CHAPTER 142: CHAPTER 142

Clayton, thinking he had finally found the right method to deal with the golem, didn’t rush in. Instead, he kept a close eye on the creature, wondering whether his plan would truly work.

But after a while, he found no meaningful clues and decided not to overthink it. The situation had reached a point where hesitation would be pointless. He turned to his familiars and gave the order.

"Pride, Dingo, Gemma, take your attack positions!"

The skeletal familiars immediately moved into formation, surrounding the golem, while Dingo and Gemma fell back, positioning themselves closer to Clayton.

Once everyone was in place, he gave the signal.

"Now!"

One of the skeletons began chanting, conjuring a wave of water that surged forward and slammed into the golem. The massive, rigid creature was pushed off balance and toppled to the ground.

Although it didn’t suffer any critical damage, Clayton wasn’t disappointed—that hadn’t been the goal of the first strike.

Seeing the golem vulnerable, he gave the next command.

Swoosh!

Boom!

Bang!

A barrage of deep blue water spells launched forward, crashing into the golem’s body. Clayton nodded in approval. The skeletons had clearly received a boost from his skill entries—their attacks were even stronger than his own. He hoped this coordinated assault would at least inflict some real damage.

But as the mist cleared and the echo of spells faded, Clayton’s eyes widened in disbelief. The golem’s metallic body—where there should have been dents or cracks—was completely unscathed.

Not wanting to believe it, he rubbed his eyes and looked again—only to confirm what he feared.

"What the hell is this thing made of? That level of durability is insane..." he muttered.

Worse yet, the golem rose casually to its feet, as if nothing had happened. A bitter blend of frustration and humiliation washed over Clayton—frustration at their failure, and humiliation knowing their combined power was equal to seven of him... and still utterly ineffective.

That meant—not even seven Claytons could hurt it.

He exhaled sharply and forced himself to refocus. He couldn’t afford to give up.

"All right—form up for Abyssal Nightmare!"

The skeletons quickly repositioned and began chanting. Water vapor in the air condensed into tiny swirling vortexes that collided with one another, forming a chaotic, corrosive storm.

Gradually, the vortexes grew larger, drifting ominously toward the golem. Clayton watched with renewed hope. This was their ultimate spell: Abyssal Vortex.

The skeletons continued channeling their magic, launching the swirling maelstrom forward. The golem didn’t dodge—it simply took a step closer to Clayton and his team, completely indifferent.

Clayton wasn’t surprised. He knew the creature lacked fear. His only hope now was that the spell would tear it apart.

At last, the vortex collided with the golem. Initially, it seemed to weaken on impact with the tungsten body, but then the storm grew more violent—larger, faster, more destructive—until it engulfed the creature completely.

From a distance, Clayton could see its metallic exterior beginning to erode.

Nuing!

Whir!

A harsh screech echoed across the chamber, the sound of the vortex grinding against metal. It wasn’t just loud—it was mentally jarring. Even the skeletons had to fight to maintain control, their concentration tested to its limit.

Still, they held on.

The assault continued until the skeletons’ mana was completely depleted. One by one, they collapsed into dust, vanishing without a trace.

Clayton felt a mix of relief and regret. At least the familiars could be summoned again—if not, their loss would have been devastating.

As the chaos faded, he finally saw what remained of the golem: a twisted heap of metal. A tired smile crept onto his face. It looked like the trial was over. All he had to do now was wait for teleportation to trigger.

But time passed... and nothing happened.

Clayton’s eyes narrowed.

"Was my guess wrong? Is this trial different from the last two?" he muttered.

"Or... maybe the golem isn’t dead yet?"

He didn’t want to believe it. That last spell should’ve destroyed anything.

Still, he waited. But no change came.

Eventually, he stepped forward, cautiously approaching the heap of metal—the remains of the golem.

"It’s not this thing, right?" he thought.

Then, the pieces began to tremble.

Clayton froze. Panic surged through him as the fragments started vibrating, then slowly slid across the floor, converging toward the center of the room—the spot where the golem had fallen.

Heart pounding, he fired a spell to disrupt the process. Dingo and Gemma followed suit.

But the attacks had no effect.

The metal continued to gather.

Clayton’s dread deepened. Something terrible was coming—he could feel it.

He launched another spell. Still nothing. The fragments fused tighter, faster, reshaping into something new.

Then, from the shifting heap, a new form emerged.

This golem was different—leaner, more humanoid. Its surface was no longer smooth and polished, but rough, carved with angular, menacing patterns.

The bulky, robotic figure was gone—replaced by a sleek, metal-armored warrior.

Clayton stood frozen, stunned. He wanted to speak, but his voice failed him.

"N-no way... How is this possible?" he whispered.

The golem flexed its limbs, testing its new body.

Clayton tensed. Whatever happened next—he had to be ready.

Then the golem vanished.

Swoosh!

The shriek of air splitting echoed across the field.

Clayton’s eyes widened. In the blink of an eye, the golem was right in front of him, launching a brutal, perfectly executed punch.

Clayton reacted on instinct, raising a dome of water to shield himself.

Clang!

Boom!

The impact was deafening. The golem’s fist crashed into the barrier, sending Clayton flying backward.

The water dome, once a vibrant blue, was now cracked—tinted with a faint crimson hue.

Anyone watching would recognize that color immediately.

It wasn’t magic.

It was Clayton’s blood.

Boom!

After hovering for a moment, Clayton suddenly slammed into a nearby metal wall. He then collapsed limply, like a wilted flower. His body was covered in blood—enough to frighten anyone.

Dingo and Gemma stared in horror, frozen in disbelief. Then, panicking, they rushed to his side, frantically licking him and doing everything they could to wake him or ease his pain. But Clayton remained unconscious.

As he lay there in a coma, a loud buzzing sound echoed once more. In the distance, the golem’s figure was speeding toward him.