Starting out as a Dragon Slave-Chapter 22 - : The boss strikes back

The boss's roar echoed through the cavern, a sound so powerful it shook the stone walls. Shards of rock detached themselves from the ceiling, crashing heavily to the ground. The air itself vibrated under the sound wave, as if the entire cave was answering the monster's call.

The black stone colossus' glowing eyes lit up with a new intensity, and with him, the four other golems still standing began to move. This time, there was no hesitation in their heavy steps. They were no longer content to defend.

They were attacking.

- They've changed strategy!" exclaimed Erik, raising his shield.

- Stand back!" shouted Isaac, anticipating the carnage that was about to follow.

The golems rushed at them with surprising speed for their massive size. The ground shook beneath their feet, and their huge arms, as wide as tree trunks, swept through the air with destructive force.

Isaac barely had time to leap back before an enormous fist of stone crashed down where he had been standing a fraction of a second earlier. The ground exploded under the impact, throwing sharp fragments in all directions.

Jonah was not so quick. A sideways blow hit him in the torso, sending him tumbling for several meters before he crashed into a wall. He let out a cry of pain as he felt the air leave his lungs, but he was still alive.

- Hold your positions! yelled Isaac.

But just then, the boss made his first real move.

In a slow, calculated gesture, he raised his two massive arms above his head. His torso opened slightly, revealing a dark red glow pulsing through his heart. The rock vibrated around him.

- This isn't good..." Malia murmured as she stepped back, sweat beading on her forehead.

Then, with a deafening crash, the boss slammed both his fists into the ground.

A shockwave rippled through the room. The ground beneath their feet cracked violently and, with a telluric roar, huge spikes of black stone erupted from the floor.

Isaac rolled to the side just in time to avoid a spike that could have impaled him. He leapt to his feet, fists clenched, his gaze fixed on the boss.

The latter had just shown that he wasn't content to just send his subordinates packing.

He was going to crush them himself.

- We can't afford to be cornered like this!" Isaac shouted, tightening his grip on his katana.

His skin immediately hardened under the effect of [Black Stone Body], and he felt a new raw power flowing through his muscles.

If the golems had become faster and more resistant... then he had to strike harder.

And above all, they had to find a loophole.

- We're going to have to change our plan! he announced to his companions. Malia, your fire is our only chance against them, but first we've got to find a way to slow these monsters down!

Erik, still in a defensive posture, glanced in the direction of the boss.

- What about him? How do you plan to deal with him?

Isaac smiled fiercely.

- We'll force him to show us his weak spot.

The golems and their master wouldn't let them get away with it.

The four black golems set off, their blood-red eyes gleaming menacingly. This time, there was no respite. They attacked together, synchronized with the boss.

The enormous central colossus, more massive than the others, raised its stone arms and smashed them violently against the ground. A new shockwave shook the cavern, causing new peaks of black rock to erupt in a deadly circle around him.

Isaac leapt to his feet, rolling under one of the golems before the spikes pierced him. He felt the heat of an explosion behind him. Malia had sent a fireball at one of the golems, but this time the creature had blocked it with one arm, letting it burn away on its shell without flinching.

- Shit!" she swore.

- They're adapting!" Erik shouted, fending off a huge stone fist with his shield. The impact knocked him back several meters, his feet dragging on the cracked rock.

Jonah, limping after his previous shock, tried a feint on one of the golems, slicing its knee with a swift blow. The blade ricocheted off the stone without even scratching the creature.

- Their defense is too high!" he exclaimed, gritting his teeth.

Isaac clenched his katana. They were all going to die at this rate.

But he had no time for doubts.

The boss, now fully engaged in the fight, raised a gigantic fist... and brought it down on them like a divine hammer.

Isaac pushed Jonah with all his might.

- Get out of the way!

The next instant, the ground exploded under the impact. Chunks of rock flew apart, ripping through the air like lead bullets. Isaac was thrown backwards, colliding with a wall. A trickle of blood trickled from his lip.

The boss didn't even wait for him to get up. His torso opened slightly, revealing the red glow at its center.

Then, a projectile formed.

A huge ball of black rock slowly detached itself from his body, compact and menacing. It began to whirl around, gaining velocity and compressing the stone with an ominous cracking sound.

- It stinks... Isaac gasped, his gaze fixed on the attack.

The golem boss lowered his arm.

And the ball of rock shot towards them.

- COVER!" shouted Erik.

But it was too late.

The attack exploded right in the middle of the group, throwing everyone in all directions. Isaac felt a searing pain shoot through his side as a sharp splinter cut deep into his skin.

The dust settled slowly.

Isaac took a deep breath and seized the opportunity to dive back into the fray.

The four black golems loomed up, their massive silhouettes blocking all escape routes.

Isaac didn't think twice.

He hurled himself straight at one of the golems before the boss could regain his wits, his katana still in hand, but he knew that slicing into these monsters was useless.

He was going to use his brute force.

The golem raised a massive arm, ready to crush him with a relentless blow.

Isaac accelerated.

He bent down, propelling himself with all his might, and passed just beneath the menacing shadow of the stone fist, narrowly avoiding the impact that cracked the ground with a thud.

In one fluid movement, he leapt up and latched onto the monster's shoulders, his reinforced fingers digging slightly into the black rock.

The golem struggled, but Isaac didn't let go.

- IT'S NOW!" he roared.

His arms grabbed the monster's lower jaw, and he placed his feet against its massive torso.

And he pulled.

With all his might.

With all his might.

His muscles contracted under the titanic effort, his veins bulged, his shoulders cried out in pain, but he refused to give up.

The golem reared up violently, trying to shake him off, but Isaac held on, fingers clenched on the rough stone.

- Fucking open up, you son of a bitch! he growled, teeth clenched.

A crack.

Minute.

Almost imperceptible.

But it was there.

The gap widened.

Isaac pushed even harder, his breathing becoming jerky, his body screaming under the pressure.

A second crack.

The golem's mouth was now ajar, but it had to be opened further for the plan to work.

- MALIA!" he shouted, sweat pouring down his forehead.

Malia, her gaze fixed on him, reached forward with her hand.

A bright flame appeared in the hollow of her palm, swirling with a fiery glow.

But there was a problem.

- NOT THAT BIG!" she exclaimed, her other hand forming a second circle of fire.

Isaac cursed the monster's resistance.

His arms trembled under the effort, his muscles burned, his grip weakened.

In desperation, the golem struck the air with its colossal arms, trying to reach the enemy clinging to its skull.

- Goddammit, will you open it?! shouted Isaac, drawing on every ounce of his strength.

He activated [Black Stone Body] at full power.

His muscles contracted further, his strength suddenly increased.

And, with a roar of rage...

He fired one last time.

A shrill crack echoed through the air.

At last, the golem's jaw opened wide, exposing the interior of its gaping maw like an empty furnace.

- NOW, MALIA!

Without waiting, Malia propelled an enormous fireball, much larger than the previous ones.

The fiery projectile burst through the opening, briefly illuminating the monster's interior.

Isaac let go at the last moment, rolling to the ground just before the explosion.

BOOM!

The detonation was even louder than the previous one.

Isaac instinctively shielded himself with his reinforced arms, shards of black stone flying in all directions.

A guttural howl escaped from the golem.

Glowing cracks appeared all over its body.

Then, with a sinister roar...

He collapsed.

Isaac looked up at Malia, panting.

She was out of breath, her hands still trembling from having released so much mana.

But they'd done it.

- One less... she breathed.

- Well done Isaac !!!!

Isaac glanced around.

There were still three black golems.

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A metallic "Ding!" and a familiar vibration in his mind.

A translucent window appeared in front of him, casting its bluish glow over his sweat- and dust-covered face.

[You have contributed greatly to the defeat of a Black Stone Golem!]

[Absorption available]

[Choose your reward: Physical stats or Physical skill?]

Isaac stared at the screen, his mind still numb from the effort.

Until now, he had always favored physical skills, seeking to accumulate strategic advantages to survive the battles ahead.

But now...

His body was screaming.

Every muscle was on fire, every movement demanded an insane effort.

The very act of straightening up made him feel as if he were lifting monstrous weights.

He gritted his teeth.

- Absorb the physical statistics.

The sensation was immediate.

An icy shiver ran down his spine, then intense heat radiated from his bones, diffusing into every fiber of his body.

His muscles contracted abruptly, growing stronger and denser.

His lungs expanded, his breath steadied, fatigue receded slightly.

Then came the final notification:

[Absorption in progress...]

[Your strength increases by +15!]

[Your endurance increases by +10!]

Isaac clenched his fist.

His muscles were responding better.

His legs no longer trembled as much.

His breath, though still rapid, was no longer so erratic.

The boss roared again, this time completely enraged by the loss of another of his subordinates.