Be careful when triggering an event you don’t fully understand.
It’s a story known to anyone who has ever played games, and it applies to writers trying to start a new episode.
In games, all you need to do is save, and with novels, you can check the plot before writing it, and things can still work out somehow.
But what about in reality? I still don’t have the answer to that.
I came to capture the Lord of the Clock Fortress, but here I am facing sleek-looking Golems. How am I supposed to wrap my head around six existing layer protectors, which are closer to mechas from Earth…?!
No matter how I look at it, they’re humanoid, and considering the monster traits of the Third Floor, it’s easy to think they’re mechanized lords.
But those are clearly unmanned machines. So in terms of the Pan Continent, it makes sense that they are Golems.
The problem is, until now, everyone has regarded those Golems as layer protectors, and even the Labyrinth has deemed them strong enough to issue rewards for their defeat.
But now. Six of those layer protectors just popped up out of nowhere.
“Damn it!”
A sixfold boss battle event? That’s just cruel!!
I could understand if they were released one at a time, but what on Earth were they thinking letting them all out at once?
Screaming thoughts raced through my mind as I pointed my greatsword.
“Lydia! Benny!”
“Yeah. As promised, I’ll just watch from the back.”
“Ha! What? If it gets really dangerous? I could call out ‘Help me, Sister Benny~,’ and you’d come to help me, right?”
“No, is this really the time for that?! Just help me out already!!”
While I was practically screaming, the Golems of the clock fortress slowly assumed their stances.
Having been cooped up for long, they exhale steam roughly, like they were stretching their joints after a long time.
“Chweeek—!”
Even from a distance, I could smell the thick oil wafting through the air.
My vision was hazy, the sound of clanging gears echoing rhythmically, and my heightened senses, gained from exploring the Labyrinth, urged me to get the hell out of there immediately.
Well, it makes total sense. A layer protector that usually requires multiple players to raid is suddenly six of them at once.
No matter how strong I’ve gotten from Gacha and the goddess’s favoritism, danger is still danger.
Yet, Lydia and Benny remained calm. I knew the reason. To them, this unexpected situation was a variable they could control.
For them, the sheer number of layer protectors on the Third Floor wouldn’t be too significant.
Ultimately, I had only two choices.
Either acknowledge my limits and rely on Lydia and Benny’s help.
Or really risk my life and gamble on this.
Not much of a dilemma. I gripped my greatsword with both hands. Sure, I’d used some energy coming here, but I had plenty of Aura still left.
I decided to unleash it all, igniting it with fierce intensity and shouted.
“WABARAT!”
In any case, if things got truly dangerous, Lydia and Benny would surely step in.
With that belief in mind, I lowered my stance and charged.
“Ta-da!”
With my greatsword held parallel to the ground, I rushed straight at them.
The size of the Minotaur Greatsword and my small frame made me feel like I was charging with a lance. That’s actually where the concept came from.
The closest Golem to me slowly raised its arms as if to grab and halt my advance.
“Go on, try if you can!”
As I shouted that, I activated every buff I had available.
Boots’ hastiness, Power Explosion igniting my Aura, and the Sanctuary unfolding around the Goddess Statue in my arms.
In that moment, the world slowed, and my perception expanded like crazy. No, to be precise, my senses expanded and my speed increased.
Then, in a fierce blaze, my Aura erupted as if it would swallow the world.
My Aura, while still lacking conviction, appeared like a colorless mirage, but with the divine power intertwined and the Sanctuary’s force amplified, it transformed into white flames.
As the white flames engulfed me, my accelerated momentum became difficult to chase with even my expanded senses.
“Phaat!”
For just a moment, I was surprised by the thrusting force that surpassed the creator’s expectations. Realizing my fundamental specs had changed with my newly acquired fencing skills, I understood the efficiency of my buffs had also shifted.
And before I could even process those thoughts, my greatsword reached the Golem it had aimed for.
“Crack!”
Its sharp finger-like appendages and the thick palm seemed to reach out and grab my sword, but—
Ultimately, its arm was penetrated by my greatsword.
Wings made of gears unfolded from behind the Golem, releasing thick steam into the air.
And the Golem, unable to withstand the impact, halted its body as its head jerked to face me.
Though its eyes were merely smooth metal plates, I could somehow sense a mixture of absurdity and shock from it.
With a smirk, I raised one hand and aimed it at its face.
“What’re you looking at?”
And then I unleashed a volley of crossbow bolts.
Swoosh. Swoosh swoosh.
Three arrows shot out simultaneously, darting straight towards what I presumed to be its eyes…
Even without a being inside, it definitely could sense its fight through its direct interaction.
Taking advantage of the Golem’s brief moment of shock, I yanked out my greatsword rudely that had pierced its hands.
Creeeak!
That sturdy alloy couldn’t withstand my divine power and Aura, crumpling like paper.
Just altering my fundamental specs made such a difference.
Even though I’ve gotten quite strong lately, perhaps it was the first time I’d experienced this level of power. Before I realized it, my voice trembled with excitement.
“I’ll tear you apart…!”
I don’t have a ridiculously huge gun, but I do have a ridiculously huge greatsword.
Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I twisted my waist. At the same time, I unleashed the Aura gathered in my greatsword in a single burst.
Boom!
Once again, my greatsword swept through the Golem, cleaving it diagonally from shoulder to shoulder.
Not completely shattered yet, it flinched, and I brought my sword down hard onto its head again.
“Crack!”
And just like that, one Golem fell without mercy.
Just like with the Minotaur, I ambushed it before it could regain its senses. Though it relied on a burst of speed fueled by buffs, tearing apart a layer protector in an instant…
A thrill coursed through me at my own strength as I pointed my greatsword at the remaining Golems.
“Who’s next…?”
On the battlefield, there were already Golems equipped with various weapons and fully prepared for combat.
One donned gloves that expanded, combined with external gears, making it three times bulkier than normal.
Another took a low stance, wielding a fast-spinning saw-like sword and shield.
There were also heavily modified creatures who appeared to have shed their original arms and instead wielded absurdly long lances made from leftover parts.
Then there was one who had somehow merged its wings into a bizarre amalgamation, forming a pseudo-gun.
And lastly, one that had transformed into some sort of quadrupedal beast.
Looking at that, I realized I was facing tankers, DPS tankers, damage dealers, ranged DPS, and complete lunatics all at once.
No matter how I’ve powered up, taking them all on at once was impossible.
The Aura and divine power, which had seemed so reassuring just moments ago, felt utterly useless now.
I was supposed to be raiding the boss, but now the boss was raiding me!
Fumbling awkwardly, I stretched out my empty hands.
“Hey, time out!”
The five Golems paused with a tilt of their heads as if to say, “Go ahead, talk.”
Swallowing hard, I glanced towards the water tank on the platform.
The Lord of the Clock Fortress still floated, eyes closed and utterly unmoving. However, the glimpses of her chest peeking out confirmed she was definitely a she.
Taking a deep breath, I summoned all the beauty powers I had.
Right! In the male-dominated world, male adventurers have two lives, right?
Fragrant scent, smooth skin, shimmering eyes, alluring smiles. And of course, the Avatar of Love.
Combining all of those with my memories from Earth and experiences from the Pan Continent, I concocted my greatest seduction yet.
“How about we call it a draw and do something nice together instead…?”
Bang!
A small gear shot from the one wielding a pseudo-gun, just grazing my ear. I could feel their intent to communicate through that strike.
Time to stop messing around and get in line.
“Damn it.”
I sighed deeply, clutching the Minotaur Greatsword in one hand, and the Unicorn Dagger in the other, and shouted.
“Alright, you bastards! Let’s see what you’ve got!!”
Whether it was the multitude of buffs or just my excitement for the fight, or perhaps the anger at this unreasonable situation—it felt like a burst of pure energy flying from my mouth.
I was momentarily taken aback by my own choice of words, but—
“Huh…”
A little distance away, I noticed Benny blushing and squirming.
“Hey, Lydia. Weren’t you just super charismatic back there, Jonah?”
“…….”
“What’s with that bug-eyed stare?!”
Seeing Benny seemingly infatuated, while Lydia looked at her friend with disdain, I felt a different kind of powerlessness take hold.
Stop interfering.
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