Chapter 39: Treasure Chest Key

As the two hulking Iron Golems charged forward, the ground beneath their feet trembled with each heavy step.

Odin stood his ground at the front while his crimson eyes were flashing red as he peered into the weakness of those magically built constructs that had the task of protecting a 'treasure' from thieving hands.

He had only one Taunting Skill in his arsenal: the 'Black Wolf's Howl' he gained from slaying the Hobgoblin Champion, and since it was the only available option at pulling the aggro away from Elyse's glass body.

His hands tightened around his blade, and then, with a sudden, explosive force, he tilted his head back and unleashed his Black Wolf's Howl.

The cavern echoed with the sound of his ferocious cry. A deep, primal roar reverberated off the stone walls and filled the chamber with a terrifying resonance.

[User has consumed 350 MP]

The howl cut through the air like a shockwave, its force causing loose rocks and dust to fall from the ceiling. The sound seemed to warp and twist as if imbued with the essence of a predator on the hunt.

The Golems slowed, their glowing eyes flickering briefly as the magic of the howl hit them. The taunt worked immediately. The Golems' mechanical bodies shuddered, and a low, groaning sound emanated from their chests, like the creaking of ancient metal.

They stopped in their tracks, focusing entirely on Odin, moving away from Elyse, who just blasted one of their bodies with a Fireball.

[Taunt Successful]

[Iron Golem LV.100 has entered a Confused State. Attack and defense decreased by 15% for 30 seconds.]

[Iron Golem LV.100 has entered a Fearful State. Attack and defense decreased by 15% for 30 seconds.]

Then, with the successful taunt, he also enjoyed the shorter enhancements of the ability, gaining an additional 25% increase in attack power. His movements also increased by 5%, which in the grand scheme wasn't much, but as you added other bonuses, it made you as swift as a predatory beast.

The Golems, momentarily disoriented by the howl, lurched forward with less precision. Their attacks were now slower and less coordinated. The glow in their eyes flickered weakly as if Odin's primal roar had shaken the very magic animating them.

"That's right," Odin growled, positioning himself between the Golems and his companions. "Come at me."

The first Golem, now entirely under the effect of the taunt, swung its massive stone arm down at Odin, but he was ready. With his increased speed, he deftly dodged the strike, rolling to the side as the Golem's fist slammed into the ground where he had just been standing. The impact sent cracks through the stone floor, but Odin barely noticed.

Confused by the howl, the second Golem hesitated momentarily before charging at Odin. It raised its arms to crush him, but again, Odin evaded, his movements fluid like water.

Elyse, now safe from the Golems' focus, smirked. "You should have told me that you had a Taunt skill. I almost regretted not dragging that musclehead with us. Hah, phew, I escaped death."

"You know how to get their attention," she called out, already weaving her next spell.

"Words for later. Just focus on lighting them up!"

With the Golems fully aggroed onto Odin, Elyse raised her staff, flames swirling around her hands.

Her fingers danced through the air, weaving together a different incantation—a swirling vortex of heat and ash formed at the tip of her staff, growing in intensity.

"Scorching Ray!" Three thin, blazing beams of fire shot out in rapid succession, each finding its mark with unerring precision. The rays scorched the stone surface of the Golems, searing into their magically animated cores. The intense heat began melting through the iron plates, leaving red-hot trails in their wake.

-2,545 DMG! -2,686 DMG! -2,312 DMG!

[Iron Golem LV.100] (11,327/35,455 HP)

The Golem creaked as the Scorching Rays did their work, its movements faltering as molten cracks spiderwebbed across its body. Elyse's smirk widened. "Now we're talking."

Malfurion, too, began weaving his druidic spells, casting Entangling Roots to slow the Golems further and ensure Odin had control of the battlefield.

He raised his staff high, the emerald glow intensifying as roots erupted from the ground, twisting and coiling around the Golems' legs.

Malfurion's damage output was minimal at best against these stone guardians.

Meanwhile, Odin continued to kite the Golems, his evasion keeping him just out of reach of their blows. Each time they tried to strike, he was gone in a flash, taunting them by striking at their vital mana core, even though their physical attack resistance protected them.

"Come on, you big piles of rubble, I'll turn you to ash." Elyse smirked, her confidence growing with each successful spell, ignoring the abysmal rate she was consuming her Mana without a care in the world.

She extended her hand again, the heat around her intensifying as she prepared her next spell.

"Flame Burst!" she chanted. Several smaller fireballs shot out from her staff rapidly, each targeting weak points on the Golem's cracked surface.

The Golem stumbled, its once-impenetrable exterior now crumbling under the barrage of magic.

-7,455 DMG

The first Golem was visibly weakened, its body glowing from the heat of Elyse's spells.

On the other hand, Malfurion was doing what he could to support. Though his damage was minimal, unlike a DPS build such as Elyse's Fire Mage, he focused on slowing the Golems and keeping them rooted in place.

"Nature's Grasp!" he called, summoning thick vines to wrap around the legs of the second Golem. The creature struggled, its movements becoming sluggish as the roots tightened.

"Good! Keep them tied up, Tree Hugger!" Elyse quipped, her hands already weaving another spell, but she clearly appreciated Malfurion's assistance because the casting and aiming process was a terrible experience for Mages.

The second Golem, though slowed, swung its arm in a wide arc, aiming for Odin. But Odin was prepared. He didn't even have to use his 'Terra's Resilience' or his newly acquired defensive skill 'Iron Arm', just with his movements, he evaded the brunt of their attacks.

His high evasion rate allowed him to duck under the blow with ease. He darted forward, striking at the weakened joints in its legs with his Soulrend Blade. Sparks flew from the impact, but his physical attacks did little more than annoy the creature.

[You have dealt 116 damage to the target.]

'Well, fuck them, Golems. At least their attacks are easily telegraphed, and it makes my life easier to block and dodge their blows.'

'I think if I used my Blessings to imbue my sword with either of the elements, the damage would be amplified, but Inferno and Zephyr are still on cooldown for another 5 and 10 minutes.'

'It will be fine. This newbie Fire Mage seems promising. She reminds me of Mi-Jung when we first met in the Arachnid Queen Dungeon. All confident and shit, but deep down, she was just a little girl trying to act cool.'

'Huhu, funny, she has a phobia for bugs, but she's fine and dandy regarding spiders.'

'Her logic is so wack regarding those silly subjects.'

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Odin followed the attack path of the 2nd Golem, which Elyse didn't light up, and with calmness in his movements, he raised the Soulrend Blade to meet that stone fist.

'Stalwart Parry'

[User has consumed 50 MP]

With a swift, fluid motion, he raised his blade and triggered Stalwart Parry. The clang of metal against stone reverberated through the air as he deflected the blow.

Elyse continued her uninterrupted casting, not slowing herself down. She started casting one of her strongest spells, which she bought from RedHorizon before departing from Fullbaz, at the price of 1000 gold coins, which one could translate to 1000$.

This particular spell was a Rare-rated spell with smooth casting and aiming, along with the impressive damage of a Fire Mage.

"Time to finish this one off,"

Elyse raised her staff high while flames coiled around her mage dress, and she focused her concentration on the casting and aiming.

"Fire Lance!" she shouted, thrusting her staff forward. A spear of flame shot out, cutting through the air like a blazing arrow. It struck the first Golem directly in its chest, piercing through the molten cracks Elyse's earlier spells had created.

The impact was devastating. The Golem (1) didn't stand a chance against the trio. It collapsed to the ground, its body soon crumbling into a heap of smoldering stones.

-12,412 DMG

[Your party member 'Elyse' has slain the 'Iron Golem (Normal)', gaining the following rewards: 5,500 EXP, Damaged Orichalcum ×2, Deluxe Iron Ore ×1, Damaged Magic Stone ×2, 55 Silver Coins ]

As Elyse watched the first Golem fall, a triumphant grin spread across her face.

"Down goes the first one!" Elyse called, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Not bad," Odin called out, sidestepping another heavy blow from the second Golem. "Keep the pressure on!"

She quickly turned her attention to the second one, still engaged with Odin and Malfurion. Her confidence was bolstered after landing the finishing blow on the first, but with this boost in her adrenaline, she wasn't one to let her guard down just yet.

Odin, saying that, used 'Swift Charge' to stun the Golem, and then with his Piercing Thrust, he managed to deal an -882 damage. If it was some newbie, they would get frustrated by the low damage, but this is how life could be at times.

At times, you would think you were on top of the world and that you were made to deal with damage, but then came encounters that twisted all the preconceptions you had about Satisfy World.

But he didn't relent and was still attacking the Golem, his overall damage matching Malfurion's magic damage from his Thorns. Each slash of his Soulrend Blade left little more than scratches, but that didn't faze him.

Elyse twirled her staff, eyes locking onto the weakened Golem. "Alright, big guy, you're next."

She wasted no time, her mana flaring as she began the incantation for her next spell.

"Flame Burst!"

A rapid volley of smaller fireballs erupted from her staff, each hurtling toward the Golem with blistering speed. The fiery projectiles slammed into the creature's cracked stone armor, their impact sending plumes of ash and smoke billowing into the air.

-2,145 DMG

-2,388 DMG

-1,912 DMG

[Iron Golem LV.100] (21,534/35,455 HP)

The Golem staggered, molten cracks spreading wider across its stone body.

Odin was there like a hyena, constantly snapping bites out of the Golem's body, while Malfurion made great use of Frika's Ritual Dagger that boosted his MP regen and Spell power.

On his dominant hand holding his druidic staff, the emerald light at its tip intensified as he called upon the power of the earth itself.

His magic was subtle compared to Elyse's explosive firepower but no less effective when wielded with precision. Vines and roots erupted from the ground, binding the Golem's legs with Entangling Roots. The thick tendrils wrapped tightly around the Golem's joints, slowing its movements and forcing it into a more vulnerable position while Elyse was preparing her fire spells.

"Hold still," Malfurion watched the Golem struggle against the roots. It wouldn't be enough to stop it, but it would give him time to cast something with more bite.

With the Golem temporarily restrained, Malfurion began casting a more aggressive spell.

He extended his hand toward the towering figure of stone and muttered the incantation for 'Thorn Barrage'.

In an instant, jagged thorns, sharpened by the force of nature, shot out of the ground and hurled themselves at the Golem with lethal precision. The spiked projectiles struck the Golem's already weakened frame, embedding themselves in the cracks and dealing small but consistent damage.

-3,013 DMG

-1,898 DMG

Satisfied with the weakening effects of his Thorn Barrage that lowered the defense of the Golem by 25% for 15 seconds, Malfurion moved on to his next spell.

He slammed the base of his staff into the ground, summoning Stone Spikes from the earth below.

The jagged rocks shot up beneath the Golem's feet, puncturing its iron-plated legs and sending cracks up its lower body.

- Critical Hit!

-6,487 DMG

Odin continued to kite the Golem while slashing, striking left and right and piercing up and down, not minding that this would lead to the wear and tear of Soulrend Blade.

His evasive movements were precise, each dodge calculated to avoid the crushing blows aimed at him.

He could feel the heat of Elyse's magic intensifying behind him, and with each successful hit, the Golems' resistance was visibly weakening.

"Almost there!" Elyse shouted, a bead of sweat running down her forehead.

Her mana reserves started to dip dangerously low, but she pushed through, summoning her powerful signature spell.

"Malfurion, make sure the golem is tied down for a bomb!" Elyse called out, her hands already weaving another spell.

"Fireball!" she called out, her voice ringing through the cavern. A glowing orb of fire materialized in her hand, its heat palpable even from a distance. With a swift motion, she launched the spell toward the Golem, aiming square on its head.

-Critical Hit!

-14,892 DMG

The force of the hit caused its head to disintegrate, but the magical monster was still 'alive', continuing to swing its large arms at Odin's body.

The Golem, already weakened, staggered as Odin's blade found another weak point, slicing into the crack Elyse's fire had created. "Finish it off!" ordered Odin as he stepped back to give Elyse the final strike.

"Alright! "Fire Blast!" Elyse yelled, pouring the last of her mana into the spell. A massive burst of flame erupted from her hands, engulfing the Golem.

The fire roared to life, consuming the creature until it collapsed in a heap of scorched iron.

[Your party member 'Elyse' has slain the 'Iron Golem (Normal)', gaining the following rewards: 5,500 EXP, Fragment of Braham's Treasure Chest Key ×1, Orichalcum ×2, Deluxe Iron Ore ×3, Magic Stone ×1, 75 Silver Coins ]

The battle was over. Elyse stood there, panting and wiping sweat from her brow, the heat of her magic still radiating from her body.

"That felt exhilarating," she muttered, a triumphant smirk curling her lips.

Odin sheathed his blade and gave her an approving nod. "Nice work, Elyse. Guess we didn't need Purphoros after all."

"Why would we? I didn't know you could also tank Master. By far, I like your style the most. You make things stable, but I'll also give props to Malfurion for his Vines."

Malfurion, who had spent the battle binding the Golem with his druidic roots and slowing its movements, chuckled. "I'm starting to see why you brought her along, Odin. Those Golems are weak to magic."

Elyse, still catching her breath, shot them both a mischievous grin. "Told you I'd handle it. But I'm out of mana now… so if more of these come, I'll need a little recharge."

"Tsk, I got used to the level-up recharge. Suddenly levelling up became challenging?"

Odin surveyed the passageway, which was cleared of monsters. Using his keen senses, he scouted ahead, but for now, they were clear. Then he glanced back at Elyse, who was yapping about not leveling up after killing two level 100 monsters. He almost rolled his eyes because he had grinded his liver to fine particles in the 6-7 months since Satisfy World launched live.

"You, newbs, have reached level 80 in a couple of days. Why are you complaining about EXP?"

Elyse shrugged, but her amber eyes showed a glint of satisfaction. "I'm not complaining. But…" She glanced at the loot drops with a disappointed sigh. "No magic gear? You told me there will be magic gear drops from the Golems."

Malfurion, dusting his druid robe, couldn't help but chuckle dryly. "Welcome, to Satisfy, where you put in the effort and the game gives you scraps."

Odin crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. "You got some magic materials, be happy. They aren't that hard to kill as a mage. You can farm here and get to level 100 in one week?"

Elyse pouted slightly. "Yeah, but now I'll have to drink a mana pot, and those things aren't cheap."

"..." He gave her that 'Oh really?' look before entering his character interface while Elyse reluctantly drank a Mana Pot.

Without a word, Odin reached into his inventory and removed his Epic-rated Earrings and Sage Necklace. The pendant of the Arcane Sage and the set of Enchanted Sapphire Studs glinted in the dim light of the labyrinth's passage.

"Here," he said, handing them to her. "Use these for MP recovery. It'll speed things up. We've still got a long way to go. Since you're the DPS in this dungeon, I should take care of your recovery."

Elyse's eyes widened as she took the items. "Wow, boss, you sure about this? These are…" She trailed off, admiring the gear.

Odin just nodded. "Yeah, I know, Epic-rated Accessories. It doesn't mean it's a gift for you, nor do I intend to make it a gift for now or in the near future. It is just speeding up the clear process to deal with the Boss monster. Capice?"

Elyse grinned, slipping the accessories on without hesitation. She could feel the surge of energy as soon as the Pendant of the Arcane Sage rested against her chest. Her mana, dangerously low after the back-to-back battles, was already beginning to replenish at an accelerated rate.

"You're the best, Master," she teased, giving him a playful wink. "I'll try not to burn out too quickly."