Chapter 13: The Orc Castle 2
Lucian's steps echoed off the cold stone floors as he descended deeper into the heart of the castle. The silence around him was unnerving, the stillness so thick that even the usual ambient sounds of the castle seemed to be holding their breath. Every hallway he passed felt like a labyrinth, every corner just another opportunity for something to leap out and tear him to shreds. But no—nothing.
Until now.
He rounded the corner and immediately came face to face with what could only be described as imposing. Before him stood a set of massive Titan doors, their edges jagged and adorned with arcane runes that hummed softly in the dim light. Standing guard were five hulking, metal-bulging golems, each the size of a small mountain. Their bodies glinted with an ominous steel sheen, muscles etched into their armored frames, eyes burning with an eerie glow.
Beside them, fifty smaller, non-Titan golems shuffled in place, their movements slow but purposeful. The thick, lumbering behemoths and their subordinates stood like an impenetrable wall, blocking any progress toward the massive door.
Lucian sighed, the weight of the situation settling in. "I knew something was fishy when I didn't see anyone on my way down here. Should've guessed there'd be a big wall waiting for me."
He pulled Mediodis from the ring and let the weapon hum with latent power. "Alright, let's dance. No more waiting around."
As he advanced, the golems suddenly moved as one. The ground trembled with each step they took, their massive fists grinding the stone beneath them.
Before the fight began, the system pinged:
Ding… Quest: Defeat the Guardian Golem and Subordinates (0/55)
Additional Information:
Peak B-Rank Monsters – Elemental Guardians
Titan Golems: These are not ordinary stone guardians. Their bodies are infused with the Death Element, making them resistant to most physical and elemental attacks. Their weapons, large and brutal, are also imbued with the death element, capable of sapping life force upon contact. They are tactically aware and will coordinate their attacks to overwhelm their opponent.
Skills:
Death Touch: Their weapon attacks leech health and inflict Death Elemental damage.
Titan Strike: A powerful, area-wide slam that can obliterate anything within a large radius.
Stone Transformation: The golem can temporarily harden its body, rendering it near invulnerable to non-magical attacks.
Summon Stone Minions: Calls upon smaller golems to assist in battle.
Lucian raised an eyebrow, eyeing the massive Titan golems and their smaller counterparts. "Great. More death magic and I thought I was done with this for today."
The moment the golems noticed him, they charged. The Titan golems raised their colossal weapons, massive cleavers and maces crackling with death energy, and the smaller golems began to swarm.
Lucian didn't hesitate. He darted forward, taking advantage of his lightning speed to dodge the first Titan Strike that came crashing down toward him. As the massive hammer hit the ground, the entire hallway shook, and Lucian gritted his teeth as the shockwave sent him stumbling backward.
"That was a little too close…" he muttered, before swinging Mediodis at one of the smaller golems. The sword cleaved through its stone body, the golem's form shattering into jagged pieces.
But even as it crumbled, Lucian heard the faintest echo of Stone Transformation. The Titan golems were already hardening their bodies, their already-impressive durability now further increased. The smaller golems surged forward to cover the larger ones, and Lucian had to quickly regroup.
His mind raced, looking for a strategy. He couldn't waste time trying to grind down their defenses; he'd have to take out the weaker ones first.
He'll need more than his typical offense.
With a snap of his fingers, Lucian summoned a surge of fire energy into his sword. He swung, sending a fiery wave toward the smaller golems and the Titan ones.
One of the Titan golems blocked the wave with its arm, the flames cascading off its stone skin with little effect. Lucian grimaced. "Of course, fire does nothing. What was I thinking?"
Switching gears, he unleashed his lightning, electricity crackling along the blade as it connected with another wave of lesser golems. This time, the current coursed through their rocky bodies, making them twitch and seize as the electric energy burned through them.
"Now we're talking," Lucian said, his grin turning savage. The remaining golems started to charge toward him in unison, and he had no choice but to meet them head-on.
The battle raged on, the rhythmic pounding of the golems' footsteps shaking the castle to its foundation. Lucian fought with precision, using his agility to dodge, weave, and strike with surgical precision, but he could feel the pressure mounting with every moment.
The death-infused attacks of the Titan golems sapped his energy with each strike that connected, each blow from the massive hammers leeching his strength away.
But Lucian's resolve never wavered. With every inch of his body aching, every cut and bruise accumulating, he pushed forward. And just as one Titan golem raised its weapon for a final blow, Lucian summoned all of his remaining strength. With a roar, he exploded forward in a flash of lightning and sword, striking at the golem's weak spot, where the death magic pulsed the strongest.
The golem crumbled with a deafening crash.
Ding…
Quest Complete: Guardian Golem and Subordinates Defeated (55/55).
The system pinged again, granting Lucian a wave of rewards, but he barely had the strength to stand. His body was covered in cuts, bruises, and burns, his energy drained. But there was satisfaction in his chest another victory.
Lucian stood amidst the wreckage of golems, breathing heavily as the last remnants of the stone warriors crumbled into dust. He wiped sweat and blood from his forehead, finally allowing himself a moment of triumph.
"Whew… that was brutal. But I did it! Another one bites the dust. Where's my reward, system?"
He waited, pacing around, scanning the area. A few seconds passed… and then a minute… still nothing.
Lucian's grin began to falter, a frown slowly forming. "Wait, hold up. Did the system forget to give me my reward?"
He checked his interface. No new messages. No prompt. No items. His brows furrowed.
"Hey, system! I completed the quest! Where's my reward?" Lucian shouted to the empty castle halls.
Ding…
The system's familiar chime echoed in his mind, though there was no satisfaction in the sound this time.
System Response:
"Apologies for the delay, host. Your reward is pending."
"Pending?" Lucian's voice echoed in disbelief. "What the heck does pending mean? It's been a minute already! I'm a freaking hero here—just give me the loot!"
Ding…
"Reward is now being processed. Please stand by for confirmation."
Lucian clenched his fist. "I'm standing by, but I'm also very confused! What kind of reward takes this long? A grand treasure chest? A new set of powers? Maybe some cool magical artifacts?"
A few seconds later, the system finally responded with a different, more ominous message:
Ding…
"Host has unlocked a new ability.
New Ability: "Patience of the Gods"
Effect: Allows the host to tolerate long periods of waiting in mind and battle without losing composure. Increases stamina regeneration when idle for extended periods. Also reduces the frustration in everything."
Lucian blinked. "Wait… What? Are you kidding me?! I waited all that time for a skill about patience?!"
He stood there for a moment, absolutely dumbfounded. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him.
"Well, guess I've got to make the most of it…" Lucian muttered sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.
Ding…
"Additionally, your Divine Wrath skill has leveled up."
Lucian's eyes lit up at the mention of his Divine Wrath skill. "Alright, that's more like it. Now, that's something useful! I'll take that!"
Ding…
"Divine Wrath – Level Up: Increased power, faster activation, and an added effect of 'Wrath of the Fallen'. Temporarily increases host's damage output by 50% after a kill or when near death."
Lucian grinned at the new skill improvements. "Okay, now we're talking. This might make dealing with the next boss a bit more fun."
But still, as he examined the now-activated Divine Wrath skill, he couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh. "A skill about patience… and I just had to deal with golems. What's next? A skill in how to appreciate the beauty of waiting?"
He gave a dramatic, sarcastic bow to the empty halls. "Oh, thank you, System. Truly, I feel enlightened."
Just as Lucian was about to leave the room, the system pinged again.
Ding…
"Host has unlocked a bonus reward: 'Gods' Essence.'"
Lucian immediately straightened up, his eyes lighting up. "Wait, what's this? Gods' Essence? Now that's what I'm talking about."
System Explanation:
"Gods' Essence: An extremely rare substance that grants the user a percussion mana boost to all abilities and divine-related powers. Growth type once used will regenerate over time 5x more powerful . Increases overall combat effectiveness by 30% for 24 hours."
"Alright! Now we're cooking!" Lucian fist-pumped the air, feeling a little less frustrated now.
"Finally, something worth celebrating!" Lucian smirked, pocketing the Gods' Essence with a satisfied grin.
But just as he turned to leave the room, the system chirped once more, this time with a somewhat ominous tone.
Ding…
"New challenge detected. Boss Level Entity."
Lucian blinked. "Boss level? Really? I've barely caught my breath from those golems!"
The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Something big was coming, and Lucian braced himself.
"Well," Lucian muttered with a dark chuckle, "at least I've got a bit of patience now. Let's see what this next monster's got."
With a flash of confidence, Lucian readied Mediodis and prepared to face whatever new challenge the system had in store for him.