"ARGHHHHH!!!" Ryo screamed, clutching his side as searing pain shot through him like a rocket. The impact from the Golem's colossal hand was like being hit by a moving truck, and for a moment, he saw stars. But somehow, his brain kicked back in gear, and he forced himself to focus. This was real—this was serious.

He took a shaky breath, wincing at the sharp pain in his side, and tried to shove aside the overwhelming sense of confusion and disbelief. This wasn't some random Tuesday. This was cosmic-level trouble, and if he didn't figure out how to survive, he'd be toast.

The Golem loomed above him, its molten eyes glowing like hellfire, while its massive metallic limbs whirred and clanked with a menacing rhythm. It raised its hand again, preparing to squash him like a bug.

Ryo's brain went into overdrive. He scanned the behemoth, analyzing every detail, pulling from his encyclopedic knowledge of anime fights, video games, and whatever random science facts he had stored in his brain.

"Alright, no power-ups, no cool laser guns—guess I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way. First things first: this thing's not invincible. It's metal, sure, but not solid armor. Those jagged edges? They've gotta be for some kind of kinetic power. Maybe it's using them to store or redirect energy. And I bet if I hit it in the right spot, it'll short-circuit or something. Classic weak point stuff."

His eyes locked on the Golem's molten core—the glowing heart of its power.

"Bingo. That's the sweet spot."

A small smirk tugged at Ryo's lips. This wasn't the way he pictured using his brain in a life-or-death situation, but hey, he'd watched enough anime and read enough fantasy novels to know the drill. The heroes always outsmarted the giant monsters—they didn't just run in with swords swinging. They used strategy.

He took a step back, eyeing the Golem's massive form, trying to find the flaw. The glowing sigil on his chest pulsed faintly, but he wasn't counting on that just yet—he didn't even know what it did. For now, he'd have to rely on his brains.

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"Alright, let's break this down," he muttered, glancing at the Golem's mechanical body. "Joints. It's gotta have weak points where the limbs meet. Metal gets worn down, and those joints? Prime targets. That's where the pressure's concentrated."

He took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Focus, Ryo. You've got this". This wasn't a side quest anymore. It was a full-on boss fight.

The Golem moved again, stomping forward with the kind of force that rattled his teeth. Ryo's eyes narrowed. No more mistakes. As the massive arm swung down toward him, Ryo dived to the side, narrowly avoiding being flattened. The ground cracked beneath the Golem's hand as it slammed down.

Ryo's heart was pounding, but his focus was laser-sharp. "Okay, let's do this". He dashed forward, eyes scanning for his next move.

"You might be a walking tank, but I've got more than just snacks on my mind right now," Ryo muttered to himself, keeping his gaze fixed on the Golem's molten eyes.

The Golem's arm came down again, but this time, Ryo was ready. He slid under the swing, positioning himself at the Golem's exposed side. He wasn't trying to destroy it—he was trying to mess with its balance. And that's where his years of gaming and reading fantasy novels paid off.

The ground rumbled as he reached the leg. He wasted no time and jammed a piece of scrap metal into the joint, the leverage causing a high-pitched screech to echo through the void. For a brief moment, the Golem hesitated, a strange glitch running through its system.

Ryo grinned to himself. "Yes! Now we're cooking."

The Golem tried to regain its balance, stumbling as its massive body jerked in strange, erratic movements. Ryo wasn't waiting around for it to fix itself. He was already planning his next move. This thing wasn't going to fall with one hit—he had to wear it down, like a boss fight in one of those RPGs.

Orion, watching from his floating perch, felt an unexpected shift in his perception. "This mortal…" he thought. "He's not just impulsive or foolish as I first assumed. He's calculating. Quick-witted. This isn't just dumb luck—he's figuring out the Golem's weakness." Orion's eyes softened as the realization settled in. "He's got an innate intellect, the likes of which I didn't expect. The boy is smarter than he looks."

Ryo wasn't just some clueless guy stuck in a cosmic disaster—he was playing the game, using his brain in ways Orion had underestimated.

As the Golem recovered, Ryo moved again, his mind working faster than his legs. "I've got this. Let's just finish this before I get tired."