[First Mass Release event starts now. 1/6]
The cold sound of heavy stone grating against the cold solid ground filled the passage.
I watched the giant stone doors push open before me, and the dark glorious Boss lair lit up with pale ghostly blue flames that illuminated only a small portion of the shadows.
As I stepped through, the great 'Throne room' presented Itself in all of its ruinous glory.
I took a big whiff of the stale air that smelled of age and abrogation and grinned darkly.
"Yo. Long time no see. "
The knight of full body armor, the Silver Sentinel stood tall and imposingly next to the throne. It was just where I remembered seeing it the last time.
"Heh." I snickered.
Truly, like this, the Silver Sentinel was unassuming. If one wasn't wary or paid enough attention, they would believe the the full suit of silver armor to be just a decoration. They would first of all be drawn by the dark grandeur of the Boss Chamber, then be drawn in by the mystique allure of the the Throne ahead.
The 'full set of silver armor' was nothing in comparison, and only fitted as 'mere decoration ' that added to the audience chamber.
[It's simple misdirection.]
One that decided life and Death!
I shifted my gaze from the Silver Sentinel. The steel golem still maintained its unassuming position and posture just underneath the platform, so it hadn't yet moved to attack me.
'The doors haven't closed yet either. I'm guessing, the 'Boss trial ' would officially begin once the stone gates are shot close like before. '
Either that, or a few more steps in would trigger the beginning. I pondered internally and shifted my gaze to the Throne up ahead. In a breath later, I quick dashed for it.
I had no need to directly confront the Golem, the throne was my way out!!
I switched Armament from Strength to Speed, my vision blurred as I reached halfway across the chamber at once.
"2...3... 6!"
Just then, the heavy grating of cold stone against the hard ground rumbled like thunder as the collosal gates slowly shot close at the entrance.
-BAM!
Then it began.
The Silver Sentinel exploded forth like a blurry mass of polished steel. A powerful bang resounded as it tore through the air and arrived before me in an instant.
'Fast! '
Before I could barely react, silver flashed as steel gauntlet broke the air for my face like a torpedo. I could feel the air tremor just from the single punch, and my senses screamed death in various keys.
Immediately I snapped out of my trance and rasied the bone spear forward. The blow connected with the milky white bone shaft, and a tremendous force followed from impact. Unable to fully withstand the blow, I was swept up by the force and instantly flew half way across the floor.
My vision blurred as the scenery raced passed like a hazy dream. The next thing I knew, I suffered the heavy impact from colliding into a polished wall at the other side.
-BOOM!
The pain was shattering. The wall reverberated with a slight tremor as pieces of rocks fell against me. A small portion had caved in, with me at its center, forming a tapestry of cracks like a network of twisted spiderwebs.
Fortunately my bones were tougher now and somehow held through. But flying halfway across the chamber and smashing into a wall was still a deeply uncomfortable and painful experience.
"Ow, ow, ow. I expected this, but that hurt."
Even {Danger Sense} barely reacted. No, it was more like the attack was too fast.
In any case, I managed to survive it.
A crooked smile curled on my lips as I looked down.
"Damn. My arms are numb..." There was also a slight nick on the bone spear. Indeed, I had truly underestimated the durability of the crude weapon, it actually managed to survive one blow from the Silver Sentinel.
Two more blows, tops, then it'll shatter. I can't rely often on this to block the Golems attacks. But at the same time, they're too fast...I reached the grim conclusion and slowly got up shakily
"Well, that doesn't matter." I just had to get to the Throne.
At that point, I was deeply thankful for the Boulder Crab armor. The armor had been the one to absorb most of the shock of impact, I was basically unijured with only a few slight dislocation and soreness here and there.
But damn, that monster was fast.
I raised my head to glance at the slowly approaching knight, then turned towards the direction of the throne. The platform stood a little in the distance, with the throne over looking everything from above.
It still gives that sick feeling of being looked down upon, tsk.
But when I thought of how I'd be the one sitting on it, none of that mattered now.
I augmented my body and dashed for the direction of the platform, rather than prepare to confront the Silver Sentinel. As much as I would have much enjoyed to break it myself, I knew well more than anyone just where my capabilities ended.
I might not be able to beat the Golem, but the throne is top priority I've even managed to confirm that a little. Just as I had that thought, the Silver Sentinel moved as well from behind me.
I heard the sound of heavy steel clattering from behind as the back of my neck tingled furiously. The world slowed down, as a haunting sense of dissonance filled my mind.
I was familiar with the odd sensation; that was the effects of the {Danger Sense} reacting to impending doom!
And doom, it was!
A mass of blurry steel suddenly fell down from above like thunder.
-BOOM!
They ground shattered and upturned as a loud thunderous boom rolled through the chamber. A billowing cloud of dust burst forth from the point of impact as I rode the waves and rolled forward, painfully, against the hard stone ground.
"Oof!" I somehow managed to react at the last minute and leaped out of the way. I coughed a few times and cursed.
How the hell can that thing move that way?! Isn't it made of full body armor? Shouldn't it be heavy?! How is it so fast, and acrobatic?? That's unfair.
...but of course I knew better than to place logic in a Dungeon monster. Everything was unfair, in truth.
So I sucked it up, and got up forcefully and continued for the platform. The shockwaves had actually helped me in that aspect, though painfully. The Throne was now only a couple of meters away.
Haha, I can already smell my victory! I cackled internally.
[Don't be so sure yet.] As an omen of dread and only bad luck, damned Meta's voice resounded!
-BOOM!
A terrifying sound resounded and the dust cloud from behind exploded and dispersed in one fell swoop.
Something... something moved out of it and curved through the room.
"Fuck!"
The grand figure of the imposing Knight flashed from the corner of my eyes, exuding an almost blinding silver glint. A crushing impact devastated my chest all of a sudden, and I felt the makeshift breastplate shatter into pieces and shards, and they remnant of the impact dealt havock against my ribs.
The Silver Sentinels' punch that was too fast for me, sent me hurtling through the air and tumbling into the ground, further away from the throne. The impact and aftermath felt like an empty vacuum had been punched open through my chest.
I immediately found it hard to breathe and suffocated on myself
My body curled up on the cold ground, cradling the pieces of armor and my chest, as literal tears left my eyes.
And no, I wasn't crying. The impact and force were just so sudden to make my eyes water and my vision blurry.
"Cough! Cough!...f...fuck. cough, cough..."
'What the hell was that?! Felt like I got hit by a ram... '
Oh dear God, I think my ribs are shattered again.
I wasn't stranger to pain, but the damage was still substantial.
I shuffled on the ground and slowly turned. The fearsome construct of silver armor was intimidatingly marching forth at me like a fearsome steel warrior from hell.
'Meta... anytime now with that analysis... '
[Seems like we've been mistaking.] Contrary to what I was expecting, Meta all of a sudden said.
My face immediately crumpled up, but not from the hellish pain that came frim having my chest cave in.
"You can't find the golem's core?!"
I couldn't hope to beat the Golem, but I had still relied on Meta to analyze the Golem and locate it's core. Maybe...just maybe if that were to happen, I could directly destroy it instead.
Golems were artificial constructs, in a matter of sense. They were alive, but weren't truly, and their bodies could be made up of any considerable materials, from wood, to sand and many more.
They were literally like Magic robots, and monster Golems were no different.
But just as any other Monsters, even Golems had Cores. And perhaps this characteristic was even far more important in them. Destroying a core was the only true way to beating one.
Unless they'll just keep regenerating and continue endlessly.
I gripped my spear tightly as I prepared to force myself up. The pain in my chest was heavy, and it felt like my whole ribs would crumble like blocks.
[No, that's not a Golem.] Meta flatly said, and the next moment I tripped.
[It's a Slime.]