The Golem's Heart: A Battle for Survival (31)

The ground trembled beneath my feet. The air was thick with dust and debris, making it hard to see. I knew my opponent was still out there somewhere, waiting for me to make a move.

Suddenly, the metal floor beneath me erupted in a shower of sharp stones, and I barely managed to dodge in time. But my relief was short-lived I looked up just in time to see the golem hurtling towards me, a trail of dust and rocks in its wake.

When I looked at the silhouette of the golem, I saw a towering, imposing figure made entirely of rough, jagged stone. Its body was a patchwork of rocks and boulders, each one seemingly chosen for its size and weight. Its arms were thick and muscular, with fingers like tree trunks that ended in sharp, jagged points. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, like hot coals burning deep within its rocky body.

Parrying attacks I noticed a faint crack in the center of its chest. It was barely visible amidst the rocky surface, but I could see a faint glow emanating from within. Maybe that was the heart of a golem was hidden deep within its body, protected by layers of rock and stone.

If I could strike that heart.

I braced myself for another blow. But it was no use.

As the weight of the golem bore down on me, I tried to push it off with all my might. I could feel my strength fading fast. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest. It was like trying to move a mountain.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 9 health points.]

As I lay there trapped under the weight of the stone golem, I felt my heart racing with fear and frustration. I could hear the cheers and taunts of the crowd ringing in my ears as I struggled to free myself. My breath came in ragged gasps as the weight of the golem pressed down on my chest, making it impossible to breathe. I could feel the cold metal of the floor pressing against my back. With each passing second, my health points dwindled.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 15 health points.]

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 10 health points.]

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 12 health points.]

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 11 health points.]

My fingers clawed at the metal floor, trying to find a way to leverage myself free.

The golem seemed to sense my desperation and tightened its grip, crushing my ribs with its immense weight. I gasped for breath, feeling the hot sting of pain coursing through my body. But I refused to give up. With a fierce determination, I summoned all the strength I had left and pushed against the unyielding stone.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 17 health points.]

It was all in vain.

The announcer's mocking tone dripped with malice as he commented, "The Stone Rebel is certainly not holding back. Looks like the White Crow is taking a beating, but still managing to hold his own. Ouch, that's got to hurt!" The crowd roared with laughter at his words.

My vision began to blur, and I felt myself slipping away into unconsciousness. The world around me faded to black, and I was left with nothing but the sound of my own labored breathing.

I was overwhelmed by an unrelenting wave of disappointment, as if I was being dissolved in the embrace of a bottomless, cold sea.

I was losing. I lay there, trapped beneath the heavy weight of the Stone Rebel, my body battered and broken.

But just as I was about to give up hope, something inside me stirred. A sudden surge of energy coursed through my veins, and I felt a new sense of determination.

I began to focus my powers. Dark Threads snaked their way through the air, wrapping themselves around the Stone Rebel's limbs, while sharp bone shards pierced its stony skin.

The announcer exclaimed, "What a move from the White Crow! I don't think the Stone Rebel saw that coming." His words blended with the crowd's cheers, but it was starting to annoy me.

The crowd erupted into cheers as they watched the tables turn, with the once-mighty Stone Rebel now struggling to break free from my grasp. The ground shook as it tried to escape, but I refused to let go.

Its movements slowed as it struggled to break free from the dark threads, giving me the perfect opportunity to strike.

I gathered all my strength and summoned all the needle bones, aiming straight for the golem's heart. With a deafening crunch, the bones pierced through the stone, causing the golem to roar in pain.

I seized the moment and pushed with all my might, throwing the golem away from me. It crashed into the metal bars with a resounding thud, its body cracking and crumbling into pieces.

The crowd was stunned into silence, and for a moment, it seemed like time stood still. Then, as if on cue, they erupted into a deafening cheer, chanting my name as I stood victorious over the shattered remains of my opponent.

Breathless and exhausted, I collapsed onto the metal floor, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I had won the battle, but at what cost?

[Health: 33.5%

The remaining number of health points:

49 points.]

[Endurance: 35%

The remaining number of endurance points:

31.5 points.]

---

As the battle commenced, I found myself teleported to a different cell, met with the same blinding lights and boisterous cheers of the crowd. This time, a female voice announced the start of the battle: "White Raven vs Stickman!"

Scanning the field, my eyes fell upon the maroon stick figure standing opposite me. It seemed harmless enough, but I knew better than to let my guard down.

The stick figure had a hard crust with thin, dangling petals that moved unpredictably. As I watched, a green petal broke off and sliced my cheek, drawing blood.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 2 health points.]

More petals flew at me, and I quickly defended myself with Dark Threads.

But as the threads touched the fragile-looking petals, a ringing sound filled the air.

My arm throbbed with pain, and I suspected it might be dislocated or even fractured. The pain was intense, and my forearm began to swell like a sponge absorbing water.

With excitement pumping through my veins, I leaned against the twisted iron as I caught the next flurry of petals. Their edges, sharp as blades, were cunningly concealed by the green pigment.

As the battle progressed, the wooden bark that had once shone with the beauty of the forest was now stripped bare.

I swallowed hard and checked the amount of damage that had been inflicted upon me. It was equal to 12 since the beginning of the battle, leaving me with only 37 points left.

Taking a deep breath, I launched needles from my tail, but they proved ineffective aagainst my opponent. Even the Dark Threads could not close on the silhouette, as if it had its own barrier. I had no idea how I could win such an unequal battle.

With only 5:08 left on the timer, two whitish dots suddenly appeared at the beginning of the long stick. Before I could react, the tree-like figure materialized in front of me in a blinding flash of movement, and I barely had time to throw my hand forward in reflex.

It was then that I noticed the small particles of compressed water that surrounded my opponent. As my claws touched them, they were unable to get any closer, no matter how much force I applied.

The sensation of futility was overwhelming, as if the force against me was insurmountable.

A drop of cloudy liquid rolled down my wrist, and I caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Filth.

The enemy charged towards me, slamming his entire body into my shoulder and driving me to my knees. I tasted blood in my mouth as I grunted in pain.

There was a sickening crunch as the arm bone broke irreparably.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 16 health points.]

Grimacing in agony, I clutched the thin stick tightly, pushing the barrier of filth to its limit. Despite the pain, I focused all my strength on my uninjured hand, hoping to break through the barrier.

With a satisfying crunch, a crack appeared in the barrier, and I realized that I had a chance to turn the battle around. The stick trembled, twisting my wrist, as it tried to escape, but I refused to let it go. Despite my wounded left arm, I managed to pin down my opponent with my feet and barely opened the system window.

Every muscle in my body was still pulsing with adrenaline as I watched the defeated opponent dissolve into a pile of filth on the arena floor. I could feel the enemy's desperation as it tried to escape from my grasp.

I let out a ferocious roar, drawing on my inner strength as I rummaged through my inventory. My hand closed around the head of a fearsome creature with venomous fangs, which I brandished like a weapon. With a powerful swing, I smashed through the barrier that separated us, causing filth and debris to fly in every direction. The creature's head was reduced to a pulpy mess in my grip, but I pressed on, using my feet to keep the stick pinned down.

The skin around my lips cracked as my grin spread across my face, fuelled by the thrill of battle.

Despite being weakened and dehydrated, the enemy fought with all its remaining strength. Even as it wilted away, I could see small sprouts pushing their way through its desiccated flesh. Then, a single leaf found purchase on my leg.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 3 health points.]

I quickly regained my focus and, with a swift motion of my claws, sliced the creature in two.

"The victory belongs to the White Crow!" the announcer said, and the crowd picked him up with a storm of applause.

Catching my breath, I watched the defeated opponent turn into dirt on the Arena floor and disappear into the dark hole of the teleport going straight to the carnivorous plants.

The sounds of the crowd cheering and the announcer's voice were almost drowned out by the pounding of my own heart.