Chapter 7: David and Goliath

Birds twittered in the sky as they sounded the morning chorus, and fog hugged the great tower of Babel. It was still early dawn. A purple-haired boy walked down an empty pavement, a hand in his pocket.

*Crunch*

Hit took a bite from an apple acquired from a sleepy stall owner, free of charge due to it being leftovers from the day before. It was 5:10 in the morning, and Hit was feeling pleased that he had snuck out from the hostel without waking up any of the annoying pests inside. This was the same disappearing act that he pulled many times, in the village he called home. Part of him regretted not spending more time with Mary...

He was a morning person and was currently enjoying a pleasant walk through town; he stopped at a secluded garden. Suddenly, his legs flexed to propel his body upwards, and the boy landed on a tree branch. 'Just under an hour here then I'll begin the mission'.

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The yellow sun drifted through the sky, as the planet rotated around its axis, emitting a beam that filtered into the canopy. Hit sneezed at the pestering ray of light. Woken up, he let himself down and began marching to his target. 'Let's begin'.

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Hit slowed his pace as he entered the immense tower, and instantly focused on the two guards at the mouth of the extensive dungeon below. He smirked inwardly. 'Good, exactly as predicted.'

Since the threat to the city was behind them, guards stationed here were far more focused on the occasional runaway monster, not on people foolish enough to enter the pit without a falna. Hit intermingled between passersby as he approached the officers, going unnoticed by all. Hit bided his time until the precise moment he was waiting for.

"Jim, Nate! Time's up. Go get yourself some grub." A tall, bearded man called out to the pair of guards. A shorter teenager waddled behind him, carrying two waterskins. The men referred to as Jim and Nate looked up sleepily and moved towards the newcomers, their reflexes quite diminished. "Finally... This never gets any less boring". "Cheers kid."

Hit's pupils dilated; this was it. One pair of guards was fatigued after their long night shift, whereas, the other was fully focused on their comrades' wellbeing. There would be a slight lapse in concentration as they spent time in discussion, and the entrance would remain relatively unguarded for a few precious moments.

Hit dashed forth from the shoal of people he used for cover and melted into the shadows of the dungeon.

*Yawn!* "...hey did you guys see anything just now?" The youngest guard pointed behind the group.

The other three turned around to an empty hallway.

"Huh? Nothing's there lad...".

"It's your first day, you're just seeing things..."

The bearded fellow spoke in a raspy voice and clapped his junior on the shoulder. "Don't worry kid, nothing ever happens here! We can all unwind at the red-light district later, GaHaHa!"

Hit's red eyes pierced through the darkness as he ran further and further from the guffawing men behind him. 'Mission accomplished'.

Hit's mission had been quite a simple one. Obviously, people who engaged in shady dealings would also have to find a way through. ...Unless there were other entrances hidden someplace else. However, almost no unblessed people had ever entered the dungeon since the gods descended. Most were caught due to their sluggishness and inexperience. Hit had compensated for this by camouflaging himself and striking at the best possible time.

"Not very grand... soothing I suppose". Hit's eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, thanks to the pulsing crystals embedded into the dirt walls around him. Soon, the hallway broadened and Hit came to a relatively well-lit passageway. Some chittering and scrapes sounded from behind an upturned boulder as a creature writhed about. Hit always moved as quietly as possible, by matching the cadence of his footsteps with others, or by treading lightly.

Whatever it was, had no idea that he was approaching. Getting a good look at the thing, Hit saw a small, hunched humanoid of some kind. It had green skin and pointy elf-like ears. The only clothing it wore was filthy rags.

*Crunch*

Its black pointy teeth tore flesh from a severed arm, human. Maggots wriggled from deep gashes on its ventral side, wounds that matched the creature's sharp nails perfectly. This was the pristine moment to launch a devastating surprise attack, which Hit did not capitalise on.

*Crack*

*Kreeeee!*

The thing wailed as a stone impacted on its cranium. The pebble did not do any damage, but successfully pissed it off. Hit stood at the centre of the atrium, threateningly. The little demon was used to his victims cowering; this was new. "Come at me". Hit invited the monster to attack.

*Kkhh...GRIIIIIIIIII!*

Veins bulged across the grotesque vermin's body, and it ran towards its human prey, spittle flying from an impossibly wide maw. With a leap, it rocketed at Hit's abdomen like a missile.

"Hmph." Hit launched a straight right at its head, popping it like a balloon. A sickening wet sound resounded as fetid blood spewed onto the dirt below. Strangely, no brains dripped from the catastrophic wound. Hit put his full strength into that punch. He decided to give his all for the fallen warrior, or armless escapee. Hit scowled. "Is that it?"

'Very disappointing, this better get more challenging.' He felt slightly less sorry for whoever lost a limb.

*Poof*

The creature's corpse burst into black smoke, rather than festering like organic matter would. Hit examined the impact site and picked up a small dark object. 'And this must be a magic stone.'

The little gemstone glistened in the dim light. It was purplish in colour and had a galaxy of brownish swirls at its core. They flailed about as Hit turned the rock in his hand.

'I'll be keeping this one.' This was Hit's first kill in this world. He would keep a memento to remind him of it, disappointing as it was.

Oh well, Hit looked on the bright side. 'At least I can let loose here.'

The first three floors were an utter breeze to Hit. He never ambushed his prey, giving them ample time to gather together, or pick up shoddy weapons. The hallway grew darker as he stepped onto the fourth floor.

*Slip*

Hit dodged to the side as a lizard dropped from above. Once it fell onto the ground, he stomped on the brown reptile, causing an explosion of yellow pus.

"Ugh." Hit looked at his clothes and groaned; he was filthy. 'I'll be needing a long shower after all this...'

His goal was to descend to Rivira; it was for this reason that he delved down so early. However, he had no idea how far down the settlement would be. 'There must be a source of clean water somewhere down here...'

*Crack*

The tunnel trembled and pebbles skittered on the ground. The dungeon walls gave birth to unlife. Something large fell to Earth and it reared itself up.

*Grrrrrrrr*

A new type of monster faced Hit now. They were bipedal and covered in brownish-grey fur. Strangely, they had an uncanny resemblance to humans, appearing to be short stocky humanoids with human arms and legs. The most significant difference was a growling wolf's head atop their shoulders.

'This should be more interesting.' The creature was not alone, as three others of the same species spawned behind it.

Hit got into his simple solid stance. 'On your mark.'

Slobber pelted the ground as his enemies looked at him voraciously.

'Get set.'

Bipedal creatures became quadrupedal as they tensed their muscles to leap.

'GO!'

The pack leader howled into the murk. This battle cry sent the four kobolds sprinting towards Hit; feral eyes reflected absolutely no consciousness. Saliva drenched their jaws, indicative of their ravenous intent. Claws left great gashes in the mud in their wake.

Hit soared right at them and met their fury head-on. A second later and a whirlwind of fur and claws swept over him. As he faced the onslaught of clawed limbs, he weaved side to side like a boxer and threw quick jabs, as was his style. He did not throw hooks or crosses to strike at different angles. Originally, he would skip time and position himself at the perfect orientation. His martial arts form focused on delivering the deadliest attacks possible, concentrating the entirety of his power into every single punch. His phoenix eye fist style focused this enormous energy into a single point, leading to devastating results.

*Squelch*

The kobold yelped as Hit's fist disintegrated its lower jaw, causing its tongue to flop helplessly. Hit was calm and collected as he dispatched the mongrels.

A rabid scream pierced the air from behind; this time Hit chose to try something new. He grasped the kobold he just enfeebled and threw it behind him. The two mindless mutts tore at each other.

*Rip*

Blood spewed onto the cavern's walls as a fist erupted from the dogs' chest cavities. Hit put the beasts' out of their misery. He let the corpses flop down to the ground and they disappeared into black whisps. Crimson blood streamed down Hit's face and a shadow passed over him. He turned around, robotically, and addressed them with finality.

"Fight me... If you're ready to die."

The remaining dogs' tails shot under them, and they turned to flee. Hit gave them no mercy and disembowelled them both. Monsters on the upper floors may have no sentience, but they responded to deadly intent.

Boot prints embedded into the ground as Hit continued on, delving deeper. 'Still no good. Nothing I've encountered so far can tank a full-power strike from me.'

The air of the fifth floor had a reddish hue, suggesting that each floor had its own aura. It was said that legendary adventurers could pinpoint their exact position by feeling alone.

*Groooooooarrrrr!*

*Eeeeeeeek!"

A monstrous roar shook Hit's bones and a high-pitched scream followed after. The two sounds juxtaposed each other greatly.

'Was that a little girl?' Hit had no time to ponder this strange sound, as a towering figure fumbled into the room. Blood dripped from its side; a great gash was torn into it. If it had ribs, they would be jutting through.

Hit was moderately impressed by what he saw: a great bipedal bull heaved up and down before him, taking in great gulps of air. Its reddish-brown fur was singed in places and one of its forward-facing horns had been shattered. Steam shot out of its nostrils, and it stomped down to proclaim its dominance.

*Groooooooooooorrr!*

The beast bellowed and charged forward to gore the obstacle in its way.

"Hnngg!?" Hit's incredible senses saved his life as he backpedalled out of its trajectory. The creature moved exponentially faster than any of his previous opponents here. 'I barely made it...'

The dreadful minotaur skidded slightly to resist its momentum. Hit could not allow the opportunity to pass and ran towards the monster. He punched the bull's tough skin as hard as he could; however, this only knocked the creature back slightly. "Huh!?"

The ferocious animal roared and whipped around, throwing a fist that Hit had little time to dodge. Just a simple graze propelled him into a distant dirt wall, cratering it. He collapsed on the ground as a bruise blossomed on his cheek.

"Kkhhh...heh…heh…heh..."

Hit's pained expression morphed into aching laughter as he lay there. Finally, he had found something worth his time. Shuddering, he got to his feet, hands held loosely from his sides.

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"Graaaaaaaaaaaa!" Hit shouted out to the world, finally finding what he sought. His arms were tense as he took on a familiar stance that was once utilised to build up ki.

A calm, neutral expression returned to him as he held his hands forward. The bull stared at him, perplexed. What was this strange creature doing? Hit's hands blurred as he rapidly moved his arms into a series of complex positions. It was a beautiful display of oblique angles and practiced synchronicity. "This is the stance!"

Hit held his arms at an obtuse angle to his body; forearms were at head-level and slanted towards his core slightly. Rounded fists opened to suit a more complex fighting style. He was finally serious.

The bull tilted its head, before shaking it. First it had been forced from its birthplace; now a feeble creature was mocking it. Rage bubbled within it and blood vessels nearly burst in its eyes.

*GRRRROOOOOOAARRR!*

Hit flew at the beast, emboldened by the stance he had recalled. The two juggernauts were a flurry as they traded blows about the battlefield. Hit put everything he had into dodging the bull's boulder-shattering attacks, gaining a litany of bruises and cuts from grazes alone.

The cow groaned as Hit's jabs and strikes met their mark; however, they were not enough. 'Despite my far greater skill, I'm still sorely lacking in speed and strength. A world without ki is infuriating...'

Hit smirked. '...but exhilarating.'

As the battle raged, Hit was beginning to tire: his strikes became duller and duller and the grazes he suffered became slightly more direct.

Finally, the inevitable happened.

Hit had been forced into a corner; it was bound to happen when he was constantly forced to dodge. He now had a choice to make: either he would avoid the next attack, or he would die.

...

Hit felt his vision gain clarity; he could see individual strands of hair on his opponent. Small pebbles and flecks of blood littered their fists. It was as if time had slowed down for them both. This phenomenon is referred to as time dilation, and commonly antecedes someone's death. Fighters often report the exchange of feelings and thoughts in these deadly situations.

'So, this is it, huh... At least it's to a strong opponent... in this world.'

Hit resigned himself to his fate.

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''''''''''NO! ''''''''''

Hit shouted out in his mind; he refused to give in now. Full bodied courage coursed through him as he retaliated against fate. Hit focused everything he had: every fibre of his being, every cell in his body, every speck of his soul. They were all set ablaze to scorch the hand of fate itself!

Stupendous cracks, rifts in space and time, splintered throughout the world. Light diffracted and refracted into a rainbow of exquisite colours as an alien force shattered out of its container. Hit's vision was flooded with an ethereal glow.

'This is!'

For the first time since arriving in this world, Hit felt elation. He quickly took advantage of the situation and scanned his opponent in just 0.1 seconds. The sinews in the cow's right hand were twisted in a telltale fashion. Hit knew what to do.

He returned, reluctantly, to the main river of time.

*G... RRROOOOAR!*

The beast smashed a fist towards Hit's vulnerable head. He ducked down, in the nick of time, and pushed up with all his might, directing a destiny-challenging fist into the giant's chest. "HAA!"

*Smash*

*GRAAAAAAAAAAAA!* The behemoth twisted in pain, far more than ever before. However, it forced its weary carcass to keep moving to extinguish the ant that dared defy it.

Hit grinned and activated his signature move once more, the ability to transcend the inexorable flow of time: time skipping. A sound only audible to Hit, akin to a rapidly reverberating bell, sounded out, tearing against the fabric of reality.

*Khh...Shing...*

Hit saw the swinging horn, rushing down to pierce him amongst the shiny splinters surrounding them.

Time passed equally for the combatants once more.

Hit leaned back, allowing the swing to overextend, and slammed into the monster with a flash fist crush: a deadly time skip attack whose force was so immense, that it launched a beam of purple particles rushing out from behind its impact point. Energy stored within the temporary fourth dimensional plane was used to propel Hit's attacks to even greater heights than before.

This volley continued between the two as each titanic blow was dodged perfectly and countered with a precise pummel. Purple energy rays cut across the room at staggered inclinations and declinations. Someone who did not know of Hit's time skipping might say that he was moving on perfected instinct alone. Hit dashed all around his enemy, launching purple energy-infused attacks left and right that showered them like fountains. The rediscovery of his technique had fuelled his heart to beat more rapidly than it ever had.

*Crack*

One wallop seemed to have an exceedingly great effect as the Cow-like being screamed in agony.

*Graaaaaaggh!?*

It was the creature's turn to experience a new emotion: terror.

'There!' Hit had found its weak point.

One must remember that monsters are not true living creatures; they do not possess complex subdivisions. A fighting style that specifically targets internal organs was therefore incredibly wasteful on monsters. Hit's fighting style was developed to be as deadly as possible, and so its efficiency was greatly impeded here. However, after landing innumerable consecutive blows, Hit finally found it, the monster's magic stone.

The roaring bull fell backwards in pain and knocked against the tunnel wall, causing a stalactite to fall onto it from above. The rocky protrusion embedded itself into the Minotaur's shoulder and it bawled to the heavens.

The racket reminded Hit of his noisy Saiyan opponent from long ago. He responded in kind and decided to put an end to this death battle. He twisted a foot and pushes himself forward to strike the most forcefully yet. "HRAAAAAAAAHH!"

**Smash**

Hit's strike met its mark and a spiralling indentation formed at the impact zone, like an illusionary fist. The monster let out a final whine and it disappeared into vapour. The last thing it saw was a purple faced man wearing a grey segmented cloak.

Author's Note

In case anyone is feeling upset that Hit managed to defeat the Minotaur, please remember that it has already been gravely wounded.