Ch 39

  Seeing the barrier of wind dissipate, Matt crouched down. After witnessing all 14 armored skeletons stagger under the impact of Greg’s spell, Matt sprang forward with determination. Leaping over the two-foot gap where lava still flowed was effortless, and he quickly thrust his open palm into the shield of the skeleton directly across from him. This caused it to lose its balance, falling onto its rear and dropping its shield in the process. A swift follow-up kick was enough to send it plummeting off the edge that had been exposed by the vanishing wind barrier. Settling into a natural stance, Matt eyed the remaining 13 skeletons, gritting his teeth as he noted that only four of them turned their attention towards him, while the other nine began to cross the lava after regaining their balance.

  Snatching the fallen shield from the ground, Matt turned towards the side where ten of the remaining 13 skeletons were positioned. Charging recklessly at the nearest one, he gripped the shield with both hands, bracing himself behind it. This maneuver allowed him to ram the closest armored skeleton into the one behind it, and that one into the next. In this way, Matt managed to capture the focus of a total of six enemies as he swiftly maneuvered past the three he had just collided with. By the time he did so, the other seven had crossed over the lava, and Matt caught a glimpse of the struggle his companions were facing.

  Zara desperately fought the skeleton wielding a halberd, while Yumiko drew her bowstring back, releasing one of her few remaining arrows before having to rely on the ones she had brought with her. Emily frantically waved her staff, managing to keep two armored skeletons at bay but unable to do more than delay them. Rose and Eleanor worked together to keep three skeletons occupied, while Greg found himself stumbling around, leading one away from the rest and slowly becoming separated from the group. Matt silently thanked their good fortune that Greg was still on his feet as he refocused on the six enemies he needed to contend with.

  Seeing no point in holding onto the shield, Matt tossed it aside and hurled it toward one of the two armored skeletons that Emily was engaged with before charging the first foe in front of him. This enemy wielded a mace as large as his own head, augmented by six additional blades running along its length, topped with a formidable spike. To Matt, it seemed an outrageously oversized and impractical weapon—at least for a human before the enhancements. He now wondered if balance mattered less when strength was amplified by the system. With that thought racing through his mind, he managed to snatch the mace just below the blades as it swung downward toward his head.

  Diverting the weapon to the side with a forceful yank toward the platform’s edge, he watched as the armored skeleton lost its grip and collapsed to its hands and knees. With a swift maneuver, Matt gripped the mace firmly with both hands and struck his opponent’s helm, shattering it into fragments before leaping back. He quickly raised the broken mace in front of his face to block a surge of flames. The scorching heat made his skin sizzle, but it was enough to fend off the worst of the blast as he turned his attention to the next of the five still advancing.

  Ignoring the burning pain coursing through his body, Matt zeroed in on the enemy brandishing a shield and flail. That first swing with the mace had already convinced him that the weapon’s imbalance was a liability—and the flail seemed even less practical. But in this moment, practicality was a luxury he could not afford. With a forceful overhead swing, he advanced. Sure enough, the armored skeleton raised its shield to block the blow even before the mace made contact. Seizing his chance, Matt released his grip, crouched quickly, slipped beneath the shield, and grabbed the wrist of the arm wielding the flail before his opponent could counterattack. Using his momentum, he spun the skeleton so that its back faced the platform’s edge. Letting go at the precise moment the mace he had let fly crashed into the chest of another enemy wielding a halberd, he kicked out, sending the foe's legs tumbling just as a new wave of searing flame erupted from the halberd-wielder's body.

  As the flail-wielding enemy plummeted into the abyss, Matt glanced at the remaining three on his side and allowed himself a brief smile, relieved that he had dodged any major injuries from the last two armored skeletons her dispatched. However, he found himself once again unarmed in the face of three more foes. Smiling to himself, he recalled the two discarded weapons lying just beyond them. With a swift leap, he vaulted over the pool of lava at the center of the path and moved quickly past his enemies. Another rapid hop later, Matt managed to seize the halberd just in time to raise it and block a crushing downward blow from a Morningstar.

  Pulling free from the engagement, Matt quickly regained his footing and exchanged several rapid, crude blows with his opponent, ultimately sending them plunging into the abyss. Seizing the opening, he lunged forward and wedged himself into the narrow gap between the helm and breastplate of the armored skeleton beyond. This maneuver left him exposed, and as he closed his eyes, flames cascaded over him—stripping away what remained of his tattered clothing. With a quick leap backward and a carefully executed stop, drop, and roll, he managed to smother the lingering embers clinging to his skin.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Even on the ground, he had to dodge the first few vicious attacks from the final armored skeleton, who swung a massive two-handed greatsword with relentless fury. Despite the pain coursing through his blistered skin, a faint smile played on Matt’s lips as he tripped his foe and swung the halberd with all his might, clinching victory over the six adversaries he had faced. Pausing only to glance at his comrades, he noticed Greg nearly out of sight, one arm hanging loosely by his side.

  Realizing the gravity of the situation, Matt raised up the halberd and hurled it like a javelin. The resulting burst of fire, coupled with Greg’s agonized yell, was concerning, but with it only three more armored skeletons still lingered. From what he could discern, Zara had dispatched her opponent but ended up entangled in the ensuing blaze, lying burned and motionless except for the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Eleanor and Rose weren’t faring much better; though they were still on their feet, each was struggling to keep one of the remaining foes at bay. That left Emily, who remained in the best condition, and Yumiko, who had managed to pick up a shield, tasked with holding off the other two adversaries. From Matt’s perspective, this outcome was more favorable than he had dared hope as all his allies were still alive.

  Determined, he forced his battered body into action once more, grasping an oversized mace. What followed was a painfully arduous clean-up effort as Matt swiftly dispatched the remaining armored skeletons, even as his burned flesh protested with every strike. The harsh 83 experience points he earned did little to warm him to the grim reality of the battle. Still, there was a faint victory in that both Rose and Eleanor managed to join the rest at level 3 and rank G, their teeth gritted as they bore the dual torment of searing burns and the sudden boost in their stats. Once the fighting subsided, they collapsed to recover, joining Greg and Zara, who lay unmoving as if utterly drained by the ordeal.

  Matt felt that the situation before him was simply wrong. With each passing second, he regained a small measure of his strength while the others struggled just to breathe. Devoid of healing magic and modern medicine, he doubted any of them would make a full recovery. Amid these grim thoughts, he watched as Greg limped toward him, determination etched on his weary face.

  In silence, Matt observed Greg coming closer until he stopped and spoke in a voice as parched as a dying man’s: “Get Zara on your back, and let’s get out of here. Our only hope is that the end of this place brings some rewards to save our lives.”

  “Are we even sure it will end after this?” Emily asked, despair lacing her voice. “For all we know, there could still be more coming. The fort above has five points, and we’ve cleared only four floors.”

  “Then we all stay huddled and hope that Matt can clear it on his own once he recovers, because the rest of us are done for,” Greg retorted.

  “Speak for yourself,” Eleanor countered. “Once I get a bit more rest, I’ll have more than enough left in the tank for one last fight.”

  “Emphasis on ‘last,’” Greg snapped. “None of us are in good shape. We’d all be dead if it weren’t for Matt. I hate having to ask this after telling you not to, but if anything else comes for us down here, we need you to carry us on your back.”

  Matt managed a small, wry smile, stifling a chuckle as he turned toward Zara. She looked utterly miserable, her face half-melted by pain, yet one of her eyes remained fully intact, fixed on him. Even though moving her felt like a dangerous risk in this dungeon—and he wasn’t sure if she could even speak—Matt began, “If you can’t or are in too much pain to talk, just look away from me.”

  As she turned her single eye away, he added, “If your back is any better, look at me.” Noticing her effort, he sighed and continued, “Alright, I’m going to carry you from this point until we reach the end of this floor. I’m sorry for any pain this is going to cause, but we can’t stay here forever.”

  With gentle determination, Matt carefully lifted Zara into his arms and began to walk forward, cradling her against his chest. The next ten minutes were some of the hardest he’d ever experienced as they moved with slow, painstaking steps. But then, as if revived by a sudden surge of hope, they spotted another crystal ball. It was as though new life had been breathed into them, and they quickened their pace until they reached it. The entire group turned to Matt, their eyes full of desperate expectation. After taking a labored breath, he reached out and touched the crystal ball, prompting a message that was displayed for all to see.

  Congratulations on clearing the first four floors of the Tomb of the Restless Defenders.

  Only one challenge remains, though only one of you may face it.

  Choose wisely, as while all the others will be allowed to leave once things are settled. Only by them succeeding will any of you receive any rewards.

  Warning: difficulty will scale to their level.

  When the decision has been made the one selected should proceed through the open path ahead.

  "Well, it looks like it's all you," Greg stated, settling into his seat. "Though, I'd suggest taking some time to recover before going after whatever overpowered ability will make your regeneration seem insignificant. You're definitely the main character if any of us are, at least if this was a story."