BOOM!!
A thunderous impact shook the forest. Ao's body was crushed beneath the golem's stone palm—
then the massive hand slowly lifted, as if admiring its own work.
But there was nothing beneath it.
No body.
No blood.
Just scattered debris.
"Where… did he go…?" The boy tilted his head.
Silence spread through the woods as his eyes darted around—
Until a shout burst from above.
"Up here, dumbass!!"
The boy's eyes flew wide.
He twisted around—
Ao was clinging onto the golem's back.
"Since… when…"
The boy's expression darkened. His grip tightened around his wand.
"Get off… my golem! Earth Spikes!!"
Spikes erupted from the golem's back, but Ao had already released his grip, flipping off just before the stone pierced through him.
"I just wanted to test something. And turns out—it works pretty damn well."
Ao raised the hand he used to cling onto the golem.
"The whole 'release' thing… Looks like all I need is the mindset of fighting.
Actually—I don't even need to think. It just… happens."
The air around Ao quivered. A heavy, turbulent aura swirled around him. His body felt weightless— charged— alive.
So that's it… Release really does toughen the body up. I couldn't grip the golem at all earlier, but once I switched it on I could crush the stone enough to climb it…
But then—
The weight returned.
"—gh! Damn, this is heavy! Keeping that state up is impossible… it eats all my focus…"
He clenched his teeth as fatigue dragged his body down again.
"But whatever. Let's finish this, you creepy bastard."
Even with numb arms and trembling legs, he grinned sharply.
The boy pointed his finger.
"Attack."
The golem's joints groaned like grinding boulders.
WHOOOSH— BOOM!!
A giant fist slammed down.
Ao rolled aside, dust exploding all around him.
Even so… that golem's still a problem.
My fists won't break it, and I know nothing about golem magic.
Best option… is the controller himself.
He dodged another crushing blow
—another—
—and another—
until he found an opening and sprinted toward the golem's core.
Release!!
That instant, his aura roared.
THUD!!
His fist cracked the golem's chest—
—but the stone regenerated immediately.
Figures. I can't destroy this thing… not while he's maintaining it.
Ao's gaze flicked to the pale boy hiding behind his creation.
The moment Ao's feet hit the ground, he lunged for him.
"Stone Wall!!"
A thick wall erupted between them, blocking Ao's punch. Spikes followed immediately, forcing him backward— straight toward the golem.
"Attack!!"
CRASH!!
Ao leapt over the swinging arm just in time.
Shit. I'm at a massive disadvantage. His defenses are perfect. The golem repairs instantly. The controller hides behind it. Even if I get in, he throws up walls…
He grit his teeth as the forest shattered around him.
Wait…
Why didn't I notice this earlier—
A realization struck him so hard he froze mid-movement.
Then— Ao smacked his forehead.
I'm such an idiot.
The golem attacked again— Ao dodged by a hair and sprinted up its arm, climbing straight toward its torso.
He raised his fist high—
THUD THUD THUD THUD!!
He hammered the stone shell relentlessly, chipping away chunks of rock— but the golem regenerated every time.
"You stupid… idiot… Don't you ever… lean anything?
Earth Spikes."
A pillar of spikes shot from the golem's surface.
"Shit!!"
Ao sprang back, retreating deeper into the forest. The golem bulldozed after him, each step shaking the ground like a siege engine.
Dirt erupted. Branches exploded. The forest itself was being torn apart.
Ao halted suddenly— letting the shadow of the golem loom over him—
BOOM!!
He dove under its legs, slipping through the giant stance, and burst out the other side.
Then he unleashed a barrage of punches at its thigh.
Stone cracked. Stone regenerated. Stone cracked again.
For a moment— the golem staggered.
Ao smirked.
But then—
FWOOOSH—
A massive blur swept sideways.
THUD!!
"Ghh—!!"
Ao was launched across the forest, ricocheting through trees before slamming into something solid.
He hit the ground in a mess of dirt and splinters.
Damn… if I wasn't releasing at that moment, I'd be in pieces.
He forced himself up, woozy—
—and frowned.
Why… does that tree look weird…?
When he turned to look properly— his eyes widened.
It wasn't a tree.
It wasn't rooted. It had a lid. The surface was wood—but too clean.
"A treasure chest!?"
It had been smashed open from the impact, but its shape was unmistakable.
Heavy footsteps thundered toward him.
Ao scrambled, yanking the broken lid aside—
Light glinted in his eyes.
Inside—
a longsword.