West stared at the dark, reflective pool at the far end of the chamber that he had noticed earlier but ignored.
Its surface rippled and then, a massive reptilian head rose slowly from the water.
Yellow glowing eyes opened causing West’s heart to skip.
"...Uh oh."
The creature pulled itself free of the pool with water cascading off its body in heavy sheets.
It stood upright, towering over West and completely bathing his entire figure in a massive shadow.
The creature was at least thirteen feet tall with its physique carved from dense, corded muscle. Its skin was dark emerald and black, layered with thick scales.
A long tail dragged behind it and along the tail were multiple eyes.
Small, glowing yellow eyes that blinked independently.
West’s stomach dropped.
The creature inhaled deeply and spoke.
"Exu vaue rao masu litu..."
Its voice echoed in strange, layered tongues as the words folded over each other like overlapping whispers.
West raised both hands instinctively.
"Okay, listen," he said quickly while backing away a step. "I don’t want any trouble. I’ll just—uh—leave."
The system made a soft chime.
> [ Item Stored in Inventory: Chalice of Vitality ]
The moment the chalice vanished from his hands, the creature’s eyes narrowed.
Slowly, deliberately, it extended one clawed hand.
Reality rippled.
From thin air, a black sword emerged.
It was long and spiky along the edges. Dark mist coiled around its blade like smoke with intent.
West’s slowly stepped back with a cautious look on his face.
"Of course you have a sword," he muttered.
The creature lifted the blade effortlessly.
Then swung.
A dark arc tore through the air.
West immediately dove sideways.
The arc slammed into the far wall and carved a three-inch-deep gash straight through solid ruin stone.
Dust exploded and cracks spiderwebbed outward.
West rolled to his feet with widened eyes.
"...Yeah. That’s why gangs exist."
This thing wasn’t meant to be fought solo.
Not at Tier 1.
Not by someone without proper combat training or awakened techniques.
The creature stepped forward, dragging the sword against the ground.
Sparks flew.
Spikes of black energy erupted with each scrape.
West turned around and bolted.
He sprinted toward the chamber entrance, weaving around the rough stony ground as another dark arc slashed past him, missing his head by inches.
His heart pounded as he increased his speed. The only thought running through his mind at this moment was to create distance between himself and this creature.
The moment he closed in on the entrance of the chamber, a massive stone slab descended from above with a thunderous crash.
BOOM.
Dust erupted as it slammed down, sealing the exit completely.
West skidded to a stop. "That’s not good..."
Slowly, he turned, watching the creature advance.
Its sword scraped the ground again as it stepped forward slowly like West fate was already determined.
Spikes burst upward.
West clenched his fists.
"...Looks like I don’t have a choice."
The moment he steeled himself, the world sharpened.
His awakened body responded instantly as he shot forward at astonishing speed.
His muscles coiled as his feet struck the ground with explosive force, pushing him multiple feet forward with every step.
The creature swung again but West leapt.
Fwhooomm~
His body ascended over the arc of darkness as he flipped forward midair, and drove a punch straight toward the creature’s face.
His fist connected and the impact sent a shock through his arm but the creature’s head snapped back slightly.
It staggered backward by half a step.
West didn’t hesitate.
He pressed the advantage.
He darted in, landing another punch—then a kick—then another strike to the ribs. His movements were instinctive and with the help of his new speed and strength, achieving this sort of precision was easy.
’This is... amazing...’ West never considered himself to be a violent person but he was enjoying every moment of this.
Seeing him body capable of things he never knew would ever be possible for him.
He ducked under a counter-swing, rolled, and slammed his elbow into the creature’s knee joint.
The reptilian guardian snarled but then it adapted.
Its left arm moved.
One casual swing came flying at West and he didn’t even see it properly.
Bam!
Pain exploded through his body as he got launched across the chamber like a ragdoll.
He slammed into the wall, causing stone to crack beneath the impact.
Air burst from his lungs as his vision swam.
He slid down the wall, coughing as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The creature stepped towards him, pulling his sword forward again.
West wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and pushed himself up slowly.
"...Okay," he muttered. "So you hit harder..."
West didn’t dare let it hit him again.
That single blow earlier had rattled his bones, shaken his organs, and left his vision swimming for precious seconds. He knew it in his gut now, with a certainty that bordered on terror.
If that sword touched him even once... it would be over.
The thought sharpened his focus.
West moved.
He didn’t think in terms of techniques or styles. He thought in terms of survival. His awakened body responded instinctively as his muscles coiled.
The guardian’s sword cleaved through the air again causing a crescent of darkness to shriek past where his head had been a heartbeat earlier.
West slid low with his boots scraping stone, then sprang back up and drove his fist into the creature’s ribs.
The impact reverberated up his arm.
The creature’s body was dense, like punching reinforced steel wrapped in muscle.
Nonetheless, West punch packed enough force that the creature subconsciously let out a grunt and staggered half a step backwards.
West didn’t waste a single second.
He darted sideways, narrowly avoiding a backhand swing, then pivoted and slammed his elbow into the creature’s side.
Then followed up with another hit... and then a kick to the thigh... and another punch to the abdomen.
He would hit, evade..
Then, hit again and evade continously.
The guardian was powerful... overwhelmingly so... but it was also slower.
It wasn’t incredibly slow... it was just slower than him.
And that difference was everything.