"Alan… you alright, buddy?" Armis called out as he walked on the unexpected solid ground of the marshy swamps on floor 28.
Alan, completely unresponsive to his friend's concern, continued leaping from tree branch to tree branch, pausing occasionally to scan the area ahead with a lackluster gaze.
"Is he alright?" Aurelia asked, glancing at Alan with worry. Armis, matching her concerned look, replied, "I'm not sure, but his lack of any visible emotion is a little concerning."
"But then again, we don't know much about him. Maybe this is his way of coping with everything," Lyco added, holding Poduria's hand as they walked. Surprised by Lyco's remark, Poduria turned to him with a puzzled expression. "Huh? What do you mean? I thought you guys were friends since the academy?"
Armis, still keeping one eye on Alan and one eye on the path ahead, responded in a stern tone, "Yeah, but Alan's always been a reserved person. Apart from his birthplace, he hasn't shared much about himself."
Alan, still grappling with the stabbing pain and sense of loss in his heart, decided to repress it all and focus solely on their objective: moving ahead and reaching the next tier of the floor.
As he leapt to the next branch, his soul-less yet sharp gaze caught sight of something descending rapidly from the sky. His eyes darted around, quickly calculating that the falling object was a person, and they were headed straight for where Armis was about to step.
Everyone heard the echoing yell and looked up, startled. But Alan was ready. With a powerful leap, he almost snapped the branch he had been standing on. In an instant, he reached the falling person, maneuvered in mid-air, and caught them, landing smoothly on the ground.
Everyone was astounded by Alan's sudden burst of speed as they rushed towards him and the man he had just saved. The elder man, with a white goatee and slicked-back hair mostly turned grey, wore a regal white robe with purple lining, now marred by burn marks and holes. These signs hinted at a recent, fierce encounter that had sent him hurtling towards Team Goliath. Clutching a golden staff topped with a giant pearl so tightly that his hands were bruised, the man lay unconscious.
As they gathered around, trying to make sense of the situation, Poduria suddenly exclaimed, "Wait… he looks like a priest from the Holy Church…"
Surprised by her revelation, Lyco glanced at Poduria, then back at the man, scanning him up and down. "Well, the attire suggests it. But what is he doing here? And why was he flying through the air?"
"Looks as though he was in a battle of some sort, m—"
Before Alan could finish his deduction, a loud blast echoed through the jungle behind them. Startled and on guard, everyone turned to see what it was. Another explosion followed. Alan and Armis exchanged glances, concern etched on their faces. Armis turned to the others and said, "Poduria and Aurelia, stay here and tend to him. Lyco, protect them while Alan and I check out what those explosions are about."
"Armis, b—" Aurelia started to protest, but the commanding and determined look in Armis's eyes stopped her. She nodded in agreement, as did Lyco and Poduria.
Alan and Armis charged towards the explosions, with Armis noticing a strange, almost eerie enthusiasm in Alan. Despite his earlier despondency, Alan now lunged from branch to branch with newfound vigor, his gaze serious and stern.
They burst out of the dense trees into a small clearing. As they gained their footing, the sight before them made their eyes widen in shock and their spines tingle with dread. Felix and Cesar lay beaten and exhausted, covered in critical wounds from their battle with the unexpected foe—Augustus.
Augustus noticed their arrival and grinned menacingly. He stood casually, a cape draped over half of his perfectly toned and bulky body. His eyes gleamed with darkness, his face vigorous, and his hair maintained the pristine shape of his academy haircut.
What astounded them most was Augustus's height. He stood nearly seven feet tall, his menacing grin morphing into a maniacal yet proud laugh. He aimed his ruby-plated rapier, with a black gem etched on its handle, down at Cesar and Felix. Both of them turned to see Armis and Alan, who were frozen in shock at the unexpected encounter.
Augustus, continuing his laugh, greeted them in a booming voice, "Well, well, well, more guests to the party? I guess I do need as much nutrients as I can get. You know, handling this body..." He creepily and suggestively hugged his own body, showing a twisted concern for it. Pulling his rapier near his lips, he licked it with grotesque lunacy and said, "So I guess... the more, the merrier. He he..."
Felix and Cesar, already boiling with rage, charged at Augustus with everything they had. Armis and Alan, devising an unspoken plan, joined the fray.
Felix leaped forward, spinning his shield, lunged it at Augustus, who deflected it with blurring speed using his rapier. Before Augustus could recover, Cesar pounced with his claws. Augustus attempted to counter with his rapier, but Cesar managed to hold it in place, locking Augustus down.
Felix, seizing the moment, lunged from above, intending to drive his shield into Augustus's head. But with astonishing speed and strength, Augustus yanked Cesar toward him, delivering a concussive headbutt that sent Cesar hurtling away, blood splattering from his temple. Augustus then stepped forward, leaping into the air, spinning, and delivering a kick so powerful it shattered Felix's obsidian shield and sent him crashing into a tree.
Augustus landed but had no time to breathe as Alan and Armis pounced on him with a double dropkick, their combined force sending him skidding backward.
Armis was ready, leaping onto Augustus with matching speed, and sweeping him off his feet with a spinning low kick. Wasting no time, Alan grabbed Augustus's shoulders and executed a backbreaker using his knees as the impact point. Holding Augustus upright, Alan set him up for Armis, who descended with full force, crushing Augustus's gut with his feet.
Their bone-crushing combo should have left Augustus incapacitated, but to their shock, he grinned with closed eyes. Suddenly, his body jerked, and he slipped from Armis's feet and Alan's grip, disappearing for a split second. Before they could react, Augustus reappeared out of thin air, swinging his rapier at Armis with such force that it cracked his obsidian armor and sent him crashing into a boulder, shattering it and propelling Armis even further into the dense foliage.
Augustus swung his rapier at Alan, who narrowly dodged, stepping aside just in time. Augustus's mocking grin widened as he locked eyes with Alan. "Well, well, you are different, aren't you? I don't sense any aura from you. You can't be that weak, which means you're just like me..." Augustus taunted, stooping to meet Alan's gaze with a mad glint in his eyes.
Suddenly, Augustus swung his rapier again. Alan, maintaining his composure, leaped high to avoid the strike. In a blink, Augustus caught up to him mid-air, his rapier slashing towards Alan again. Thinking quickly, Alan retrieved smoke balls from his belt and smashed them right into Augustus's face. The smoke burst forth, causing Augustus to inhale it and lose his senses, halting his strike.
Seizing the moment, Alan gripped Augustus's head and planted his feet on his chest. Looking into Augustus's menacing eyes, Alan used the momentum to deliver a powerful slingshot kick, launching Augustus far into the dense foliage.
Augustus hurtled at full speed, crashing into the gate with such force that it swung open upon impact. Staggering to his feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, he clenched his teeth to stifle a groan.
"Tch…" He spat blood, his grip tightening on his rapier as he continued, "That guy... he's something else. I couldn't sense anything from him. Usually, just by touch, I can gauge the amount of aura someone possess, but he... he was null, like the creatures from the lower floors. Something's not right here."
Turning to walk through the gate to the next floor, Augustus sneered, "I need to get stronger. I—"
"Halt where you are, you monster," Leo's voice cut through the air, as Augustus clenched his teeth in frustration as turning to see Leo, sword drawn, standing before him, defiance in his eyes. Augustus turned to face him, sneering, "Why? Why don't you just give up? You know, why haven't I killed you yet?
Leo mirrored Augustus's expression, a hint of pride in his eyes as he replied, "Because you can't, you m—"
"No! No! No! It's because you're a worthless puny insect with an amusing stupidity. But now... now I'm sick of your existence, and I think it's time to finish this!" Augustus interrupted, his voice dripping with malice.
With a wicked grin, Augustus aimed his sword at Leo. Focusing intently, a radiant ball of energy emerged at the tip of his rapier in an instant. Leo stood firm, preparing to dodge the impending attack, but Augustus surprised him. With a swift twirl, he shot the energy sphere at Leo, sending him into confusion about how to evade.
As the energy sphere approached Leo in a confusing swirl, first coming from the side then suddenly lunging at his face, it was intercepted by Felix's shield just in time. Leo, feeling a pang to his ego, sneered, "Hey! I don't need your help."
"Yeah, just like you didn't need our help to find him, Mr. 'I can do better alone,'" Armis mocked from behind, joined by Alan and Cesar, who wasted no time in leaping into action against Augustus.
Augustus, now more irritated and furious, yelled, "Ah! More cockroaches! Fine by me. I'll finish you all off here and now!" He began unleashing more energy blasts from his rapier, causing everyone to scatter in confusion. Armis, puzzled by Augustus's newfound power, asked Leo as they both lunged at Augustus, "How the hell is he doing this?!"
"I don't know," Leo replied, "he acquired this power after I saw him slaughter and absorb a whole group of raiders on the 25th floor. The monster has never been the same since."
Disgusted and furious by Leo's revelation of Augustus's new abilities, Armis and Leo dodged the oncoming blasts and charged at Augustus. Leo swung his sword with full force, but Augustus bent his body in half abnormally, dodging the strike. However, he couldn't counter Armis's charge. Armis speared into Augustus's leg, lifting him into the air and jumping high. He delivered a piledriver, smashing Augustus's head into the ground.
As Armis let go, he found Augustus grinning as if in no pain. Augustus spun on the ground, delivering a devastating kick. Armis barely dodged, taking the impact on his forearm armor, but the force still sent him reeling.
Augustus jumped back on the ground, swiftly closing the gap between himself and Leo. With a powerful leap and a spinning motion, he swung a slashing blow at Leo, who was already on the defensive. The impact sent Leo hurtling backward, crashing into Armis.
Alan and Cesar sprang into action, lunging to intercept Augustus. Alan moved swiftly, reaching for Augustus's hand that held the rapier. With a forceful yank, he attempted to wrest the weapon from Augustus's grip. But, in his distraction caused by Alan, Augustus failed to notice the charging Cesar. With swift and precise strikes, Cesar delivered a heavy blow with his claws to Augustus's elbow, causing it to bend abnormally. Augustus cried out in pain, gritting his teeth in fury.
To the shock and horror of everyone present, Augustus's body jerked in an abnormal fashion once again. He yanked his hand back from Alan, somehow healing the just-received elbow injury. With alarming speed, Augustus seized Alan and yanked him towards himself, simultaneously delivering a powerful kick to send Cesar flying away.
Augustus ensnared Alan in his grip, his hand tightening around Alan's neck. But Alan swiftly leaned away and delivered a powerful kick straight to Augustus's face. The impact reverberated with a heavy thud, causing Augustus to stagger back several steps.
Seizing the opportunity created by Augustus's dazed state, Cesar charged from behind, using his leg to lift Augustus into the air. With a swift motion, Cesar spun his body, causing Augustus's head to collide with Armis's knee, delivering a crushing blow.
Sensing their chance, Alan and Felix swiftly joined the assault. Felix shattered Augustus's shield with a powerful strike from his own shield, while Alan delivered a forceful axe kick to Augustus's gut, causing him to emit a bloody groan and relinquish his grip on his rapier.
With no time to spare, Cesar forcefully tossed Augustus aside, allowing all four of them to converge on his rapier with the intention of shattering it and incapacitating him.
Armis and Cesar unleashed a barrage of stomps upon the rapier, while Felix leaped high into the air, hurling his shield towards Alan. Alan deftly caught the shield mid-air and, performing acrobatic maneuvers, descended upon the rapier, adding the weight of his shield-assisted strike to the assault. As their combined blows struck the rapier, a powerful burst of light and energy erupted, sending them all hurtling to the ground with staggering force, nearly incapacitating them.
Felix and Cesar lay motionless on the ground, unconscious from the explosion's aftermath. Their already battered bodies succumbed instantly to the additional strain inflicted by the energy blast.
Meanwhile, Armis and Alan struggled to sit upright, their vision blurring as they watched Augustus retrieve his unscathed rapier and dematerialize it back into his mark. With his mangled arm supported by his other hand, Augustus shot a furious glare at the nearly unconscious duo and muttered menacingly, "Damn cockroaches, just you wait. Next time I see you, I will swallow you all whole, especially you..." With that, Augustus strode towards the gate, his threat lingering in the air.
Just then, Lyco, Poduria, Aurelia, and the man arrived at the clearing, drawn by the massive explosion. They found the four incapacitated and unconscious figures on the ground, their attention shifting to Augustus as he disappeared into the darkness of the gate. Before vanishing, Augustus cast a menacing glare back at Team Goliath, instilling fear in their hearts.