Chapter 10:
The forest had quieted, though the scent of blood and burned fur still lingered in the damp air. After the chaos of the Warg ambush and the fading of Adamuz's presence, Leo knew better than to keep moving. He found shelter beneath the gnarled roots of a fallen giant tree, its twisted arch forming a natural barricade against predators and the fog.
Tarra stood watch like a statue of living steel, her new form casting a long shadow in the mushroom-lit clearing.
Leo crouched beside a fire pit made from broken stones, coaxing a flame to life using dry moss and resin he had looted earlier. The flickering warmth brought no comfort. Not yet.
His thoughts turned inward.
He opened his status interface, letting his vision adjust to the semi-transparent screen that hovered before him in blue light. No system chimes. No flashy alerts. Just raw information.
---
**\[Leo Makjin]**
**\[Race: Human]**
**\[Class: Golem-Mancer]**
**\[Title: Golem Maker]**
**\[Level: 7]**
**\[HP: 180/180]**
**\[MP: 120/120]**
**\[Strength: 16]**
**\[Agility: 11]**
**\[Intelligence: 25]**
**\[Vitality: 18]**
**\[Luck: ?]**
**\[Skills:]**
• Survival Instinct
• Golem Crafting (MAX)
• Golem's Dimensional Pocket (Lv.1)
• Summon Golem (Lv.1)
• Golem Enhancement (Lv.1)
• Golem Repair (Lv.1)
• Artifact Making (Lv.1)
• Enchantment (Lv.1)
• Repairing Artifacts (Lv.1)
Unallocated Status Points :15
Unallocated Skill Points :1
**\[Subsystems:]**
• Golem Architect Subsystem (Partially Unlocked)
---
Leo leaned back, watching embers swirl skyward. The knowledge of the upgraded summon filled his mind like an imprint: the form, the materials, the earth itself bending to command. Not just a tool. A sentinel.
He sat cross-legged, exhaling deeply. He had unspent status points. After the encounter, it was time to grow stronger.
He carefully allocated the points: 3 to Intelligence to bolster his magical capacity, 2 to Vitality for endurance, 5 to Agility for speed, and 5 to Strength for future combat adaptability.
---
**\[Updated Attributes]**
• Strength: 26
• Agility: 16
• Intelligence: 27
• Vitality: 21
• Luck: ?
---
His final task was the skill point. The choice was clear.
> \[Skill Updated: Summon Golem (Lv.2)]
Leo stood.
"Tarra, perimeter's yours," he said.
Without waiting for a reply, he stepped out into the moss-lined clearing and raised his hand.
"Let's see what you are."
He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing his intent and channeling a small amount of mana into the newly enhanced Summon Golem skill. He pictured a basic, functional construct.
A shimmering circle of light appeared on the forest floor near him. The light intensified.
When the light faded, standing before him was a creature made of Shale, Granite and Quartz.
The figure was massive, easily ten feet tall. It was humanoid in shape, but composed of dense, dark earth. Veins of glowing, molten rock pulsed underneath its stony skin. Craggy shoulders towered over Leo, and its hands were like boulders, capable of crushing anything in their grip.
But the most striking feature was its face. Where a golem would usually have rudimentary features, this one possessed a grim, almost sorrowful expression. Deep fissures ran across its brow, giving it the appearance of ancient wisdom. Its eyes glowed with an inner light, not mindless obedience, but something… more.
Displayed above its head in shimmering blue text were the words:
> \[Earthbound Warrior – Level 10]
> \[HP: 500/500]
> \[Strength: 35]
> \[Defense: 40]
> \[Agility: 5]
> \[Mana: 0 (Inorganic Construct)]
> \[Intelligence: 2 (Basic Command Recognition)]
**\[Skills:]**
• Stone Fist – Delivers a powerful blow with its earth-encrusted hand. (Damage: Strength + 10)
• Earth Shield – Creates a temporary shield of earth to deflect incoming attacks. (Defense +20 for 3 turns. Cooldown: 5 turns)
• Earth Stomp – Slams its foot into the ground, creating a localized tremor. (Area-of-Effect, Stun Chance: 10%)
**\[Special Traits:]**
• Earthbound – Strength and Defense increase by 10% when in contact with the earth.
• Inorganic – Immune to poison, disease, and mind-altering effects.
• Slow – Reduced agility due to its heavy composition.
Leo's heart hammered. This wasn't just powerful. It was impossible.
He shouldn't have been able to summon something like this with just a level 2 skill. Yet here it stood. Ten feet of rock and raw elemental fury.
"Rise," Leo managed to say.
The golem obeyed instantly, the earth rumbling beneath its feet.
Tarra's sensors scanned it silently. "Analysis complete. Subject designation: Earthbound Warrior. Level: 10. Composition: Shale, Granite, Quartz. Anomaly detected: Summon exceeds theoretical limit. Suggest further testing."
Leo chuckled weakly. "Further testing, yeah. That's one way to put it."
He pointed toward a massive, moss-covered log. "Stone Fist."
The Earthbound Warrior turned. With a surge of power, it slammed its glowing fist down. The log exploded.
Tarra spoke flatly. "Target eliminated. Output: Exceptional."
Leo stared, breathless. The stones had stirred. And with them, so had something ancient in himself.