BAM!

Adam’s hammer came crashing down onto the exposed core with tremendous force.

A sharp cracking sound echoed across the desert.

The glowing core fractured under the impact, spreading spiderweb-like cracks across its surface. But it didn’t shatter completely.

The golem froze for a brief second.

Then it erupted into fury.

Its crimson eyes blazed brighter as it sensed the damage done to its core, the very source of its existence. Ignoring Kael entirely, the massive creature raised its arm and brought a gigantic fist hurtling toward Adam.

"Oh, shit."

Kael immediately moved.

But before he could reach Adam..

Whoosh!

An arrow cut through the air.

The projectile struck the cracked core with perfect precision.

CRACK!

The core finally shattered.

The golem’s fist stopped mere moments before reaching Adam.

Then its entire body froze.

A second later, the towering mass of stone and compacted earth collapsed into a pile of rubble and sand.

The battle was over.

Kael turned around.

Zoey was already lowering her bow.

He immediately gave her a thumbs up.

"Nice shot."

Zoey smiled faintly.

"Thanks. But I didn’t really do much. You two did most of the work."

"Still a good shot."

Kael wasn’t about to pretend otherwise.

The timing and accuracy had been flawless.

Turning toward Adam, he raised an eyebrow.

"You alright?"

Adam spat some sand from his mouth.

"I’m fine."

He paused.

"Except for eating a healthy serving of premium golem debris."

Kael couldn’t help chuckling.

"Seems your level is still a bit low to shatter the core in one strike."

Adam clicked his tongue.

"Thanks for the reminder."

"Next time, wait until either Zoey or I crack the core first. Then go for the finishing blow."

Adam nodded.

"Fair enough."

There wasn’t much loot to collect.

A fully intact golem core could be sold for a decent amount, but once shattered like this it became nearly worthless.

It was one of the reasons hunters weren’t particularly fond of farming golems for profit.

Most considered them experience monsters.

Desert worms were far more valuable.

Their venom could be harvested.

Their teeth were durable enough to be turned into poisoned daggers, arrowheads, and various weapons.

Compared to that, golems were honestly poor.

Still.

Experience was experience.

The trio continued onward.

Zoey once again took point, extending her senses in search of another target.

It didn’t take long.

"I found something."

She led them across several dunes before eventually slowing down.

"There."

Kael followed her gaze.

Then blinked.

"Huh?"

There were two golems.

At first he thought nothing of it.

Then Adam suddenly spoke.

"Wait."

"What are they doing?"

Kael looked again.

The two golems stood unusually close together.

One had its massive stone arms wrapped around the other.

Its rocky head rested against its partner’s shoulder.

The second golem occasionally shifted closer.

The entire scene looked strangely intimate.

Kael stared at the scene with a confused expression, his brain refused to process what he was seeing.

"Are they..."

"I think they’re a couple."

Adam sounded disturbingly confident.

Kael slowly turned.

"You think they’re what?"

"A couple."

"They’re golems."

"So?"

Kael looked at Zoey.

Surely she’d agree with him.

Instead she nodded.

"I think Adam’s right."

"What?"

"They definitely look romantic."

She rested her chin on her hand.

"Aww."

Kael felt a headache coming.

"Aww?"

"Look at them."

Zoey smiled.

"That’s actually kind of cute."

Adam nodded seriously.

"I support their relationship."

Kael stared at both of them.

He suddenly felt very alone.

Zoey looked back toward the golems.

"Maybe we should leave th—"

She never got to finish.

Kael had already disappeared.

"WAIT!"

Adam shouted.

Too late.

The moment Kael got within range, both golems finally noticed him.

Their crimson eyes locked onto the approaching human.

Immediately they separated and assumed combat stances.

Surprisingly fast combat stances.

Unfortunately for them, their opponent was even faster.

Kael arrived before the first golem could fully react.

His fist slammed into its upper leg.

BOOM!

Shockwaves rippled through the stone body.

The entire leg shattered.

The golem stumbled and crashed to one knee.

The second golem roared and swung at him.

Kael spun around.

His fist smashed directly into its chest.

The force sent the creature tumbling backward into the sand.

Kael stood between the two fallen golems.

Then he nodded in satisfaction.

"Much better."

The first golem roared furiously.

Already, surrounding sand was beginning to compress around its damaged leg, attempting to repair the damage.

Kael wasn’t interested in allowing that.

He charged forward.

Punch after punch rained down onto the creature.

Stone exploded apart.

Cracks spread rapidly.

Soon the glowing core became visible.

Zoey’s arrow was already in the air.

CRACK!

The core fractured.

"Adam!"

The Berserker was already moving.

His hammer descended.

BOOM!

The core shattered.

The first golem dissolved into rubble.

A furious roar immediately followed.

The second golem.

It had witnessed everything.

Its partner had just been murdered in front of it.

Kael turned toward it.

The creature’s glowing eyes practically radiated grief and rage.

For a brief moment, there was silence.

Then Kael pointed his sword at it.

"Don’t worry."

The second golem froze.

"I’m not leaving you single."

The crowdless desert somehow became awkward.

Even Adam looked horrified.

"What the hell?"

Unfortunately for the golem, Kael was already charging.

The outcome was inevitable.

Another brutal beating followed.

The core was exposed.

Zoey cracked it.

Adam shattered it.

Moments later, the second golem collapsed into rubble beside its partner.

Silence followed.

Adam slowly turned toward Kael.

"You know... I think the Villain Title suits you more than me."

Kael nearly choked.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"They were monsters."

He pointed toward Adam and Zoey.

"And don’t act like you two didn’t help kill them."

The pair exchanged looks.

Then they both looked at Kael.

There was sympathy in their eyes.

Deep sympathy.

The kind reserved for tragic cases.

Kael frowned.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Neither answered.

Their expressions somehow became even more sympathetic.

Kael coughed awkwardly.

"Stop that."

The two continued staring.

Finally Kael pointed into the distance.

"There’s still experience to farm."

That immediately snapped them out of it.

The sentiment vanished.

This wasn’t a peaceful world.

It was a world where strength determined everything.

The strong survived.

The weak didn’t.

Feeling bad for the two golems was one thing.

Letting emotions affect their decisions was another.

If the situation had been reversed, the golems certainly wouldn’t have spared them.

With that thought, the trio refocused on their mission.

Zoey once again extended her senses across the desert.

Searching for the next target.