Inside a large room, a boy with purple eyes was panting heavily, his body trembling with exhaustion. He was surrounded by countless fallen golems, their humanoid shapes scattered across the ground.
The boy's legs shook, barely able to support his weight. His face was bruised, and his clothes were torn in multiple places from the battle.
With a deep breath, he reached for a small bottle from his bag, resting on the floor beside him. The liquid inside was a vibrant green.
"This is the last one," he muttered to himself, lifting the bottle to his lips and drinking it in one swift gulp.
Almost immediately, he felt a warm sensation spread through his body. His bruised face began to heal, and the cuts and scrapes on his body closed up, leaving him feeling stronger.
Daemon looked at his now healed body, his fists clenched and unclenched as he tested his strength. A determined expression crossed his face as he turned toward the door at the far end of the room.
He took a deep breath, then spoke aloud in a confident, challenging tone, "I, Daemon Gracefall, want to challenge the great knight to a duel."
As soon as he spoke, the door trembled and slowly creaked open on its own. A chilling presence filled the air, making Daemon's body tense. His fist clenched tightly in response, but he refused to retreat.
Stepping forward, he walked toward the door with unwavering confidence.
Before entering the dungeon, none of his stats had even reached 20. Now, after his battles and growth, every stat was in the 30s. Not a single stat remained below 30.
In just two days, Daemon had gained this much strength—something even the game's protagonists couldn't achieve unless they had access to hidden pieces.
As Daemon stepped into the expansive arena, he was greeted by the sight of a lone knight golem standing tall in the center. Its gleaming white armor seemed to radiate an aura of purity and strength, and in its hand, it held a sword with a silver blade etched with glowing blue runes.
The sight of the knight gave off an overwhelming sense of holiness, making the air around it feel heavy and charged.
Daemon continued forward, his steps steady as he entered the arena and drew his sword. The knight, as if acknowledging his presence, mirrored his action. It unsheathed its blade and raised it in a formal stance.
A familiar sound echoed in Daemon's mind.
Ding!
A translucent window materialized before him, :
[Quest: Defeat the 'Dungeon's Great Knight'
Rewards: Skill stone,
Great knight's sword
Do you accept the quest? Yes/No]
Without a moment's hesitation, Daemon selected "Yes" and dismissed the window with a sharp nod.
Turning his focus back to the knight, Daemon gripped his sword tightly, his eyes narrowing as he sized up his opponent.
As if on cue, both Daemon and the knight golem moved simultaneously. Their swords clashed with a resounding clang, locking together in a tense deadlock.
'It seems our strength is evenly matched,' Daemon thought, a determined glint in his eyes. Without wasting a moment, he shifted his sword, tilting it to break the deadlock. The knight's blade wavered, leaving an opening on its left side. Seizing the opportunity, Daemon swung his sword with precision.
Clang!
His attack struck the knight's armor but failed to penetrate it. Daemon's eyes widened in disbelief. The knight's armor was tougher than he anticipated. Before he could adjust his strategy, the knight golem regained its balance and swung its sword, aiming directly for Daemon's head.
Reacting instinctively, Daemon pulled back his weapon just in time to block the blow. The force of the impact sent a shockwave of pain through his arms.
"Keuk!" he groaned, his hands trembling under the strain. But the knight didn't relent. It raised its sword high and began a relentless series of vertical strikes. Each blow was heavy and unyielding, making Daemon's arms throb with pain as he struggled to block every strike.
With no other option, Daemon slid backward, his boots skidding across the arena floor as he tried to put some distance between himself and the knight. His arms trembled from the repeated blows, and he tightened his grip on the sword, his breathing uneven.
He stared at the knight, its imposing figure unwavering. 'That armor is ridiculously tough', he thought, frustration flickering in his mind. 'I can't pierce it with normal attacks.'
Taking a deep breath, Daemon forced himself to steady his shaking hands. He adjusted his stance, focusing his energy. Slowly, a faint blue energy began to envelop his sword, wrapping around it. The blade seemed to hum with renewed sharpness.
It was something he learned earlier, while battling the golems outside. Back then, he'd also struggled to break through their defenses. And after thinking about it a lot, how to break through their defenses, he came up with this technique.
However, since it was a technique crudely made, he couldn't always use it. That's why he was trying keep it as a last resort.
Daemon exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. 'I thought my increased strength would be enough to handle this knight,' he admitted to himself. 'But I was too arrogant.'
Now, with the blue energy coursing along his blade, Daemon's confidence returned. He fixed his gaze on the knight and he leapt towards it.
The knight golem responded swiftly, leaping toward Daemon with startling speed.
Daemon gritted his teeth. He knew this technique wouldn't last long. Every second counted, and he had to end this battle quickly.
"Dash," he muttered, activating his skill. Instantly, his speed surged, and in the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between himself and the knight.
Before the golem could react, Daemon swung his sword, now glowing with concentrated blue energy. The blade sliced through the knight's formidable armor, leaving a deep gash across its chest.
Daemon didn't let up. With his enhanced speed and agility, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, targeting the golem's left arm, neck, and waist. The knight fought back fiercely, its blade flashing as it parried some of Daemon's attacks. The strikes aimed at its waist and neck were deflected, but the relentless assault finally paid off.
With a precise, powerful swing, Daemon severed the knight's left arm. The dismembered limb fell to the ground with a metallic clang, and Daemon stepped back, his breathing heavy.
The blue energy around Daemon's sword began to flicker, a clear sign that the technique was reaching its limit. He knew he couldn't maintain it any longer. Just as doubt began to creep in, a familiar notification echoed in his mind.
[Cold-blooded has been activated]
Daemon's frenzied thoughts stilled. The tension and desperation melted away, replaced by an icy calm. His mind, now sharp and focused, analyzed every movement of the knight in front of him. But the system wasn't done.
[Tenacity has been activated]
A surge of raw power coursed through Daemon's body, filling him with renewed strength. The passive skill 'Tenacity' had triggered, amplifying his stats in response to his declining health. His grip on the sword tightened, and he felt his muscles brimming with potential.
However, He didn't rush. This time, he took a measured breath and focused.
With a steady hand, he poured more mana into his sword. The flickering blue energy around the blade grew thicker, longer, and more vibrant.
At the same time, he amplified his speed and agility, feeding more mana into his Dash skill. The effect was immediate: his body felt lighter, faster, more precise.
Daemon dashed forward, his body flickering like a shadow, appearing directly in front of the knight. Without hesitation, he launched into a relentless assault, his sword swinging in a blur of motion. Blue arcs of energy streaked through the air as his blade struck from every direction, each strike aimed at the knight's vital points.
The knight's missing left arm left it vulnerable, its movements sluggish and imprecise. It tried to counter, but Daemon's relentless attacks gave it no chance to recover. Strike after strike, Daemon's blade cut into the knight, leaving deep gashes and glowing marks etched into its once-pristine armor.
Daemon knew every golem had a core, the source of its power. He didn't know where this knight's core was hidden, but it didn't matter. His plan was simple: destroy it so thoroughly that it couldn't move, core or no core.
The knight staggered under the assault, unable to keep up. Finally, with one last flurry of strikes, Daemon's sword sliced through its joints and body. The golem crumbled to the ground, its pieces scattered across the arena. The once-imposing knight lay in ruins, its glow fading as its power extinguished.
Daemon stood for a moment, swaying on his feet, before his legs gave out beneath him. He collapsed onto the cold floor, his body utterly drained. The blue glow around his sword faded, and the faint hum of mana that had surrounded him disappeared entirely.
He had poured nearly all his mana into his attacks and his Dash skill, pushing himself beyond his limits. Now, his body screamed in protest, his stamina and mana reserves completely depleted.
Lying flat on his back, his arms spread wide, Daemon stared at the ceiling. His breathing was shallow, and his eyelids grew heavy. The warmth of exhaustion pulled him into its embrace, and within moments, his eyes closed as sleep overtook him.