CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30 : THE BATTLE AGAINST THE MAUSOLEUM GUARDIAN ( 1 )

The movement was so fast that Deon couldn’t even follow it with his eyes. It was as if the skeletal commander had merged with the darkness that ruled over the labyrinth’s corridors. If Deon hadn’t moved slightly thanks to his Sixth Sense, he would have been sliced clean in two.

"Damn, I could’ve died just now," Deon muttered with a shiver.

Touching his abdomen, where blood had begun to drip down, Deon was relieved to find that the wound wasn’t deep and that he was still able to fight. A moment ago, he had been hesitant, but now, he was determined to finish this battle once and for all.

"Pro... te... ct..."

This time, Deon didn’t hesitate for a second before launching an assault on the Mausoleum Guardian.

Clang!

The skeletal blade met the steel sword, and against all expectations, Deon was violently repelled and sent crashing against one of the labyrinth’s walls. The impact was so brutal that a cracking sound could be heard. After his abdomen, now it was his skull — slightly split open, letting blood drip silently. Deon’s vision blurred; his sight was hazy.

Right after their first clash, doubt flooded his mind. In terms of both strength and speed, the Mausoleum Guardian completely outclassed him.

"So this is what the power of a rank D monster looks like," he murmured, spitting blood as he tried to stand back up.

But before he could even catch his breath and reposition himself, the Guardian was already in front of him. Another series of strikes began — relentless blows rained down, pushing Deon back step by step. While he was completely dominated in the exchange, Deon couldn’t stop thinking, desperately searching for a way to turn the situation around.

However, despite all his efforts, he found nothing concrete. Soon, the pace of the battle was entirely under the Guardian’s control. The only thing Deon could do was rely on his skills. Strangely enough, that alone was what kept him alive; otherwise, he would already be dead.

With his Sense Enhancement skill activated, Deon could perceive the trajectories of the commander’s sword swings. And by using that skill in combination with his Sixth Sense, the results were even more astounding.

Deon was completely immersed in the fight — so focused it seemed like he was in a trance. But even though he could see the Guardian’s sword trajectories, he couldn’t block them all. The difference in speed was too great.

To survive, Deon focused only on the strikes that threatened his life directly. He blocked those that could instantly kill him, allowing less dangerous blows to land on other parts of his body. It was the only way he could stay alive for a few more minutes. But Deon knew he was only delaying the inevitable. Then, in his despair, an idea crossed his mind.

"Can I deceive him? Let’s try."

Even though the Mausoleum Guardian was emotionless, it possessed intelligence and reason. If Deon played his part well, he might trick it into lowering its guard long enough to finish it off with one fatal strike. The plan was incredibly risky, but at this point, Deon had no choice but to gamble everything if he wanted to survive.

He stopped blocking attacks altogether and focused solely on dodging. With the number of injuries he had accumulated and the blood dripping from every wound, anyone watching would think he was about to collapse but stubbornly clinging to life. And indeed, that was partly true... except that Deon hadn’t used all his strength yet. He was waiting for the perfect moment to unleash everything.

After a long exchange of avoiding lethal attacks while taking the non-fatal ones, Deon was finally ready — ready for the next step of his plan.

As he parried a strike aimed at his neck, the Guardian suddenly changed the sword’s trajectory, aiming to impale him in the liver. Deon, who had already anticipated that move, didn’t completely block it. On the contrary — he deliberately took the hit, twisting slightly so that the sword missed his liver by a hair’s breadth.

Just after driving the blade deep into his side, the skeletal commander delivered a brutal kick to Deon’s chest, sending him flying backward.

...

Deon was now in terrible shape. With his black eyes hollow and lifeless, he looked like someone who had already fallen into despair, abandoning any hope of survival. On the other side, the Mausoleum Guardian, with its crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark, walked slowly toward its kneeling opponent.

Ding!

[ Your skill Sense Enhancement has reached its peak (100%) ]

[ Intelligence +100 ]

As the guardian approached, Deon — who was focusing on his final move — was momentarily distracted by the system notifications.

When he glanced at them, something inside him trembled. His skill had finally reached its peak, and he could feel a difference. Before, activating Sense Enhancement merely boosted his five senses. But now, he could not only enhance them — he could merge them into a second state: Ultimate Synesthesia.

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N/A:

Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which the senses involuntarily blend together.

People with synesthesia, called synesthetes, can perceive sensory stimuli in unique ways, such as:

Seeing colors when hearing sounds

Tasting flavors when reading words

Feeling textures when touching numbers

Example:

A synesthete might see the number 7 as red and the number 3 as blue. When hearing the musical note "C," they might see the color green.

Synesthesia is a fascinating phenomenon that reveals the complexity and diversity of the human brain. It can be a source of creative inspiration and a new perspective on sensory perception.

---

A moment ago, Deon had been uncertain, not knowing if his final move would work. But now, with this sudden improvement, he felt slightly more confident.

Even though his brain was working at such an intense pace that it felt like his neurons were burning, Deon remained calm.

Kneeling on the ground, he watched the Mausoleum Guardian approach with an unreadable expression. Now, he perceived his surroundings in an entirely different way.

Once in front of him, like an executioner, the skeletal commander raised its bone sword to strike him down. But just before the blade could reach him, it sensed danger.

However, it was already too late. A split second before the sword touched Deon, he moved.