Chương 50: The Rearguard Box

Recap: Lava is rising on the bridge. A Forge Guardian blocks the exit. You voted to HOLD POSITION (DEFEND) and let the party cross first. Being the rearguard is a noble profession. It's also a great way to die alone while your friends watch helplessly from afar.

"Go," I creaked. I nudged Torin's leg with my base.

"I… cover." Torin hesitated. He looked at the lava lapping at the iron grating. He looked at me.

"If you get stuck…"

"I'm… heavy," I creaked.

"I… sink… slow." It was a lie. I sank like a stone. But he didn't know that. He nodded, grimly.

"Kara. Renn. Move. Now." They ran. Iron boots clanged on the grating. Kara's staff sparked. Renn's arrows flew behind him, picking off the brave beetles that tried to follow. I stayed put. I faced the rear. The swarm was returning. The heat was rising. My Frost Ward flickered. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Status Effect: Frost Ward Time Remaining: 15 Minutes Environmental Damage: 1 HP per 30 Seconds (Mitigated) I had time. Maybe. I slid backward. Keeping pace with the rising lava. The beetles clicked. They sensed weakness.

They sensed wood. Come on, I thought. Come get some. I opened my lid. Just a crack. Teeth visible. They hesitated. But the heat behind them pushed them forward. One jumped. I bit. Crunch. Spicy. Another jumped. I Slam-shoved it into the lava. Splash. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Stamina Cost: 2 SP (Defensive Actions) Current SP: 12/26 HP Regeneration: +5 (Beetle Meal) Current HP: 21/21 (Full) Okay. Full health. That was good. Because the bridge… it was gone. The supports melted. The grating sagged.

The party was on the stone platform. I was… on the last ten feet of floating iron. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

"Jump!" Renn screamed. I'm a box, I thought. I don't jump. I slide. I accelerated. Maximum sprint. My muscles screamed. The iron beneath me glowed red. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Stamina Cost: 5 SP (Sprint) Current SP: 7/26 Damage Taken: 2 HP (Heat Exposure) Current HP: 19/21 I hit the stone platform just as the bridge dissolved into slag. The lava surged over the spot where I had been standing.

"Made it," Torin breathed. He grabbed my handle and pulled me fully onto the stone. CLANG. A shadow fell over us. A massive shadow. The Forge Guardian woke up. It wasn't sleeping. It was waiting. Its eyes glowed molten orange. It raised the hammer. Ten feet of black iron and fury.

"INTRUDER… DETECTED…" Its voice sounded like grinding gears. It didn't target the party. It targeted me. Why me? I thought. Is it the Core Fragment? Is it because I'm shiny? It swung.

"Shield!" Torin yelled. He stepped in front of me. No, I thought. You're flesh. I'm iron. I slid in front of Torin. I braced. I locked my base. I engaged every ounce of Defense I had. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Attack Detected: Guardian Hammer (Level 6) Base Damage: 20 HP Defense Applied: -15 DR Resistance (Ironband): -2 DR Net Damage: 3 HP Current HP: 16/21 Status Effect: Stunned (1 Turn) WHAM. The world shook. My vision static-ed out. I didn't break. I didn't splinter. But I was driven into the stone floor.

A crater formed beneath me.

"Box!" Kara yelled. She fired a ice bolt. It shattered on the Guardian's skin.

"Physical attacks… barely work," Torin said. He struck the Guardian's leg. His sword bounced off. The Guardian raised the hammer again. It was slow. Telegraphed. But powerful. I was Stunned. I couldn't move for 6 seconds. The party was safe… for now. But if I took another hit like that… Defense wouldn't save me forever. I needed a plan. And I needed it now. The Guardian was a construct. Dungeon-made. Like the skeletons. Like the door. Core Authority… It worked on undead. Would it work on a golem? It was Level 6.

I was Level 4. The gap was significant. But I had the Sub-Core Fragment. I was… management. The hammer began to descend. Current Stats (Level 4 - Ironband Mimic): HP: 16/21 (Stunned) Mana: 3/16 (Low) Stamina: 7/26 (Low) Inventory: 2 Pebbles, Metal Items (Fused). Mage Staff (Loot). Status: Stunned (1 Turn), Frost Ward (15 Mins), Guardian Aggro. What do you do? A) USE CORE AUTHORITY (COMMAND) Attempt to dominate the Construct mentally. Use the Sub-Core fragment's weight. (Cost: 3 MP. Gain: Potential Ally. Risk: Failure = Massive Aggro.) B) TAUNT THE GUARDIAN (DISTRACT) Use Taunt to keep focus on you. Let Kara/Torin find a weak point. (Cost: 3 MP. Gain: Party Safety. Risk: You take next hit.) C) REGURGITATE METAL (FUEL) Spit out a fused metal item. Offer it as "fuel." Construct logic might accept repair materials. (Cost: 1 SP. Lose Metal Item. Gain: Delay/Confusion. Risk: Lose Evolution Progress.) D) DODGE (WAIT FOR STUN) Wait for Stun to end. Slide out of the way. Let Torin tank the next hit. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: Safety. Risk: Party Takes Damage.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins. [Author Note] Thanks for voting on Chapter 49! Option D (Rearguard) was heroic! You saved the party but took a hit from the Forge Guardian! You are currently Stunned!