As the sound of footsteps echoed down the dark corridor, my heart raced. Each breath I took was more cautious and deliberate. The faint glow from my dagger barely illuminated the void ahead. As the sounds drew closer, a silhouette emerged from the darkness.The figure resembled a human form, yet it was entirely unnatural. As it slowly approached, I realized it was a dungeon guardian. Its body was made of cracked stones, and every movement it made was accompanied by the grinding sound of stone rubbing against stone. Its hollow, dark eye sockets glowed faintly with a dim red light as it stared at me. In its massive hands, it carried a rusted, colossal axe, and each step it took sent tremors through the ground.There was no place to run. The corridor was narrow, its walls smooth, offering no chance to hide. Taking a deep breath, I gripped my dagger tightly. The guardian seemed to notice me, pausing briefly before raising its enormous axe and advancing toward me.It was clear that its intent was not to intimidate or threaten but to destroy. Each step carried a terrifying certainty, as though the only way out of here was to face it. My eyes darted around, searching for an opportunity, an opening. But the narrow corridor severely limited my mobility.As the guardian focused entirely on me, I noticed the light from my dagger briefly illuminating the cracks in its stone body. Those cracks could be its weak points. With the right move, I might be able to take it down.I needed a plan—and quickly. The guardian, with its heavy steps, raised its axe, preparing for a lethal strike. The wide arc of its weapon made dodging difficult, but its weight also meant it lacked speed.Taking a deep breath, I leapt sideways just in time. The sharp edge of the axe struck the ground with a deafening crash, shattering the stone floor. This momentary impact disrupted the guardian's balance, giving me a brief opening. I swiftly struck one of the cracks in its stone body with my dagger. The metal blade sank partially into the crack but didn't penetrate fully."Does it hurt, or are you just a mindless heap of stones?" I muttered under my breath.The guardian let out a low, guttural moan, almost as if in pain, and raised its axe again. This time, its movement was faster. With my limited space in the narrow corridor, avoiding another strike required quicker reflexes. I drove my dagger deeper into one of its cracks and twisted it with all my strength.A cracking sound echoed. The stones on the guardian's body began to separate. But it wasn't enough to stop it. The creature advanced with even greater ferocity. Retrieving my dagger, I aimed for another crack, dodging its relentless attacks as best as I could. The confined space made each maneuver more dangerous."Relentless, aren't you? You're making my job easier!" I taunted.Finally, as I managed to evade one of its swings, its axe struck the ground again, breaking off some of the floor's surface and causing it to sink slightly. This was an opportunity. If I could lure the guardian to that weakened spot, I might be able to topple it.Without wasting any time, I carefully began to retreat toward the weakened section. The guardian raised its axe once more, preparing for another attack. As the axe swung down, I quickly sidestepped, causing it to strike directly into the unstable ground. The floor cracked beneath the weight, and the guardian's massive body lost its balance and collapsed.I couldn't miss this chance. Drawing my dagger, I plunged it into the largest crack in its chest. Summoning all my strength, I drove the blade as deep as it would go. Suddenly, a crimson light burst from within the guardian, and its entire body began to shatter. The stone form crumbled rapidly, collapsing into rubble.All that remained was a glowing red crystal amidst the rubble. I picked it up, feeling a cold sensation radiate from it, yet it emanated an incredible energy. I immediately knew it was something important.After glancing around, I examined the crystal more closely. Its shape resembled a kind of prism, and inside, a vibrant red light flickered as though it were alive. Moments later, knowledge about the crystal began flooding into my mind. Using my [Examine] ability, I learned its details. My mastery of this ability was improving with each use."I'm starting to like this skill more and more."Red Golem Crystal
Properties: This crystal functions as a golem core. It has the power to animate statues made of stone, earth, or metal. By controlling the material composing the golem, it grants it movement and life.Usage Requirement: To create a golem, the crystal must be placed at the core of a suitable statue or structure. The crystal's energy binds and animates the surrounding material. A golem animated by the crystal is fully obedient to its master, but no golem can be stronger than its creator.
"A golem can't be stronger than its master, huh? That means… there must be someone stronger nearby who controlled this one."I lifted my head and continued down the dark corridor. My footsteps echoed against the narrow, shadowy walls of the dungeon. The faint vibration I felt in my chest indicated that the red crystal I had just acquired was still radiating energy. But I knew this place wouldn't let me rest easily.As I moved forward, the flickering light from my dagger illuminated the ground and walls, revealing details hidden within the darkness. Suddenly, something unusual caught my attention. Scattered across the floor were oddly shaped skulls. Each one rested in a different spot, and while they appeared human-like, their unusually small size gave them an eerie look.I crouched beside one and carefully picked it up. It was light and rough-textured but far too small to belong to an ordinary human. Curious, I used my [Examine] ability.Goblin SkullDescription: This skull belongs to goblins, small and nimble creatures. Goblin skulls are flexible yet fragile in structure.
"Flexible and fragile, huh? Still, it's a skull—the hardest bone in a body. Whatever shattered and cracked these must have been something terrifying."A growing sense of unease gnawed at me, but there was no point in dwelling on fear. I had to see this through to the end.The dungeon's air was heavy; the scent of dust, stone, and dampness filled my nose. The faint light from my dagger barely pierced the darkness ahead. My thoughts lingered on the crystal I had obtained and who its previous master might have been.But I needed to set those thoughts aside. Ahead, I noticed movement in the shadows. My eyes squinted involuntarily as I held my breath. Just beyond my line of sight, two massive silhouettes emerged. The faint light of my dagger wasn't enough to fully illuminate them, but as they drew closer, their forms became clearer.The first silhouette bore an uncanny resemblance to the stone guardian I had fought earlier. Its cracked stone body glowed faintly with a red light. It dragged a massive, rusted axe along the stone floor, the sound reverberating ominously through the corridor. The weight and sharpness of the axe made it clear that being struck by it would be fatal.The second silhouette was entirely different in its equipment. While it also had a stone body, this golem carried a bow and quiver. Its cracks were less pronounced, and its movements were noticeably smoother than its counterpart. It gripped the bow skillfully, the quiver on its shoulder swaying slightly as it moved. Its focus was on me, and I felt the tension in my chest as though an arrow could be loosed at any moment."Both of them," I muttered through gritted teeth. Facing these two in the narrow corridor would be an exceptionally tough challenge. The axe-wielding one was slow but lethal, while the archer posed a precise, long-range threat with its quick and deadly strikes.I quickly analyzed the situation. If I could distract the axe-wielding golem and target its weak points as I had done before, I might be able to avoid the archer's attacks for a while. However, my movement space was limited, and there was always the risk of being struck by an arrow. Acting without a plan would undoubtedly result in death.As the golems started advancing, I realized I had to make the first move. The axe-wielding creature lumbered toward me with heavy steps, while the archer stood back, drawing its bow and preparing its first shot. Within seconds, I caught the glint of the arrowhead as it was loosed from the archer's bow. I rolled to the side just in time, letting the arrow slam into the stone floor, creating a slight vibration as it pierced through.Meanwhile, the axe-wielding golem's attack closed in. It raised its massive axe in a slow but deliberate motion and brought it down toward the ground. The attack's sluggishness gave me an opening—I quickly sidestepped to evade the blow. The axe smashed into the floor, scattering shards of stone everywhere, but it also momentarily disrupted the golem's balance."Now's the time," I thought, lunging forward with my dagger toward the cracks on its torso. The metal blade managed to penetrate the stone surface slightly, but it wasn't entirely effective. The golem emitted a deep, rumbling sound, a clear sign that my attack had unsettled it.At the same time, the archer golem fired another arrow. With limited space to maneuver, this time the arrow grazed my shoulder. A sharp pain flared, but before things could worsen, I quickly ducked behind a nearby pillar. "This can't go on," I thought. Fighting two enemies at once only worsened my disadvantage.I needed a plan. As long as the archer stayed back, it would keep me under constant pressure. I had to limit its mobility first. Emerging from behind the pillar, I hurled a piece of rubble toward the archer golem. It reacted by turning its bow toward me and firing another arrow. Using this distraction, I darted toward the axe-wielding golem's rear."Here we go," I muttered to myself, aiming for a large crack on the back of the axe-wielding golem. With all my strength, I drove my dagger into it. The crack deepened, and the golem's movements slowed further. However, the archer golem was now closing in dangerously, its bow trained on me.I saw it nock an arrow and take aim. Dropping to the ground just in time, I let the arrow sail over my chest and embed itself in the wall behind me. Though my movements were limited in this narrow space, I had to stay one step ahead of the creature. Quickly rising, I delivered a hard kick to a crack near the archer golem's knee. It stumbled momentarily, losing its balance.The axe-wielding golem, on the other hand, seemed to be completely collapsing. I drove my dagger into the crack on its torso one final time, and the red glow within it began to fade. As the golem crumbled into pieces, only the archer remained. The tide had turned in my favor.Without hesitation, I rushed at the archer golem. Just as it was drawing its bow again, I threw my dagger, striking its arm. The bow fell from its grip, and I leaped toward it for the finishing blow.When the archer golem fell to the ground, a red crystal, identical to the first one, emerged from within its body. Slowly, I picked it up and began to examine it. As I held it, I felt a strange vibration in my chest as the energies of the two crystals merged. The dagger I had driven into the axe-wielding golem had shattered its crystal, but I had successfully obtained the one from the archer."Two crystals and two golems of the same design. Who or what could be waiting for me here?" I murmured.The answer lay deeper within this dungeon.