The Golem's Power Punch struck with tremendous force, but this time, Reed had taken a step forward, placing himself between Zora and the devastating blow. His body absorbed the brunt of the attack as he shielded Zora from the imminent danger.
The heroes watched in both astonishment and horror, wondering if Reed had survived the Golem's relentless Power Punch and whether Zora was unscathed. The aftermath of the attack left them in suspense, waiting to see the outcome.
The atmosphere grew electric as the dust began to clear. Reed and Zora, standing upright amid the chaos, slowly emerged from the debris and smoke. The other heroes were utterly bewildered by this miraculous sight, as it defied all logic and reason.
Reed and Zora's survival remained a perplexing enigma. The heroes, some with dropped jaws and wide eyes, tried to process how this duo had endured the Golem's devastating Power Punch, a move that should have been fatal.
As the realization dawned upon the spectators, they marveled at Reed's quick thinking and skill. His brilliant tactic had saved their lives. Instead of the Power Punch landing directly on their bodies, Reed had used his sword as a makeshift shield, gripping it tightly from both ends. It had absorbed the brunt of the attack's force, transferring the impact to the sword itself.
Had Reed held the sword with just one hand, they might not have been so fortunate. The Power Punch was a formidable force, and it took both Reed's strength and precise timing to make this gambit work.
Though Reed and Zora had survived, they hadn't emerged unscathed. The Power Punch had still taken its toll. Reed's HP had been depleted significantly, leaving him with a mere 2 out of 10 HP remaining. Zora, too, bore the consequences with 6 out of 10 HP remaining.
As Reed and Zora collected themselves after the intense encounter with the Golem, a fellow hero approached them, concern etched across their faces. "Hey, are you okay?" they asked, their voice filled with worry.
Zora quickly confirmed her well-being with a nod and turned her attention to Reed, who remained silent, his intense gaze fixed on the Golem. He seemed ready to confront the monstrous Golem once again.
Amid this tense moment, a sharp CRACK rang out through the air. Cracks started to crawl across Reed's sword, spreading like veins, and then, with a devastating sound, the blade shattered into fragments that clattered to the ground. The weapon that had saved them once was now nothing more than a pile of broken pieces.
The heroes began to notice Reed and Zora's low HP.
Zora, fearing for Reed's life, urgently inquired, "Does anyone have healing potions?" Her gaze darted around, hoping to find a savior amongst her fellow heroes. Zora wasn't seeking help for herself but for Reed, who remained vulnerable with his HP at a critical level.
A voice from the crowd responded, "This is our first time here, and the healing potions are available on the first world of the tower."
In their moment of despair, a kind-hearted, long-haired girl wearing glasses approached Zora, her backpack clinking with the sounds of potions. She extended five bottles of healing potions to Zora, offering assistance to her and Reed.
"These potions are artificially created in the labs," the girl explained with a hint of regret. "So they won't have the same effect as the ones in the tower. But they should be enough to heal your HP."
Zora accepted the potions with gratitude, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and concern for Reed. As the other heroes resumed their battle with the Golem, Reed and Zora retreated to a safer spot. They drank the potions to heal their HP, then took a brief respite to recover and prepare for their next encounter with the formidable foe.
"You should rest for a few minutes, just in case," Zora advised Reed. "I will join them in the fight. We have to beat this Golem or we can't call ourselves a Hero."
Zora's resolute words resonated in the tense air as she prepared to rejoin the battle against the Golem. She had restored her HP to its full potential, and her determination was unwavering.
As Zora left, Reed contemplated his shattered sword, which lay discarded beside him. He felt a storm of emotions surging within him. His anger, a sensation he was unaccustomed to, lingered as he looked towards the remains of the man who had fallen victim to the Golem's Power Punch earlier.
'Not good. I am angry, and I can't calm down,' Reed thought to himself, recognizing the challenge of managing his emotions in such a perilous situation. 'I can't afford to lose my composure. Emotions can cloud judgment and impair decision-making in a life-and-death confrontation.'
Watching the ongoing battle, Reed knew he needed to find a way to channel his anger constructively and regain his composure before rejoining the fight against the Golem.
Thirty minutes had dragged on, and the heroes continued their arduous battle against the Golem. Reed still lingered on the sidelines, observing the ongoing clash, but not actively participating.
The Golem had endured significant damage, its once-imposing HP now diminished to [750/1000]. The magic users among the heroes had gotten used to their abilities over time, exhibiting greater coordination and effectiveness in their attacks.
Occasional glances were cast back towards Reed, curiosity and uncertainty etched onto the faces of the other heroes. While they wondered when he would finally join the fray, no one dared to inquire. They recognized that Reed had nearly met his end earlier, and they refrained from pushing him into another life-threatening situation. They assumed he was too fearful to fight, even though Reed's hesitation was far from driven by fear.
The boy who had previously taunted Reed on multiple occasions, yet had also warned him about the dead guy's attack, took a breather to drink a healing potion as he had been struck by the Golem during the battle. He seized the opportunity to address Reed, voicing his irritation.
"What do you think you are doing?! Why are you here? To watch the show?"
Reed remained silent, his gaze focused on the ongoing combat.
"Do you want me to bring some popcorn so you can enjoy watching us fight?" the boy quipped. "Just so you know, we won't allow you to enter the first floor after we have cleared the trial floor. You are not participating in the trial floor, so we will kick you out of the tower once the trial floor is cleared."
Although the boy's words were filled with determination, it was crucial to remember that he did not possess the authority to expel a fellow Hero from the tower. Such decisions were made collectively by the Heroes themselves and were widely accepted throughout the Hero community.
When a group of Heroes succeeded in defeating a floor's boss, they were granted two options: they could either depart the tower, returning to the real world, or choose to advance to the next floor. Should a Hero opt to continue but later wished to return to the real world, they would be required to clear the floor once more and await the reappearance of the tower's exit gates.
This regulation extended to the trial floor as well. Heroes who felt too apprehensive to progress further, those who lacked the potential to become a Hero, and those who had sustained injuries in the trial floor could choose to exit the tower.
The government had instituted a rule, backed by the Hero Association, which allowed the heroes present in the same chamber to collectively vote on whether to oust a fellow hero who didn't participate in the trial.
Reed received the same warning from the boy, who had already played multiple roles in this unfolding drama.
Reed let out a short, measured sigh before rising to his feet, positioning himself in front of the boy who had been issuing threats. Despite their close ages, Reed's height and demeanor made him seem much older, casting a shadow of authority.
"Are you trying to threaten me?" Reed inquired, his voice steady and cool.
The boy met Reed's gaze without flinching. "Yes, I am stating a fact, one that the others in this chamber agree with."
Reed's eyes briefly swept over the other Heroes present before returning to the boy.
"The way you're all fighting, none of you are likely to survive, let alone clear this floor."
A frown creased the boy's forehead. "Are you trying to threaten me?"
Reed shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, I'm stating a fact."
Reed extended his arm and gestured toward the various chambers filled with Heroes locked in combat.
"Look at them. None of you truly grasp what you're doing. The Golem's HP is at 75%, but do any of you realize that boss monsters are more likely to unlock new abilities as their HP decreases? They get agitated, their attacks become stronger and swifter."
Reed redirected their attention to a particular chamber, the occupants of which were locked in a life-and-death struggle.
"Look at that chamber," he urged.
The assembled Heroes followed the line of his pointing finger, gazing upon a grim scene. All but one of the heroes within that chamber had succumbed to the boss's relentless onslaught, perishing within moments.
"They fought exceptionally well," Reed continued. "They managed to chip away at the boss's HP, reducing it by 50% in a mere ten minutes. However, the boss was provoked and subsequently unlocked new abilities, leading to the deaths of half of their group in the next strike."
Reed addressed the gathering of Heroes who had questioned his way of fighting.
"You have all been fortunate that the Golem has yet to be provoked. You engage it in close-quarters combat without fully comprehending the situation—"
"Shut up!" The boy interjected, his voice sharp with irritation. "Why should we listen to you of all people? You lack skills and the ability to use magic. Who died and made you in charge?"
Reed responded with an indifferent shrug. "Very well. Proceed and engage the Golem. But do not expect any assistance from me when you find yourselves on the precipice of death."
The girl who stood with the boy responded swiftly by smacking him on the back of his head, scolding him, "Ash! Can't you keep your mouth shut for a second? Reed is trying to help us."
Reed found himself slightly puzzled. 'Did I introduce myself to them? How does she know my name? Well, that doesn't matter now. We have bigger issues to contend with.'
A voice among the Heroes chimed in with agreement. "He's right. We've drawn the short straw here. We would have undoubtedly cleared the trial floor if it had spawned smaller monsters instead."
Reed, however, was quick to challenge that notion. He pointed toward another chamber, where a group of five goblins had spawned. Inside that chamber lay the remains of seven Heroes and two goblins, while a lone Hero remained, surrounded by three of the small monsters. His fate was all but sealed.
"There's no such thing as luck in this world of survival," Reed asserted. "You must remember that this is a trial to become a Hero, not a tutorial. We effectively signed our own death warrants the moment we entered the tower."
Reed's words left the assembly momentarily speechless. One Hero among them dared to question their next steps.
"So, what do you suggest we do?"
Reed's response was direct and to the point.
"Do as I say, and we might stand a chance against the Golem. But I take no responsibility if we fail or meet our demise."
"Sure, lead the way," the Heroes responded to Reed's leadership.
Reed, mindful of his broken weapon, inquired, "Does anyone have an extra weapon? Mine is broken."
The girl inquired about the type of weapon Reed typically used.
"I am fine with anything," Reed replied.
Zora couldn't help but squint her eyes in response to his statement. It seemed quite unusual to her.
"I have this small sword," the girl said as she handed it to Reed. "This sword is from the fourth world of the tower. My older brother asked me to sell it in the tower in exchange for money, so please don't break this one, okay?"
Reed accepted the sword with a nod and a promise. "I will compensate you if it breaks."
With a new weapon in hand, Reed began to organize the Heroes based on their abilities and fighting styles, all while keeping the Golem at bay with a barrage of attacks. Reed's plan was coming together.
Out of the twenty-four Heroes, seven were capable of using magic, while seven wielded ranged weapons. Reed positioned these Heroes side by side, ready to contribute to their strategy. The remaining ten Heroes were well-versed in melee combat, using swords and spears.
Reed placed the three spear users together and instructed them to be swift with their attacks. He then grouped the three sword users with himself and the two remaining sword users as backup.
Lastly, Reed turned to Zora and told her, "Stay with me."
"We want to fight too," the two backup sword users protested.
Reed, firm in his decision, replied, "You two are too slow. Your responses and reactions are sluggish. What would you do if you got caught up in the Golem's attack? And what should 'we' do? Save you or continue fighting the Golem?"
The two sword users fell silent, realizing the wisdom in Reed's words.
Ash, wanting to be part of the action, spoke up, "Hey, I want to fight too! Why am I standing in the magic users' line? I'm better at sword fighting."
Reed considered this for a moment and then replied, "Actually, your help is not needed, so it doesn't matter where you stand. Your contribution means nothing."
Ash's face twitched in anger as he realized Reed was poking fun at him.
Reed pointed at the Golem's chest, revealing a red shiny core slightly visible. "The core of this monster is located in its chest. We can't reach it, nor can we use ranged attacks. The core is protected by the outer layer, so we have to destroy it first. Let's bring this Golem to its knees and kill it!"
With determination, Reed, Zora, and the three swordsmen rushed at the Golem, while the magic and ranged weapon users distracted the Golem with attacks from the other side. The melee group attacked the Golem's leg at the same time, with the spear users dealing extra damage. After several successful attempts, the Golem's leg was severed, and its HP was reduced by another 150.
HP - [600/1000]
Reed turned to the magic users and said, "Don't use your magic excessively and needlessly. If you run out of MP, it will be troublesome. Take turns in attacking."
Without wasting any time, the melee group targeted the Golem's other leg, although it proved to be a challenging task. Nonetheless, they managed to cripple the Golem.
HP - [450/1000]
"It's working! We can do this!" Some of the heroes cheered.
Reed, however, reminded them, "It's still too early to celebrate."
He deftly dodged the Golem's attacks and instructed the ranged weapon users and spear users to continuously target the Golem's chest to expose the core, while the remaining heroes attacked the Golem from all sides.
Reed's strategy succeeded in confusing and distracting the Golem. After many minutes of relentless fighting, the Golem's HP dropped to 300.
HP - [300/1000]
However, they had yet to expose the Golem's core. Even without its legs and one hand, the Golem's attacks remained fierce, repeatedly using its Power Punch. The heroes had grown accustomed to its attack pattern, but the situation was still perilous.
Suddenly, the Golem fell to the ground, turning to face its chest down to protect its core. Reed effortlessly climbed on top of the Golem and relentlessly attacked its neck, although it remained impenetrable. Reed kicked the sword hilt repeatedly to deal as much damage as possible.
The other heroes continued their assault, but the Golem refused to expose its chest.
HP - [200/1000]
Amid his attacks on the Golem's back, Reed managed to locate the core. He raised his sword and plunged it into the Golem's back, piercing its core.
"Aw shit, not good."
Although the sword was too short to reach all the way through the core, it inflicted significant damage. This prompted the Golem to roll onto its side and expose its chest.
The third girl with the mask, who was with Ash, wasted no time and plunged her sword into the monster's chest, followed by Zora, who delivered the final blow, killing the Golem.
[Congratulations! The trial floor has been cleared!]
"Hell yeah!" echoed through the chamber as cheers erupted from the triumphant Heroes.
[Once all the remaining Heroes who have yet to clear the trial floor either die or finish the trial floor, the gates to the first world of the tower will open.]
The Heroes caught their breath and took a well-deserved rest, watching the heroes in the other chambers continue their battles. It was a moment of respite before they would be able to proceed to the first world of the tower.