Chapter 5-Death

In the Chamber of Golem, the heroes stood tense and ready, awaiting the Golem's first move. It was a fundamental lesson drilled into them during their training. Patience and observation were their greatest allies in the face of an unknown adversary. It was a sentiment shared by most, but there was on exception.

Reed, going against the norm, shattered the silence with his audacious charge towards the Golem. His sudden burst of speed defied the expectations of his fellow heroes, leaving them wide-eyed and stunned. Zora's thoughts mirrored their amazement, impressed by the sheer velocity of Reed's movements.

"He's fast," she mumbled under her breath. "His Agility is 10, just like the rest of us, but he's already pushing it to the limit."

The Golem, although only a Level 1 monster, was no trifling opponent. It couldn't use magic or weapons, relying solely on its colossal strength to crush and obliterate any challengers. While it lacked complexity in its combat tactics, its raw power made it a boss-level monster capable of annihilating even a high-ranking A-class hero when fought one against one.

Reed's sprint towards the Golem drew the monster's attention, and it swiftly responded by raising one massive foot, aiming to squash him. But Reed's audacity and agility were on full display as he slid deftly through the gaps between the Golem's colossal legs. In a swift, daring movement, he thrust his sword into the vulnerable joint behind the Golem's knee.

However, it didn't deal any damage to the golem.

Zora, along with the other heroes, watched in shock. The Golem's stone skin was impervious to their attacks, but Reed's strategy was apparent. He had successfully inserted the sword's tip into a critical weak point. Without hesitation, he backed away, creating a safe distance between himself and the Golem. With a powerful kick on the hilt of the sword, he drove the sword deeper into the back of the Golem's knee.

'What kind of fighting style is this?!' Zora wondered.

Reed's heart raced as he realized his initial strike wasn't enough. Only a third of his sword had found its mark, and the Golem's HP had decreased by a mere 3 points.

[997/1000]

'Shit! Not good.' He cursed internally, trying to calm his racing thoughts. "

Rudy panicked. 'I didn't get enough momentum to… no, everything was fine.I calculated everything correctly. It's the sword's fault; it's sharp enough," he reassured himself. 

Reed knew he couldn't afford a misstep. If he made one wrong move, the Golem's massive foot would come crashing down, ending his life in an instant. He retreated a few steps, his mind racing to formulate a plan.

Taking a deep breath, Reed decided to attempt another kick. This time, he needed more force, more precision. With a burst of speed, he ran at the sword, intending to kick it deeper into the Golem's joint. But at that crucial moment, chaos erupted.

One of the heroes in their group unleashed a fiery magical attack, catching the Golem's attention and causing it to turn slightly. Reed had already committed to his move, and he found himself right between the Golem's legs.

"Aww fuck."

Panic coursed through him as he scrambled to his feet. The Golem raised its immense foot, ready to crush Reed beneath its colossal weight. Rolling out of the way was not an option; the Golem's feet were too massive.

"This can't be happening," Reed thought, his eyes locked onto the descending foot.

"Watch out!" Some of the heroes shouted as they leaped into action. Some unleashed their magic attacks, while others charged at the Golem to distract it. 

Amidst the chaos, Zora, quick-thinking and resourceful, snatched a shield from one of the heroes who had yet to act and hurled it towards Reed with all her strength.

To everyone's surprise, the shield reached Reed first. He caught it and managed to leap backward, knowing it wouldn't be enough to protect him fully.

The other heroes had successfully drawn the Golem's attention away from Reed, averting its attack just enough for him to react. He seized the opportunity created by his comrades and used the shockwave generated by the Golem's stomp to his advantage.

With a mighty tug, Reed managed to pull his sword free from the Golem's knee. So far, the Golem's HP had diminished by a total of 5, thanks to the combined efforts of the heroes. The battle raged on, and Reed had narrowly avoided a grisly fate, determined to make every action count.

Reed, equipped with his sword and shield, joined the other heroes locked in a fierce battle against the Golem. The massive creature's attacks were devastating, and anyone who ventured too close faced almost certain death. The heroes kept their distance, constantly shifting and dodging to avoid the Golem's relentless strikes.

Some of the heroes in the group possessed magical abilities and attempted to unleash their newfound powers against the Golem. Spells and attacks crackled through the air, but they had limited success. Many of the magical attacks missed their target entirely or barely scratched the surface of the Golem.

The heroes' inexperience with magic was apparent. While they had gained these abilities on the Awakeners floor, it was their first time putting them into practical use. They lacked the training required to harness their magical potential effectively. The reality of using magic in a life-or-death situation proved to be a far cry from the simulated exercises they had undergone in the training program.

Amidst the chaotic battle, there was one individual who had been standing on the sidelines, seemingly doing nothing. It was the same guy from whom Zora had snatched the shield to save Reed. His frustration had grown, and he couldn't stand seeing his shield being used by someone else.

"Hey! Give me back my shield!" he yelled.

However, the ongoing commotion, mixed with the clashing of weapons and the roars of the Golem, drowned out the man's cries. Reed, completely focused on the Golem's relentless assault, remained oblivious to the furious owner's demands.

"You thief! Give me back my shield! Do you know how expensive it is?!" The man's frustration grew, and he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Feeling ignored and angered, the man made up his mind and dashed toward Reed, gripping a sword in his hand. His intention was clear: he aimed to take back his shield, by force if necessary.

The boy who had earlier mocked Reed for being skillless, the one who had called him a 'Zero' noticed the irate man approaching Reed with hostile intent. He couldn't let this attack go unnoticed and decided to warn Reed.

"Watch out!" he shouted, trying to alert Reed to the impending danger.

Reed, engrossed in evading the Golem's devastating attacks, initially misinterpreted the warning, thinking it was related to the Golem's actions. However, the boy's persistence paid off as he shouted once more.

"Behind you!"

Startled, Reed quickly turned around, narrowly avoiding the attacking man's sword by a hair's breadth. It became apparent that the man was genuinely attempting to harm Reed, driven by a desire to reclaim his stolen shield.

"What the hell?" Reed asked the irate man, baffled by the sudden outburst.

"Give me my shield back!" the guy hollered, his anger unrestrained, and he swung his sword once more in an attempt to attack Reed.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. What's wrong with you?" Reed tossed the shield to the agitated man, his tone more exasperated than angry. "Take it, you creep."

As the guy caught the shield, he noticed a few minor scratches on its surface, likely incurred when Reed had used it to defend against the Golem's shockwave.

"How dare you!" he bellowed, once again launching an attack at Reed, his rage unabated. "You destroyed my precious shield!"

This time, the man's strike was aimed directly at Reed's head. Reacting quickly, Reed blocked the attack with his sword. "Only the paint is a little scratched. Nothing serious happened."

The other heroes watched the escalating conflict with a mixture of confusion and uncertainty. They were unsure whose side to take in the dispute, believing that most people would react similarly if their belongings were damaged.

While Reed and the infuriated man were arguing, the rest of the heroes fought valiantly against the relentless Golem. They attacked with all their might, trying to chip away at its formidable HP. Magic spells illuminated the battlefield, but most of their attacks seemed futile against the towering monstrosity.

The irate man remained unfazed, continuing his tirade. "Shut up, you loser! It became dirty as soon as you laid your filthy, poor hands on it."

Unperturbed by the man's insults, Reed tried to reason with him. "Relax. I'll buy you a new one."

The man's response was another torrent of insults and mockery. "As if a loser like you can afford my shield! It's worth more than what your mother charges to spread her legs every night."

The bystanders were left in an awkward silence, unsure of how to intervene or if they should intervene at all.

Reed's patience was wearing thin, and he decided to put an end to this pointless quarrel. "I'm not going to argue with you. Take your shield and go away."

With that, Reed turned his attention back to the ongoing battle with the Golem, refusing to let the man's petty insults distract him any longer. The other heroes, relieved that the situation seemed to be diffusing, followed suit and focused on the formidable foe before them.

Reed had wisely chosen to ignore the provocations, but the man was relentless.

"How dare you ignore me, you pathetic loser!" The man's voice rose in anger, his face flushed with rage as he continued to hurl insults at Reed.

Amidst this verbal battle, the Golem had been charging its ultimate attack, a devastating Power Punch that was bound to unleash destruction upon anything in its path. Reed deftly sidestepped the man's lunging attack, but in his moment of rage and imbalance, the man tripped and was sent stumbling toward the Golem.

BANG!

The Golem's colossal fist struck the ground with a deafening roar, shattering the floor beneath and creating a massive shockwave. As the dust and debris settled, the gruesome reality became apparent. The force of the Power Punch had ripped the man's body to shreds, leaving a horrifying sight.

His torso, bones, and all, had been reduced to a gruesome pulp by the devastating force of the Power Punch. His severed limbs scattered in all directions, propelled by the shockwave. The Golem's Power Punch had turned the man into a gory tableau of destruction, a stark reminder of the peril they all faced in the trial floor.

The heroes stood in stunned silence, their earlier argument forgotten in the wake of this gruesome spectacle. It was a harsh lesson in the lethal nature of the trials they had entered, a stark reminder of the perils that awaited them at every turn.

The heroes remained in a state of shock, their senses reeling from the grotesque scene they had just witnessed. The lifeless, torn body of the man served as a grim reminder of the trials' deadly nature. They were still grappling with the brutality of the Golem's attack when, in a moment of terror, the Golem prepared to launch another Power Punch.

"Get back!" In this crucial moment, it was Reed who remained vigilant. He sensed the impending danger and acted swiftly, shouting a warning to the others. 

Caught off guard once more, the heroes scrambled backward in a desperate bid to escape the impending onslaught. Reed's watchful eye and quick reflexes had saved them once, but not everyone had the chance to react. Zora, still beside Reed, stood rooted in place, shock and disbelief etched on her face.

Then came the resounding impact.

BANG!

The Golem's massive fist descended with a thunderous BANG, and the world seemed to hold its breath for a fleeting moment. All the heroes watched in a mesmerized mix of curiosity and horror, their eyes fixed on the epicenter of the cataclysmic collision.

But the fate of Reed and Zora, who had been in direct contact with the Golem's Power Punch, remained shrouded in mystery. The dust and debris created by the impact obscured their figures, and the heroes could only speculate about the outcome of the devastating attack.

As the dust began to settle and the battlefield revealed itself once more, the heroes' expressions were frozen in a mixture of trepidation and hope. The fate of Reed and Zora hung in the balance, leaving their comrades in suspense, desperately waiting to discover whether they had survived the Golem's relentless onslaught.