The big burly man pounds his feet against the marble floor with each step. A thunderous thud emanates from the ground like mini-shockwaves. The very Earth trembles.

He crunches his hands into balled-up fists the size of my head.

What a literal monster this man is.

And I’m supposed to fight him...

I take off my longcoat, and then my “I

I’d check my Destiny Cards and my Life Points, but there’s hardly any point. Not enough time left.

The burly man steps up to me and cracks his knuckles. Then his neck. Then he squats and pops his knees as well. This man sure has a high quantity of popping in him.

King Bodhi wants me to fight him in exchange for free lodging and currency exchange. If I fail here, Delta and Francis could be in danger, and I’m more likely than not to end up dead.

This man is a monster unlike anything I have seen before, even the fearsome bear I once wrestled. He is an outright beast, with the size of an overgrown orc and the muscles of a a cave troll.

I take a deep breath...

In... and out.

Okay.

I know what to do.

There’s only one shot at this. I don’t know how strong he is, or how fast he is. His presence alone makes me wonder that he far outmatches anything I’ve ever faced before, and I do not want to take any chances.

So now that he’s up to me, and he’s narrowed the range between us...

I make my strike!

HIYA!

One blow right to the chest.

It sends him flying through the air for approximately three seconds. He crashes onto the marble floor, cracking it as he skids along to an eventual stop.

Ding!

[+1 DP.]

[Total: 64 DP.]

That marks the end of the match after one blow. I guess I built up too much anticipation there, didn’t I?