Dominic Eñeforte

"I want to see how we compare," Arthur says, his voice steady, but the words strike me like a jolt.

I'm shocked. Does Arthur truly see me as an equal even though I'm Manaless? I can't fathom what's going through his mind. After all, I've only been in this world for a week. Why does he want to compare himself to me?

"Arthur…"

I begin, feeling a pang of nervousness gnaw at my insides. I've witnessed his prowess earlier against the golems, which was far from reassuring.

Based on that encounter alone, he's stronger than Lumi, one of the main characters from the web novel. What happened to Arthur in the web novel's storyline, and why did he never appear? Did something happen to him while Célestin, Lumi, and Violette took the entrance exam at Verdant Arcanum?

"It's just for fun. We'll see where we both stand."

His words are meant to comfort me, yet they only deepen my unease. I look down at the 'Scepter of Binding' in my hand, exhaling slowly. There's no harm in having a duel with Arthur, especially if it could help me grow stronger for future events in the web novel.

"Sure," I finally agree, forcing a smile.

Arthur's grin widens. "Nice!"

The excitement in his voice reminds me of our camaraderie, but beneath the surface, I know this duel will be more than just a friendly match. I also want to know how I would compare to Arthur.

"Anyways, now… how do we get out of here?" Arthur looks around.

"Oh, about that..." I hesitate.

Honestly, I have no idea how to get out of here. The web novel has a convenient time skip just as Célestin exits the temple, glossing over any specifics.

"Hey, look, I see a lever there!" Arthur suddenly exclaims, pointing towards a distant wall.

I follow his gaze, and sure enough, a lever is embedded in the wall.

"How convenient..." I mutter under my breath, a mix of sarcasm and relief coloring my tone.

Without hesitation, Arthur strides towards the lever and flips it with a decisive movement.

-Rumble!

Instantly, the ground beneath our feet begins to tremble, and the sounds of ancient mechanisms groaning to life fill the air.

"Arthur, why does everything you touch become a trap!?" I exclaim, half-joking, half-serious.

-Rumble!

As the rumbling intensifies, the walls around us begin to shift ominously. Arthur's interaction with the lever has triggered an ancient, complex mechanism within the temple.

"Whoops."

Arthur offers a sheepish grin as he scratches his head, surveying the transforming layout with awe and slight apprehension.

I can't help but laugh despite the situation, the absurdity of it lightening the tension.

"You have a talent for this, don't you?"

"Seems like it," Arthur replies, his eyes twinkling with mischief despite the ominous creaking of stone around us. "But hey, maybe this is our way out?"

-Rumble!

Just as he finished speaking, a section of the wall to our left fully retracted, revealing a narrow, torch-lit corridor with ascending stairs that hadn't been there before.

Once again, how convenient.

"Shall we enter, Monsieur?" Arthur says, performing an exaggerated bow and gesturing with his hand toward the newly opened passage.

I can't help but roll my eyes at his theatrics. The tension from earlier seems to have evaporated, replaced by the warm, familiar camaraderie I had missed.

"Okay, Monsieur Arthur," I respond, returning the bow equally.

We chuckle, the lighthearted moment easing the remnants of any earlier unease.

I carefully place the 'Scepter of Binding' into my bag, and we climb the stairs, eager to discover where this unexpected path will lead us.

As we ascend, the air grows cooler, and the flickering torchlight casts long shadows against the stone walls. Whatever lies ahead, I know I can face it with Arthur.

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They ascend the stairway cautiously, measuring each step with care. Their senses are heightened, attuned to any signs of traps lurking in the shadows.

"Hey, I see the light!" Arthur suddenly exclaims, his voice tinged with excitement as he points toward a warm glow from a doorway ahead.

"Let's go!" he urges, his curiosity getting better as he darts forward without waiting for a response.

"Ah, wait!" Dominic calls out, scrambling to catch up.

They cross the threshold into what appears to be an empty chamber. However, Dominic had a hunch that this peace wouldn’t last long.

-Rumble!

An ominous sound echoes through the room, and they both turn just in time to see the doorway seal shut behind them.

"I jinxed it.” Dominic mutters, his voice bouncing off the walls of the now-enclosed space.

-Rumble!

The ground beneath them trembles again, more violently this time. The sensation becomes all too familiar.

"The amount of rumbling here could take off someone's wig," Dominic quips, trying to lighten the tension between them.

"Who are you talking about, Doms?" Arthur asks, his tone tinged with confusion.

"It's nothing," Dominic quickly replies, dismissing the thought with a shake of his head as they brace for whatever comes next.

-Crack!

The ground in the middle of the chamber splits abruptly, and a massive stone hand thrusts upward, followed by another.

A colossal stone golem, towering forty feet high, emerges from the newly formed crevice. Its eyes glow a menacing red, and a large red diamond glint on its chest, indicating its core.

Dominic quickly draws both of 'Galahad's Judgement,' his hands steady despite the surge of adrenaline.

Arthur, meanwhile, grips his new sword tightly with both hands, but a moment of hesitation flickers across his face.

He looks down at the blade, feeling the potent Light magic coursing through it and the immense [A] rank mana it carries. However, the sword is still unfamiliar to him, its power untested in battle. He isn't ready to wield it to its full potential, not when the stakes are this high.

'It's too soon to rely on this,' Arthur thought.

While the sword's magic aligns with his own, it is not yet an extension of himself. He needs time to master and bond with it before confidently wielding it in a fight like this.

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Arthur then looks back at the golem, sensing the strong Mana emanating from it—it's a [C+] rank, a formidable opponent by any standard. He turns to Dominic, who, being Manaless, can't perceive the depth of the threat they face.

"Doms, be careful; it's emitting [C+] rank Mana."

"Okay."

-Stomp! Stomp!

The golem takes heavy, thunderous steps toward them, the ground trembling with each move. The chamber echoes with the sound of grinding stone and the deep, resonant thud of the golem's massive feet.

Dominic steadies his breathing, his mind racing through potential strategies. The golem's core—the red diamond on its chest—must be its weak point.

Arthur, meanwhile, makes a crucial decision. The sword in his hand is not yet an extension of himself, but it does bolster his Mana reserves, granting him a temporary surge of power. He resolves to hold onto the sword for the boost, relying on the techniques he knows best to complement its power. This way, he can fight effectively without risking an uncalculated move with the unfamiliar blade.

"RAHHHH!"

The golem's roar reverberates through the chamber, sending tremors through the ground as dust and loose stones cascade from the ceiling. The force of the sound is so intense that Dominic and Arthur instinctively clamp their hands over their ears, the loud noise resonating through their very bones.

Its echo lingers as the roar subsides, reverberating off the ancient stone walls. The pair open their eyes with gritted teeth, scanning their surroundings to assess the rapidly escalating situation.

-Rumble!

Amid the debris, three smaller golems emerge, each towering slightly over Arthur's height of 5'9". Like their larger counterpart, their eyes glow with an evil red light, and each bears a red diamond embedded in its chest. This glaring weakness does not go unnoticed.

"Doms, I'll take on the big one. You handle the smaller golems," Arthur says, his voice unwavering despite the tension.

Dominic's eyes widen in surprise, but the plan's logic quickly overrides his hesitation. Arthur has more versatility with his spells, and the strategy plays to their strengths.

"Target the red diamonds on their chests, Arthur," Dominic advised, his tone sharpening with focus.

"I know," Arthur replies, his confidence unwavering.

-Rumble!

The three smaller golems lunge forward, their heavy steps echoing like thunder in the enclosed space. Dominic takes a steadying breath, raises his guns, and takes aim.

-Bang! Bang!

The nearest golem reacts swiftly, its chest plating shifting to deflect the incoming bullets with a stone clattering. Dominic frowns, quickly realizing that a more strategic approach will be necessary.

Meanwhile, Arthur summons his Mana, feeling the energy swirl and coalesce around him.

"Flash of Merlin."

His form blurs into a streak of light as he darts past the smaller golems, aiming to draw the larger golem's attention. By splitting their focus, he hopes to give Dominic the room to take down the smaller threats.

Arthur skids to a halt before the towering golem, his gaze rising to meet its blazing red eyes.

"Over here!" he shouts, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The golem's gaze shifts downward, its massive arm swinging in a wide arc, aiming to crush the agile intruder.

"Flash of Merlin!" Arthur chanted, his body becoming a blur as he dodged between the golem's legs, narrowly avoiding the devastating blow.

-Boom!

The golem's fist crashes into the ground, creating a crater and sending dust and debris into the air. Emerging from the smoke, Arthur quickly gathers [C] rank Mana into his left hand, pointing it at the golem's foot.

"Avalon Blast!"

Three beams of concentrated light shoot toward the golem's foot, piercing through the dust.

-BOOM!

An explosion occurred as the light beams hit the foot. But as the smoke clears, Arthur's eyes widen in disbelief—the golem remains unscathed, its massive foot firmly planted.

'It didn't work,' Arthur thinks.

He planned to make the giant golem stumble by destroying one of its feet, but its resilience was far greater than he anticipated. He must draw on even more Mana to make a dent in this formidable opponent.

-Rumble!

Arthur looks up just in time to see stone rockets launching from the golem's shoulders, each aimed directly at him.

"Flash of Merlin!" he shouts, channeling Mana throughout his body.

He darts around the chamber, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles. While running, he gathered Mana in his right hand, which was pointed at the giant golem.

“Avalon Blast!” Arthur chanted.

Light beams flew through the air, aiming toward the giant golem. However, the stone missiles intercepted the beams.

-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The clash of the missiles and beams released a huge shockwave, sending chunks of debris flying in all directions. Arthur weaves through the chaos, but the sheer force of the blasts makes it impossible to avoid everything.

"Gah!"

A large rubble struck Arthur on the head, sending him crashing to the ground. He tumbled uncontrollably until the unforgiving stone wall halted his momentum.

-THUD!

Groaning, Arthur felt a warm trickle of blood running down his forehead from the wound. Dizzy and disoriented, he struggled to regain his bearings. The world spun around him, and his vision blurred as he tried to focus.

But there was no time to recover—the golem was already preparing another crushing blow. He watched in horror as its massive arm rose, ready to strike.

His heart pounded in his chest as he summoned Mana into his legs.

"Flash of Merlin!"

In a burst of speed, Arthur shoots to his feet. He dashes away just as the golem's fist smashes into the ground where he had been lying, creating a massive crater that fills the chamber with smoke and debris.

“Hah…hah…!”

Panting heavily, Arthur wipes the blood from his forehead, trying to focus through the pain. He quickly realizes that his current strategy isn't working.

-Rumble!

The golem's shoulders opened once more, revealing another volley of rock rockets locked onto him.

Arthur, undeterred by the relentless assault, gathered Mana on his legs again.

"Flash of Merlin!"

Arthur darts across the chamber, a blur of motion as he narrowly evades the explosions behind him. His heart pounds in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins. Just as a flicker of hope begins to take root—thinking he might outrun his fate—a massive shadow looms over him.

His eyes widen in shock as he glances upward.

"The golem... How can it keep up with me?" he wonders, disbelief etched across his face.

Defying all logic, the golem matches his light-speed movements with uncanny precision, its massive fist descending towards him like a hammer from the heavens.

"How is this possible?" Arthur’s mind races, struggling to comprehend the impossibility before him.

The 'Flash of Merlin' spell is designed to make him move at light speed—nothing should be able to track him, let alone keep pace. Yet, this monstrous golem follows him as if he’s moving in slow motion.

Gritting his teeth, Arthur veers sharply to the side.

-BOOM!

The golem’s fist crashes into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the chamber. The sheer force of the impact almost lifts Arthur off his feet, hurling him backward until he collides with the wall again.

"Gah!"

The air is knocked out of him, blood spurting from his mouth as pain erupts in his chest. His vision blurs, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.

-Rumble!

Through the haze of pain, Arthur sees the golem struggling to free its fist from the ground. The force of its strike has buried its arm deep within the stone floor, its massive feet similarly trapped in the rubble.

"I... have to... take this chance..."

Every fiber of his being screams in agony, but Arthur knows this might be his only opportunity. If he doesn’t act now, he may never get another.

"Removing restraints…analyzing the opponent."

The sudden, calm voice from the sword in his hand sends a chill down Arthur's spine.

‘The sword... is sentient?’ Arthur thought.

The revelation is both startling and unsettling. But there’s no time to dwell on it—the sword continues its assessment.

"The foe must surpass one's strength—Approved. The fight must be one-on-one—Approved. The battle must not be against Humanity—Approved. The battle must be for survival—Approved."

Arthur doesn’t fully grasp what’s happening but knows he has to trust the sword. It has assessed the situation and deemed it critical.

"Master, please pour [C-] rank Mana into me. The spell is ready to be unleashed."

Arthur's breath catches in his throat. A weapon capable of channeling such power… He hesitates for a split second, awed by what’s being asked. But the urgency of the moment overrides his hesitation. He closes his eyes, focusing on channeling his Mana, and pours [C-] Rank Mana into the sword.

As he does, the blade begins to glow with an intense yellow light, shimmering with energy. Golden particles swirl around him, enveloping the sword in a radiant aura. The power emanating from it is almost overwhelming, the sword trembling in his grasp as it struggles to contain the immense energy.

"Spell complete. The spell is ready to be unleashed," the sword intones, its voice steady despite the energy pulsing within.

Arthur opens his eyes, astonished by the sheer intensity of the light. He can feel the sword vibrating, the spell within it barely contained. The power surges through him, a force of unimaginable potential ready to be unleashed.

-Rumble!

The golem, finally free of its restraints, readies another devastating punch. Arthur positions himself, holding the glowing sword in a side arc stance, every muscle in his body coiled with tension.

‘If you want me, take this!’

As the golem's fist rockets toward him, Arthur swings the sword upward with all his might, channeling his remaining strength into the strike.

"Haa!"

A brilliant light arc erupts from the sword, slicing through the air with blinding speed and precision. The beam strikes the red diamond embedded in the golem's chest, and the impact is immediate. A thunderous crack echoes through the chamber as the gem shatters into countless pieces, reverberating off the ancient stone walls.

The golem freezes, its massive form destabilizing. Then, as if succumbing to the force of the light magic, it begins to crumble. Stone by stone, it disintegrates, collapsing until only rubble remains on the ground.

Arthur stands panting, drenched in sweat and blood, his body trembling from the exertion. He watches as the last remnants of the golem settle, the threat finally neutralized.

"Threat eliminated. Initiating slumber," the sword says.

The sword’s light dims, and the powerful energy Arthur felt within it fades, leaving him with only his depleted Mana reserves.

Arthur marvels at the sword's abilities—it can talk, analyze, and even choose to rest. But before he can fully process this, a new danger emerges.

-Rumble!

From the crumbling remains of the golem, one final defensive mechanism activates. A stone spear, forged from the debris, emerges and hurtles through the air, propelled by the golem's dying breath.

Arthur’s eyes widen in horror as he traces the spear’s trajectory. It’s heading straight for Dominic, still catching his breath, unaware of the imminent danger.

Desperately, Arthur tries to gather Mana in his right hand, but he can’t. His body, battered and exhausted, fails to channel the energy needed. The flow of Mana is like a damaged water pipe—leaking, blocked, and inefficient.

‘No… not now!’

Arthur struggles to his feet, but his body refuses to cooperate. Desperation claws at him as he realizes he’s too far away to intercept the spear physically.

"Doms!" he screams, but his voice is weak, his legs faltering beneath him. He can only watch helplessly as the spear closes on his unsuspecting friend, dread and despair filling his heart.