Dungeon of Pride, Laplace



Simon smacked his face and gave a bellowing laughter. Why wouldn't laugh? It appeared that the trial was designed in a way for the challengers to find the right door sooner or later.

Regardless of the fact that they were able to solve the puzzle or not, Malgrum the Vile would surely find them and at that time, the door he was dragging would also appear in front of them.

It was just that at that time, the challenger would have no means of resistance, their only fate would be to die. Had Simon also failed to solve the puzzle, his fate would have been the same.

However, he solved the murals and followed the Mythos to reach the hall that had the answer to defeat the creature in front of him.

It was a strange sentiment, to find excitement in the face of danger and the unknown. But for Simon, this challenge had ignited a fire within him, a burning curiosity to conquer the obstacles that lay before him.

His heart pounded in his chest as he faced the monstrous entity before him. The anticipation, the thrill, and the realization that he was about to engage in a battle that could very well determine his fate — all of it surged through him like a torrent. 

And then, in that split moment, as Malgrum's eyes locked onto Simon's, the world seemed to hold its breath. The air was charged with energy, signalling the start of the battle.

GWRAOOOARR… A thunderous roar erupted from the creature as it extended its numerous hands to squash Simon beneath its weight. Though before those massive appendages could find their mark, the statue of Gaelen Sunguard, brought to life by the trial's magic, stepped in to shield Simon from the impending assault.

The statue's immense shield absorbed the blows, each impact sending shockwaves through the chamber. Simultaneously, the statue of Viridian Sunblade hummed to life, its hand extending toward Simon.

Almost at the same time, the sword he held in his hand trembled, resonating with the sword that the statue wielded. It was a connection that only one who held the Sword of Dawn could understand.

The sword's vibrations urged Simon forward, and in that moment, instinct guided his actions. With a leap, Simon vaulted onto the palm of the Viridian statue and perched himself upon its shoulder, matching the eye level with his enemy.

Now that he was fighting alongside Viridian Sunblade, he no longer felt like an ant compared to the massive size of Malgrum the Vile.

GWRAOOOARR…

The chamber shook as the creature gave an enraged roar at its former adversaries.

BANG… BANG… BANG… its attacks became more frantic and numerous, pushing Gaelen's statue until it almost hit the wall. Although Gaelen was able to hold his own, he alone won't be able to handle the creature, Simon or more precisely Veridian also needed to join the battle.

"Let's do this" With a battle cry, the two of them rushed towards Malgrum and joined the battle.

Should he say as expected of Veridian? Even though it was just the statue of the mighty warrior from the ancient times it still held some of Viridian's powers. His movements were precise, swift and powerful.

As the sword danced in his hand, Simon felt like anything was possible at this moment. And so within the massive hall of the Fifth Trial, a cataclysmic battle unfolded. The colossal statues of Gaelen and Veridian clashed with the monstrous Malgrum, each blow resonating like a thunderclap.

Simon's focus was unyielding as he guided the movements of the Viridian statue. He felt a rush of exhilaration coursing through his veins, the clash of metal against flesh merging into a symphony of battle that consumed his senses.

BANG… BANG… as the barrage of attacks came from Malgrum each blow powerful enough to easily squash a level 500 being, the Gaelen statue held its ground. Its shield became a barrier between Simon and the monstrous entity.

Every strike reverberated through the air, yet the statue remained resolute, a guardian of ancient valour. However, Malgrum possessed numerous limbs, it wasn't possible to stop all of them.

That was where he and Viridian came in. The statue of the mighty sword bearer, it was a vessel of offence. It moved with an uncanny grace, its steps nimble and agile.

As if responding to Simon's thoughts, it evaded Malgrum's sweeping strikes with an otherworldly fluidity and counteracted by mirroring all of his movements down to the very last detail.

Looking at them, it wouldn't look like the statue was being controlled by Simon, instead, it was as if they were two halves of a single whole. The statue seamlessly followed his movements as if it possessed a sentience of its own, responding to the rhythm of battle with a precision that defied explanation.

Thanks to that, Simon was able to release numerous sword slashes to cut down the many limbs of the creature and put pressure on it.

It needs to be mentioned that the opponent, Malgrum the Vile possessed a tough hide that was comparable to the scales of an Adult Dragon or the Finger of Ozymandias. This gave the creature an extremely high defence and made it exceedingly difficult to damage it.

The only reason why Simon was able to hurt Malgrum was because Viridian was the one performing the sword slash. If it was just him, forget about being able to defeat it, even if Simon used up all the cards in his arsenal he doubted that he would be able to injure it much.

As the battle intensified, Simon commanded Viridian to unleash a [Wide Horizontal Slash] followed by a [Cross Strike].

The statue's movements mimicked his own, and together they unleashed a rapid barrage of sword slashes that cleaved through Malgrum's limbs.  However, how could it be so easy to defeat a creature from the ancient times that once had thrown the entire realm into chaos?

The creature's resilience defied their efforts, and it retaliated with an onslaught of its own. With a speed that belied its massive form, Malgrum regenerated its lost appendages and lashed out with newfound ferocity.

The hall shook as their attacks collided, a symphony of destruction that resonated throughout the chamber.

The clash continued, the hall bore the scars of their conflict, its once-grand architecture now reduced to rubble and ruin. Debris scattered like stars across the firmament, and crisscrossing cracks ran everywhere, a testament to the raw power of the ongoing battle.

Amidst the chaos, an error in judgement cost Simon dearly. A powerful blow from Malgrum struck the Veridian statue, but Simon felt the impact as if it were his own body. The force of the strike sent him and the statue hurtling across the hall as they crashed into the walls with a powerful momentum.

The taste of iron filled Simon's mouth as blood spilled from his lips.  Although it was the statue that received the blow, Simon felt as if he was the one who bore the brunt of the damage.

He puked out a few mouthful of blood and commanded the Veridian statue to stand back up. When he looked back at his status, he saw that his HP had plummeted. A single attack from Malgrum had shaved half of his HP.

Wouldn't he die if suffered another blow like that?

The trials up until now weren't this extreme, they allowed him to make some mistakes. However, starting from the fifth trial, Simon realised that even making a small mistake from this point on would cost him dearly.

The forbidden grounds wouldn't be as forgiving as before. He wouldn't be as lucky as to survive the next time he made a mistake like that.

Although he was prepared and knew that his life was at stake here, the blow this time really drove this point home.

Simon hurriedly willed the statue to stand up and join the battle. However, at this moment, the movements of the creature became a little erratic.

Malgrum's limbs shifted, giving way for his hideous visage to surface. A light shined from its open maw and the next thing he knew, a torrent of energy surged forth and a blast of devastation that erupted like a tempest.

The destructive force engulfed the space before him, obliterating everything in its path. The hall shuddered, stone and debris reduced to nought but dust.

As the smoke and chaos filled the hall, Simon's heart suddenly seized. Amidst the clouds of dust, he could see that light shine once again, but this time it was… aimed towards him.

All sounds suddenly disappeared as the next blast was fired towards the statue he stood upon. At this moment, his instincts screamed that death was imminent.

But at that moment, Gaelen leaped forward, its immense form interposing between Simon and the onslaught.

The Shield of Oath hummed, brilliant rays of light manifested out of it and created a barrier, a radiant defence that absorbed the brunt of the Blast from Malgrum.

These Legendary artefacts, even if they were just replicas, they still possessed a part of the power of the original.  As he looked at the barrier erected by the other statue, Simon was reminded of the notification that he had received at the start of the battle.

[The final part of the Fifth Trial will start now. The replica Blade of Dawn is activated. You are now able to use three skills of the legendary sword. Ut Videaris Victores].

If he was not wrong, that should be one of the skills of the legendary shield.