Confrontation Part 2

"GROOOAAARR!"

The golem’s roar filled the hall—one could even say the entire cave. We were all visibly terrified of what that thing could do, but both Captain Edran and Instructor Draum were the first to step forward to handle the situation, as one would expect from seasoned veterans.

“Edran, the mana crystal is the core!” shouted Sir Draum. “We have to destroy it!”

“Archers, you heard him! Fire!”

At the captain’s command, the knights readied their bows and unleashed a coordinated volley at the golem’s core. However, every arrow bounced off, not leaving so much as a scratch. That thing wasn’t going down so easily.

Still, despite dealing no damage, they had caught the golem’s attention. It drove its hands into the wall, tearing out a massive boulder, and hurled it at them.

“Watch out!”

BOOM!

The archers managed to dodge the impact, but when the boulder struck, it shattered and unleashed a massive spray of debris that struck many of the knights, leaving some unconscious and others gravely injured.

“Damn it!” cursed Sir Draum. “You there, go for the core!”

The adventurers took over. They rushed at the golem head-on, and it met them with a crushing blow, which they narrowly dodged. Seeing the opening, many of them lunged for the core. Swords, spears, axes—blow after blow rained down, but none of it worked. The golem recovered and struck again, slamming into many adventurers directly and sending others flying.

Even so, the adventurers refused to give up. Another group attempted to climb onto its back while it was distracted by those in front. But once it had shaken off its distraction, the monster slammed its back against the wall. Every adventurer clinging to it fell immediately, all of them unconscious.

Faced with how effortlessly the golem was taking down anyone who approached, everyone stared in horror. It was a beast that seemed unstoppable.

“Draum, you and I will go—hold it for a moment!” shouted the captain.

“Leave it to me!”

Both prepared themselves and charged at the golem. It attacked them with another strike, just as it had done with the adventurers who dared approach. The captain slowed down, while Sir Draum intercepted the fist with his own hands; his entire body was glowing, just like his arm had during the guild’s test. It was his skill. It had to be incredibly powerful if it allowed him to withstand blows of that magnitude.

With the golem restrained, the captain rushed forward and hurled himself at the core, striking it with his sword. The echo of the impact reverberated through the air, and while the core showed a small crack, the sword shattered against it. Faced with that outcome, the two men fell back.

“Conventional weapons won’t work, we need something stronger,” declared the captain. “Naoya, we need you!”

“…Yes!”

I was still with Liz, but at the captain’s call I rose and rushed with Sir Draum toward the golem. I was still shaken from what had happened with Clay, but if I didn’t help now, more people would die.

We have to finish this thing now!

We repeated our strategy from before. The instructor caught the golem’s punch, and I leapt straight toward the core, striking it with everything I had. It was unbelievably tough, but I managed to crack it further.

“It’s working, keep it up!” shouted Captain Edran.

However, because of the damage I had inflicted on the core, the golem ignored Sir Draum and focused all of its attention on me, preparing another devastating blow. Fortunately, a spell struck its face, destabilizing it and giving me time to pull back.

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover you!” Liz shouted.

Not giving the golem a chance to recover, she attacked again—this time directly at its core, cracking it further. Her magic was undoubtedly powerful.

“I’m counting on you!” I shouted back.

Thanks to her support, Sir Draum and I were able to keep executing the plan, while Captain Edran and the rest of the knights carried out the wounded. We repeated the maneuver a couple more times, but on the third attempt something happened. When the instructor tried to block the golem’s strike, he staggered back farther than usual.

“Damn it…” cursed Sir Draum. “I’m running out of mana!”

Moments after that declaration, the instructor was sent flying by the golem’s attack, crashing hard against one of the walls.

“Draum!” Captain Edran cried, rushing to his side.

The knights and adventurers were busy aiding the injured, and our leaders could no longer fight… It was just Liz and me against that thing.

The golem struck again, trying to crush me with its fist, but thanks to its previous attempts I was able to predict it and dodge. Then, using its arm as a foothold, I propelled myself up to the core and struck it again with all my strength.

The cracks in the enormous mana crystal widened. Just a few more hits were all it needed. But the golem quickly recovered, brought its hands together, and struck right where I stood. I raised my arms to defend myself on sheer instinct, but I knew it would be useless.

BOOM!

The blow was devastating. I survived thanks to the resilience I had gained upon awakening in this world, but even so, the damage was brutal. I couldn’t even move without feeling agonizing pain.

“Naoya, look out!” warned Liz. The golem was preparing another strike—I had to move.

Despite the pain, I somehow managed to stand and, at the last moment, threw myself to the side to evade the blow. But I couldn’t move far enough, and the impact against the ground still sent me flying several meters.

Now I truly couldn’t get up, no matter how hard I tried. This was the limit of my endurance

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

Lying on the ground, I could feel the earth shake with every step that thing took as it drew closer and closer to me. All I could do now was leave everything to Liz.

“I’ll… leave it… to you…” I murmured.

***

“Naoya, look out!” I shouted to warn him.

He managed to stand and dodge, but the impact of the strike on the ground was so strong it still sent him flying. He no longer looked like he could move.

I quickly searched for another mana crystal to attack the golem… But the pouch was empty. I didn’t have a single crystal left.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

Damn it! The golem was closing in on Naoya. I scanned the surroundings desperately, but this time I couldn’t find any other crystal to use. It was all over…

Or maybe not. There was still one way.

Mana crystals serve as external mana one can draw upon, but the true potential of a mage lies in the mana within. I could still attack with my own power.

However, if I wanted to destroy that thing’s core, I couldn’t hold back. I had to use everything I had!

I don’t care if I die here. Lui is safe now—saving Naoya is my priority. I swore to myself I wouldn’t lose either of them, and I intend to keep that promise no matter what.

I channeled my mana as I hadn’t in a long time and began to chant.

Unlike the basic spells from before, a more elaborate one requires an incantation to give mana its shape and effect.

“Ferazka,” I murmured. “Bravûm Azkarûn. Taryon Azkarûn. Gronthar Therenil…”

As the chant continued, mana began to manifest in my hands, taking on the form of a radiant spear of light.

It was a spell I had practiced before, though only in much smaller proportions. This was the first time I had attempted it at such a large scale. Without a doubt, this spell would drain my mana completely—but I was fine with that.

I was able to save Lui, and if with this strike I could save Naoya and the rest as well, then it would all be worth it.

With the spell fully formed in my hands, only the final words remained—the name of the spell I had practiced since I was little.

“Spiritual Spear!” I cried

The spear in my hands shot forward at incredible speed, reaching the golem before it could kill Naoya, piercing straight through its core without resistance and even leaving a massive hole as it exited, crashing against the wall before vanishing into particles of mana that dissipated into the air.

Without its core, the golem finally stopped and began to collapse. With the bandits defeated, their leader dead, and the golem destroyed, at last, we had won.

Once it was over, I collapsed to the ground, exhausted. My body felt colder by the second, and my vision blurred little by little. So this is what it feels like to be without mana…

I was on the verge of losing consciousness, but as the darkness closed in, a worried voice kept me awake.

“Liz!”

It was Naoya, doing everything he could to drag himself over to where I was.