Haneul coughed up blood, his vision spinning. The Goblin King's roar had nearly crushed him, and his HP was dangerously low.
But he wasn't dead. Not yet.
His eyes flickered toward the remains of the fallen knight.
Among the shattered armor, something stood out—a gauntlet, dark and slightly cracked, yet pulsing with an eerie glow.
Haneul's fingers trembled as he reached out and grabbed it.
[You have obtained: Corrupted Knight's Gauntlet]
— Strength +3, Endurance +5
The moment his fingers curled around the gauntlet, a surge of cold energy coursed through his body. His muscles tightened, and the pain in his limbs dulled slightly.
[Stat Adjustment Available.]
[Would you like to allocate gained stats?]
Haneul's eyes widened. Stat adjustment?
His mind raced. He needed more defense—if he took another direct hit, he'd die.
He quickly redistributed his newly acquired stats:
+3 Endurance
+2 Agility
[Stats Adjusted.]
As the cold energy settled, Haneul felt his breathing stabilize. The crushing weight from earlier was still there, but now… it was bearable.
And then—
[New Skill Unlocked – Phantom Guard]
A defensive ability that absorbs incoming damage for a short duration. Activates instinctively upon lethal impact.]
Haneul's lips curled into a grin.
Perfect.
The remaining knight advanced, its blade gleaming with dark energy.
Haneul clenched his gauntleted hand and took a step forward.
This time—he wasn't just dodging.
The knight slashed downward, aiming to cleave him in two.
Haneul didn't move.
Instead—
[Phantom Guard Activated]
A translucent barrier flickered around his body. The knight's attack collided with it, sending out ripples of distorted space—but the strike never reached him.
Haneul took advantage of the knight's brief hesitation.
He twisted his body, using Eclipse Step to flicker behind the knight—
[Wraith Claw – Phantom Rend]
His clawed gauntlet tore through the knight's exposed back, the impact sending a shockwave of energy rippling through its form.
The knight let out a metallic screech, its body crumbling into black shards.
[Elite Knight Defeated – +600 EXP]
Haneul exhaled sharply, sweat dripping down his forehead.
One enemy left.
The Goblin King, now standing at its full height, let out another earth-shattering roar—even more powerful than the last.
The air cracked apart, a pressure wave rushing toward him like a tidal wave of death.
Haneul's instincts screamed.
But this time—he was ready.
[Phantom Guard – Full Activation]
The translucent barrier pulsed outward, forming a dome of spectral energy around him.
The Goblin King's roar slammed into it—
And for the first time—
The attack was completely nullified.
As the dust settled, Haneul stood tall, eyes locked onto the towering monster.
The Goblin King's red eyes narrowed in fury.
Haneul rolled his shoulders, feeling lighter than ever.
Now—it was his turn.