CHAPTER 42: HIDDEN DOUNGEN [3]

If this thing suddenly came to life, I’d be in serious trouble.

Unfortunately...

It was already too late.

[System Activation]

"...Huh?"

A faint metallic hum filled the air as the golem’s dull, expressionless face twitched. Its eyes, once lifeless stone, began to glow with a deep crimson light.

[Scanning surroundings]

The red light flickered as its gaze swept across the dusty room. The sound of shifting stone and grinding metal echoed around me as it turned its head—slowly—mechanically—until its burning eyes locked onto me.

My heart skipped a beat.

"...Wait, why is it turning redder?"

[Intruder detected]

"What—"

The golem’s voice wasn’t human. It was a mechanical, echoing rumble that vibrated through the air like thunder rolling underground.

Only then did I realize how badly I’d messed up.

"Ah, crap."

[Proceeding to eliminate intruder]

"WHAT?!"

Before I could move, the golem’s massive body came to life. Its heavy frame rose to its full height, towering over me, the ground trembling beneath its weight.

Then—

WHAM!

"AAAAHHHH!!"

I barely managed to hurl myself sideways as the golem’s colossal fist smashed into the floor where I’d been standing.

The impact was deafening.

A cloud of dust and stone debris exploded upward, and when it cleared, a deep crater marked the spot—proof that if I’d hesitated even a second longer, I’d be a bloodstain right now.

Cold sweat poured down my back. My breathing came ragged, shallow.

"...Instant death. Definitely instant death."

The golem’s massive arm rose again, casting a shadow over me.

"Not again—!"

Without looking back, I turned and sprinted toward the exit, boots pounding against the stone floor.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Each of the golem’s steps felt like a miniature earthquake shaking the entire basement.

I glanced around frantically, my mind racing.

There had to be a way to stop it. Some kind of control mechanism—something the author must have designed but never used.

And then I saw it—glowing faintly at the center of the room.

A floating crystal, pulsing with a faint blue light.

"...The dungeon core!"

If I could destroy that, maybe—just maybe—I could shut this thing down.

Or at least, I needed to find a portal out of here.

But contrary to my desperate hope, there was no sign of a portal—or a core—anywhere in the vast, open chamber. Just cracked stone, flickering lights from broken runes, and the heavy, metallic footsteps of the monster closing in.

WHAM!

"Whoa!!"

A massive boulder crashed into the ground right where I’d been standing a moment ago, shattering into dust and rubble. I barely rolled out of the way, coughing as I swore under my breath.

"Damn it! That was too close!"

The golem roared, its glowing red eyes locking onto me again as it ripped another chunk of debris from the floor.

"What do I do now...?"

If I got too close, those enormous fists would turn me into paste. But if I kept my distance, it would just keep throwing boulders like some kind of siege weapon.

And to make matters worse—

My sword couldn’t even pierce that steel body.

Each strike I landed earlier had just sparked uselessly off its surface.

"...Then," I muttered through gritted teeth, gripping my sword tighter, "is that my only option?"

An attack that would drain every last bit of my magic power.

If it failed, I’d be out of mana—helpless.

But I had no other choice.

I took a deep breath and focused. Blue-white sparks began crawling across my blade, the hum of electricity building to a sharp, almost painful pitch. My vision blurred from the sheer strain as I poured all my remaining magic into one strike.

And then—

"Lightning Slash!!"

The sword cut through the air with a deafening crack, releasing a storm of electricity that tore through the chamber.

CRACKLE!

The current lashed out wildly, converging on the golem in a blinding explosion of light and sound.

BOOOOOOM!!!

The blast shook the entire room. Heat and static filled the air, and for a moment, I couldn’t even see through the blinding arcs of lightning.

I fell to one knee, panting. My sword trembled in my grip, still glowing faintly from the overload.

"...How do you like that, you overgrown tin can..."

Even if it was a one-shot cannon, a cannon was still a cannon.

And Lightning Slash—despite its reckless mana consumption—was undeniably powerful.

When the smoke began to clear, I dared to hope it was over.

Crackle...

But then—

Thud.

The golem staggered—but didn’t fall.

Sparks danced across its cracked metal body as it slowly straightened again, its red eyes burning even brighter than before.

"...No way."

A cold chill ran down my spine.

[Energy charge complete.]

[Changing attack method.]

The mechanical voice echoed through the chamber like a death sentence.

The golem’s chest opened slightly, revealing a faint red glow inside.

"...Oh, great," I muttered, swallowing hard. "I’m totally screwed."

The red glow in the golem’s chest intensified, pulsing like a heartbeat. Each pulse sent ripples of heat through the air.

"...It’s charging something."

That was all I managed to think before the light reached a blinding peak.

BOOM!

A beam of pure energy shot toward me.

"Shit!"

I threw myself sideways, the blast grazing my shoulder and exploding against the far wall. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, knocking me off balance and filling the air with dust and smoke.

The moment I hit the ground, pain surged through my arm. My entire right side felt numb, tingling with leftover electricity from my own attack and the golem’s counterstrike.

"Damn it... at this rate, I’ll be done for."

The golem was already preparing another shot. I could hear the whirring sound of gears and mana conduits charging again, louder and faster than before.

I forced myself to move, diving behind a fallen pillar just as another beam scorched past. The stone instantly vaporized where the blast hit.

"...Can’t take that head-on. One more hit like that and I’m done."

Then come the worst moment of my life.

[Activating Annihilation Mode]

"Holly Mother fucking shit!"