As Lleyn stood before the awakened golems, he knew he was facing a formidable challenge, though his senses told him it would fail to compare to his struggle against the wraiths or the Einherjar. The colossal metal sentinel golem and its two smaller counterparts loomed over him, their stony forms exuding an aura of ancient power. With his perception heightened and his determination unwavering, Lleyn began to assess the situation and formulate his initial strategy.
His first instinct was to rely on his trusty Gale Striker, a dagger-like weapon infused with wind-based magic. It was a powerful, but he was uncertain of its effectiveness against these formidable adversaries. Without hesitation, he reached for the Gale Striker, feeling its hilt in his hand.
Lleyn had grown accustomed to the weapon's weight and balance, but as he raised it, he couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt. The golems, with their massive stone bodies, seemed impervious to the sharpness of his blade. Nevertheless, he decided to put the Gale Striker to the test.
With a quick, practiced motion, Lleyn unleashed the Gale Striker's Windblast skill. He had used it before to create focused bursts of air, but this time, he aimed it at one of the smaller golems. The magical wind energy surged forth, striking the golem's stony form with force.
To his disappointment, the Windblast had little effect on the golem. It staggered for a moment but quickly regained its balance, its rocky exterior showing no signs of damage. Lleyn knew that relying solely on the Gale Striker would be futile against these formidable opponents. He needed a different approach.
With a resigned sigh, he sheathed the Gale Striker, its effectiveness in this battle clearly limited. Lleyn had another weapon at his disposal, one that had proven its worth in numerous encounters in the tutorial so far—the Dawnblade, a beautifully crafted sword with a gleaming blade.
The Dawnblade had a damage range of 7-9, which, while being weaker than the Gale Striker, would benefit from his Sword Mastery skill. It was his favored weapon in the past, and Lleyn intended to make the most of it. With the sword in hand, he squared his shoulders and took a step forward, his eyes locked onto the sentinel golem.
The golems, their attention fixed on Lleyn, seemed to sense the shift in his approach. They readied themselves for the impending clash, their stone limbs poised to strike. The colossal sentinel, in particular, emanated an air of indomitable strength.
Lleyn knew that his initial strategy needed to be calculated and precise. He couldn't afford to waste any more time with ineffective attacks. With the Dawnblade in hand and determination in his heart, he prepared to engage the golems in a battle that would test his skills, his resolve, and his very survival.
The sentinel golem, its colossal frame casting a looming shadow over him, was the primary target. Lleyn knew that taking it down would be the key to victory. Its massive stone limbs and imposing stature made it the most immediate threat.
Taking a deep breath, Lleyn gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, feeling its reassuring weight in his hand. With a swift, fluid motion, he lunged forward, closing the distance between himself and the sentinel in the blink of an eye. The golem's reaction was swift, its massive stone fists swinging down in a powerful overhead strike. Lleyn, however, was equally quick, sidestepping the attack with a grace that defied his human form.
The impact of the golem's fists against the stone floor sent shockwaves through the chamber, but Lleyn remained unscathed. He knew that he couldn't afford to take a direct hit from those monstrous appendages. His agility would be his greatest asset in this battle.
Lleyn retaliated with a series of quick and precise strikes, the sword slashing through the air with a graceful arc. Each blow was aimed at a specific joint or weak point in the enemy's metal exterior. He knew that brute force alone wouldn't bring down this colossal foe; it would require finesse and strategy.
As the battle raged on, the sentinel golem proved to be a relentless adversary. Its body was unyielding, and it seemed to shrug off most of Lleyn's attacks. The sword's blade, while sharp and formidable, made only minor dents in the golem's surface.
Lleyn knew he needed a new approach. His initial strategy had been to weaken the sentinel by targeting its joints, but it was proving to be a slow and arduous process. The other two golems, while smaller, were still active and posed a constant threat. He couldn't afford to focus solely on the sentinel while the others were free to attack.
With a quick glance, Lleyn assessed the situation. The two smaller golems were flanking the sentinel, their stony bodies poised for action. They had yet to make a move, but he knew that could change at any moment. The laboratory's massive chamber provided ample space for the golems to maneuver, and he needed to be mindful of their every movement.
A plan began to form in Lleyn's mind. He couldn't defeat the sentinel golem through conventional means alone, and he was unwilling to use his lightning skills yet, unsure if they would even work. Instead, he needed to exploit its size and the terrain to his advantage. With a determined glint in his eye, he shifted his focus from direct confrontation to evasion and tactical positioning.
As he circled the sentinel golem, his agile movements allowed him to stay just out of its reach. The golem's ponderous attacks, while devastating, lacked the agility to track his swift movements effectively. It became increasingly frustrated as it tried to land a blow on its elusive adversary.
Meanwhile, Lleyn's analytical mind worked overtime. He scanned the chamber for any features that could be used to his advantage.
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The voices then sounded in his mind, "It took a while to access the data, but there is a way to weaken them. Battle golems need to be constantly supplied with energy to function, and these one are no exception. Look for the devices that power them. They shouldn't be too far from your position."
His high perception allowed him to spot a series of large stone pillars scattered throughout the room. They stood as silent sentinels, waiting to be brought into play.
With a sudden burst of speed, Lleyn darted toward one of the pillars, narrowly avoiding a sweeping strike from the sentinel golem. He reached the pillar and began to scale it with the agility of a practiced climber. As he ascended, he couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability. The golem's massive fists could easily reduce the pillar to rubble with a single blow.
However, the sentinel golem seemed hesitant to unleash its full destructive power on the pillar. It recognized that Lleyn's elevated position provided a tactical advantage, and it was unwilling to risk collapsing the structure and potentially injuring itself in the process.
Lleyn used this hesitation to his advantage. From his perch atop the pillar, he had a commanding view of the chamber. He could monitor the movements of all three golems and plan his next moves accordingly.
The sentinel golem, frustrated by its inability to reach Lleyn, unleashed a deafening roar that reverberated through the chamber. It was a display of primal fury, but it did little to shake Lleyn's resolve. He knew that this battle would be won through strategy and cunning, not brute force.
With his newfound vantage point, Lleyn had a clearer view of the laboratory's layout. He spotted a series of large gears and mechanisms along the walls, undoubtedly part of the ancient machinery that powered the golems. If he could disable these mechanisms, he might be able to weaken the golems and gain the upper hand.
As he considered his options, the disembodied voice that had guided him thus far echoed in his mind once more. It spoke cryptic words, hinting at the golems' true purpose and the ancient power that animated them. The voice's message was clear—Lleyn would have to find a way to deactivate the golems and continue his journey into the main room of the Labyrinth's owner.
With a determined nod, Lleyn knew what he had to do. It was a risky plan, but it was his best chance at victory. The sword gleamed in his hand, a symbol of his unwavering resolve.
Lleyn had devised a new strategy to gain the upper hand in this seemingly unwinnable battle. As he perched atop one of the stone pillars, he activated the special skill embedded in his enchanted ring, Shadow Veil. In an instant, he vanished from sight, becoming all but invisible to the naked eye.
The golems, confused by Lleyn's sudden disappearance, scanned the chamber in vain. Their massive stone heads swiveled from side to side, searching for any sign of their elusive opponent. But Lleyn had become a phantom, a shadow in the chamber's dim light.
While invisible, Lleyn navigated through the labyrinthine pillars with ease, his movements soundless and graceful. He made his way toward the large gears and mechanisms that lined the walls, each one responsible for powering the golems. The voice in his mind had hinted at their significance, and he knew that disabling them would be a crucial step in weakening the guardians.
Time was of the essence. Shadow Veil had a limited duration, and Lleyn estimated that he had approximately four minutes of invisibility remaining. He needed to work swiftly and efficiently to achieve his goal.
Approaching the first mechanism, Lleyn studied it carefully. It was a complex arrangement of gears and levers, intricately connected to the guardian golem's stone form. With a deep breath, he reached out and began to tamper with the machinery.
His actions were deliberate and precise, guided by the voice’s seemingly extensive knowledge of machinery and mechanics. He had also encountered many enchanted devices in his adventures during his past life in Eldoria, and this one was not vastly different. He worked to disrupt the intricate synchronization of the gears, causing the mechanism to grind and whir erratically.
The effect was almost immediate. The guardian golem, which had seemingly been preparing to strike a pillar in a fit of anger, suddenly froze in place. Its movements became sluggish and uncoordinated, as if it were fighting against an unseen force.
Emboldened by his success, Lleyn moved on to the next mechanism. He repeated the process, causing a similar disruption in the golem's movements. The once formidable guardians were now hindered, their power diminished.
Lleyn continued his invisible sabotage, moving from mechanism to mechanism with calculated precision. He disabled six out of the ten devices, leaving only a few functioning. The guardian golem and its smaller counterparts were now noticeably slower and less coordinated in their movements.
With his remaining time running out, Lleyn decided to confront the golems directly. He descended from his perch atop the pillar, the invisibility of Shadow Veil fading away as he reappeared in the chamber.
The golems, despite their reduced capabilities, were still dangerous opponents. The guardian golem, though slowed, swung its massive fists with determination. Lleyn, however, was prepared.
Using his agility and newfound knowledge of the golems' weaknesses, Lleyn deftly dodged their attacks. He circled the guardian golem, his sword flashing in the dim light as he aimed precise strikes at its weakened joints.
With each strike, the sentinel golem's movements became more erratic, its metal limbs trembling under the onslaught. It roared in frustration, unable to land a decisive blow on its elusive adversary.
The two smaller golems, once relegated to the role of observers, attempted to join the fray. But their sluggish movements made them easy targets for Lleyn's sword. With a combination of quick strikes and well-timed dodges, he disabled one of the smaller golems, rendering it immobile.
Now facing only two enemies, Lleyn pressed his advantage. He activated his skill, Gravitational Grasp, causing a field of gravitational force to envelop the main opponent. The sentinel struggled against the increased gravitational pull, its movements further hindered.
Lleyn capitalized on this advantage, focusing his attacks on the remaining stone golem. His sword slashed through its stony exteriors, chipping away at its defenses. With each strike, he drew closer to victory.
The stone golem, weakened and off-balance, finally succumbed to Lleyn's relentless assault. With a final, well-placed strike, he shattered one of its massive legs, causing it to collapse to the ground with a resounding crash.
The sentinel, its movements slowed to a crawl by Gravitational Grasp, was now the last standing guardian who roared in defiance.