Guardian (3)
A rock suddenly jutted out and slammed straight into my gut. The impact sent my body flying far away. As I soared through the air, time seemed to slow down.
What the... hell? I couldn't process it for a split second. Why the hell had a rock popped out of the Guardian's back? No, maybe I'd been the naive one. It had made the cave floor erupt before and even exposed the core in its chest. Transforming its back should've been nothing for it.
More importantly... how did it know where I was...?
Crash! Thud! My thoughts shattered. The agony ripping through my back was why. I'd taken a direct hit from that protruding rock and been hurled far. Not a single spot on me didn't hurt, front to back.
"Guh... haa...!" I fought to steady my ragged breathing as best I could. Flapping my mouth like a dying goldfish wouldn't do shit.
Small mercy: it hadn't nailed my solar plexus. If it had stabbed right there, I'd have been out cold for sure.
Boom! Thump! The ground shook. I barely lifted my head to glare at the Guardian. Its legs had been cleanly severed, but they were already good as new, like it had never happened. It could probably reshape the terrain around it—or hell, the entire Oriharukon cave—at will. No matter how much damage its body took, it regenerated in seconds.
Basically invincible on its home turf... Even as I thought it, I kept regulating my breath. Inhales came easy, but exhales? Not so much. I'd taken a solid hit.
Thwack!
"Keurk!"
Suddenly, something smashed into my back hard. A dizzying jolt shot through my entire spine. At the same time, a whoosh of air burst from my lungs. Finally, I could breathe.
I glanced back, wondering who'd hit me. There was Ppareumbo. Just like with the saber-toothed tiger, the guy always came through in the clutch.
"...Thanks."
"...?"
Ppareumbo didn't reply (he never did) and just climbed onto my back instead. Get your shit together and focus, it seemed to say.
I swallowed the pain in my gut as best I could and hauled myself up. I'd crammed mana into my body right before the hit, so nothing felt broken.
"Cough! Cough!"
A cough exploded out of nowhere. I slapped my hand over my mouth in a panic. When I pulled it away, my palm was drenched in blood. Looked fine on the outside, but my insides were a mess. No surprise there.
I snuck a peek at the Guardian, then hurriedly pulled out an Elixir and chugged some. The painkiller effect kicked in hard—felt way better already.
Boom! Thump!
Something's off, no matter how I slice it.
While I drank, the Guardian didn't attack. It just slowly trudged toward me. No preemptive strikes. And it was still ignoring Wonmo's attacks entirely. That bugged me most. It knew I was here but acted like Wonmo didn't exist. Why?
I steadied my breathing and circulated the mana in my body. My gut still throbbed a bit, but the Elixir dulled it enough to bear.
[Ggggrrrk-]
The moment I circulated, the Guardian let out that creepy noise again. It slowly raised both arms—another attack incoming.
Dodge this first.
Too far to close in quick. Had to evade.
I kept my eyes locked on it and spun sideways. The Guardian tracked me in real-time, twisting its waist at an unnatural angle.
Kaboom!!!
It slammed its arms down, and a graveyard of spikes surged toward me. Like I said before, I could see 'em and dodge. Plus, the distance helped. Before it could follow up, I could've charged... but I held back and waited quietly.
Does it sense mana?
The Guardian's pattern was clear now. Do nothing? It just walks. But circulate mana? Boom, attacks start. If it weren't ignoring Wonmo, I might not have noticed.
Which means...
I held my breath and calmed the mana inside me. Sure enough, the Guardian froze mid-attack. It stared blankly, then lumbered forward slowly. Super sensitive to mana, so it pinpointed me... but that was it.
Bingo.
Not using mana—that was the key. But knowing it and pulling it off? Two different things.
I need mana to cut the damn thing down.
Cheonma's sword was near-perfect, but not omnipotent. And without the right skills to back it up, it couldn't shine. I was a total noob at this internal power method, and now I couldn't even infuse mana into the blade. Brute force it was.
Just gotta time it right...
I watched it approach, then crept sideways bit by bit. Maybe it only attacked inside a certain range. Needed to test how close before it reacted.
[Ggggrrrk-]
At about 20 meters, it stirred. One leg lifted—attack pose. I backpedaled fast.
[Ggggrk-]
It lowered the leg and strode forward. Confirmed. It detected via mana.
No dangerous beasts in the cave? Probably the Guardian's doing.
In that case...
I backed away slowly, staying out of range. Plenty of chances. But only one I could seize. Another gut-shot like before? Elixir might not save me—I'd pass out first. Might need Ppareumbo's help again.
Slow and steady.
I paced back and forth, mapping the range. Soon found the sweet spot and caught my breath.
"Hoo..."
[Ggggrrrk-]
Exhale, and it reacted wildly. I flinched, but it didn't press. Breathing must count as mana flux too.
...Now!
I circulated mana and charged. It lifted a foot, but too late. I was already at its crotch again. Could I do it? Doubt flickered, but I shoved it aside and focused every nerve on the sword. Fail, and I die. No dying here. I'd survive this hellhole no matter what. I didn't claw my way through just to croak.
Slash!
No Aura—just raw body strength—and I severed its leg. The massive Oriharukon frame toppled forward onto its knee. Mana churned wildly inside it.
Slash! Slash!
To stop a repeat, I hacked off all limbs. Spikes popped mid-way, nearly got me, but the shield held. Soon, just the torso remained. One stab to the core, done.
Kaboom!
I leaped on its back—rock erupted. Dodged barely. Last gasp, but too late. Cheonma's sword just needed to pierce the core.
"Hup!"
I drove it hard into the core side. The blade sank in smooth as butter. One thrust and...
Rumble!!!
...World ain't that easy. The limbs I'd chopped twitched like they were alive. Panicking, another twist hit.
Whoosh!
"Kuh?!"
A weird weakness flooded my body. Like post-hot-bath lethargy. Figured it out quick.
This bastard's sucking my mana...!
Through Cheonma's sword stabbed into its back. I yanked in panic—no give. On top of that, the "alive" limbs writhed like worms and attacked.
Crack!
Dodged the kick, but the fist? Barely blocked with the shield—body still flew off. Bigger issue: lost the sword.
Crash!
"Kuh...!"
Managed a landing roll mid-flight, but no time to relax. That weakness meant a follow-up was coming.
Grgrgrgrk-
Attacks slow, regen fast? Limbs already reforming. Whole cave's Oriharukon—easy resource. But that thought died quick.
Its chest cracked open.
Woooong-
The laser from before, locked on me. I scrambled up—dizzy hit.
"?!"
Mana drain aftermath? Legs wouldn't move. Headache nailed me to my knees.
No...!
Think through the spins. It targeted me dead-on, even post-drain. Why? Question barely formed.
Flicker!
Everything blinked dark, then lit up. Like a bulb out. I looked up, squinting past the glare.
...Light?
KingLeor's gift orb. The 'magic' inside.
'Magic' needs mana. No hesitation—I yanked the orb from my bag and squeezed every drop of mana into it.
Fwoosh!
Boom, cave lit like day. Blinding, but I hurled it behind the Guardian.
[Kikikigig!]
Jackpot. Aggro pulled hard. Its waist twisted near-180° toward the orb. There—Cheonma's sword in its back, Revolution-style.
I summoned every ounce of strength and bolted up.
"Raaagh!!"
Screamed my lungs out charging. Couldn't hear anyway. Target: sword.
Woooong!
Core hummed weird. Timed the shot. Light intensified—shield-wrapped my left arm full. Perfect tackle pose. Leaped.
Kaaa-boom!!
Laser fired as I launched. Huge body or not, recoil shoved it back a hair. Perfect boost.
Bam!!
Shield smashed sword hilt—thunderous clang. Blade, already core-deep, plunged full hilt. Pierced clean through.
Thud!
Tackle plus jump? Inevitable crash. Hitting ground? Hurt like hell. Rolled sloppy far away just in case. Ugly? Sue me—I'd live first.
[Ggggrrrk- Ggrk- Ggggrk-]
Core pierced? Guardian glitched. Limbs detached-reattached on loop, body twisting like a broken dance. Robot breakdown vibes.
Thud!
Arms finally drooped; it toppled forward. Faint tremors faded quick. Blue core glow snuffed out. Only light left: the floating orb overhead. Somehow unscathed by laser.
"Aigo..."
Damn near died. Without the workaround, I'd have been toast. All Guardians like this? How'd SwordTasteStar beat it easy? Mana sucked dry—body jelly. Gotta lie low awhile.
Swish-
Something crept up. Thought Ppareumbo. But round eyes and beak? Nope. MVP of the fight: Wonmo.
"Kyuu?"
Wonmo tilted her head at my sprawled form. I stared blankly, then chuckled.
"Wonmo."
"Kyuu?"
"Honey later?"
"Kyuuu!"
She's in.