood dripping from both Kasli's and Melissa's noses.
The air crackled with raw energy. With a burst of discharge, two beams of vibrant, pulsating mana surged forth. As it neared the giant, the beam arched and swirled, coiling like a celestial serpent preparing to strike.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!!!*
The impact was akin to celestial descent. Ground trembles as suffocating packs of dust explode above. I was thrown back by the shockwave momentum and rolled in the sand.
"Huff huff huff..." I glance up as I use my sword as support.
Chunks of meat fly away and evaporate into thin air, I am certain the attack pierced the giant yet why...
Why is it not falling? That powerful impact merely stumbled the giant to its knees.
Hope is no longer here. Despair is the only treasure left.
Melissa drops her musket. "Impossible..." Her mouth is wide open.
Kasli, eyes trembling, puts on a light smile. "Ha...ha...haha..."
Why? What the fuck went wrong??!!!
Despite all this, Leo is the only one to charge forward.
"Leo!" I exclaim.
"We can't give up! It's now weakened!" He shouts.
...
Hah...
Right...
Excessive fatigue, like a relentless shadow, clings to my body, mind, and spirit. Still, I can't give up here. Shame washes me despite the impossible odds.
I push myself up and run towards the giant. Our action lit a minuscule flame within everyone. Even if we die, we do it fighting.
When the dust clears, the reason becomes obvious. Melissa and Kasli barely missed the brain by an inch. The giant is aware of the battle's outlook. it knows all of us are at our limit. Thus, it starts to focus solely on defending the open weakness, its tentacles rapidly extend and cover the abdomen.
That leaves a gap at its heels and Leo takes it.
But something is odd. It can indefinitely spawn tentacles from every part of its body so...
It's a trap.
"Leo! Wait!" I scream.
It's too late. Several tentacles erupt from its legs aiming for Leo's head.
Suddenly, a magic circle appears below Leo and teleports him to my side but...
He still lost his left arm. The teleportation was incomplete and too small.
"ARGHHHH!!!!!" Leo cries in pain. Blood splashes out from his open wound. I immediately pull his belt off and tie it around his bicep as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
"KARGHHH!!" Kasli coughs out blood as she falls to the ground, black substance foams at her mouth as her eyes grow red. She pushed herself to save Leo and used her final ounce of mana.
"Please hold out. Hang in there. I will be right back," I say.
I need to end this.
I grab my sword and leap at the giant again just for my legs to stop working. I fall flat into the sand.
"W-What?? Huh??"
I can't feel my legs.
Thousands of tentacles shoot out of the giant. Audrey bashes through each batch with a body full of scratches and bruises. Despite a neverending will, she is but a mere human. Her body unable to take any more load shuts down and her fist lowers.
"Huh-"
The last thing she saw was thousands of pointy tips. Many tentacles pierce through her body and rip her apart.
"A-A-AUDREEYYYYYYY!!!!" Melissa screams.
One by one, everyone dies to the tentacles. I am not spared of the malice. Countless tentacles attempt to attack me and break the barrier of mana engulfing me.
I need to move. But I can't.
I am going to die.
I can't...
...
No...
It hurts but I have to move. Whatever it takes, I must move.
My senses go into overdrive from adrenaline. Oceans of mana in the desert flow and swirl around my body, carrying my body up. Purely using mana to move, I dash towards the giant once more and leap from mana to mana, dodging every single bit of tentacles through the narrow gaps between the barrage of the onslaught. Tentacles envelop me, blocking out the sizzling sunlight. I pull back my sword as demonic purple mana engulfs my entire body.
*BAM!!!!*
One brute force through the noodles and I, a small human, fly out of the cage. The giant immediately puts everything into defending its brain at the abdomen and that is a mistake. I simply jump through the air and go higher and higher.
"K-KYRAAHH??" A confused shriek echoes.
When I reach high enough, grey clouds abruptly materialise. The further I ascend, the further the vigour of the rumbling tempest.
At the absolute peak, I raise my sword. A violent thunder strikes at my sword, wrapping thunderous cries around my body.
The giant trembles beneath the wrath of heaven.
Golden blinding light swipes across my red iris.
*Whoosh*
An impossible phenomenon in a desert: rain.
Like thunder, I boost myself off the sky and descend at the giant.
"DIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
The ground trembled violently as the concussive wave rippled through the desert, sending shockwaves through the sand and causing dunes to undulate in chaotic patterns. The very air was charged with energy, crackling and pulsating with otherworldly electricity.
(Author's note: In chapter 105, Abandoned City(2), Samuel came across a monument slab stating "One who aims for the sky will receive the blessing of the gods". This was basically a clue for the 'cheat' in this dungeon which Samuel just used.)