The battle raged on as Shiro and his friends fought through the second to the ninth challenge. They faced a diverse array of enemies: harpies swooping down from the skies, skeletons wielding crude weapons, mechanical creatures launching long-range attacks, and many more. The challenges proved tougher than expected, pushing them to their limits.

From Ren’s perspective, the group was progressing nicely. They had accumulated some bruises, but with Liana’s healing magic and the supplies they had prepared, it should be enough to keep them going.

“As long as nothing unexpected happens…” Ren thought to himself.

He had been in this world long enough to know that the unexpected could strike at any moment. The story had already diverged significantly from its original plot, and with SIN and an unknown force lurking in the background, he had to be prepared for anything.

“All the more reason why their growth is crucial for the near future,” Ren thought, glancing at the group.

After the ninth challenge, the group finally rested. Despite Liana’s healing and the potions they carried, exhaustion weighed on them. Rolan and Lucius, as usual, found themselves in a heated debate, criticizing each other’s tactics.

“If you hadn’t rushed in like that, we wouldn’t have been surrounded!” Lucius snapped, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh, come on! We had to take the offensive. Besides, we won, didn’t we?” Rolan shot back, smirking.

“Yeah, but it would’ve been a lot easier if you had aimed at the lizardman’s legs instead of his head. We wouldn’t have wasted time dodging,” Lucius retorted, crossing his arms.

Rolan rolled his eyes. “And if you hadn’t been so focused on casting your flashy spells, maybe you would’ve noticed the one trying to flank you.”

The bickering continues without any signs of stopping while Ren watches from the sidelines.

He chuckled at their bickering. “No one argues better than these two. Who needs enemies when you have friends like this, right?”

Meanwhile, Liana, Celes, and Shiro huddled together, discussing how they could improve their teamwork.

“We need to communicate more during fights,” Liana suggested. “If we’re more in sync, we can anticipate each other’s moves better.”

Celes nodded in agreement. “I’ll keep a sharper eye out for openings.”

Shiro, his resolve unwavering, added, “We’re halfway through these challenges. We can do this.”

Ren watched them closely. "While Shiro’s confidence is admirable, the real challenge is just beginning," he murmured, glancing toward the hatch. He knew what was coming next.

As the group prepared for the tenth challenge, the unexpected happened. Instead of the usual drum roll announcing the next round, the sound of horns echoed throughout the colosseum, the deep notes reverberating in their chests. They instantly knew this challenge would be different. They tightened their formation, bracing for the unknown.

The ground beneath them rumbled as a massive shaft opened, revealing a colossal entity rising to the surface. The group watched in awe as a towering humanoid golem, coated in metallic armor, emerged. Its massive frame cast a menacing shadow over them, and with each thunderous step, the ground trembled. In its hand, it held a mace larger than a car, swinging it with intimidating ease.

The sight of the colossal golem sent a wave of dread through the group. For the first time, they felt genuine terror wash over them.

“Is this thing for real?” Rolan muttered, his voice betraying the fear gnawing at him.

Liana’s face had gone pale as she watched the golem’s relentless approach. "We’ve never faced anything like this before..."

Shiro gripped his tachi tightly, forcing himself to remain calm. "Snap out of it! We’ve come too far to let fear stop us now!"

The golem's slow, thunderous steps shook the ground, each one a grim reminder of its sheer power. Lucius was the first to react, launching a barrage of fireballs toward the advancing giant. However, to his horror, the flames fizzled out upon contact with the golem's metallic body, harmlessly dissipating as if they were nothing more than a light breeze.

“It’s… it’s not even scratching it!” Lucius cried, frustration mixing with fear.

“We’ll have to try something else,” Liana said urgently, focusing her energy and casting defensive buffs over the group. “Get ready!”

Shiro and Rolan charged toward the golem’s legs, aiming to cripple its movement. They swung their weapons with all their strength, but as their weapons met the golem’s legs, the impact reverberated through their arms. It felt as though they had struck solid stone, and pain shot up from their hands to their shoulders.

“Damn! This thing’s tougher than it looks!” Rolan growled through gritted teeth. Though there was minimal damage, it wasn’t nearly enough to make a difference.

Celes, standing back, scanned the golem carefully, her sharp eyes searching for any sign of weakness. "There has to be a vulnerable spot... but where?" she muttered, frustration creeping in.

Suddenly, the golem swung one of its massive arms down in a crushing blow aimed at Shiro and Rolan. They barely managed to dodge, but the shockwave from the impact threw them off balance, sending them sprawling. The ground trembled under its strength. Before they could recover, the golem raised its other arm, this time bringing its mace down directly toward Shiro.

“Shiro, look out!” Liana screamed in panic.

Shiro had no time to fully dodge, and in desperation, he raised his tachi to block the attack. The sheer force of the blow sent him flying backward, his body skidding across the ground. He gasped in pain as he hit the earth, his arms trembling from the impact.

Liana rushed to his side, frantically casting a healing spell over him. "Hold still, Shiro! I’ll heal you!"

Celes knew it was her turn to act. With swift agility, she sprinted toward the golem and leaped onto its arm. Using her knives to gain leverage, she began climbing, determined to reach its head and find a weak point. Rolan, seeing her plan, made a split-second decision to divert the golem’s attention. He slashed at its legs repeatedly, shouting to keep its focus away from Celes.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I’m right here, you oversized scrap heap!” Rolan bellowed, his twin blades flashing in the dim light as he struck at its legs again and again.

Meanwhile, Lucius gathered his mana for another spell. "If fire didn’t work, maybe lightning will!" he thought. Channeling his power, he summoned a bolt of lightning and hurled it toward the golem’s legs. But to his dismay, the lightning bolt dispersed upon contact with the golem’s metallic exterior, much like his earlier fire spell.

“It’s no use…” Lucius growled, feeling his frustration mount. His mind raced, trying to figure out why his magic was failing. “Why won’t it work? It’s like magic has no effect at all!”

As the situation grew more dire, Ren stood watching from the sidelines, his expression unreadable. “The golem is resistant to direct magical attacks,” he mused. “But magic can still manipulate the environment around it. Lucius needs to realize that—and fast.”

In the meantime, Celes finally reached the golem’s head, stabbing her knives repeatedly into its surface. However, the damage was minimal, and the golem, sensing her presence, tried to shake her off.

“It’s working, but I need more time!” Celes shouted, struggling to maintain her position.

Desperate to buy her time, Rolan unleashed his technique, “Barrage Slash!!” as he struck the golem’s leg with a flurry of rapid slashes. He managed to draw its attention, but the golem responded by stomping the ground with its massive foot. The resulting shockwave sent Rolan flying backward, slamming into the ground with a painful thud.

Seeing Rolan’s predicament, Lucius decided to take a different approach. He channeled his magic into the earth, splitting the ground on either side of the golem. With a determined shout, he summoned two massive boulders and slammed them against the golem’s torso. This time, the golem couldn’t deflect the attack, and its body became trapped between the rocks.

“This is it! Hit it now!” Lucius yelled.

Liana had just finished healing Shiro as the opportunity arose. Though still aching, Shiro was able to move again. Ignoring the pain in his arms, he dashed toward the immobilized golem.

He stopped just in front of it, gripping his tachi handle tightly, and focused all his strength. "True Strike!!" he shouted, thrusting his tachi forward with immense power. The impact created a shockwave, cracking the golem’s body slightly and causing it to stumble backward.

Celes took advantage of the opening. Leaping upward, she activated her technique, “Ripper Fall!!” plunging her knives into the cracks on the golem’s head. As she did, she spotted a golden orb inside—the golem’s core.

"Found it! I’m ending this!" Celes yelled. She quickly pulled out a mana grenade, shoving it into the crack. As she leaped off the golem, she shouted, "Shiro, move!"

Shiro barely rolled away as the grenade exploded, obliterating the golem’s core. The massive construct shuddered before collapsing with a thunderous crash, its head completely destroyed.

The battle was over. The group fell to the ground, utterly exhausted. Liana rushed to heal Rolan, who groaned as she worked her magic.

“That… was way harder than I expected,” Rolan muttered, letting out a weak laugh.

Lucius, still visibly frustrated, sighed. "I should’ve realized sooner that direct magic wouldn’t work… I held us back."

Shiro shook his head. "You figured it out when it mattered. If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t have won."

Lucius smiled faintly, though frustration lingered. "Thanks, but I’ll do better next time."

Rolan, ever the joker, grinned. "Hey, at least we took down a giant golem! That’s something to brag about!" He winced in pain as Liana lightly smacked him on the head. "Ow! Watch it, Liana!"

"Then stop moving while I’m healing you!" she scolded.

Shiro turned to Celes, gratitude in his eyes. "Thanks to your quick thinking, we got through this with minimal injuries."

Celes shook her head. "I just did what needed to be done."

As the group gathered to rest and recover, Ren watched from the sidelines, a sense of pride swelling in his chest. There had been a moment when he almost intervened, but he’d forced himself to hold back. They had proven themselves capable, growing stronger with each challenge.

“I think it’s time to give someone a little clue,” Ren thought, pressing the skill timer.

He appeared once more near the group, startling them as usual. Rolan and Celes instinctively shifted into defensive stances, but upon realizing it wasn’t an enemy, they both sighed in exasperation.

"Are you going to keep doing that to everybody?!" Rolan asked, his frustration clear.

Ren, as calm as ever, responded almost eerily. "Of course. It’s what I do best."

"Do you really need to keep disappearing and reappearing like that though?" Lucius asked, his own frustration laced with curiosity.

"I don’t need to, but it’s amusing to see people’s reactions," Ren replied with a smirk.

Both Rolan and Lucius were left speechless by Ren’s audacity. The idea that he was doing it for his own amusement completely baffled them, but before they could fire off more questions, Ren had already turned his attention to Shiro.

Shiro, startled but composed, stood his ground. "Why are you here? I thought you only appeared when we were in danger."

"I did say that," Ren answered, his gaze cold and unreadable, "but I think it’s time we talk about that hidden power of yours, as promised."

The entire group was taken aback, their curiosity piqued by Ren’s words.

"How much do you know about my powers?" Shiro asked cautiously.

"I know enough," Ren replied. "I know it’s not truly yours—it’s bound to you. And I also know it puts you into a state of uncontrollable bloodlust, making you a danger to everyone around you, and to yourself."

Shiro’s eyes widened. "So, you know a lot... Then I suppose you're going to tell me how to control it?"

Ren chuckled at the question. "Control it? That’s impossible. That power isn’t something anyone can tame. What you need to do is work alongside it."

"Work with it? You want me to cooperate with this dangerous power? That’s absurd!" Shiro shot back, anger flaring in his voice.

"The power is dangerous, yes," Ren said calmly. "But the entity behind it can be persuaded. I’m sure you already know the entity I’m referring to."

Shiro’s breath caught. Of course he knew. He had seen it many times—fragments in his dreams, flashes of memories, a presence looming in the recesses of his mind.

A majestic blue bird, its body engulfed in blazing blue flames, hovered in an empty sky. Its heat radiated, covering everything around it, while its light illuminated even the darkest world. Its power was immense, almost otherworldly.

"Yes, I know about it..." Shiro finally responded. "You want me to persuade that thing? What could something like that possibly want from me?"

"There are a few things an entity like that might desire from a human. Luckily for you, I know exactly what it wants the most," Ren replied.

"And that is?" Shiro asked, his curiosity and anticipation rising.

"A good story," Ren answered bluntly, a smirk forming on his lips.

"A-A good story? You’re kidding, right? What do you mean by a good story?" Shiro asked, confusion etched across his face.

Ren, aware that his time was running out, answered quickly. "To put it simply, that entity of yours is bored out of its mind."

The entire group fell silent. The statement was so absurd and unexpected that they struggled to comprehend it.

"A-Are you telling me... I can persuade it by giving it a good story to keep it from being bored?" Shiro asked, still trying to wrap his head around what he'd just heard.

"Not just any story," Ren clarified. "It wants your story, Shiro—your life story. It craves your past, present, and future. If you can offer it something compelling, if you can convince it that your journey will be worthwhile, you can persuade it to work with you. That’s the best way to harness its power."

Shiro stood in stunned silence, grappling with the notion. He still couldn’t fully believe it—or maybe he simply didn’t want to. Yet, deep down, he knew Ren had no reason to lie or toy with him.

"This is... hard to believe," Shiro murmured, almost too quietly.

"And yet, you have no choice," Ren said, his voice steady. "It’s up to you whether to believe me or not, but I’ve given you a clue. Now, it’s time for you all to prepare for the challenges ahead."

With that, Ren vanished once more, leaving the group in utter silence.

"Shiro, are you okay?" Liana finally broke the silence, her voice filled with concern.

Shiro looked at her, his expression still dazed. "Y-Yeah... It’s just a lot to take in."

"I don’t trust what that guy said. It feels like he’s messing with us," Rolan muttered bluntly.

"To be honest, I’m not sure," Lucius admitted, still processing. "On one hand, everything he has told us before turned out to be true. But what he just said... it’s almost too unbelievable."

Celes stepped closer to Shiro and Liana. "I don’t think there’s any harm in trying, but of course, it’s your choice, Shiro."

Shiro sighed. "I’ll think about it. But the problem is contacting it. It usually appears by itself, in dreams."

"Well, I don’t think you’ll have any time for sleep right now," Rolan quipped with a mischievous smirk.

Without any other ideas, the group shifted their focus, preparing for the next challenge.