/10 minutes ago/

"Did you pack everything Raul?" Asked a black-haired Catgirl

"Yes Ana. What about the others?" Replied a man wearing gray chest armor and white leggings.

"They should be almost ready, they should be calculating the time to see how we should take down the Goliath."

'One thing is to attack the Goliath when it's already spawned, and another is to be surprised by its sudden activation.'

"What are you two doing here? We are ready to depart, go to your posts!" Said someone on the side

"Yes Captain!" x2

"..."

'Finn watched as two of the strongest Level 4 in the Loki Familia ran to their posts.'

'He only smiled and entered a large tent.'

"You are here Finn." Said a big-headed dwarf

"What is taking so long, Gareth? If we lose any more time, the Goliath is going to…"

If it activates earlier than we might have some problems...

'Finn started to imagine Ais and the others discussing to see who should take out the beast...'

"It's nothing important, its just…" Replied Gareth

'Gareth was about to say something when Riveria entered the tent and said:'

"Ais wanted to challenge it alone this time, but she was beaten by some adventurers from the Hercules Familia, so they should be waiting for the fight to end now."

"What?"

"Hah! Those kids are always so excited, it's good they got some rest time." Replied Gareth as he sat down on his chair and relaxed.

'But Finn's brows furrowed.'

"What is it Finn? It's not like Ais went alone, she has the others with her just in case something happens, although that's unlikely."

"That's not it Gareth. I just have this strange feeling."

'Finn felt his thumb ache.'

"If you feel that something is going to happen, why don't we go there? I can stay behind if you wish." Replied Riveria

"Thanks Riveria. Let's go Gareth." Said Finn as he left the tent

'The dwarf nodded and got up. Picking his two massive double axes on the way.'

...

'Several Km away, Ais and her group were walking towards the entrance to the 17Th floor. The place where the Goliath resided.'

(The Goliath acts like a gatekeeper, that's why the crystal wall is also called the wall of grief, due to how many groups of adventures he killed.)

'Lefiya looked behind her and saw the massive three. She already saw it dozens of times but she can't help but be impressed every single time.'

(Notes)

"It's truly beautiful isn't it? All of these crystals and forests that never seem to end…" She said

"Hum? Yeah, a little I guess, although I do wonder why the Dungeon maintains such places." Said Tione.

"Hm?"

'Lefiya saw something moving on the horizon.'

"Is that… Finn?"

'Lefiya, who was looking at the forest, saw two fast shadows dashing towards their position.'

"Finn? Where?" Asked Tione

'Tione had a fervent expression on her face.'

"Calm down sis, else you are going to creep him out."

'Tione's expression eased but she stared deeply at her "younger" sister.' (By about a few seconds)

'Tione had a deep crush on Finn, and she wasn't afraid of showing it. In fact, most already knew that, even Finn himself.'

'But this love is destined to bear no fruits due to Finn's own dreams and ideals.'

(N0)

/Bang!/

'Finn and Gareth kicked the ground with immense force, shattering the stone underneath their feet and propelling them to the high ground where Ais and her group were.'

"Would you mind if we joined you all?" Said Gareth

"No, but why are you all here?" Asked Ais

"I just felt something wasn't right." Said Finn

"So you came to babysit us huh?" Said Bete

"Not really, I just want to know what is giving me this bad feeling."

"That's the same shit…"

/Tremble.../

'The stones near the entrance started to tremble, indicating that the Goliath had awakened.'

"Already? Wasn't it supposed to wake up half an hour later? Did those muscleheads rush there?" Asked Tiona

"Hum. Knowing them, that's not exactly impossible. The monster Rex can wake up earlier if someone is in the room after all." Commented Tiona

"Let's just wait for them, you all know how those guys can be when they are interrupted."

'Everyone nodded to Gareth's words and sat down to wait.'

...

/Boom!.../

/...Crash!.../

/…Roarrr!.../

'They could hear the echoes of the fight upstairs.'

"Seems like someone is fighting it, and by the sounds, they seem to be winning." Said Lefiya

"TSK! Can't they be more silent?! Just finish it already!"

"We've been waiting in this place for two days yet those fuckers stole..."

"Bete. Can you make less noise? I want to try and hear the fight."

'Bete shut up when he heard Finn.'

'He is still his captain after all.'

…

/Boom!/

'The sounds of the fight were getting louder and louder.'

"What is happening up there? I never saw a Goliath fight that intense before. It looks as if the ceiling is going to collapse anytime soon." Said Tione.

/BOOOM!/

'A massive explosion echoed from above, followed by the passage trembling.'

"Oi. This isn't going to collapse on us right?" Asked Bete

"I hope not." Said Finn

...

/At the same time, right above the Ais and company.../

'Five men wearing very little clothing were standing on top of a rock watching the fight from far away.'

'The only true clothing they were wearing was a leather helmet, two leather straps that carried their respective weapons, and tight trunks.'

(Image)

"Looks like we were beaten to it."

"Sigh…"

"Don't worry Diomedes. You will have the chance to test your new strength two weeks later!"

'Diomedes seemed quite pissed. But he just sat on the ground in sadness.'

"But this is quite strange…"

'One of the semi-naked men pointed towards Goliath.'

'The Goliath was currently equipping a pair of gauntlets. It even had a pair of fur boots!'

"What is going on?" Asked Diomedes

'The Goliath opponent was a red knight with a long white scarf fluttering in the wind.'

"Hum… An adaptation?"

'The man who seemed to be their captain, the one with the large Warhammer pointed out an interesting possibility.'

(Notes)

"What do you mean?" Asked another one of the 5 Herculian men.

"You should pay more attention to the classes, Gerius."

"I am sorry!"

"Adaptation is the term used when a monster Rex changes itself when certain conditions are met. Like Udaeus on the 37th floor, and the Amphisbaena on the 27th floor."

"A good example is Amphisbaena, her transformation activates when someone challenges it alone in a raft. There are more, but their requirements are quite hard to meet."

"But there isn't any report on a Goliath Adaptation. The Familias of the past tried all sorts of things but never did one work… So this begs the question, is this really an adaptation?"

'Everyone looked pensive after their captain Gerinus stopped talking.'

"So it's stronger now?" Asked Diomedes, exited

"Most likely. Let's see how it fights first, then draw our conclusions later. We need all of the info we can gather. You know how Hercules-Sama is…"

"But we alright tried everything. How did the Goliath change?" Asked the Herculean man with an immense backpack on his back

"In fact, is that person the only one fighting it?"

"I think so, Jofrey." Replied the captain

"His armor is quite nice, but isn't it weighing him down? He is barely moving from his position. If this continues he is going to get squished!"

'As he said that, the red knight lifted his hand forward and the Goliath's left, remaining eye, suddenly burst, releasing large amounts of blood.'

/ROARRR!/

'The Goliath screamed in pain and anger.'

'Steam started to be released from its skin'

"What happened?! I never saw it do that before!"

"A skill? Does the Goliath have a skill?"

'Gerius and Jofrey were flabbergasted.'

(I am not considering the Black Goliath in this fight.)

"There were some rare cases recorded in the guild`s files related to the Goliath."

"Very rarely, just like normal monsters, monster Rexes can appear with unique abilities, but that's incredibly rare due to how long it takes for each of them to reform."

"But I don't think this particular Goliath is one of these cases." Explained Gerinus once more.

/ROARR!/

/BOOM!/

/BANG!/

'The Goliath crashed around the place making the entire cavern shake.'

"OI OI! If this continues, everyone is going to get buried alive! I am going to take that shit down!" Said Diomedes as he cracked his knuckles

"Calm down Diomedes!"

"Captain! We can't let this continue! Do you know what is going to happen if…"

"I know, if things get too dangerous I will take it down myself. I am counting on you all to help in that case. Remember our code!"

"TSK!"

'The red knight seemed to be frustrated by something as he once again pointed forward with his right hand but nothing happened this time.'

'So he picked a blue potion and shugged it.'

/Crack!/

'He threw the empty bottle to the side and took out a plain long sword and a shield.'

'Diomedes could hear him saying something but couldn't understand very well due to the distance and the sounds from the rocks and the Goliath.'

'The red knight dashed forward with his shield in hand!'

'His White scarf fluttered behind him.'

/BOOM!/

'The Goliath jumped high in the air and crashed down causing an impact so strong that some of their clothes fluttered due to the wind pressure.'

"That… That has to be the craziest Goliath I have ever seen…."

"Captan, things are..."

"Wait a bit more."

-...

'In fact, Diomedes didn't want to intervene, he deeply respected those who put their lives on the line in order to improve, but he also completely disdained those who disregarded the lives of others for their own profit.'

'He would've killed the man if he had fled the scene…'

'Okay that's too much, but he wouldn't have escaped unscathed.'

"I am here!..."

'Diomedes heard the man screaming something, attracting the attention of the Goliath with a fireball.'

"What is he doing? Does he want to die? He completely removed the advantage he had by revealing his position!"

"You are right brother! But… Don't you think something is strange? He is incredibly slow for someone who should be challenging such a monster." Said Gerius to Jofrey

/CRACK!/

/BANG!/

'As they were distracted talking, the man continued to guide the Goliath towards a certain spot, finally releasing a firebolt towards the ceiling and having a massive Stalactite pierce its arms.'

'He also fell silently towards the floor.'

'One of the warriors looked at their captain, but the latter shook his head.'

"Ohhh! I never thought about doing that before!" Said Gerius

"That's like an instant kill right? If the dungeon fixes itself later we can just bring down one of those and it's going "putchi"!"

"That would be highly unlikely Juige. Not only considering the number of calculations needed to pull such a thing… There is also the dungeon change."

"I find it unlikely that the dungeon is going to keep such a thing after today. Even then, how do you plan to bring down one of those? Are you going to throw your sword up there?"

(I am assuming the dungeon is alive. Since it bears striking anger towards the Gods.)

/CLANG!/

'The knight slashed at the Goliath ankle but the boot proved to be too hard.'

'The situation seemed dire for the knight.'

"Why isn't he just cutting its leg off?" Asked Diomedes

"... That isn't as easy of a feat as you claim it to be…" Said Gerius

"Humm… He seems…"

"Weak." Said Another one of the warriors

"His speed and strength are subpar for even a Level 2 adventurer. Is the armor that heavy?"

"..."

'Gerinus continued to watch silently.'

/Swisss/

Goliath skin stopped releasing steam. It was visibly tiring, barely moving.

'The knight didn't lose this opportunity and he immediately jumped into the air. Or rather, he "ran" in the air.'

"Is he flying?! Look at his feet! What is that wind?" Asked Gerius

"That doesn't look like magic, I didn't see him casting. Diomedes, did you hear anything?" Asked the captain.

"Not even a small sound."

"Firebolt, wind, and that strange force that damaged both of the Goliath eyes and pulled the Stalactite. He doesn't seem to be a mage yet he has all three of his slots full, and they all seem to be instant magic. Or he chanted in a very low voice." Commented Gerinus

"Just fall!"

'For the first time since the fight started, they heard the knight scream something.'

/SLASH!/

'His sword was bathed in fire and lightning formed in the sharp side of the sword.'

'It cut halfway through but the monster was still standing!'

/BANG!/

'The Goliath lifted his hand and slapped the knight!'

/GASP!/

"He is a goner now…" Said Gerius

'Diomedes' eyes were narrowed, but his expression was grim.'

'The other two warriors had sad expressions.'

'But Gerinus looked relieved.'

"He did it somehow."

/CLAG!/

'Suddenly, a sword came piercing from the sky, getting embedded in the wall close to their location.'

'It was slowly breaking down into pieces.'

/Bang.../

/Crash.../

'The final bits and pieces of stone fell from the ceiling and silence slowly came back into the cavern.'

"WARRIORS! MOVE OUT!" Said the captain as he went to the knight's rescue

'All of the knights started running in a perfectly coordinated march towards the fallen knight'

"Haha…"

'Diomedes could hear faint laughing and coughing sounds coming from inside the helmet.'

"..."

It's good that he is alive.

'His attention was drawn towards the super large sword fallen on the ground.'

But the knight also noticed his presence. He slowly turned his head in his direction.'

/Crank.../

'With difficulty, he got up. His legs still trembling slightly.'

'He lifted his left hand and the large sword came flying from the ground as if alive.'

/CLANG!/

'He grasped the sword hilt, but it was possible to see just how exhausted the man was, he could barely even lift his sword. It was a very floppy stance. But the man's determination could be felt from the way he grasped the sword.'

'His reaction wasn't anything unexpected, adventurers need to be wary of strangers when dwelling. Because of his injuries, his stance is more of a question than a warning.'

'Are you a friend or a foe? That kind of question.'

'The man's weak stance suddenly became fully stable, with him holding his sword straight!'

"Calm down!"

-...Who...are..COUGH!

"Calm down proud warrior! We came here to help!..."

"Let me handle this Diomedes…"

'The captain made way from the middle of the warriors and took out a crimson red potion inside a golden bottle.'

"Here, take this… Your potions seem to have been broken, right? We are currently setting up camp with the Loki Familia on the floor below. Would you like to go with us and rest there?"

'The knight didn't seem to believe them that much, so he took something from his pocket, it was a golden coin.'

"Do you recognize this symbol? We are from the Hercules Familia. You can trust us."

'The knight seemed to think for a few seconds. His expression was impossible to read due to the helmet.'

"Thank… Cough!"

"Don't talk for now."

/Clang.../

/Gulp!/

'He removed his visor revealing his mouth and chugged the potion.'

"Cough cough!... I feel much better now…"

"That's good. Sorry for spying on your fight. We came here to fight the Goliath but…"

"I ended up stealing it right?"

"No no! We don't mind!"

"... Well. I don't have much to pay you all with. Nor do I have a way to bring this stone to the surface. Would you five accept it as a form of payment?"

(It isn't exactly Illegal… Unless they paid him in hard cash, this is more like a gift. Freya did give Bell one magic stone once… Very early in the story, I think)

"What?! Of course not…"

"Let me handle this Diomedes!"

"... Are you sure about this? You could buy a few of the potions I gave you…"

"My life is worth much more than a few bottles of potion… Thank you all for the help. Would you all mind staying a bit more while I recover?"

"Haha! No problem! Jofrey! Get us some of that wine we bought on the 18Th floor!"

"Yes captain!"

…

"..."

What is this situation?...

'Silver was sitting near a bonfire. Together with him were 5 semi-naked bodybuilders…'

'They were the people that helped him earlier obviously.'

'Despite their appearance, they are quite nice and refined. Helping Silver gather his loot and equipment.'

'But I can't get used to them...'

'Don't judge people… Don't judge people...'

"Do you like the wine?" Asked Gerius

"It's quite good, but I like the ones on the surface more… Did you say it came from the 18Th floor?" Said Diomedes

"Yup! We got it in Rivira… Expensive as fuck!..."

"I heard the place was expensive, but how much is it?"

"Don't even get me started! Everything there is at least 20 times pricier! And the number of scammers!"

'The youngest of the five continued to tell Silver just how crazy expensive the city was…'

"..."

Thankfully I won't ever need to buy stuff there. As long as I have the storage space.

"Here, it's ready."

'Diomedes passed Silver a skewer made from some unknown meat.'

/CHOMP/

'It had a fishy taste and texture.'

"What is this made from?" He asked

"Raider fish from the 25Th floor. Ever fought one?" Asked the captain

'Silver shook his head.'

"I heard of these, but never fought one, they appear on the surface as well right?"

"From time to time, one of these will terrorize a fishing village. But they do make quite the nice skewer… How are your injuries?"

"... I should be able to fight in a few more minutes, the potion was quite strong after all."

"Of course, it is! It's a super-strong potion sold in small batches every day."

"Thanks once again."

"HAHA! Just enjoy the meat!"

'Diomedes had a deep respect for those who challenged themselves. So when he watched the fight, he easily realized this knight was weaker than Goliath, yet he stood his ground and didn't leave, defeating it after a brutal ending. Gaining his respect'

'The herculean warriors helped him gather the loot and even gave him a small sack so that he could carry his loot.'

'They ate and laughed together until Silver thought it was time to go.'

"Are you leaving already?"

"I have a schedule to make, so I can't take any chances staying longer than I should. If I end up being stuck on some floor… The people there are going to kick my ass."

"I know how it is… Hercules-Sama is just like that." Said Diomedes

"If you have the time, make sure to visit us on the Surface! We welcome you with open arms!"

'Silver looked at the strange image of five bodybuilders in tight trunks opening their arms to him.'

'It made him sick.'

NO THANKS!

'Silver bowed and gave them his farewells...'

'And left hurriedly after that.'

…

"Looks like he left." Said the captain as he made his way to the crystal

"Are we just going to let him go like that? What about our report? There are so many strange things about this situation." Asked Gerius

"Wait. Are we even going to report what we found to the Loki Familia?"

"Of course, we are Gerius. Everyone has their secrets, however, It is of imperative importance that we represent our Familia in keeping a good relationship with the Loki Familia."

"As per the orders of Hercules-Sama"

"Captain…"

'Everyone knows the "history" behind Loki and Hercules…'

'Hercules used, and still has a massive crush on Loki, but she never replied to his feelings because… He was too Macho for her.'

'So he has always tried to maintain a good relationship with the Loki Familia.'

"I just wonder how they are going to react after finding out that we weren't the ones to take down Goliath…"

'The captain noticed his subordinates expressions and said:'

"Don't worry too much about this. It's nothing but a minor event for both our Familia. This story will soon become just that… History. But always remember..."

/BANG!/

'The captain unsheeted his large Warhammer from his back and struck the crystal, breaking it into pieces.'

'But none of the Herculean knights were surprised.'

"Sigh… I know the end result would be that…" Said Juige.

"What a waste…" Said Diomedes

"... We are proud warriors. We protect the citizens. That's why we seek strength! That's our mantra! We don't need rewards to help others in need! That's why we are noble!"

"So raise your head! As proud warriors of the Hercules Familia!"

"UOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!" X 4

'The warriors screamed at the top of their lungs, their screams made the cavern tremble slightly...'

.

.

.