Ethan felt as though the system had set him up for failure. Sure, the quest seemed simple—defeat the golem and escape—but it was hardly reassuring. The system's words lingered in his mind: if he didn't kill the golem, he was as good as dead, trapped without an escape route. That nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach reminded him that his real enemy wasn't just the golem, but the gargoyle that had been harassing him. Worse yet, the system was silent, offering no more help than the cold reality of his situation. Neither it nor Zark cared whether he succeeded or failed. He could just die, resurrect at the beginning of the island, and start again from scratch.
"Better to fight than die like a coward!" Ethan roared, his voice echoing through the thick, oppressive air.
In a flash, the golem swung its massive arm at his head, but Ethan ducked, rolling to the side as the hammer in his hand found its mark on the golem's abdomen. Sparks flew as the weapon struck the hardened surface. His hammer should have shattered stone, but instead, it rebounded with a painful metallic clang. The gargoyle, ever clever, had manipulated the golem's surface, changing its skin from stone to metal in an instant. Ethan grimaced as the reverberations from the strike nearly made him lose his grip on his weapon. The pain shot through his hands, but there was no time to hesitate.
Gritting his teeth, Ethan poured telekinetic energy into the hammer, coating it with a thin but powerful layer. He swung again, this time managing to dent the golem's metallic armor as the beast staggered back, its hulking form pushed two meters away. His heart raced as he pressed the attack, hammering the golem's chest with rapid, relentless strikes. The gargoyle, hidden somewhere nearby, rained down jagged rocks and earth spikes, each one forcing Ethan to dodge or block at the last second. His energy reserves were draining fast, but instead of exhaustion, a strange exhilaration washed over him.
Amidst the chaos, Ethan felt his body move faster, his senses sharpening. His hammer arts were improving, becoming more refined with each clash. His martial techniques, once rusty, now flowed naturally as he evaded and counterattacked, his movements fluid. His battle with the golem felt like a grim dance, one he was just barely keeping up with. Every strike left the golem more disfigured—cracks spider-webbed across its torso, its limbs bent at unnatural angles, and chunks of rock fell from its battered frame. It was falling apart. But the worst was yet to come. If the gargoyle decided to repair or fortify its creation, Ethan knew he'd be done for.
He stole a quick glance at his own status. He was halfway to reaching Level 14, and his Telekinesis was on the verge of a breakthrough. If he could take down the golem, it might just be enough to push him to the next level. His eyes gleamed with an almost feral intensity, a hunger for power that made the gargoyle, watching from its vantage point, shudder in fear. What it had assumed to be a weak and amusing prey now radiated an aura of danger that made even the cunning gargoyle reconsider its game.
Ethan crouched, his feet digging into the ground. A web of cracks appeared beneath him as he leapt 11 feet into the air, his hammer raised high above his head. Twisting his body mid-air, he began to spin, the hammer coated in a dense layer of telekinetic energy. As he descended, his spinning form accelerated, becoming a blur of blue energy streaked with hints of red. The golem and gargoyle could only watch in stunned disbelief.
With a deafening roar, Ethan unleashed *Rolling Smash*—a powerful skill from his hammer arts. The air around him seemed to tremble as his attack found its target, crashing into the golem's head with earth-shattering force. At the same time, Ethan activated *Eye of Terror*, his vision locking onto both the golem and the hidden gargoyle. For a split second, they were frozen, paralyzed by a wave of terror that gripped them from the inside out.
The golem's head exploded, shards of rock and dust flying in every direction as the creature crumbled beneath the force of the blow. At that moment, the gargoyle, who had been controlling the golem, was struck with the full brunt of the *Eye of Terror*. Its vision blurred as it saw what the golem saw, the image of its monstrous creation being destroyed by a mere human seared into its mind. It was petrified, trembling uncontrollably as it remained frozen in its hiding spot, overwhelmed by the fear Ethan had instilled.
Ethan landed heavily on the ground, panting, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. He barely had time to process his victory before the system activated.
In an instant, he was teleported. His surroundings shifted violently, and he reappeared on a new island. Rocks, sand, and sparse trees greeted him. The strange calling that had been tugging at him felt closer than ever, a sensation that made his skin crawl with both anticipation and dread.
Spotting a small, empty cave nearby, Ethan hurried inside to catch his breath. He needed a moment to rest, even though his wounds had already healed thanks to the meat he had eaten earlier. His energy reserves were restored, but his mind was still racing. He had just leveled up and gained partial enlightenment on his affinity. This was what he had been waiting for—his breakthrough. He could feel it coming, the full enlightenment he needed within his reach. But time was against him.
Three days. That's all he had in the Beast Plane, and he was already running out of time. He knew he couldn't waste a single second, but he also couldn't help but think about Clara. Balancing his duties in the Beast Plane with his life outside it was becoming harder, but it wasn't like he had a choice.
"Are you still going to wear those?" Zark's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, sounding irritated.
Ethan glanced down at his pajamas, which were torn and riddled with holes from the battle. "Not like I have a choice. Oh, crap! I forgot about the energy suit!"
"Hey, you could've reminded me, you know."
"Not my problem, fool."
With a quick thought, Ethan summoned his energy suit. The system responded immediately.
[Custom Energy Suit Accessed]
[You Can Manipulate The Design And Form To Your Satisfaction]
[Do You Accept Full Access?]
"Hell yeah!" he exclaimed, grinning widely. His energy suit wasn't like the others; it was custom-made. Not only could it protect him, but it could also shift its appearance to match his tastes. Within moments, the reddish-black bodysuit with its intricate gold and silver designs morphed into a grey, baggy hoodie featuring a coiled Kibi snake design on the front, paired with black casual trousers and white running shoes. A pair of dark sunglasses completed the look, a bonus he had forgotten he could add.
Ethan admired his reflection in the cave wall, smirking confidently. Zark mocked him, of course, but Ethan didn't care. He knew he looked cool, and besides, it was practical. The sunglasses would come in handy against sand-based attacks, and his improved eyesight meant he didn't need his regular glasses anymore. Everything was coming together. With renewed confidence, Ethan climbed out of the cave and headed toward his next challenge.
But the sight that awaited him wiped the smirk from his face in an instant.
Before him, looming over the landscape like a colossal monument, was a massive white tower that pierced the clouds. Its surface was dotted with menacing gargoyle statues positioned at strategic points, watching over the landscape like silent sentinels. The strange feeling that had been guiding him now pulsed stronger than ever from within that tower, beckoning him closer. Yet, there was something else—something far more immediate.
Directly ahead, sprawling out like an ominous labyrinth, was a gargoyle settlement. Stone and rock huts stretched as far as his enhanced vision could see. Gargoyles of all sizes wandered about. Some were flying above with their wings spread wide, while others strolled casually with their wings folded. From his vantage point, Ethan guessed the gargoyles ranged from five to ten feet tall, and he was certain the one he had fought earlier was among the smaller ones.
Ethan's heart sank. He was standing on a rocky cliff, not far from the settlement. He could feel the pull of the tower, stronger and more urgent than ever, but getting there would mean navigating through a gargoyle city full of beasts that wouldn't hesitate to kill him on sight.
It was a dead end, and he knew it.