Chapter 5

Despite my best efforts, I was unable to grasp how to use mana. The memories from the boy Aaron were of no use, as he had never experienced it himself. He had only heard exaggerated tales from the villagers who possessed this energy. This rendered my skills useless, and I felt disheartened at the waste of my achievement points.

Sighing in disappointment, I got to my feet, resolving to find a teacher once I left this place. I had regained my strength, and I had noticed my exceptional physical condition since the body's reconstruction. This gave me hope that I could master the skills I had acquired.

As I rose, I realized I was naked, and I quickly covered myself with a strip of cloth I tore off a nearby corpse I had encountered earlier. Ready to leave, I exited the same way I had come. I retraced my steps, mentally reviewing the labyrinthine map I had drawn, searching for an alternate exit.

I believed this network of underground passages must have more than one entrance or exit. If needed, I could retrace my steps and return to the location where I had first arrived in this new body. I had been unable to reach the entrance earlier due to my injuries and lack of strength, but with my remaining achievement points, I now had the means to bridge that gap.

Nevertheless, it felt like a waste. The knowledge and skills I had acquired seemed too valuable to abandon.

As I retraced my steps and made plans for the future, a presence behind me caught my attention, followed by a whooshing sound. I became alert and swiftly twisted to the side, shifting my body to deliver a kick to the unexpected intruder. However, my kick met an unyielding force, and I realized I had struck an immovable object.

I backtracked and looked again, making sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. What I saw left me in awe and disbelief.

Before me stood a magnificent creation of stone and magic. This human-sized golem stood at an imposing seven feet tall, chiseled from ancient, dark stone. It exuded an aura of ancient power, adorned with intricate runes that emitted an ethereal light. Its sapphire eyes radiated wisdom of ages long past.

The golem was equipped with formidable stone armor, resembling an otherworldly knight, complete with a crest on its chestplate, bearing the emblem of a bygone civilization. Gauntlets and greaves adorned each limb, etched with patterns that told stories of forgotten eras.

A notification materialized in front of me, explaining the situation. The golem was an emergency trial, activated by the presence of mana. I had gained an artifact untested, due to my previous lack of mana. Now, I had to prove myself worthy or face death.

Without any time to contemplate the absurdity of this challenge, the golem moved toward me with surprising speed. I knew I couldn't last long in a direct fight, so I allocated most of my remaining achievement points into strength, agility, and stamina. Agility became my primary focus to match the golem's speed.

In the dim, labyrinthine passageway, my heart raced as I adjusted my stance, waiting for the golem to approach. I knew that a head-on assault would be futile, so I planned to exploit my surroundings.

As the golem's colossal stone fist descended, I deftly dodged, sending the enormous appendage crashing into the ground, creating a fist-sized hole. I danced to the side, landing a swift kick to its leg, testing its resilience. The impact sent tremors through the sentinel's form, but it remained steadfast. The hole in the ground sparked a realization of the ominous truth about the fate of the bandit I had encountered earlier.

I continued to circle the golem, searching for vulnerabilities while maintaining my distance. The confined passage worked in my favor, forcing the sentinel to adapt its immense frame to pursue me. I noticed a precarious stack of rocks near the entrance.

Timing my move, I baited the golem into an attack. As its massive fist descended, I darted beneath it, narrowly escaping the crushing blow. I exploited the opportunity, striking the stack of rocks, causing them to tumble onto the golem's massive feet.

The sentinel staggered as its balance wavered, and I exploited the momentary vulnerability. With lightning-quick jabs, I targeted the weakened joints in its lower limbs, and the sound of stone against stone filled the passage. The golem's legs showed signs of stress as the cracks in its stony armor widened.

The golem retaliated with a sweeping punch, but I ducked and rolled beneath it. I needed to weaken this behemoth further, as it was clear that direct confrontation was not the way to victory. Spotting a narrow alcove in the passageway, I led the sentinel into it, further restricting its movement.

The golem lunged at me, but I nimbly sidestepped, causing it to crash into the passage's wall. The impact caused a cascade of stone fragments, and for the first time, I saw the golem show signs of strain.

With a daring leap, I launched myself into a flying knee strike aimed at the sentinel's head. The impact reverberated through the golem's massive form, and with a deafening crack, its head shattered, sending shards of stone cascading to the ground. The sapphire eyes dimmed, and the Litharian Sentinel crumbled to an immobile heap.

A notification appeared, marking my victory over the formidable adversary. My achievements thus far were not in vain.

However, the triumph was short-lived as another golem emerged from the stone surroundings. Another followed, and another, until a countless sea of golems filled the passageway. I gazed upon the horde of monsters and wondered if the heavens were truly on my side, or if I was fated to perish in this labyrinthine underworld.

The battle was far from over, and I steeled myself for the challenges ahead, determined to overcome the trials that lay before me.