Chapter 62: The Giant

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: The Giant Ding! [Task complete. +500 points earned.] Isabella barely registered the notification—because the moment the fog fully cleared, she was stunned. Before her stretched the most breathtaking place she’d ever seen. A forest unlike anything she’d encountered before. The ground was covered in a soft, glowing moss, illuminating everything in a gentle, ethereal light. Strange flowers pulsed faintly, shifting colors from blues to purples, to soft pinks, like the petals themselves were breathing. Waterfalls—yes, multiple—cascaded from massive rock formations, but the water wasn’t just clear. It shimmered, reflecting a thousand crystalline colors as it flowed, making it look like liquid diamonds. Above, the sky was a deep, velvety indigo, dotted with floating specks of light—not stars, but something else, something unknown. It was gorgeous. It was magical. It was— "Alright, where’s the damn animal?" Her head snapped to the compass in her hand. It had stopped moving. She frowned. Wait. The animal was supposed to be here. Her eyes darted around. Nothing. No movement. No rustling. No frantic creature waiting for rescue. "...Is the animal invisible?" she muttered. "Am I saving air? Is the pet the freaking wind?!" As if on cue, a soft whimper echoed from the far side of the clearing. Isabella froze. Slowly, she turned toward the sound. There, nestled in a crook between two glowing roots, was a tiny, trembling ball of fur. A small, white creature. The moment she saw it, she inhaled sharply. It was beautiful. Its fur was softer than snow, glowing faintly under the eerie lights. Two delicate horns curled back from its head, faintly shimmering like white crystal. It had long, elegant ears, tiny limbs, and the most mesmerizing eyes— Silver, blue, purple—all swirling together, shifting like liquid gemstones. It was the cutest, most stunning creature she had ever seen. Her heart thumped. "Oh my God." She stared. Then she stared harder. She was so obsessed that if someone told her to trade her system for this creature, she’d do it instantly. Good thing Bubu couldn’t read her thoughts. Carefully, she took a step forward. "Hey there, little girl?," she whispered. "Don’t worry, I’m here to—" Thunk. She hit something. Hard. Like an invisible wall. Her hand hovered in the air, blocked by a force she couldn’t see. Her stomach dropped. "...Oh, HELL no." She backed up, eyeing the space in front of her. This better not be what she thought it was. She clenched her fists. "Don’t tell me another attack is coming up—" BOOM. Something huge landed behind her. The ground shook violently. Her entire body stiffened. Oh. No. Oh. Hell. No. Slowly—very, very slowly—she turned her head. Her fingers instinctively closed around her fan. Her weapon. Her lifeline. It was the elegant pink-and-white hand fan, seemingly delicate, embroidered with gold—but Isabella knew better. It was deadly. The sharp edges were hidden but retractable. The five buttons on the handle pulsed faintly, waiting to be used. If she needed to slice, blast, or disappear— This fan was her only chance. She gripped it tighter, her breath shallow. And then, she turned around. Isabella turned around. And instantly regretted it. Standing before her, towering like a nightmare made of muscle, rage, and sheer intimidation, was a giant. Not just a tall guy. A GIANT. The kind of warrior who looked like he bench-pressed boulders for fun. Seven feet of pure, sculpted power. His muscles had muscles. His arms were thicker than her waist. His chest looked like it could break steel. His eyes? Cold. Ruthless. Absolutely done with her existence. And worst of all— Ding! [New Task: Defeat the Guardian.] Her stomach dropped. "...Wait, wait, wait—are you telling me I have to FIGHT him?" she screeched, her voice going a little too high-pitched for her dignity. No answer. Just the sound of the ground cracking beneath his feet as he took a step forward. "Excuse me, BUBU? Did I sign up to be a warrior? No. Did I train for this? Also no. So WHY are you making me fight a beast ten times my size?!" "It’s good for growth" was the simple answer Isabella got from the system and she immediately felt like pulling her hair out. Isabella pointed furiously at the system notification. "That. That right there. That is not what I signed up for!" She jabbed her finger at the giant. "HIM?!" Another step. The air itself seemed to vibrate with his presence. She took a panicked step back. "That seven-foot-tall, muscles-everywhere, probably-doesn’t-even-need-a-weapon type of warrior? System, I’d rather negotiate—or scream for help." No response. Of course. "Okay, fine. You know what? I accept my fate." She took a deep breath. "I was a good person in my past life. I didn’t steal. I tipped waiters. I don’t deserve this!" The giant lunged. Her body moved before her brain did. She twisted desperately, the world tilting as she threw herself sideways. WHOOOSH— A massive gust of air slammed into her back, her hair whipping around her face. The sheer force of his swing left a visible dent in the dirt where she had been standing seconds ago. Holy. Crap. She hit the ground in an awkward roll, knees scraping against rough stone. The impact sent a jolt up her spine, but she didn’t stop moving. Couldn’t stop moving. Not if she wanted to live. When she scrambled to her feet, her heart was hammering so violently she thought it might burst. She lifted her trembling hands, staring at them in disbelief. She had dodged. Barely. The giant didn’t pause. Didn’t hesitate. Didn’t even look winded. He just turned to her again, expression blank, eyes cold. Then he moved. And this time—he was faster. Her lungs seized. Move. Move. MOVE! She flung herself backward, her foot catching on loose dirt. For a split second, she lost her balance, her body tipping dangerously. She saw his fist coming. Too fast. Too strong. She yanked herself sideways at the last possible second, the wind from his punch blasting past her face. A fraction of a second slower, and she would’ve died. SPLINTER! The tree behind her exploded. Not cracked. Not splintered. Exploded. Shards of bark rained down, sharp as knives. She barely managed to shield her face, a few pieces cutting into her arms. She gasped, staggering back. Oh, we’re really doing this, huh? Her legs felt weak. Her breath came in short, panicked bursts. She let out a shaky laugh, voice cracking. "Great. Amazing. Love this for me." Her fingers clenched around the fan. It shook in her grip. She needed to attack. She needed to fight. But there was one tiny, minuscule, massively important problem. She. Couldn’t. Fight. At all. Sure, she had a weapon. But having a weapon and knowing how to use said weapon were two completely different things. If she swung now, she’d probably just miss. Or worse—accidentally cut off her own ear. The giant charged again. His speed was inhuman. His footsteps shook the ground. Her instincts screamed. MOVE! She twisted her body, lungs burning, legs aching, and barely—just barely—slipped past him again. The moment her feet hit solid ground, she stumbled back, gasping. Her vision blurred. Adrenaline was keeping her alive—but for how much longer? The giant didn’t even look tired. He was relentless. Unstoppable. And her? She was exhausted. Her arms felt like lead. Her legs burned from dodging. Sweat dripped down her forehead, stinging her eyes. She wouldn’t last. Not at this rate. Then— An idea hit her. A crazy one.