Sure-Hit Archer 115

Test

Mithril Golem

The Steel Golem has revived, so I quickly defeat it with [Magic Arrow - Full Burst]. 

Then, to recover the depleted MP, I drink an MP potion...

"Ugh... I drank more MP potions, and now my stomach feels heavy..."

"Haha... oh, do you have another MP potion?"

"No, I'm fine. Seriously."

If I drink any more, the Steel Golem will likely reappear during that time. Defeat it. 

Drink an MP potion. 

It feels like I'm stuck in an infinite loop.

"...Phew... Okay. It's fine now. Let's hurry up and go before the Steel Golem appears again."

Otherwise, my stomach might burst.

"All right! Silphy, let's go."

"Roger!"

After confirming that Silphy had entered the inner pocket, I placed my hand on the wall, as she instructed.

If my prediction is correct, then...

"...Hah! Here it comes!"

The sensation is not that of a hard wall but, like with Silphy, a feeling of being drawn in...!

And, in the next moment, the force pulling me into the wall, which my hand is touching, intensifies gradually.

"Silphy! Be prepared for anything!"

"Got it!"

Even as I'm getting drawn in, I shout. 

Silphy responds with her usual energetic reply.

Once I confirm that, I stop resisting and step forward.

I willingly let myself get absorbed into the wall.

***

"Phew. Well, I guess it turned out like this."

"Wow! It's amazing, Kaede!"

It's a few seconds after the sensation of being drawn in ended.

What came into my view was an extraordinary space.

The surroundings were covered with walls made of a material different from the massive dungeon walls.

The floor was adorned with many tiles, resembling a white carpet.

It's probably made of marble or something similar.

Such a space that didn't feel like a dungeon at all.

In the center stood a golem with a crystal embedded in its chest, shining like Silphy's, with a blue body and four arms, located at the back of the room.

The size of that golem itself seemed typical, similar to regular golems...

But, it doesn't seem to share the same strength as a golem. 

That's probably because there's a spirit inside that crystal, just like Silphy, right?

At first glance, it seems to be the same crystal that Silphy got trapped in.

Observing this, the golem, which had been motionless until now, started to move slowly, its eyes glowing red, moving towards me.

"[Appraisal]! [Weakness Lock]!"

Seizing the initiative, I immediately activated 2 skills to investigate the information of the golem in front of me.

The name is... 

Mithril Golem!? 

Is that Mithril, the one with incredibly high hardness, making it resistant to magic skills!?

Mithril is a magical metal that people can occasionally mine within dungeons since dungeons appeared.

Thinking about the golem monsters I've encountered so far, is its entire body made of Mithril...?

I wonder how much it would cost for the entire body.

Even a sword's worth of Mithril is worth close to a billion.

The HP of this Mithril Golem is... 300,000.

Are you kidding me!?

What kind of absurd health is that!?

The weaknesses are probably the joints like knees and the crystal overlapping near the chest, likely the core.

Is it a bad idea to aim for the core?

I don't know if the spirit inside is classified as a living being, and I don't know if [Magic Arrow] will pass through.

Come to think of it, when I saved Silphy, I used [Magic Arrow]... 

No, let's not do that.

"Silphy, does our companion spirit seem to be in that crystal!? Watch out...!"

Evading the consecutive attacks delivered by the fists of the Mithril Golem's four arms, seen through my [Prediction] skill. 

I asked Silphy to confirm.

For a golem, it moves fast!

I still evade its attacks, but without [Prediction] and [Evasion] skills, it wouldn't be surprising if I had already been defeated!

"Yes! I feel a weak presence of my friend!"

"Okay... [Magic Arrow]! [Kamikaze]!"

After hearing Silphy's answer about the spirit being in the crystal, I quickly start my actions.

This time, due to the overlap of the weak point core and the crystal holding the spirit, I must first destroy the crystal.

Then, long-range attacks are out of the question, as using [Weakness Lock] might involve the spirit. 

Silphy's magic is prohibited for the same reason!

So, just like Silphy, the fastest and most direct approach is to strike the crystal with [Magic Arrow]!

I was evading the punches from the four arms – swinging, sweeping, and slamming down. 

I manage to dodge them all and get in close.

Take this......!

"Whoa!"

At the moment when the [Prediction] skill showed a strong reaction, I stopped the attack, disregarded everything, and performed a full-powered backflip.

At the same time, a spear-like object emerged from the Mithril Golem's body right where I was standing just a moment ago.

That was close.

If I had charged in like that, I would have ended up with holes all over my body...!

Wait...!

"Kaede! It's coming from the right!"

"Next is from the side!?"

After evading the spear, a fist swings towards me from the right, attacking.

Evade? No, it won't make it in time!!!

"[Adamantine Body]!"

While floating in mid-air after the backflip, I activate [Vajra Body]. Because of the backstep, I intentionally lift my feet off the ground.

I'm using my left arm as a shield to receive the incoming fist.

Then, without resisting, I jump in the opposite direction of the fist, deflecting the force.

"Gaaaahhhh!!!"

"Kyaaaahhh!!!"

Even so, I couldn't completely absorb the impact of that fist.

My body was sent flying like a bullet, crashing into the wall.

"Ouchhh!"

The damage is considerably reduced by [Vajra Body].

But the impact of taking that fist, the pain from crashing into the wall. 

All the air in my lungs is expelled.

And above all, that damn hard fist! It hurts so much!

"Cough cough... It hurts..."

"Is, is Kaede okay!?"

Silphy pops out from the inner pocket and asks me.

Good. 

I managed to shield her properly.

But still, it hurts.

I haven't taken a hit like this in a while.

I opened my status to check my HP, and it's reduced to about 20,000.

If it weren't for [Adamantine Body], I might have died... 

No, I would have died.

"...Ah. I'm fine. Is Silphy okay?"

"Y-yeah! Because Kaede protected and shielded me..."

"I see. That's good."

But this is bad.

Even after taking a hit like that, I'm still alive. 

I can feel that I'm growing stronger.

No, I don't want to confirm my growth in a place like this.

What do I do now?

I take a potion from the [Item Box] and sip it while contemplating.

Approaching will result in a continuous attack from the four arms and the spear growing from its body. 

Staying away might provide a means to avoid attacks.

But with the spirit in its chest, it's as good as nonexistent.

"Really... what to do..."

Even so, I have to find a way to rescue the spirit.

If I can somehow save the spirit, I can target the weakness, and long-range attacks using [Magic Arrow] will be easier.

The problem is how to get close.

I really need to think about how to approach that thing.