Tower of Paradise

The Corpse Guardian, as the tower had designated it, emanated an aura that made my survival instinct scream in maximum alert. The idea of fighting against that thing seemed quite ridiculous to me, if not completely insane, but as always in this cursed place, there was no other alternative.

I didn't think it would be easy. I could die. But there was a good chance I wouldn't; I just had to do everything possible to survive. However, a bad feeling settled in my chest, squeezing me like an icy claw.

I breathed deeply, sharpening my senses and preparing my body for the coming combat. In an instant, I summoned my ever-reliable weapon; the spear appeared in my hands with a subtle flash, and immediately I increased its power by making a thin layer of stellar energy cover the blade.

It had been used for so long that its edge was already worn; even the tip was broken. Still, it had proven quite durable considering how far I'd come with it. I clicked my tongue in frustration; it would have been a bit easier if at least the spear had been intact.

The Guardian turned its head toward us. Then, in a movement that was disturbing in a being composed of dead parts, it raised its left claw and pointed directly at us.

At that moment, the fifty armed skeletons adopted combat positions in perfect synchronization, like soldiers trained for years for a single purpose: to annihilate anyone who dared challenge their lord.

— KathyIn —I spoke without taking my eyes off the enemy—, we need to separate the minions from the boss. Focus on reducing their numbers while I try to keep the guardian busy.

— Are you sure? —KathyIn frowned and licked her lips—. He's too powerful to face alone.

— We have no alternative. If we concentrate together on the skeletons, the boss will destroy us. If we both attack the boss, the minions will surround us and finish us off. The only viable strategy is to divide our forces.

KathyIn sighed and nodded, understanding the logic of the matter despite the fear she was clearly trying to control.

— Go and kill that thing. —She told me, trying to appear brave—. Make sure you survive.

She turned to me and forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

— So it shall be. —An ironic smile drew on my lips while my expression turned somber and severe. I gripped the spear tightly, inhaling slowly to center myself.

The ominous feeling I had before was still there, now stronger than ever, like an icy whisper on the back of my neck.

I don't like this, I thought. I exhaled, raised my hand, and ran directly toward the Boss monster. The ground was slippery and turned to mud.

As I advanced at full speed, the skeletons stood in my way. I dodged their swords with precise and economical movements, sliding between their formations like water between rocks. I couldn't afford to waste energy on minor enemies when my main objective was the boss. Each step I took brought me closer to the imposing figure of the Guardian, who now seemed to observe me with curiosity through his crimson eyes.

Behind me, I could hear KathyIn facing the skeletons; the metallic sound of weapons clashing while a blue light shone from her blade and her occasional ice abilities —which made the stellar energy swirl around her as it accumulated and condensed, taking shape—, pillars of ice, elaborate and engraved, emerged from the ground and emitted an intense cold that pierced the air on the battlefield like a chaotic symphony.

The skeletons weren't very large, but there were many of them and they were surprisingly fast for their appearance of randomly assembled bones.

I trusted in KathyIn's abilities; between the two of us, only she, who had an almost perfect mastery over her body, could face fifty armed skeletons and survive to tell about it. If it were me facing them, I would be besieged and eliminated in the end. Instead, my skills and superior brute strength would allow me to face the Boss monster with a greater probability of success.

The clock was running against us, and I knew it perfectly.

With that thought in mind, I activated my private attribute. I felt my body become stronger, faster, and enhanced in all senses when all my statistics increased by an equal degree. I would need all that strength to survive.

The Guardian's bloody eyes felt cold and indifferent upon me, completely mechanical and lifeless. Those glacial eyes were now fixed on my person, following every one of my movements. The hair on the back of my neck stood up at the feeling of being analyzed like prey.

For all I knew, the mission objective of this floor could be to defeat this knight. If that was the case, I needed to be doubly cautious and calculate each movement.

I found it ironically appropriate that we both wore black armor, like adversaries destined to face each other since the beginning of time.

The Guardian moved like a predator, dragging its sword across the ground and causing eerie sounds that reverberated in the stale air. I swallowed as I watched it approach, feeling that each step it took made the earth tremble beneath my feet.