CHAPTER 117: SHINY CRYSTAL BOAR

The beast stomped, and the ground shook violently beneath Riley’s feet. A few crystals embedded in the cavern walls cracked under the force and dropped, shattering upon impact with the floor.

The monster’s growl rolled out again, long and guttural, filling the chamber like a thunderous warhorn.

And then, it fixed its entire body toward Riley, lowering its crystalline head as though daring him to move.

Riley’s eyes narrowed as the tremors settled into silence, the crystals around the cavern still faintly quivering from the beast’s earlier stomp.

He exhaled slowly, gaze steady on the hulking creature standing before him.

The sharp glare of those bright red eyes locked onto him like molten orbs peering out of a mountain of gleaming crystal.

His lips parted slightly, words escaping almost without thought.

"...So it reacted even though I barely oozed any bloodlust."

His tone was quiet, low enough that it nearly blended into the steady hum of mana that filled the chamber.

His head tilted, a faint flicker of intrigue flashing in his eyes as his grip on the daggers at his sides tightened.

"Impressive." The word lingered in the air like a calm acknowledgment, though his pulse quickened in subtle anticipation.

Before him, glowing words appeared, hanging in the air with cold clarity.

[Elite Boss Monster: Shiny Crystal Boar]

[Level: 34]

[H/P: 5500]

Thin bars floated above the beast’s crystalline body, outlining its health and basic information.

The red bar stretched long and intimidating, a stark reminder of the endurance this enemy possessed.

"Tsk..." Riley clicked his tongue, a faint sound breaking from his throat. His eyes narrowed further as he muttered beneath his breath. "It’s... really strong."

His words were honest—free of pretense. This monster was nothing like the horned boars that had ambushed him in the earlier parts of the dungeon.

This was on an entirely different level. The weight of the beast’s presence alone confirmed it.

This would be the strongest monster he had faced since entering Apocalypse.

He drew in a quiet breath, thoughts sharpening in the back of his mind.

What worried him the most wasn’t its sheer bulk, nor the raw power in those crystalline hooves that could crush rock with a stomp.

No, what he needed to account for—what made this fight truly dangerous—was its insane resistance and endurance.

The crystals coating its body were more than just armor.

They were a defense unlike any ordinary plating. They bolstered the monster’s physical resistance to an absurd degree, making blades and blunt strikes alike nearly useless.

On top of that, their structure carried a natural affinity toward mana, making the beast’s magical resistance just as formidable.

Even worse, the crystals themselves acted like conduits, providing the creature with enormous reserves of mana—fuel to power whatever devastating attacks it might unleash.

And perhaps the most troublesome trait of all: they dispersed damage.

Any strike that landed on the crystalline hide was scattered, its force absorbed and minimized so that the beast took only the smallest fraction of harm.

Riley’s mind flickered briefly to the memory of Terry in his past life.

From what he could recall, Terry’s talent had an effect that let him ignore all resistance.

It was an ability few could counter, a skill that consumed tremendous amounts of mana but granted him the edge in nearly every fight.

The cooldown was long, forcing Terry to use it sparingly, but when he did... it was lethal.

That very ability was why Terry had managed to win many near-death fights—skirmishes that should have ended with his corpse scattered across the battlefield.

Riley was certain that same ability was what Terry had relied on here, against this beast.

Without it, cutting through those crystalline defenses would have been almost impossible.

But Terry hadn’t done it alone.

No, when Terry had faced this monstrosity, he had brought teammates.

Together—with his resistance-ignoring skill combined with their collective effort—they had managed to finally bring the creature down.

Riley, however, stood here with no one at his side.

This wasn’t Terry’s battle.

It was his.

His lips curved upward, a faint, almost twisted smirk tugging at his face.

The thought of claiming this victory alone, tearing down what had required a group effort in his past life, sent a flicker of anticipation burning in his chest.

He would kill it himself. And then... he would feast.

Gruuu!

As though to punctuate the hunger gnawing at his insides, his stomach let out a deep, guttural growl.

The sound echoed across the chamber, reverberating against the crystalline walls like the roar of something primal.

His tongue darted across his lips, catching the line of drool that had already begun to form. He licked slowly, savoring the thought.

The boar’s crystalline hooves paused mid-step.

For the briefest moment, its hulking frame stiffened.

Its glowing red eyes trembled faintly as a chill ran down its spine.

A subconscious instinct screamed within it, warning of danger—warning of something far beyond the ordinary human standing before it.

But as quickly as the feeling arrived, it dissipated.

Growl!!!

The beast’s body loosened, its chest puffing up with renewed confidence. A guttural growl tore through its throat, reverberating through the cavern with renewed defiance.

Embarrassment dripped from the sound—it had dared to flinch before prey.

Riley’s smirk widened, the expression twisting into something darker, more unrestrained. His eyes gleamed with madness, sharp and hungry, as he whispered beneath his breath, voice low and filled with anticipation.

"I’ve been holding back my hunger... I can’t wait to eat you."

The words echoed faintly in the chamber, swallowed by the mana-laced air.

Riley’s lips curled upward into a grin, his body tensing as he bent his knees slightly.

Swoosh!

Without hesitation, he suddenly charged towards the beast.

His figure became a blur, shadows trailing in his wake as his speed exploded to its limits.

In less than a breath, he closed the distance, both daggers flashing in his hands like fangs hungry for flesh.

He slashed viciously at the beast’s legs, aiming for the softer joints beneath its crystalline armor.

The crystal boar reacted instantly. With surprising speed for its massive size, it retracted its legs backward, avoiding the cut that could have slowed it down.

A guttural rumble echoed from its chest, and then the monster swiped one of those enormous limbs down toward Riley like a hammer about to crush an insect.

Riley didn’t flinch. Instead, he leapt onto its descending limb, his boots landing on the hard crystal with a sharp crack.

Using the momentum, he propelled himself upward again, launching into the air like a coiled spring.

Both daggers gleamed under the rainbow light of the crystals as he twisted his body mid-air and unleashed a swift double slash aimed at its chest.

—400!

A harsh, metallic clang rang out. The sound reverberated across the rocky field, sharp enough to make the surrounding crystals hum faintly.

Riley’s eyes narrowed as his daggers bounced backward, the shock running up his wrists.

Apart from a faint scratch—so shallow it was practically invisible—there was no wound on the beast.

The boar roared, its maw opening wide as a thunderous sound burst free.

The crystals covering its body pulsed violently, glowing even brighter until the light scattered like a prism, bathing the field in multicolored brilliance.

Then it moved.

With brute force and speed that defied its massive bulk, the boar slammed its crystal-encrusted body into Riley.

"—!" Riley’s eyes widened, and before he could evade, the impact crashed into him like a mountain falling from the sky.

His body was flung backward at terrifying speed, spinning through the air. The sound of air splitting around him whistled in his ears.

But just before he could slam into the jagged rock formations behind him, he twisted his body mid-flight, forcing his momentum into a tight spin.

His boots hit the ground hard, and he landed back on his feet with a heavy thud, his knees bending slightly to absorb the force.

—500!

A bright red notification flashed before his eyes.

Riley scoffed, his teeth flashing as his lips curved in disdain. "Just from one hit..."

He straightened his posture, rolling his shoulders once as though to test if any bones were broken.

Despite his high resistance and endurance, the beast’s slam had managed to carve away five hundred health points in one strike.

That alone spoke volumes of its strength.

Riley chuckled lightly, unfazed by the warning signs flashing before him. His chest rose and fell as his body thrummed with tension and exhilaration.

And then, from deep within his gut, a low, animalistic growl slipped out.

His stomach twisted painfully, hunger gnawing at him like an insatiable beast clawing from the inside.

The sound echoed faintly across the vast crystal field, a growl almost as primal as the boar’s own.

Riley dragged the back of his hand across his mouth, smirking as a thin trail of drool touched his lips.

His eyes glowed faintly with madness.

"...Good," he muttered under his breath, voice low and ragged, like he was savoring the taste of the moment.

"You have to at least be this strong to be a worthy meal..."