The giant tried to stand up, parts of its body fell apart due to the stress caused by any movements. It looked at me, and stared.

"A... dragon?"

Oh god not this crap again, please for the love of god don't go into a damn frenzy.

"How... magnificent..."

Wait what? Hey, did you just talk normally?

The giant started shaking its head, holding it with whatever remained of its hands. It let out a roar, then leapt towards me.

It did go into a frenzy! What the hell happened?!

I sprinted away from the falling giant, it's speed wasn't anything special, but when falling, it was high. Pretty damn high! If I'm trapped under it for too long, I'll uh, it won't be pretty to say the least.

The giant didn't get back on its non-existent feet, instead it started crawling, with only its upper body raised up. Crystals started to grow from the nubs on its hands, and took the form of hands.

I flew around the crystal, it swung its arms through the air to get me, then it started jumping and flailing around. Creating a flurry of limbs.

Argh, this is bloody ridiculous! You look like such an idiot from my perspective, stop flailing like a child!

The giant leveled the ground under it with every swing, every jump would shake the island it was on, the number of swings it would do would decrease after every one, until it finally stopped.

Well, while you were flailing around, I was thinking of how to defeat you, and if I'm honest, I don't really know how, I could drop rocks at you from the ceiling, but I don't know how effective that would be, I could hit your cracks and try to break you that way... or I could... nah that's insane.

Lemme check the description of energy absorption.

[Energy absorption]

[A skill that allows the user to absorb all kinds of energy. Amount scales with level. Too much energy absorbed can cause discomfort, paralysis, and or death.]

All kinds of energy huh? What if, I can absorb heat energy?

I started trying to pull in heat towards me, I focused on trying to convert it into EP, I felt the heat turning into something else, but it was extremely inefficient, I absorbed a high amount of heat, and only got 10 EP.

Damn, do I need more heat?

The magma in the room seemed to shine even brighter now that I thought about a location with more heat.

Nooo, that's insane! Even I'm not that crazy, but, what if?

Screw it, I'm placing it as a last resort.

The amount of EP recovered had increased now that I was absorbing heat and I had my natural recovery combined with it.

The giant leapt at me as I was recovering, I started flying to the left away from it, but I was caught by its front as it was falling, I got up and started running across its body, and in an instant, I was on its back.

Haah, haah, that caught me by surprise, crap, I need to rest for a couple seconds.

The giant started rolling over, I jumped off of it, then flew away to rest for a while.

Haah, oh god I'm gonna puke. Last time I felt this was when I climbed 20 flights of stairs. This sounds like a cut away gag now that I think about it.

The giant crawled over to me, smashing its hands into the ground and pulling itself with blitzing speed.

My eyes widened when I saw its speed, I jumped up and started flapping my wings the moment it got close, it tried to catch me in the air, but I was out of range for its hand, so it grew more crystals out of it to reach me.

I dashed forwards in midair, and the spikes were behind me. I got a clear view of the cracks on it's back, and created a volatile ball of flame, then threw it at it.

The explosion created a hole in the cracks, but it was too small, the damage done was around 10 or 15, and even worse, the crystal started regaining a small amount of EP.

Damn it, those defenses are practically impenetrable! Come on, think you moron.

Flying up to the roof, I hardened my fist then swung it into the roof, causing rocks to fall, after planting my entire arm into the ground, I started running, creating a line through the ground, the scales on my arm and my defense thankfully protected me, so it was just like running my hand through water.

I ran for a large distance, pouring everything I have into running. The giant looked up on me. It moved its body upwards, putting its arms on the floor, then rooting whatever remained of its legs into the ground.

It threw its fist up into the air, no it wasn't celebrating, but it was punching the roof, trying to get me with its swings.

I kept on running, the heavy swings of the crystal landing next to me, creating craters on the roof, and enlarging the holes I dug.

I switched directions after a while, moving only a few hundred meters after switching.

I was about to switch again, when I saw a fist cut me off and land in front of me, then another was about to fall on my direction. I ran the opposite way, freeing my fist from the ground, and undoing the hardening.

The crystal was hellbent on that location. I would try to go back there, and it would swing its fists there, keeping it up even when I wasn't there.

Fine then you bloody bastard, don't make me go Scottish on you down there! Anyways, I guess it can do that if it wants.

I ran around its fists, then jumped up the hole we fell through, rising several hundred meters up, before smashing the wall I was on.

Ok, hopefully it doesn't push on the roof and squish me like a bug. Jeez that sounds like a terrible end. I don't wanna imagine it.

I lengthened my claws, the started digging in the same direction as earlier, it was slow, way slower than the first time, and I had to do it thoroughly.

The collisions and quakes from below were getting more intense by the minute.

Come on, dig faster! If the crystal decides to move away from that spot, it'll all be for nothing! Well, luckily its legs are destroyed, and dug into the floor. You know, these rumbles at least let me know that the bastard was still there, so Yeah.

I switched directions after what I think is the amount necessary, then I continued on for what I was assuming to be several hundred meters.

Finally, I did the last switch, the rumbling started to quiet down, the attacks becoming far less frequent. That was enough to make me sprint for the final stretch.

I dug out the wall, and breathed in fresh air. Before jumping back in, hardening my fist, then planting it into the wall next to me.

I used Alchemy and earth techniques alongside my fist to force the rocks to move away, each lap across the wall took me about 9 seconds, becoming lower each time the wall got smaller, eventually I stopped using earth techniques, alchemy and hardening to conserve EP.

It finally broke, and the floor under me shook, becoming pretty loose and slightly crooked.

Thankfully it didn't fall, I need to check if the crystal was under it or not, plus, I need to break the other three walls holding it to drop it.

I exited the hole, then went down.

The giant fell over again, and was crawling away from where it was at, it crawled towards the magma, then raised its hand towards it.

Hey! Guess who's back!

I launched myself towards the crystal, smashing into it's back with all of my might, landing on one of the cracks and further breaking it apart.

Speed also accounts for how strong you are dumbass!

That certainly got its attention, it swung its arm into the magma, then looked back on me, it moved its body to roll over again, but I leapt off of it from the same position.

It crawled over to me, splashing magma from the arm that was covered in it. I flew back to where my trap was, and it followed me.

The bottom of the rock looked terrible, it was covered in craters, cracks and holes, the thing looked like it was about to fall apart, and it dug pretty deep into it.

I got back on the roof, I doubt the crystal can even get to it anymore, the roof here is pretty damn tall, and it made it even highe-

Ugh, I'm gonna puke.

My muscles tensed up, and my body was extremely hot. I felt that I was burning up, even though I had been on fire several times. I never felt anything like this.

Ok! No more absorbing energy! I guess this is my limit. At least I got my money's worth out of it, since now I'm at a respectable 248 EP.

I look back down, I see that it had crawled all the way over to me. It stared at me, and started getting up, all the while staring at me.

I lifted my hands to start digging down, before I could even put my hands into the ground, crystals spring out from under me. I dropped from the roof the moment I saw them pop out.

Ah, my hands, ow, crap, my freaking hands.

I was preparing to dig, so me getting injured was inevitable, blood ran down my arms from my hands, the damage isn't too serious, but it nearly blew a hole through my hands.

So it's not planning on letting me go in from there eh? Too bad I already have a backup plan in case it tried to do this.

I ran towards the hole we fell through again, I kept on looking towards the crystal, but it did nothing, instead, it bent down, and shoved its hands into the floor. It pulled out a giant piece of rock, one the was half its size, creating a giant hole in the ground.

Then the giant broke a piece of it, taking a boulder from the giant piece, it crushed the rock between its hands into shrapnel. Then lifted its arm into the air.

No, no way!

Its arm fell down, and it released the rock, creating hundreds of miniature pieces of rock as shrapnel.

I saw hundreds of them approaching, then everything was covered in dust, I dug down to take cover, and heard the sounds of hundred of rocks colliding.

I kept on digging upwards, I didn't need to get to that hole, I just needed an opportunity to get digging.

I dug as fast as I could, eventually, I came across the area that was up, I was off by a few dozen meters, but I managed to link it correctly.

Then I dug back down immediately. Eventually I saw light under me, and popped my head out of the hole I created.

The crystal looked everywhere across the roof, looking at each hole, and at each crater that was created from all of this fighting.

It fixed its gaze at my location, then got down to pick up more rocks, I waited for it to do so, then jumped back to digging.

The tunnel I dug shook, and under me, I could see parts of the rock break and get consumed by the dust.

I started digging towards the next line.

So it's gone quiet now eh? I gotta get down and check if it even is still there, if it leaves then my strategy falls apart.

I dug down and popped my head once more, I saw a piece of rock approach me nearly instantly. I flapped my wings up and dragged myself out of the range of the rock.

The boulder slammed into the hole, ramming upwards towards me, until it stopped and fell.

Holy crap, that was close! My freaking head man, it was nearly paste! I don't wanna play whack-a-mole anymore. I guess it's actually more like whack-a-Lisa, hey? Can we switch roles?!

Hell man, I'm kind of terrified. Maybe fighting it wasn't the best idea.

I dug up, then I dug down, then up, and then down. I repeated the motion of going up and down, making sure to be as thorough as possible. At one point, it had stopped throwing rocks again. I sensed its presence, and felt that it started moving.

Welp, I gotta act as bait again, on the plus side, at least it is helping me dig, but hopefully it doesn't destroy my trap completely.

I dug down and popped my head out again, I was a quarter of the way done with this side, but that wasn't what was important now.

I left the hole, then launched my self towards the crystal once more. I moved my body so that my legs were going to hit it's back first thing, just so I can jump away.

A spike formed on the area I was planning to land on, I kept on going, then shoved myself upwards telekinetically.

I redirected myself from the spike to a clearing, then landed on it without a drop in speed.

The area I landed on cracked further and started falling apart, while the giant was pushed back slightly.

I jumped off of it's back before it could react, I picked up a large piece of its crystals that fell of after my impact, then carried it up with me.

Oof, this thing is heavy, hopefully it doesn't impact my spee- oh my god!

The crystal was now full on Sprinting at me, whatever remained of its legs crashed into the ground, leaving the ground under it hollowed out.

I threw the crystal up, and followed after it, the giant jumped as I was going up, and reached its hands towards me.

I got further up, and saw its hands start to lose altitude. It just barely missed me.

I put my hands around the shard that I threw. It nearly slipped out of my hands and I fumbled it until I held it tightly.

Hahaha, hoo, that was close.

I jumped back into the hole, then got up to the tunnels. I put the crystal on the ground in front of me.

Anyways, I gotta try something out.

I used Alchemy on the piece of crystal, I lengthened it, then made the edges thinner. I made the middle of it thicker, then created a part where I can hold it from.

Tada! A makeshift sword! It's definitely made out of a tough material, so it'll probably withstand being used... as a shovel.

... Maybe I should have made a shovel, but a sword is at least 3 times cooler. Also, the method I dig with requires more slashing than piercing.

I held it with my right hand, then shoved it into the stone. It was rough, and didn't slide in like I thought it would, more like forcing it in. Then, I started dragging it as I ran.

The sword lagged behind me slightly, it definitely did cut them, but it really could have been better. At least it wasn't breaking, eh?

Within seconds, I finished the first lap, and dragged it all the way around.

Hoo, well, that was pretty fast. But, I can't cut further down, since the space I created with the sword isn't big enough for me. So I need more proper planning for it.

Ok, how about digging tunnels that are 8 meters away from each other, enough that the sword can reach everywhere, and that would reduce my workload.

I got down, then started digging tunnels, after the first tunnel, I went down again, the started sensing the presence of the giant, it wasn't moving anymore. It was completely still.

Well, I don't mind, better than playing cat and mouse every 2 minutes.

I got back to digging, everytime I finished a tunnel, I checked back on the giant, but it didn't move at all. Once I checked, then twice, thrice, until eventually I had dug and check nearly 60 times. But still, the crystal didn't move at all.

Time to grab my sword, then it'll finally be over.

I went back up to the top tunnel, then grabbed my sword, I started going down one by one to all of the tunnel. Maneuvering my sword in such a cramped space was awkward, but I could manage. I shoved it into the roof, then I started running.

My sword slashed into the roof and floor of these tunnels, connecting them through the cuts it would create. With this method I connected ten tunnels, then twenty. At that point, the structure of the trap was getting a little unsteady and unstable.

30 tunnels connected, still no movement from the giant, does it wanna die? Is it accepting its death?

40 tunnels connected, the trap is practically set, it really is gonna collapse soon.

Wait, wait!

I felt movement from the crystal, it was going up. 100 meters up, 200 meters up, 300 meters up. At this rate, it's gonna get up here within 20 seconds!

Shit, I expected this, but I hoped that it would end easily. Things just never go my way.

I need to be able to cut the final bonds that are holding this rock up, then, I'll win. I just need to do that, then it'll be over. Fight. Fight!

I got down to the lowest layer, I need to at least be able to cut these, since they are going to be the ones to be impossible to reach first.

I dragged the sword across the ground for the first trip, then put it in the roof for the trip back.

The giant could now reach the roof, but it didn't stop, it kept going up, even though it already could get me.

Oh crap.

The tunnel rumbled, bits and pieces of it started collapsing, and the ground was raising. The giant had dove head first into the roof, and its head was inside the rock.

I looked to my right, then saw the ever brilliant glow of blue right next to me. Soon after, the rumbling continued.

I ran the opposite way of its head, the tunnel behind me started collapsing as its hand chased me.

Crap man, this is bad, I don't have much openings, and I need to collapse the rest of the tunnels and have an escape route. Thank god I'm fast enough to outrun it.

Besides, I should head down now, I'm gonna punish the fool for thinking it could rival me in my domain. Good thing for my sharp thinking eh? I totally wasn't panicked and terrified.

Once the hand stopped going after me, I dug down. I dropped down into the larger cave, the giant had its head hidden in the roof and pulling itself upwards. It got its arms in, and was planning on pulling itself up.

I dropped down to the level of the spire it used to raise itself up. I hovered around it, I held up my sword as a test, then focused on it.

I moved my arm at supersonic speed, then made contact with the edge of the sword and the platform. The blade bounced off of it, but broke a piece of it off.

I positioned myself, then slashed it dozens of times within a second, creating a flurry around the mid point of the raised platform.

Blow after blow struck it, the edge of my sword chipped after every blow, bits of it fell off after every swing.

I stopped swinging after the crystal was about to be cut in two, the left edge of my sword was practically unusable. But the right edge was fine.

I levitated the sword at my back, then I got to the remaining bits of the spire.

I lifted my fists up, then crouched slightly.

I delivered my fist towards it, then I switched it with my other one. I began speeding up, until I started rushing it with hundreds of punches per second.

The crystal broke away with every punch, until I charged up my fist. And delivered my final blow.

The crystal lost its balance slightly, the roof began to crumble, and I saw the top of the giant crash through the roof.

I flew around the dozens of rocks that rained on me, and positioned myself around the other piece.

The crystal bent over, and looked at me from between its legs.

I prepared myself next to the other spire, hardened my fists, then moved them at it. Smashing into it over and over again. I started flying around it as I delivered hundreds of blows. The crystal wobbled after every strike, its hands approached me, and I flew away from there, catching my breath from the flurry I created, and rubbing my fists from the pain.

Its hands didn't try to catch me, instead, it held it's own platform, then pulled its legs upwards. Freeing its legs from the collapsing spire, as it held onto the remaining bits. It flipped over and grabbed on to remain up.

The crystal then slid down as the platforms were about to crumble from the force of holding it as it jumped down.

The crystal landed on the floor safely, and I could have done nothing about it. The way it jumped down didn't give me enough time to drop it. But at least it won't have enough EP to try this foolish move again.

I looked up at the roof, and saw that it was about to collapse, it had a big hole near the right side of it, and the rest of it was starting to slide down to that side.

I flew up there, the crystal hastily bent over and picked up more rocks. I was near the remaining tunnels and drew the sword from my back once more. I dragged the dulling side of it through the tunnels once more, crystals began to come out of the tunnel to stop me, and hundred of rocks began to be thrown. The cave rumbled over and over with every blow of the rocks. The tunnels I dug were starting to collapse from the stress of the weight above it, and the rocks being slung at it.

Everything behind me either collapsed, or was filled with spikes. The tunnel cracked from the top of my head all the way over to the end of it, and the part in front of me collapsed before I could go through it.

I didn't slow down or stop, if I did, I would be impaled by dozens of spikes or I would potentially be crushed. Maybe I could survive the crushing, but I don't want to test it out. After all, this is a trap designed to kill a titan. And by designed I mean I just cut a comically sized boulder to drop on it.

I placed my sword on my back again, and ran up to the collapsed tunnel, then jumped into it. I crashed through it with my shoulder, then dug through with both of my hands, the falling rocks clanged against my sword. It was getting tougher to move as more fell on me, but with my speed. I was able to get out of there.

The crystals stopped as the tunnel behind me caved in. I looked back at it, shoved my sword into the roof then ran again.

The tunnel started to lean more to the side, and I could hear the sound of rocks breaking and collapse. This thing wasn't gonna last much longer.

After a while, I started sensing that the crystal was moving up again, but it wasn't a slow rise like the previous times. It was... erratic, it moved like it was swinging itself.

Oh god, it's gonna jump at me, isn't it?

Then, the crystal flung itself up at the roof. There was a moment where nothing moved. Then a massive quake happened. It had crashed headfirst into the roof. And I mean that literally.

It didn't stop, and soon. It kept on rising up. I started running towards the final bonds holding the stone up. Which unfortunately, were right besides it.

I had gotten to them as I kept on cutting on my way here. Then acted a bit more carefully. The giant flailed to fish me out of the stone, since it didn't know where I was. This stone was already unstable, and the giant flailing certainly wasn't helping. The tunnel I was in was on the verge of collapse. But I slashed, and slashed.

I kept on dragging my sword, and cut apart the one of the bonds.

I went to the lower part, then began cutting. As one of its arms comes crashing through the walls. I backed off from its arm, then went lower.

I started cutting in that part. I was around the halfway point, when the giants hand crashed in through the roof behind me. And started moving sideways towards me.

Oh crap!

I ran faster as I saw the hand stay behind me.

Oh god I've always hated chase sequences!

The hand eventually stops moving and starts grasping air, then it dragged along the wall and vanished.

Phew, wait isn't this the moment where the monster shows its face and the chase begins again?

Man, I'm already prepared for it happening. Queue giant monster in 3, 2, 1.

Aaand nothing happened. Hah, see? When you are expecting it, it literally never happens.

Then the giant's head appeared, leaning towards the side as it looked at me.

... I oh, uh, um.

I started running again, and this time the entirety of the crystal dove after me. Its arm was outstretched towards me, fortunately, it was doing all the digging and more for me.

The stone slid again, and this time, the leaning was getting serious. The wall was about to become the floor for me.

Crystals started coming out of the wall in front of, and on my level. I dashed forward, and ran around them. There was a phew that sliced me, and a dozen I had to smash through.

I heard a loud breaking sound. Then my legs weren't connected to the ground anymore. The cave that was blacked out in front of me now was lit up by magma.

Come on! So close to freedom!

The entirety of the tunnel in front of me was covered with spikes. And the exit was being closed. I smashed through them, cutting myself in the process. Then I finally smashed through the cover on the exit.

I looked back on the crystal, and saw its outstretched hand get out of sight. As what was practically a mountain was about to collide with the ground.

My blade no longer floated on my back. It fell down, and planted itself into the ground.

I floated up there. And watched it make contact with the ground. A dust storm was immediately kicked up by the impact, and the rocks practically shattered. As the top of the trap start caving in on itself.

Hoo. That was tough.