CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50: GARGOYLE

A few hours earlier...

After finishing absorbing a total of three Bronze 1 and three Bronze 2 golem mana cores, Lian began Geometric Meditation.

He had managed to draw several lines, but fewer than he had expected. After completing it, he also practiced Geometric Cultivation, advancing, to his surprise, to Iron 3, a significant boost to his physical prowess.

After finishing all this, filled with energy and arrogance from his recent improvement, Lian began exploring the rocky environment with renewed determination.

"Fortunately, we ate before coming to this place, or I would have died of hunger by now..." he murmured, thinking of Seline and Freddy. "I wonder how those two are doing..."

Lian was very worried about them, especially Seline. After all, she was... weak, to say the least. Her talent allowed her to face stronger monsters, sure, but only to a limited extent.

Lian could not help but think about it as he continued wandering, hoping to meet her.

A lot of time had passed since he entered this Gate. Fatigue was setting in, but it was manageable.

After wandering for a while and destroying other isolated golems, something appeared in Lian’s view.

After the sighting of the muscular elephant-like monster earlier, Lian had developed the habit of positioning himself on higher ground for a better view of the surroundings.

And while he was on one of these rocky hills, something caught his attention.

"A building?" he whispered doubtfully. It was too far to make out clearly, but he knew it was a structure situated in the center of a relatively flat area, with rocks scattered everywhere.

"Whatever it is, I’d better take a look..." he said as he began moving toward it. "This place is damn identical to the previous Gate, with golems popping up here and there in a terrain devoid of points of interest..."

"...I’m fed up; I just want to go home."

Lian huffed and cursed as he advanced, his steps quick but deliberate as he approached the building.

Ten minutes later...

The structure was tall and massive, but the most bizarre thing was that part of it was hidden by the rocky terrain, as if it were being swallowed by the earth, taking its mysteries with it.

"It looks like a tower..." Lian murmured, rubbing his chin. His gaze searched for any distinctive signs, but the walls were too old and worn to reveal anything.

After a few minutes circling it, with nothing else to do but enter, Lian cautiously approached the massive, half-open doors.

"I guess I have to go in—" he thought before jumping back, startled. "What the hell!" he shouted, preparing to cast a spell.

Before him, two monsters stood like statues, guarding the entrance. Lian had not noticed them at all. But after several seconds of intense staring, a small laugh escaped his mouth.

"I got scared for nothing; they’re just statues... creepy, sure, but still statues. Should I destroy them for safety or let it go?" The question was valid, but the answer was not obvious.

If he attacked the statues, they might awaken and turn against him. But if he did not, they might awaken anyway.

Either way, Lian would likely have to face the statues. Or perhaps they would remain statues—no one could tell.

"Might as well attack first—" he said with a sigh. "Let’s prepare a strong spell; I don’t want these monsters to survive."

"Geometric Spell, Square"

Since discovering the ineffectiveness of fireballs against earth monsters, Lian had started using the square form more often.

He was not a fan of the earth element, but it was currently the only one he could use effectively.

Visualizing a series of three concentric squares, Lian began drawing the necessary lines. Once learned, the process was not difficult; he just had to be careful and not rush.

"Terra Fortis—" As he began to utter his spell, with mana starting to flow from his body, a sound echoed in Lian’s ears.

A crack, followed by another.

Then a series of creaks like bones breaking under pressure.

"Terra Petra!" he finished murmuring quickly as the stone coating the statues fell like broken shells.

The statues flanking the entrance began to move, and with them, Lian’s massive and powerful stone block took shape, hurtling toward one of the two monsters.

"I knew it!" Lian hissed before retreating to dodge the close-range assault of the other monster, his instincts kicking in to avoid the sudden threat.

---

Present time...

"Dying in this shitty place against two gargoyles isn’t ideal..." Lian’s body was covered in cuts and bruises, his robe torn in multiple places, blood staining him from head to toe, a battered figure pushed to the edge.

"But it’s my own fault..." he said with regret, staring ahead, a trickle of blood dripping from his mouth. "Who told me to go explore that menacing structure??"

The first blow Lian had landed was the only spell that successfully hit one of the two monsters.

However, contrary to the boy’s hopes, the massive stone block only managed to scratch the gargoyle’s tough skin, with small cracks spreading across its body.

The two monsters were Bronze 5, but they were unlike anything Lian had faced before. Monsters like worms and golems had simple attack patterns, behaving more like experience bots.

These things before him, however, were truly terrifying.

Aside from being stronger than him, Lian did not doubt that even at their level, he could not have faced them.

So how had he survived their assault for so long? Simple: Lian did not need to utter incantations for his spells, making him quick and decisive. But he could not compare to Patrick, the wind mage who could cast spells without an arcane formula.

After all, Lian still needed to draw them in his mind, and without the formula, their power was reduced. Moreover, spells cast without a formula could not have characteristics beyond their description.

Fireball for circle, stone block for square. There was no variety.

Lian kept squeezing every drop of mana, trying to gain distance and escape, but it was hard even to turn and run.

---

Author Note!

Thanks for the support! I’ll aim for at least two Chapters a day next month!

But remember, creation is not easy, but I’m loving writing this book.

You can read this novel wherever you want, I don’t care. But if I suddenly stop creating content, it’s your fault. I don’t want you to buy every Chapter — I know it’s expensive — but it would be nice to receive the occasional gift or a review... sad me.