79 The Emberclad Colossus
The more time I spend in this world, the more confusing it becomes.
Just when I thought I had understood everything, I discovered that Nightshade Sanctum, supposedly the world's most dangerous and toughest dungeon, is not a dungeon at all. It is an Elusive Trial. A fucking Elusive Trial!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
System Note.
The Fifth Elusive Trial Begins.
Best wishes to the host!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
In the game, there were four elusive trials: two from the Goddess Ellora, one from the Tree of Life in the Elishia Forest, and one from the Demon God Azra in the heart of the Grav Kingdom's ancient ruins. But this is the first time I'm hearing about the Fifth Elusive Trial.
The purpose of these trials is to safeguard invaluable relics. For example, Adam obtained his weapon, Mistilteinn, after conquering the elusive trial from the Goddess Ellora in the Hestia Empire.
"But now is not the time to think about that," I told myself, refocusing my attention on the task at hand.
The Clad Obsidian Armored Dungeon Guardian towered before me, its face concealed by the angular helmet it wore. It emanated both a cool and menacing presence.
Swinging its sword in a circle to its side, the Guardian assumed a position that seemed to invite me to attack first. Quite cocky, I thought.
I wasn't certain about the Guardian's true strength, but Blaze's previous statement made it clear that I would need to be a four-star warrior or mage to stand a chance against this creature without facing difficulties. Unfortunately, I was only a three-star warrior.
Taking a moment to calm myself, I carefully studied the Guardian's posture. It showed no inclination to abandon its sword and engage in hand-to-hand combat with me, like an honorable knight.
"Just make sure you manage to damage its core, and it will be completely destroyed," Blaze advised, nestled inside my rib cage.
With determination fueling my every move, I launched myself forward, filling the chamber with palpable tension. The Guardian remained motionless, its unwavering gaze fixed upon me. In a split second, I closed the distance between us, my movements flowing with purpose.
Summoning a surge of inferno bolts in my defense, I attempted to intercept the Guardian's horizontal swing with lightning speed. However, my anticipation faltered, and the blow struck me with bone-jarring impact.
Thud.
Pain rippled through my body as I collided with the unyielding stone wall. Only the protective veil of mana spared my flesh and bones from complete devastation.
Getting back on my feet, I acknowledged that Blaze was right. This battle would be far from easy, unlike any fight I had faced before. But I found solace in the thrill it brought.
Forming a fist enveloped in crimson fire, I took up my position. After all, the Guardian wasn't the only one with proper fighting training.
Once again, I dashed forward, closing the distance between us. This time, the Guardian swung its sword horizontally, but I leaped upward, narrowly evading the blade that threatened to sever my ankle.
Thunder crackled in my left palm as I brought it near the Guardian's helmet, aiming to deliver a shocking blow. However, something flickered in the corner of my right eye, diverting my attention.
Tad.
Suddenly, the Guardian reversed the trajectory of its swing and struck me forcefully below the ribs, sending me hurtling through the air. My body crashed into the unforgiving stone wall.
"Agh, fuck!" Grimacing, I shook off the pain and swiftly regained my footing, acutely aware of the formidable foe towering above me. But I didn't stop there. I repeated the sequence multiple times,charging at the Guardian from different angles, each time getting blown away by its relentless attacks.
"Haa haa."Gasping for air, I realized I was already exhausted after just a few minutes. It was challenging to fight against an opponent designed to deal with someone of a higher tier.
"I don't think charging ahead like this is a good choice princess," Blaze expressed his concern. But who was I to tell him that I was trying to gauge the Guardian's strength? It may have been a crude approach, but it yielded valuable information.
"Its movements follow a pattern," I reflected, drawing upon my experience as a former gamer. I had a habit of repeating segments until I fully grasped the situation. Through this one-sided exchange of beatings, I observed the pattern.
The Guardian minimized its movements, rarely stepping forward or backward unless absolutely necessary. Each of its attacks had different power stages. For instance, it took a few seconds to recover from the backlash of its vertical strike, while the horizontal swing was executed more frequently but lacked the same power.
And most importantly, the Guardian focused solely on using its long sword. Despite being put in awkward positions, it stubbornly clung to the sword, even when it was inconvenient.
With this understanding, each of my movements became a calculated attempt to find a weakness in the Guardian's imposing armor.
"System store! Three mana potions." I bought them and gulped them all in one go. Yes, it took three of them to refill my mana reserves completely, and with this, all my blood points were spent. Now I was broke.
"I should've killed more when I had the time." I missed the bandits now.
"I'll try to make it quick." The realization of the Guardian's pattern ignited a spark of strategy within me. I knew I had to exploit its weaknesses to gain the upper hand. Gathering my inner fire, I focused on my limited arsenal of spells: fireball, fire tornado, inferno bolt, and lightning spells. I had to make every spell count.
*Dash*
With renewed determination, I charged forward once more, my movements becoming more deliberate and precise. As I closed in on the Guardian, I conjured a swirling fireball in my outstretched hand. The flames danced and flickered, ready to be unleashed.
Fush*
Without hesitation, I hurled the fireball towards the Guardian. It soared through the air, trailing a blazing tail behind it. The Guardian, still following its predictable pattern, attempted to parry the incoming attack with its massive sword. However, my fireball exploded upon contact, engulfing the Guardian in a raging inferno.
As the flames subsided, I seized the opportunity. Knowing that the Guardian needed a few moments to recover from the backlash of its vertical strike, I conjured a fire tornado around me. The swirling vortex of flames whirled and spiraled, creating a shield of intense heat around me.
The Guardian, now free from the fiery onslaught, narrowed its gaze upon me. It charged forward, sword raised for a devastating blow.
*Gulp*
But I was prepared. With a focused mind and steady hand, I directed the fire tornado towards the charging Guardian.
The tornado unleashed its fury, engulfing the Guardian in a cyclone of flames. Its advance halted momentarily as it struggled against the scorching winds. Taking advantage of its momentary weakness, I channeled my energy into an inferno bolt.
With a thrust of my hand, a torrent of fiery projectiles shot forth one by one, raining upon the Guardian. Each bolt struck with precision, searing through its armor and leaving trails of burning embers in their wake. The Guardian staggered, its movements momentarily disrupted.
*shake*shake*
But the Guardian was resilient. It shook off the
flames and retaliated with a powerful horizontal swing. The force behind its strike sent shockwaves through the chamber, threatening to knock me off balance. Reacting swiftly, I infused my lightning spell with the remaining energy within me.
Electricity crackled and surged through my fingertips as I unleashed a brilliant lightning bolt towards the Guardian. The bolt struck true, coursing through its metallic armor and sapping its strength. The Guardian convulsed, momentarily immobilized by the electrifying shock.
Now! Seizing the opportunity, I closed the distance between us once more. Flames danced in my palm as I summoned an inferno bolt in my right hand, running towards the weakened Guardian. I threw it, and it hit.
Thad*
I knew it wouldn't finish here, but I had already closed the distance between its chest, where the core is, and me. I summoned a last inferno bolt with the remaining mana I had.
Yet, the Guardian refused to yield. It unleashed a final desperate strike, swinging its sword straight with all its might.
"?" Time seemed to slow as I called upon the last reserves of my energy. With a surge of power, I thrust the spell into its obsidian chest plate. It went in and pierced the so-called core in one go, but simultaneously, I felt something.....odd.
The Guardian's radiant glow dimmed, and the chaotic field went silent all at once. I felt cold. I heard Blaze's worried voice calling in my mind.
I looked directly into the defeated Guardian's eyes and then slowly my gaze moved to its right shoulder blade, following its hand and then the wrist.
It was connected to my stomach, but wasn't he holding a sword in that hand? I felt numb for a second and looked at the blood dripping down from my abdomen.
"Kugh." I coughed blood. The long sword went in from the front part of my stomach and protruded out from the back, easily breaking the vertebral column from the middle, I am losing my sight.
Dind ding.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
System Note.
Congrats!
You've passed the entrance test successfully!
Credited Blood Points: 600 Bp.
Earned Exp: 350+
Bloodline potential: 50/100
Earned Rewards:
1. The Emberclad Colossus's Long Sword.
2. Ownership of the Entrance Chamber.
Initiating full recovery in 1...2...3
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"!"The Emberclad Colossus's body disintegrated into dust, and the sword disappeared from my abdomen in a split second. It was in my right hand the next second. I could see the wound healing at a tremendous rate,it was painful but it was working, at least better than those healing potions I buy from the system store.
"What's all this?" I muttered. This isn't supposed to happen,not like this.
"How would I know? I thought I lost you, princess." Blaze replied, his voice a little hoarse. Don't tell me he was crying, funny.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[A/N: How would I Know?]
