Chapter 8: Love? Love.

~~~~~1st Person POV — Noah~~~~~

"Well, that was fun." I smiled down at the headless corpse of the intelligent kobold. I didn't care that it was intelligent—all I cared about was the exp. 

[+7877 exp]

The most I'd ever gotten from a single kill of a monster. I laughed. 'I need to find more.' Their intelligence seemed to make them drop more exp, or was that kobold stronger? 

'No,' it wasn't stronger, just intelligent.

'But, I can't run like that again.' My shirt was a bit torn due to the rapid turns that had scraped my shoulders slightly against the walls. 'And,' that grab I missed from the agile kobold had made me scrape my palm slightly on the wall. 

'I should have never unequipped the Caestus.' I had freed my hands to increase my speed, but now I knew that was a bad idea. It worked, 'but this pain on my palm isn't worth it.'

I examined the scrape on my palm in detail. The skin was slightly torn, with a few small stones embedded in the wound. Blood trickled from the scrape, mixing with the dirt and grime from the dungeon walls. 

I cleaned the wound as best as I could with the corner of my shirt, wincing slightly at the sting. Then, I equipped the Caestus once more and called up the map, looking for my next target.

'Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily

Life is but a dream~'

This life really is a dream.

Like that, time passed. 

Well, more specifically, six hours. How did I know? Because the effect of the Rhapso Beginner Set has activated two times, the second time being just a few seconds ago, it magically cleaned me, as in, all the filth in my body disintegrated into thin air.

It also cleaned itself and fixed all the damages I caused to it, and now, we were both in peak-perfect condition. 'Well,' I was hungry, and by hungry, I mean. 'STARVING!' I wish I could scream, but there were too many people around me. And I should also find a place to use this.

[Level Exp held: 62,208]

In these six hours, I had hunted past the 100 monsters my seven-day mission gave me, and completing it gave me 10,000 exp, so, in actuality, I only got 52,208 from hunting monsters. Which was still a lot, considering how easy these monsters were to kill.

This is the reason I did not increase any of my stats, as increasing them would reduce the exp I get from the monsters. However, I needed to use at least enough to complete the day one seven day mission.

The reward you get after completing all 10 daily missions isn't great, but if you complete all 70, the reward will be quite useful. No, it will be extremely useful. 'And since a mission will get locked once the day ends, I need to complete it before the next day.'

But, 'These eyes,' as I walked up the spiral staircase to finally exit the dungeon, I felt every single eye on me. It made complete sense. Look at this man with shiny silver armor I just walked past. He looked around 171 cm, but his chest barely reached my lower chest. Even the taller Boaza beside him, standing 195 cm, could barely reach my shoulders. 

I am a giant among ants. A god among men. Just look at their eyes. Fear, surprise, and confusion. Yeah, I am your big daddy, the Son of the Goliath Queen, and the King Spirit of Gravity! Your Lord and Savior—

I should stop. That was cringeworthy, but still, my height was something that would definitely draw attention. 'At least I look human.' Or else I would have been thought to be a monster. 

I nodded slightly at a dwarf as I walked past him. Standing 134 cm tall, the dwarf was the perfect height to make my willy a slurpy.

To him, I was an enormous giant. The dwarf carrying the hammer did not return my nod, and I held myself back from smirking because the hammer he carried on his shoulders looked powerful enough to smash my skull open like a peanut. 

'Short motherfucker.' I knew from most eyes that they saw me as a powerful adventurer. I mean, look at my height. My muscles. I am a beast. 'I am feeling myself too much.'

I finally stepped out of the hole I was climbing and entered a massive circular expanse. And by massive, I mean extremely large. It stretched about 250 meters in radius and rose more than 100 meters high. 

The ground was paved with large slabs of stone-like tiles, the walls were filled with murals of what seemed like gods, and the biggest was a bearded man in the process of placing a giant tower over a hole in the ground. Looking back at the hole I came out of and the area around me, I could understand. 

'A tower built above the dungeon.' Interesting. In my game, the dungeon was just a gaping hole on the earth that demonic monsters crawled out from to ravage the earth, but in this game, 'or world', they placed a tower over it. 'Nice.'

I walked as I looked around, ignoring the many eyes on me. 'Zeus,' a massive man holding a lightning bolt, ready to throw it at a roaring dragon. 'Hera beside him, I presume.' The entire area was filled with murals, some of which I didn't even understand at all.

I made my way towards one of the many doors around the wall of the massive area while I looked at the surrounding 'adventurers.' I guess there's no discrimination against animal people in this world. Cats, dogs, wolves, sheep, they were all here.

But, I noticed something. Similar to when I was picking my species, all the demi-humans I have seen are mostly domesticated animals. I wonder what the limits are for demi-humans. What if I fuck a lion, will my child come out to be a lion demi-humans?

'They most likely evolved to become humanoid like humans came from gorillas.' So, would it be beastiality if a human had sex with them? Not that I was interested, just curious. 

Continue my walk, I ignored the girl that stumbled out of my way, as I had to bend under the 215-cm door to get out.

'...' Now I wonder: wouldn't houses be built for smaller humans? How the hell will I be able to enter one to sleep? 'I am exaggerating.' I doubt I am the only Goliath in this city, so there might be taverns for tall folks like me somewhere.

Stepping out of the door, I entered a plaza still bustling with activity despite it being night, the stars barely visible in the sky. Walking around the plaza, more busy than within the tower, I glanced around, looking at what they were selling.

'A sword for 200,000 Valis?' Could I sell my weapon from the system? 'I mean, they are definitely better quality—' 

Wait, I have never brought out the common short sword or the Rapier from my inventory, so I don't know if they are rusted like the iron ball or the Great Mace. I doubt that. Rust would ruin a sword's sharpness and such, unlike a mace, which is a blunt weapon and won't do too much damage to the mace's capability. 

'I hope they aren't rusty.' Then maybe I can sell them for quite the sum.

After walking for a while, I turned around and looked at the tower behind me. 'Damn.' I couldn't even see the top due to being so close. Shit was massive, so tall that you could probably see it from anywhere in the city. It's like a landmark for when you're lost. Lost? Walk towards the tower! 

What was even more amazing was that the tower's design made it look like it was carved from a single massive stone. 

Not the work of a mortal. 

Definitely not. 

'A god?' 

Maybe.

Trying not to draw too much attention by just standing still and staring at the tower, I turned and continued walking. I left the plaza and entered the city illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns and torches.

The medieval-like city at night was enchanting. The streets were cobblestone, lit by makeshift street lamps that cast a warm, flickering light. Buildings ranged from quaint, timber-framed houses to almost modern-looking structures with their tall, imposing facades. Carriages moved through the streets, drawn by sturdy horses, which made me wonder what my horse was doing.

'Probably trying to suck his own dick.

The city's vibrant life continued even in the late hours. Street vendors called out, selling their wares, while groups of people chatted and laughed as they strolled. I continued walking, letting my feet take me wherever they wanted. I found myself in a relatively empty area, with almost no one around.

'Wherever my feet take me, I will go—'

I quickly reached forward to grab a woman by her arm, which felt like a toothpick in my palms. She had bumped into me while walking out of a backstreet, and her legs almost gave up after seeing a towering man standing over her while it was night. No, they literally gave up, and I had to lean forward to catch her, or else I would feel bad. 

I am still human. 

'Wink, wink.' Did I just think that? 

Whatever. I lightly held her other arm and placed her on her still-trembling legs.

And then she looked up, and it was my turn for my legs to almost give out. Time seemed to flow slower as I stared at the girl's face. She was beautiful. Her beauty was one that surpassed anything I have ever seen. 

Models from Earth paled in comparison to this...creature before me. 

She was so beautiful, it was almost scary. 

Her appearance wasn't that special, with bluish-gray hair tied in a small knot in a ponytail hairstyle, her eyes a similar color to her hair, a light peachy-colored smooth skin, and a soft complexion. Yes, she is average—maybe a bit above average. I can see it. 

B-but why is she so—

"Th-thank you," she stammered, her voice barely audible. 

Her voice, like the chimes of heaven. 

Oh, God, what have you dropped in my hands today? This creature. It is marvelous.

She took a deep breath, her trembling slowly subsiding. "I'm sorry, I should have watched where I was going."

You shouldn't have. If you did, we wouldn't have bumped into each other on this lovely night. Fate brought us together. We are meant for each other. 

"Um..." Her eyes. 

They are so captivating. Oh, God. Is this love? Something I have never felt before in my 48 years of living, but I felt after landing eyes on a little girl like this?

"Can you let go?"

How old is she? Fourteen? No, she looks around nineteen or twenty.

"You're hurting me..."

And I could do so much more. I could please you. Love you. I am the mix of the two strongest species in this world. I could protect you, my little wife.

"Release me!" She roared, and I snapped out, stepping back.

Oh.. 

Oh, no. Did I look like a creep?

"Th-thanks again." She smiled, then stepped back, and then she turned and sped away.

I wanted to shout at her to wait, but my voice caught in my throat. I didn't want her to turn around and see my bulging member between my legs.

'Is this love?' I could still feel her warm arm on my hands. So slim it felt like I could snap it in half. They were magnificent. 'I could protect her.' I could. I might be a lowly rank 0 right now, but I have defeated Lucifer multiple times.

I could reach a level where I would be unraveled on earth, and no one would hurt her. 'Her slim arm...'

I placed my palm on my face, just imagining myself with her, causing my member to throb. 'Ah~' I couldn't find love for 48 years, and I finally did. 'Or is this lust?' It isn't lust. I know what lust is. This is something different. Something divine. 

Something...better...

Love.

I quickly turned into the alleyway and pulled down my pants. 

"Ugh." Her face was still fresh in my mind. Her eyes. Her lips. "Fuck." 

This isn't lust. 

This is love.

"FUUUUUCK!"