《Making of a Goddess》 Baptism by Fire The last thing I remember is the blaring horn of a truck. I had been crossing the street, my headphones blasting music, completely unaware of the speeding death machine bearing down on me. Then¡ªpain. A moment of impact. And then¡­ nothing. Until now. I wake up gasping for air, my body convulsing as if it¡¯s rejecting existence itself. My skin burns¡ªnot from fire, but from the very air around me. It¡¯s thick, heavy, and filled with something toxic. My lungs struggle, and I cough violently, trying to stand. That¡¯s when I see it. The world around me is nothing but a seething, roiling expanse of molten rock. Rivers of lava stretch as far as my eyes can see, their crimson glow illuminating a sky thick with black smoke and ash. The ground beneath me is solid, but only barely¡ªcracks of molten heat pulse underneath, threatening to break apart at any moment. ¡°What¡­ the hell?¡± I whisper, my voice hoarse. Then, something appears in my vision. A translucent blue box. Welcome, new traveler, to the world of Eridion. Initializing status¡­ Another screen pops up. Name: Unknown Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Race: Human Class: Survivor Level: 1 HP: 10/10 MP: 0/0 Skills: None I blink. This is¡­ some kind of game interface? Did I get isekai¡¯d? But why here? This isn¡¯t a fantasy kingdom with knights and dragons¡ªthis is hell. A deep rumble shakes the ground beneath me, and my heart jumps. In the distance, a massive volcano erupts, spewing molten rock into the sky. Flaming debris rains down, some chunks landing dangerously close. I stumble backward, my bare feet barely avoiding a splash of lava. Panic sets in. I need to move. I need to find something¡ªshelter, food, water. But there¡¯s nothing here but fire and rock. I glance at my status again, but it tells me nothing useful. No abilities. No buffs. Just Survivor, whatever that means. Another notification pops up. New Quest: First Steps in Hell Objective: Survive for 24 hours. Reward: ??? I swallow hard. Twenty-four hours? In this?! The heat is unbearable. Every breath feels like I¡¯m inhaling embers. My body is slick with sweat, but the moisture is evaporating too fast. If I don¡¯t find cover soon, I¡¯ll pass out from heatstroke. I force myself to move, stepping cautiously over the cracked surface of blackened stone. Every few steps, I flinch at the hiss of lava bubbles bursting nearby. The landscape shifts constantly, like a living, breathing furnace. Then, something shifts in the distance. A silhouette moving between the geysers of flame. It¡¯s not human. I freeze. My body screams at me to run, but I can¡¯t tear my eyes away. The creature steps into view¡ªa towering, obsidian figure with glowing cracks running along its body, as if it¡¯s made of cooled lava barely holding back the inferno inside. Its eyes burn like twin suns, locking onto me. [Lava Warden] ¨C Level ??? My breath catches in my throat. My level is one. I don¡¯t stand a chance. The Warden lets out a deep, rumbling growl, and the ground trembles beneath me. I do the only thing I can. I run. Lava Parkour for Beginners Behind me, the Lava Warden roars, its molten body cracking and shifting as it lumbers after me like a pissed-off volcano spirit. With every step, the ground trembles, and chunks of molten rock explode into the air. The heat is unbearable, my lungs are on fire, and I swear my shoes are melting. Oh wait, I don''t have shoes. That realization comes just as my bare foot lands on a particularly hot patch of rock. "GAH! HOT HOT HOT HOT!" I scream, hopping forward. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Heat Resistance (Weak)] "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I yell at the sky. "That should be a MAX-LEVEL skill by now!" No time to complain¡ªlava beast behind me, boiling doom in every direction. I leap over a stream of molten rock, barely making it to a solid patch of obsidian. The Warden isn''t slowing down. It doesn''t need to. Its huge molten feet stomp right through the lava, sending waves of burning liquid my way. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Dodge Roll (Level 1)] "Dodge roll?" I mutter¡ªright before instinct kicks in and I fling myself sideways. WHOOSH! A geyser of lava erupts where I was just standing. My new skill activates, and I roll¡­ straight into another bubbling lava pool. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "GAH, NOPE!" I screech, scrambling out like a cat who fell into a bathtub. "That was a bad roll!" Meanwhile, the Warden is still coming, cracking its molten knuckles like it actually enjoys this chase. "You have GOT to be kidding me!" Step 2: Become a Lava Ninja I don¡¯t have time to think¡ªI just move. Lava river ahead. No way around it. "Guess I''m doing this." I take a deep breath and leap, using a cracked rock as a launch pad. My foot barely touches the surface before I jump again, pushing off like some kind of deranged ninja. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Lava Parkour (Level 1)] "Oh, NOW you give me a parkour skill?!" The Warden doesn¡¯t bother with finesse. It just stomps through the lava like a giant fiery toddler throwing a tantrum. I glance back just in time to see it hurl a chunk of molten rock at me. "OH HELL NO!" I duck. The rock flies overhead, splattering lava in all directions. My heart is pounding, my feet are burning, and I''m pretty sure I''m developing a deep, personal hatred for this world. But then¡­ I get an idea. Step 3: Outsmart the Lava Monster (Somehow) I spot a patch of what looks like unstable ground¡ªblack volcanic rock with glowing cracks running deep underneath. If I can lure the Warden there¡­ "HEY, YOU BIG MELTED BRICK!" I yell, waving my arms like an idiot. "YOU WANNA PIECE OF ME?!" The Warden roars in response. Perfect. I sprint toward the unstable ground, pretending to trip just before I reach the edge. "OH NOOOO!" I fake scream, flailing dramatically. The Warden takes the bait, charging straight at me like an overgrown fireball. The second its massive, molten foot lands on the cracked surface¡ª BOOOOOM! The ground explodes, collapsing into a pit of lava below. The Warden lets out a deep, slow "Huuuhhh?" before plunging into the molten abyss. FWOOOSH! A massive splash of lava erupts into the air, but I¡¯m already rolling away (this time not into another lava pool, thank you very much). Silence. Then¡ª DING! New Quest Completed: First Steps in Hell! Reward: 50 EXP, 1 Skill Point, and [Survivor¡¯s Instinct] Unlocked! I lay there, panting, staring at the sky as the notification hovers in my vision. "I¡­ I did it," I whisper. "I actually beat a monster¡­ at LEVEL ONE¡­" Another notification pops up. Title Earned: [Lava Idiot] "¡­I hate this world." The Isekai Grind Begins! How to survive in an Isekai hell "Alright, Rin," I mutter to myself. "You got hit by Truck-kun, woke up in Hell, and somehow tricked a giant lava monster into falling into a pit. This is fine. Everything is fine." I take a deep breath. I start coughing immediately because the air is basically toxic fumes. "Ugh, I need a plan," I groan. "I can¡¯t just sit here forever. What would a true isekai protagonist do?" I blink. Then grin. "A true isekai protagonist would GET STRONGER." Step 2: Check the Stats! I swipe at the air, hoping to bring up my status screen. A blue window pops up. [Status Window] Name: Rin Asakura Race: Human Class: Survivor Level: 2 (EXP: 50/200) Title: [Lava Idiot] HP: 15/15 MP: 0/0 Skills: [Heat Resistance (Weak) ¨C Lv 1] [Dodge Roll ¨C Lv 1] [Lava Parkour ¨C Lv 1] If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. [Survivor¡¯s Instinct ¨C Lv 1] Stats: Strength: 3 (You can barely punch a potato.) Agility: 6 (Slightly better than a turtle on caffeine.) Speed: 5 (At least you¡¯re faster than a snail.) Intelligence: 8 (Congrats, you¡¯re not completely stupid.) Endurance: 4 (One push-up and you¡¯re dead.) Luck: 1 (¡­Yeah. I can tell.) I squint at the last stat. "Excuse me?! ONE in LUCK? That explains everything!" I swipe away the window before it can insult me further. "Alright, fine. I have crap stats, but I have skills! If I level them up, I¡¯ll survive long enough to get out of this flaming rock sauna!" Just as I make my declaration, another notification pops up. DING! New Quest: Escape the Hadean Era! Objective: Reach the Ancient Magic Circle (Distance: 275 km) Reward: Time Skip to a Non-Lava-Filled Future! Failure: Exist here for a few million years. Have fun! :) I freeze. "Wait¡­ WHAT?!" 275 KILOMETERS?! IN THIS PLACE?! I reread the quest again, focusing on one part. > Time Skip to a Non-Lava-Filled Future! My eyes widen. "Oh my god, YES!" I shout, jumping to my feet. "I CAN GET OUT OF HERE!" Then I pause. "Wait¡­ HOW am I supposed to cross 275 kilometers of literal lava?" The system does not answer. I sigh deeply. "Alright. Time to start training." Step 3: The Isekai Training Montage (Except I Suck at Everything) I take my first step forward with the determination of a shounen protagonist¡ª ¡ªAnd immediately trip on a rock, face-planting into the ground. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Falling Gracefully ¨C Lv 1] "¡­I hate this world." But I get back up. Because if there''s one thing I know about isekai stories, it¡¯s this: If I grind enough, I can become OP. And I am not staying here for millions of years. Time to get moving. How to gain heat immunity ¡°Okay, step one¡­ let¡¯s see how much my [Heat Resistance (Weak)] can handle.¡± I take a cautious step forward onto a solid-looking patch of volcanic rock. It¡¯s still incredibly hot, and the second my foot touches it, a burning sensation shoots up my leg. ¡°GAAAAAHHHH HOT HOT HOT¡ª¡± I hop back onto my safe rock, clutching my foot. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Pain Tolerance (Lv 1)] ¡°Oh, great!¡± I scream at the sky. ¡°Not heat resistance, just tolerating suffering! Fantastic!¡± But I am an isekai protagonist. Which means I have no choice but to keep going. Step 2: Magma Hiking (But It Sucks) I grit my teeth and start hopping from one blackened rock to another, testing which ones are less likely to melt my feet off. The heat is still awful, but after a few more steps¡­ something changes. I pause and look down at my hands. My skin isn¡¯t turning as red from the heat anymore. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. DING! [Heat Resistance (Weak) ? Heat Resistance (Lv 2)] ¡°YES! Progress!¡± I cheer. Then a tiny lava bubble pops near my feet, splashing molten rock onto my leg. "AAAAHHH WHY?!" DING! [Heat Resistance (Lv 2) ? Heat Resistance (Lv 3)] I blink. ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡± I glance down at the lava, then back at my stat window. Slowly, I extend my hand right above a bubbling lava pit. The heat sears my palm, and my fingers shake¡ª DING! [Heat Resistance (Lv 3) ? Heat Resistance (Lv 4)] I stare at the notification. A grin spreads across my face. ¡°Oh-ho-ho¡­ I see how it is.¡± Step 3: Extreme Heat Training (a.k.a. Becoming a Lunatic) From that moment, my training becomes insanely stupid. I start dipping my hands and feet closer to the lava, flinching in pain but watching my skill level rise. I step on hotter and hotter rocks, forcing myself to endure it. I even try jogging over the unstable surface, dodging bubbling pools of molten death. By the time I check my status again, it¡¯s looking way better. [Updated Stats] Strength: 5 (Slightly better than a noodle!) Agility: 9 (You might outrun a grandma now!) Endurance: 8 (You can take a few more hits before crying!) Heat Resistance: Lv 6 (You are slightly less flammable!) I wipe the sweat from my forehead (which immediately evaporates). "Alright, now we''re talking!" Then, something rumbles. I freeze. ¡°¡­That¡¯s probably not good.¡± Step 4: Oh Great, Another Monster I turn slowly. From the distance, something massive rises from a molten lake. Its body is made of fire and magma, its eyes glowing like burning embers. [Lava Drake ¨C Level ???] It lets out a deep, echoing HISSSSSSSSSSS and starts moving toward me. I sigh. ¡°Of course.¡± Naked and (Barely) Victorious "Okay, Rin," I mutter. "You beat the Lava Warden by tricking it. You can do the same thing here, right?" The drake opens its mouth. FWOOOOOSH! A wave of fire erupts toward me. "NOPE, NEVER MIND, RUNNING NOW!" I sprint away as the flames nearly roast my backside. The air is WAY too hot, even with my improved [Heat Resistance]. My feet barely touch the ground as I leap across scorching rocks, dodging pools of bubbling magma. The drake lunges, its enormous jaws snapping inches away from my head. "GAHHH! STOP THAT!" I shriek, hurling a loose rock at it. The rock immediately melts in the air before it even reaches the monster. "...Okay, throwing things is useless. Noted." Step 2: Improvised Combat (a.k.a. Desperate Flailing) If I can¡¯t run forever, and I can¡¯t throw things, I have only one choice left. I have to fight. "Alright, lizard!" I yell, skidding to a stop on a solid patch of blackened rock. "You wanna throw down? LET''S GO!" If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The Lava Drake hisses, rearing back. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Combat Readiness ¨C Lv 1] "Oh, cool! A skill that makes me ready to get my butt kicked!" The drake lunges again, and this time I dodge roll to the side. (And for once, I don''t roll into a lava pit!) Then, in pure desperation, I jump onto the drake¡¯s back. "BAD IDEA BAD IDEA BAD IDEA!" I scream as my hands sizzle against its molten scales. DING! [Heat Resistance (Lv 6) ? Heat Resistance (Lv 9)] I blink. Wait. This hurts, but I¡¯m not instantly dying. ...I CAN USE THIS. Step 3: Power Through the Pain "Alright, Rin," I grit my teeth. "Time for the dumbest idea ever." I bear hug the Lava Drake¡¯s neck, clinging onto it like an unhinged rodeo champion. My skin is burning, my vision is blurring, but¡ª DING! [Heat Resistance (Lv 9) ? Heat Resistance (MAX)] [New Skill Acquired: HEAT IMMUNITY] I blink. My body stops hurting. I look at my hands. They¡¯re not burning anymore. "¡­No way." The drake twists violently, trying to throw me off. But I hold on tight¡ªbecause now I have an INSANE advantage. I grab its molten horns and yank its head back. "Oh, YOU are so screwed now!" I cackle. DING! New Skill Acquired: [Brute Strength ¨C Lv 1] "HELL YEAH!" Step 4: Spearing a Lava Dragon (Like a Lunatic) I spot a massive spike of cooled obsidian jutting out of the ground. Perfect. I grip the drake''s horns and yank its head toward it. "TIME TO GO TO SLEEP, HOT NOODLE!" I scream. With every bit of strength I have, I slam its head into the spike. CRACK! The obsidian pierces straight through its skull. The drake lets out a final, echoing roar¡ª ¡ªbefore its entire body collapses into the lava below. I ride it down like a champion. Step 5: The Aftermath (a.k.a. Where Did My Clothes Go?) I rise out of the lava, victorious. Steam hisses around me. The molten rock doesn¡¯t burn me anymore. I feel incredible. Then I glance down. "¡­Oh." My clothes? GONE. Completely disintegrated. I am 100% naked, standing in the middle of a molten wasteland. A small breeze blows by. "¡­Well," I say, crossing my arms. "This is awkward." Lava, Regret, and a Whole Lot of Water She had won, technically. She had defeated a lava drake by herself, leveled up a ton, and was now immune to fire. But she was also completely naked, covered in soot, and trudging across a never-ending expanse of molten rock and volcanic wasteland, looking like the world''s most miserable cavewoman. "This is NOT how I imagined my first isekai adventure," she grumbled, stepping over a crack in the scorched ground. "Where are the elves? The fancy medieval cities? The ridiculously overpowered swords?" The world offered no answers¡ªonly more lava and suffering. For three agonizing days, Rin had been making her way toward the magic circle the system promised would get her out of here. She barely slept, barely ate (because there was nothing to eat), and mostly just focused on not dying. It was going okay¡ªif she ignored the part where she now talked to rocks for entertainment. "Alright, Steve," she said, kicking a small piece of obsidian forward. "Just a few more steps, and we''ll be at the portal. You excited, buddy?" Steve, the rock, did not respond. Rin sighed. She was so tired. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Her body felt like it had been cooked, stomped on, and then cooked again. Even with [Heat Immunity], she was still exhausted. But then¡ª A faint glow appeared in the distance. Her breath caught. "...The circle." She ran. Bare feet slapping against hot stone, heart pounding, she sprinted toward the glowing ancient teleportation circle etched into the rock. It shimmered with blue energy, completely out of place in this fiery nightmare. As she reached the edge, a system notification popped up. --- [Portal to the Future Detected] Time Jump: +3.8 Million Years Destination: ??? Do you wish to proceed? [YES] ¨C [NO] --- Rin slammed the yes button before it could change its mind. The ground rumbled. The magic circle flared to life, and in an instant¡ª The world vanished in a flash of light. --- The next thing Rin knew, she was falling. Her eyes snapped open just in time to see a vast, endless ocean stretching out below her. The sky was blue. The sun was way brighter. And there was no land anywhere in sight. She had just enough time to take a deep breath before¡ª SPLASH. She hit the water hard, sinking like a very tired, very naked rock. Bubbles swirled around her as she flailed, kicking her legs in panic. "OH, COME ON!" she screamed internally, swimming back up toward the surface. She broke through, coughing and gasping. DING! New Title Earned: [The First Swimmer] "...What does that even mean?!" she groaned, wiping saltwater from her eyes. She looked around. Nothing. Just ocean in every direction. No islands, no land, no friendly boats offering her a towel and warm soup. She let out a long, exhausted sigh. "Great. First lava, now this." Somewhere, she was pretty sure a god was laughing at her. I Am Now a Punch Wizard It wasn''t even a battle anymore. It was a way of life. The second she had landed in this never-ending ocean world, she had been attacked by everything that had gills, fins, or too many teeth. Giant prehistoric sharks? Check. Tentacle monsters? Check. Whatever the hell that glowing abyssal thing was? Double check. And through all of it, she had been getting stronger. --- [Updated Status Window] Name: Rin Asakura Race: Human (??? - Your stats are becoming non-human.) Class: Survivor Level: 72 (EXP: 9,102/9,500) Title: [Naked Ocean Menace] [The First Swimmer] [Godhand of the Deep] HP: 1,250/1,250 MP: 0/0 (Magic? What''s that?) Skills: [Heat Immunity - MAX] (Fire can no longer harm you. Ever.) [Water Resistance - Lv 9] (You basically live in water now.) This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [Pressure Resistance - Lv 6] (You don''t get crushed by the deep anymore! Yay!) [Shock Resistance - Lv 7] (Electric fish are annoying, but you don''t die instantly anymore!) [Brute Strength - Lv 99] (You can now punch with the force of a speeding truck.) [Endless Stamina - Lv 5] (You barely get tired anymore.) [Combat Readiness - Lv 14] (You''re always prepared to throw hands.) Stats: Strength: 587 (You can break bones with a flick.) Agility: 523 (You outswim sharks for fun now.) Endurance: 601 (You basically don''t feel pain anymore.) Speed: 456 (Fast. Just fast.) Intelligence: 19 (...Listen, you''ve been PUNCHING everything.) Luck: 1 (Still cursed.) --- Rin sat on the floating corpse of some eldritch sea creature, catching her breath. "Alright. Status check," she muttered, stretching her arms. "Still can''t use magic. Still haven''t gotten a weapon. Still... literally punching my way through life." She glanced at her absurd stats and let out a deep sigh. "This is not how an isekai power-up is supposed to go." She was ridiculously strong now. She could punch through solid coral, break the bones of ancient sea monsters, and swim faster than most predators. But... She still had no real skills to fight properly. No sword techniques. No magic. No ranged attacks. Just pure, ridiculous brute force. She looked down at her fist. It was calloused, powerful, and responsible for way too many one-sided beatdowns. "...Am I just a punch wizard at this point?" Before she could question her existence further, a new notification popped up. --- DING! New Quest: Find the Next Portal! Objective: Travel 3,200 km across the ocean to the next magic circle. Reward: Time Skip to the Next Era. Failure: Stay here forever. Good luck with that. :) From Boiling to Freezing - Rins Never-Ending Suffering It shimmered, glowing faintly atop a jagged coral reef. It was beautiful. Like a divine beacon of hope, a sacred gateway that whispered, "Come, weary traveler, your suffering is over." Rin almost cried. She had punched sharks in the face, survived multiple attempts on her life by tentacle monsters, and gotten so strong that she had bodyslammed a kraken for trying to eat her. And now, FINALLY, she was about to leave this cursed ocean. As she pulled herself onto the reef, completely naked, sunburned, and muscular enough to be legally classified as a threat, she grinned for the first time in weeks. ¡°I did it,¡± she gasped, collapsing onto the stone. ¡°I actually did it.¡± She sprawled out, letting the sun warm her skin. No more swimming. No more fighting sea monsters. No more¡ª A system notification popped up. --- DING! [Portal to the Future Detected] Time Jump: +2.4 Million Years Destination: ??? Do you wish to proceed? [YES] ¨C [NO] --- Rin slammed the YES button so hard that she nearly broke her own finger. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Light flashed around her, and she felt the familiar pull of teleportation as the world blurred¡ª And then¡ª --- SPLAT. She hit the ground face-first. But instead of warm sand or stone, she landed in¡ª SNOW. Deep, freezing, soul-crushing snow. Rin lifted her head, her breath instantly visible in the icy air. "...No." She looked up. The sky was grey and overcast, and in every direction, all she saw was a vast, frozen wasteland of snow, ice, and miserable suffering. "No, no, NO." Her whole body shook violently. Her skin, once immune to heat, was not immune to cold. A bitter wind tore across the land, slamming into her like an angry god. She instantly curled up into a ball. "WHY?!" she screamed into the abyss. No answer. Just more cold. --- Survival Log, Day 1 of the Ice Age: I am still naked. Everything is freezing and awful. My Heat Immunity skill is useless now. My only solution to staying warm is punching things for body heat. I already hate it here. --- Survival Log, Day 4 of the Ice Age: I punched a mammoth. It was fluffy but very mad. I punched a saber-tooth tiger. It was also fluffy but EXTREMELY mad. I am getting stronger, but still freezing. I need clothes. Badly. --- Survival Log, Day 12 of the Ice Age: I made clothes out of mammoth fur. They are horribly made and fall off when I run too fast. I am becoming a caveman. No sign of the next portal. I am so done with this world. --- Rin shivered violently, huddling under a poorly made fur blanket inside a tiny snow cave she had punched into existence. Her stats were absurd now. She could punch glaciers, outrun wolves, and survive getting buried in an avalanche. But she was cold. And miserable. And so, so tired. She glared at the sky. ¡°Alright, system,¡± she grumbled through chattering teeth. ¡°Where¡¯s my next portal?¡± As if in response, a new notification popped up. --- DING! New Quest: Find the Next Portal! Objective: Travel 4,800 km across the Ice Age tundra to the next magic circle. Reward: Time Skip to the Next Era. Failure: Freeze forever. Good luck! :) --- The punch wizard Rin Asakura was almost there. After weeks of trudging across frozen wastelands, battling saber-toothed tigers, mammoths, and whatever that thing with six eyes was, she had finally found the next magic circle. There was just one tiny problem. A frost giant was standing directly on top of it. Like, a huge, towering, unreasonably muscular, 30-foot-tall chunk of living ice and misery. It was bare-chested, wearing nothing but a crude fur cloak and a massive war axe made of what looked like frozen steel. Rin squinted at its absurd muscles. "¡­Why is every enemy here just a stronger version of me?" she muttered. The giant looked down at her, eyes glowing like frozen stars. It growled, frost forming in the air around its mouth. DING! --- [BOSS MONSTER DETECTED: Ymir, Guardian of the Frozen Gate] Level: ??? HP: 150,000 Weakness: None. Good luck. :) --- Rin slowly exhaled. "Okay," she muttered. "I¡¯ve punched through sea monsters. I¡¯ve drop-kicked a mammoth. I can handle this. It¡¯s just a big dude with a stick." The giant raised its axe. Rin¡¯s survival instincts screamed. "OH, NEVER MIND¡ª" BOOM! The axe slammed down, shattering the ice where she had been standing a second ago. Rin rolled, barely dodging the shockwave. Ice shards exploded in every direction. Her breath came out in panicked clouds. This thing was FAST. She sprinted forward, fists ready to punch this absolute unit of a man into the afterlife. The giant swung again¡ª Rin jumped, dodging by a hair, and then kicked off the giant¡¯s arm, launching herself straight at its face. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "TAKE THIS!" she roared, cocking her fist back. Her ridiculous strength, enhanced by months of pure suffering, slammed into the giant¡¯s nose like a meteor impact. CRACK. The giant¡¯s head snapped back¡ªbut it didn¡¯t fall. Rin blinked. "...Oh, come on." Ymir snorted, then punched her back. WHAM. She went flying. Like, REALLY flying. She smashed through two frozen trees, rolled through the snow like a ragdoll, and finally skidded to a stop several hundred meters away. For a moment, she just lay there in the snow, face-down. Her entire body screamed in pain. She weakly lifted a shaking hand. DING! --- [New Skill Acquired: Pain Tolerance ¨C Lv 10] [New Skill Acquired: Impact Resistance ¨C Lv 5] --- She groaned. "Yeah, thanks for that," she muttered, coughing out a chunk of ice. Then she looked up. The frost giant was still standing. Still waiting. Still completely unfazed. She gritted her teeth. "Alright," she muttered, pushing herself up. "That was round one." She cracked her knuckles. "Let¡¯s go for round two." --- The Battle of Dumb Ideas If she couldn¡¯t take this thing down with one punch, she¡¯d have to be smarter. She needed a plan. A strategy. A¡ª "AAAAAGGGGHHHH!" ¡ªOr she could just charge at it screaming. Which is exactly what she did. The giant swung again. Rin dodged at the last second, leaping onto its arm. Then, using every ounce of strength, speed, and sheer stupidity she had, she ran up its arm like a deranged squirrel. Ymir growled, shaking its arm violently¡ª But Rin held on. She jumped, spinning midair, and¡ª SLAM! Her foot connected with the side of its head, sending a shockwave through the air. The giant staggered. "HA! TAKE THAT, YOU OVERGROWN ICE CUBE!" Then it grabbed her. "Oh. Oh no." She barely had time to scream before it threw her like a baseball. BOOOOM! She crashed into a frozen cliff, leaving a Rin-shaped hole. For a few seconds, she just sat there, embedded in the ice, questioning every life decision she had ever made. Then she fell out of the hole, face-first into the snow. "...I hate this world." --- The Dumbest Idea Yet She couldn¡¯t win in a direct fight. She needed a finisher. Something huge. Something insane. Something that shouldn¡¯t work, but might, because reality clearly hates her. She looked at the giant. Then at the massive frozen cliff behind it. She grinned. "Alright, Frosty," she muttered, rising to her feet. "Let¡¯s play chicken." She charged straight at the giant. It raised its axe, preparing to end her entire existence. Wait for it¡­ The axe swung down. Rin jumped, twisting midair, and landed on the axe itself. Ymir blinked. "Surprise, idiot!" Rin kicked off, launching herself over its head¡ª And straight toward the frozen cliff. She cocked back her fist. She poured everything she had into this one punch. "TAKE THIS!" Her fist slammed into the ice¡ª BOOOOOOM! The entire cliff cracked. And then¡ª It collapsed. Right on top of Ymir. CRASH. Snow and ice buried the giant completely. Rin, panting, stood on top of the rubble, fists clenched. "...Did I just avalanche him to death?" she muttered. She waited. The rubble did not move. The system pinged. --- DING! [BOSS DEFEATED: Ymir, Guardian of the Frozen Gate] XP Gained: 150,000 New Title Earned: [Avalanche Bringer] --- Rin let out a shaky breath. Then she threw her arms up in victory. "I WIN! I AM THE QUEEN OF DUMB LUCK!" She collapsed onto the snow, laughing like a madwoman. Then, still grinning like an idiot, she limped toward the magic circle, ready to get the hell out of this frozen nightmare. Because after this? She was never touching snow ever again.