With an air of arrogance, Arlo made his way towards 'The Den of the Supreme Lion'. His steps were firm and confident.
"I am invincible," he declared.
The perfect description for Arlo at this moment would be, 'A man destabilized by emotional upheaval is the most formidable of all.'
Just a while ago, Arlo had been on the brink of despair, contemplating ending his own life. But now, he was brimming with a burning desire to conquer the entire dungeon.
Upon reaching the den, Arlo observed that the number of stone lions had dwindled to around ten.
The lions appeared more weathered than before, with larger cracks marring their bodies. Their eyes radiated a violet glow, and their once sharp fangs and claws seemed dull.
Arlo had initially planned to use the Shield's field to protect himself, letting the stone lions shatter against it.
'Will you just stand there and do nothing again?'
Aya's words echoed in his mind, leading him to believe that she was the reason for the difficulty mode's appearance.
'Even in death, she continues to shield me,' Arlo mused.
This realization sparked a desire in Arlo to change. He understood that if he didn't evolve, he wouldn't be worthy of being called Aya's elder brother.
Arlo had started as an arrogant man, but gradually, he began to comprehend the kind of person he had been.
Arlo's current mindset resonated with the phrase, 'When you fight for someone, you are never alone.'
The stone lions turned their attention towards Arlo. He took the initiative and charged at them.
When a lion pounced at him, Arlo nimbly sidestepped, his movements reminiscent of his football days. When another lion lunged, Arlo balled his fist and landed a powerful punch on its face, sending it reeling backward.
After the punch, the health bar above the lion displayed:
[Health: 20]
A window popped up,
[Hint:
A relationship, once cracked, can never be fully mended.]
Arlo smirked.
"Let's get this over with."
As another lion lunged at him, Arlo waited until it was close enough, observing the crack in its form. With surgical precision, he targeted the weakened area, causing it to disintegrate into sand.
[Defeated Common Class Stone Lion]
Suddenly, a lion approached from behind, but Arlo swiftly positioned his shield in front of him. With a forceful push, he sent the lion stumbling backward and punched through the crack.
Another lion charged towards him, and in a swift motion, Arlo imagined himself kicking a football. He raised his right leg and aimed directly at the crack in the creature's form, delivering a powerful kick.
[Defeated Common Class Stone Lion]
[Defeated Common Class Stone Lion]
With each victory, Arlo felt a newfound sense of courage. He defeated the stone lions one by one, feeling as though he was becoming his old, fearless self again.
[Defeated Common Class Stone Lion]
[Defeated Common Class Stone Lion]
Facing the last few lions, Arlo found himself panting heavily, realizing he was not in his prime form. He activated his shield to finish them off.
[Shield Activated:]
[Protector of Yedlin Clan
Duration: Can last for half an hour, increasing based on player level.]
[Consumed:
Endurance 1 per use
Defense 2 per use
Skill Point 5 per use]
With the lions defeated, the stone door in the middle of the stairs swung open, revealing a prompt:
[Defeated 10 Common Class Stone Lions.]
[Exp Reward: 10]
[Current Level - 1 (79 Exp to Level 2)]
Arlo approached the stone door, a soothing voice echoed in his mind, urging him, 'Rest, Arlo.'
Heeding the voice, he returned to Haven and rested for a few hours, restoring his stats to normal.
[Hp: 10/100
Skill Point: 20
Exp point: 21
Defense: 5/100
Strength: 5/100
Endurance: 5/100
Agility: 5/100
Intelligence: 5/100
Dexterity: 5/100]
Once refreshed, Arlo ventured back to the den and entered the stone door.
Inside, he found himself in a labyrinthine passage illuminated by fire torches. After navigating through the maze-like corridors, he reached the end and encountered a golden chest covered in spider webs.
Hesitating momentarily, Arlo anticipated the possibility of more monsters appearing, so he remained prepared for battle.
As he opened it, he found a huge claymore sword. It was coated with silver, adorned with rows of red stones straightly lined on the center of the blade. Its hilt was plated with golden color, and its cross guard had pointy needles extending outward.
Arlo picked up the sword and noticed a stone near the hilt. When he touched it, a prompt appeared:
[Slayer of Yedlin Clan]
[Inscription: This sword slaughtered the Yedlin clan and devoured its soul. Whenever it is released, it brings an end to its wielder, and only the true Devourer can lift its curse.]
[Activation: Place the sword in the ground]
[Duration: One time per day, increases based on user level]
[Consume:
Endurance 1 per use
Strength 2 per use
Dexterity 2 per use
HP 5 per use]
Arlo glanced at the sword's status, hearing a faint, mechanical sound emanating from the walls.
Slowly, to his right, a stone on the wall descended to the ground.
Despite it being his first time entering the dungeon, Arlo couldn't shake the cold, eerie sensation that seemed to emanate from within its depths of the passage.
Equipping his sword and shield, Arlo ventured into the dark abyss, guided only by the faint light ahead.
After a few minutes of exploration, Arlo reached the end of the passage and encountered a door at his height. He pushed it open, only to be greeted by a deep growling sound that echoed in the cavern.
"GRRR..."
Startled but not afraid, Arlo beheld a sight that took his breath away.
Inside a vast volcanic cave, illuminated by a faint dim light from above, stood a colossal golden lion, three times the size of the stone lions he had encountered earlier.
The majestic creature was adorned with flaming fur that covered its entire body, the flames emitting a purple hue matching its fur color and bore a tiny stone upon its forehead. Its fangs were as large as Arlo's fingers.
Hovering above the lion was a nameplate:
[The Supreme Lion
HP: 200]
Though terror gripped him from within, Arlo found strength in his determination. He had one reason to fight.
"Aya."
Arlo's determination surged as he aimed to become the brother she once looked up to.
[End of Chapter]