Guardian of the Beacon

The ground quaked under Eren's feet as the molten behemoth approached. Its every step left glowing craters in the scorched earth, and the heat radiating from its body made the air shimmer. The creature's form was massive, its molten veins pulsating like a heartbeat.

Eren darted behind a jagged outcrop, his mind racing. The beacon was steadily charging, but the timer above it felt like a countdown to doom. Ten minutes had never felt so long.

First step: survive.

He quickly scanned his inventory. Two crystal-tipped bolts, three regular ones, and his grappling hook. The rest of his gear was more suited for tinkering than combat.

"Work with what you've got," he muttered, locking a crystal-tipped bolt into his crossbow.

The creature roared, molten saliva dripping from its jaws and sizzling against the ground. It charged, the earth trembling under its weight.

Eren waited until the last possible second before firing his bolt at the creature's chest. The crystal struck true, exploding on impact and sending shards of glowing rock flying.

The creature staggered but didn't fall.

"Figures," Eren muttered, sprinting to another vantage point.

The battle became a game of cat and mouse. Eren used his grappling hook to stay mobile, scaling rocky outcrops and leaping to safety as the creature tore through the terrain.

At one point, he lured the creature near a fissure, timing its charge perfectly. The ground beneath the beast gave way, and a geyser of superheated steam erupted, scalding its molten hide.

The creature howled, rearing back, but it still didn't fall.

"Come on," Eren grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow. "What does it take to bring you down?"

With only one crystal-tipped bolt left, Eren knew he had to make it count. He climbed to the highest outcrop, taking aim at the glowing core of the creature's chest—the source of its molten energy.

The creature roared and lunged, its claws swiping dangerously close. Eren held his breath, steadying his aim, and fired.

The bolt struck the core dead center. For a moment, there was silence.

Then, the creature let out an ear-splitting roar as cracks of light spread across its body. It stumbled, its molten veins flickering, before collapsing in a heap of smoldering ash.

Eren slid down the outcrop, breathing heavily. He didn't have time to rest. The beacon was still charging, its timer ticking down.

He quickly checked the creature's remains, salvaging a chunk of its molten core and a few jagged shards of its scales.

"More materials for the workshop," he said, tucking them into his pack.

The beacon finally activated with a blinding pulse of light. A wave of cool energy swept across the Scorched Plains, extinguishing the flames and calming the oppressive heat.

A notification appeared before Eren:

Objective Complete:

 • Mana Core Beacon stabilized.

Rewards:

 • 100 Tokens.

 • Title: Beacon Defender.

Eren sat down near the now-stable beacon, drinking the last of his water. He opened his menu, scanning the details of his new title:

Beacon Defender:

 • Grants resistance to heat-based environments.

 • Increases the effectiveness of crystal-based crafting by 10%.

"Not bad," Eren said, though his exhaustion was evident.

He glanced at the portal that had appeared nearby, signaling his path to the next floor.

For a moment, he just sat there, letting the cool energy of the beacon wash over him.

Then, with a sigh, he stood, checked his gear, and stepped through the portal, bracing himself for whatever awaited him next.

End of Chapter 10