Reincarnated as a Duck

Murai gnawed but failed to find his footing, so he stumbled down Lookish's head instantly. At least he did stop whatever was brewing in that bald head, which was a small, acceptable prize.

Glaring at the cheeky Child, Lookish cracked a smile and swung his hand upwards. He took a Gem out of his sack and started playing with it right before Murai, who didn't move as he landed and glared at this fool.

"Now, now, this is a peculiar Child. Old too. Weird too. What am I even saying?! I am old and weird, you see, but this is even older and weirder. Anatidaes are kind of a...well, they are abnormal. Not common, I must say, and they are freaks of their respective nature and magics. This one even goes and went against its most primal and primordial Callings. One is obvious. I felt that voice, so it shouldn't be everything I'm missing. Hmm. I feel like I am barely proceeding onto the surface of this situation, and that makes me mad."

[You don't listen...] Mindarch complained. [You shouldn't dwell on this matter! You are an outsider! You don't exist.]

Murai spat to the ground and glared. "Not exist?" That obnoxious Gem before him didn't possess him either, yet no one paid his quacks any attention.

"Weird light gives birth into flesh, Child. Bloodline speaks thousands of words with just a breath or barely that, but where does it go in you? At what?! Wait. That is also weirder, but... what is weirder? Duck walking into a..."

Lisa flashed ahead, appearing before Murai and flickering her fingers at Lookish's head and eyes. "Hear us, Lookish. Me specifically. We're in a hurry, and neither of us is interested in anything here. You included. Let's not pretend we are different or up to par with one another or this place."

"Hm, but I am very much interested in workings of all kinds, Soul Wraith, and this is my home, and your Challenger makes me worse. It challenges me, you see." Lookish said, still playing with a round Gem in his palm and offering it to Murai like candy.

Murai grunted and flinched his head sideways. It seemed Lisa would solve it quicker than he since the last thing he needed was arguing about some old fool.

"Concerning myself with a deity, or half morons like that, is not currently on my mind or body," Lisa complained, which Lookish took without any surprise.

"Anatidae Panacea is in a word of magic. Coupled with nasty little lights and bright elements, I feel intrigued as if dropping a few centuries of my lifespan. How fun and good," Lookish chuckled and offered the flat-looking Gem to Murai much more closely, but he jerked his head in denial.

Then turned his neck right back, gnawing at that Gem against his own will. He cursed that thing and body alike as Lookish jolted the Gem away, laughing and teasing Murai.

"Ohoho. That is one fine Child. I won't bother with anything cursed or unsuitable, but..."

"Is that a Carved Gem?!" Lisa suddenly shouted and watched his full sack and that thing in his hand.

"Keen eyes," Lookish said. "It is my little hobby like your eyes."

"You a Carver?" Lisa asked doubtfully. "I thought you were a map maker and explorer. Well, among many things, I suppose age comes with its reasons and seasons, and how you are here. It is concerning and disturbing."

"Yes. I am a maker of many things, Miss Ghost," Lookish chuckled and tossed the Gem back to his pile after finding the reaction he was looking for. "Now, what to do with you all? I feel rejected by my dinner proposal. It is a shame; I am hungry, you see."

[Leave them!]

"Yes," Lisa agreed. "You are no Guardian. You just think like one because it's why you are here."

Lookish didn't like how it sounded, so he stepped aside and wondered if his approach was wrong. "Ayo, this age is a very cursed thing."

Watching the weird pair around him, it appeared he hadn't been part of anything important for way too long. Shouldn't it be nice if he changed it every once in a while, even if it came with consequences or pain?

"I guess I have no choice. I will have to let you go," Lookish grunted unhappily and looked at the wall. "I will hear more about this, do you hear me, Mindarch? Go and visit our Lady. Tell her I am unhappy and do it right away."

[You... aren't alone. Trust me.]

Lisa flinched back to Murai and glanced at the wall that must've felt his beak once or twice.

"There is no time to waste. Bagus can stall for as long as he can stand, so let's go inside and not waste him. I can't be any help above and down whatsoever, but we can do something else about Razmund. Going into Gate 4 should stop his advance. He would have no choice but to grit his teeth and reach his portal because he can't use yours."

Murai was still a little pissed at Lookish for playing with him. Lisa jolted him back to reality, grabbed his beak, and looked at him.

"Will it stop him from killing Bagus?" Murai asked.

"That is not my concern, nor should it be yours. That," Lisa smacked his beak with the other hand and turned his face around, almost pushing him to that hole, "is a concern for others. Stopping forces that are part of Blessed are sometimes futile. Bagus knows what he should do. He is powerful. Not like Ultium, or so he tends to tell, but he can give us time. Now, get there and stop being a little bitch!"

Her words sounded rather different, innocent yet harsh, and sincere. More so than usual, she was almost flustered, so Murai hesitated until Lisa shoved him into that hole.

Then, he grunted and walked further on his own feet and didn't even utter a quack along the way. Lookish looked behind them, reluctant and frowning, and still hoping to talk and play with them more.

He found both of them equally terrific. Lisa went behind Murai, almost pushing him forward because she didn't want to see Lookish or consider Mindarch for another second.

They left him in the dust, walking in a tunnel that was beyond this wall, still bearing that Token. It needed another repair, or it had a door with a key or nothing.

The end of the tunnel was bright, large for any man like most of the tunnel, and breezy thanks to what was further. It was a large room with cracked stone walls and a mix of smooth rocks, surrounded by a lot of moss, except for the odd pillars.

Moist and bright, even grass and bushes were around this large room. In the middle, there were large carved pillars made of Ultra Materium, each looking tall and abnormal.

Like a place of worship, each pillar was a work of art and wonder, seemingly standing in perfect position and symmetry.

Dozens of meters tall, they towered over the entire chamber. They weren't made of Gems, but rather one entity, both taller and bigger than any Lisa had ever seen. What do they form? What use do they have? Why do they resemble a shrine worth protecting, seizing, and offering?

Lisa had a lot of questions, but she saw what was right, and there was no way this was worth ruining. It was already off from the very opening, and the moment something forced them here wasn't about this.

It shouldn't be Mindarch or Levandis either. Lisa was sure of that, much like these pillars weren't Gems glued together, which Murai considered as he stepped inside.

"What is this?" he asked, unsure what to think.

In the center of the room, surrounded by these pillars that held the chamber together, was a pile of rubble and chunks of metal. Moss was all over them, going even further than the proximity of those pillars.

Something was sleeping inside this hill, even if it appeared to be a worthless old pile of rubbish.

In reality, it was an ancient golem. A thing of beauty and creation stemming from the Old World, or beyond. It should be large, considering it wasn't standing, yet still managing to look like a hill in Murai's view.

Some fungi were even growing, following patches of grass covering part of the golem, which marked the age of this thing and a lack of activity.

"Well, that is... something. I thought Lookish is something else. Well, old or not, this must be doable and quick." Lisa reckoned and watched the inevitable route to Gate 4. A portal was also present.

From Murai's perspective, he was neither afraid nor consistent in his assumptions. The hill was large enough to reach half the height of those pillars, yet what was inside had yet to get him or awaken.

What he felt more was those pillars, which were bright as the blazing sun's rays, transformed into crystal-like forms. They were impressive, and behind everything, looking old as the room or this golem, the purple portal was flaring with magnificent color.

Purple pebbles created edges, while the center was an active swirling vortex half the size of the pillar, looking gigantic and hard to miss in this room. Many intricate waves connected reality with the Chaos Space, revealing an entrance, an escape, or an opening, depending on who was coming from it or to it.

That was a portal not just set into Gate 4, but also a web of other lines, or... Wrong. No portals were this detailed and large, or intense, so whatever this one was about, Lisa understood it was nothing good. It was still their way out, so that was it.

Sure, many portals could reach further into the lower Gate, or even back to the Surface, and include secret information, but not everything was suitable for everyone. As long as Mindarch deemed it worthy, or Levandis did, everything could connect.

Lisa expected to realize many things upon seeing that portal herself, and got what she feared and wanted. It worked, yet... how? What kind of portal was it, how old, and how deep?

She knew no one owned any portal by itself. They just surrounded their attractions. Even Levandis couldn't counter and proclaim to be their master. They were complicated structures because of Chaos Space.

Thus, many in this temple either owned the keys resembling Tokens or held special privileges that Mindarch inherited as the mastermind of this temple. It was ruthless, yet these were rules that all portals had, and this society had already grown accustomed to them.

But this?! Lisa was speechless and unable to think what it was hiding. Then, she was angry because Levandis had never shown her any of this. Murai saw it as well and felt his chances of escaping were right before his eyes.

Unexpectedly, he wasn't prepared for a boss battle. He forgot about it and moved to that portal. It wasn't an option.

The immense hill shifted, causing rocks and walls to screech. The golem turned, and everything in that pile moved. Then, half of the revealed creature stood up, scattering many rocks, if not launching and cluttering them everywhere in robust and slow moves.

Then, one thing moved much more quickly, flying right into Murai's head if it weren't for his beak that smacked and hit it well.

"Oh! OH! Murai! Murai is finally here! At last." A cheerful yet absolutely unhelpful and obnoxious voice filled the room, coming from a skull with raging flames in the eye sockets. Lorry was shameless, much to Lisa's and Murai's anger, which was close to murder.

In fact, Murai wasn't easy in his smack because he hadn't expected Lorry at all, yet this Guide survived it with ease and talked as if nothing mattered.

This skull. This circumstance... It was unfortunate how it proceeded. Before Murai could shove his Peak through his windpipe or nose, Lisa moved and grabbed Lorry instead.

She tensed her arm until Lorry was unable to think and escape in time, or he didn't even try. That was smart.

Both palms clutched his temples, trying to destroy him from outside and within. He watched her head and sona, quivering in fury, and Lorry still managed to cheer and watch her face closely.

It was futile to cheer too far. Lisa wasn't that powerful, but her face and stare were more than enough to make Lorry fearful for his life and happy for this outcome.

It was a wonder which emotion was finer or stronger, but neither Lisa nor Murai was curious about the answer.

"You little bony thing. You tiny little nasty vermin," Lisa said, uttering each word with a cold style that moved the waves of her sona. To kill was a desire to extinguish the flesh and souls so that they would never come back.

Once more, the consequences of a few decisions messed with her mind. "I wish to murder you oh so much! So many problems emerged, yet you came back at this sort of timing? You... Do you want to die?!"

"Ahahah." Lorry awkwardly laughed, glad to be back and in her eyes. "That was a good, good one. Good job reaching this place. Lisa sure didn't change one bit, but the time Lorry has been apart from Murai has been quite important. It's business and how Guides are. Heheh."

Lisa tensed her palms, but it had no effect on him whatsoever.

"You have no excuses... No shame."

"Not a single one," Lorry said shamelessly, and witnessed how Lisa let him go like a broken book. He wished to curse the moment he got free, but he froze and realized she didn't have him in her eyes.

Lisa turned to Murai and overcame her desires.

"I will crush you later. I swear that on myself."

"Why?" Lorry said, sounding wronged. "This is a sacred, challenging route, and you've reached it. Lisa should be glad that I will help here."

Then, he turned to Murai, whose face was even crazier thanks to how his Peak glistered and moved dust around the ground. Whatever the case, the golem stopped moving, yet that Peak was like a ready cannon, and those eyes and relative size were more intense than any cannon.

Lorry shuddered at those strange glints in Murai's eyes, stirring his emotions and coming for him.

Lorry flew up when Murai jumped and smacked at this puny skull, wishing to create the middle eye he promised days ago. He failed when Lorry escaped, so he ended up crashing to the ground, where he smacked his Peak and created hundreds of cracks and thousands of pebbles.

A loud thud echoed, followed by more tremors that created additional cracks, which weren't unusual for this room, as these came from a rather small creature.

Murai was close to giving this cheeky Guide well-deserved attention, but in the end, he knew he wasn't worth it. This failure was more about time.

Grunting, he straightened his beak and back, fluffed his feathers, and acknowledged his approach. He knew he lacked better timing. For Lorry to feel his wrath, it needed seasonings and time. Lisa likely thought so as well.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Murai quacked, unrelenting in his emotions and uncaring for Lorry's excuses.

"L-Lorry was deep in work. Work. Lorry swear!" he shouted as his jaws clattered his bones. "Guides have to heed their callings. We are not supposed to help Murai in Hellscape Run at all!"

"I saw that Guide," Lisa muttered. "Razmund's. One hand. Silly eyes."

Fear almost crushed his jaw, and Lorry knew that Mindarch was infinitely nearby. Perhaps Levandis was watching this show as well, albeit unable to deliver her deepest desires. That was good. It should remain intact.

"Can you take us out or help us with something better than you've ever done? Leaving this temple can be simple, but I don't see it that way. You... Perhaps you deserve something worse as punishment." Lisa declared instead of Murai, knowing it was impossible to get behind some rules, but Murai didn't know it.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Lorry read between the lines and figured out what Lisa must have indicated to him a long time ago.

"Leave, huh?" Lorry changed his expression and became intrigued. He shall play with this topic as she desired. "Lorry doubts the escape routes are the finest case. Once more, where are we? Deep. The portal is in sight, so leaving is with odds against everything, while attempts come with reflections. Leaving is no longer a frivolity. It is nonexistence that makes escaping worthless. Lisa doesn't want it to be worthless."

Lisa was silently observing him, much like Murai, who had heard his excusable truth.

"Where do Lisa and Murai stand? Hm?" Lorry gestured with his Soul Flames around, giving them good news and one answer.

He was right for one cause. Leaving via greater routes was possible only if Levandis allowed them such treatment and did it much earlier. Or something else had already done that.

"You..." Lisa tensed. "What the hell is that portal?!"

Lorry couldn't give up such a helping hand. It would go against the established troubles, but the overall status quo was already broken, yet almost nobody knew about it.

Most Gods were included, even when the Encounter lingered around the vicinity and showed its fangs. Hence, what was this pair against? Lorry wished it were different. To see her struggle. To see the end coming... He felt angry, but nowhere near her level.

Since the Gods and Judges were watchful, considerations required second thoughts. Lorry played around and denied all further tricks and ways, simply because Lisa had apprehended another—the last—way.

Then, a message came forth, striking Murai's nerves and even Lisa's.

[Well, greetings. The end of Gate 3 has been reached, M.] Mindarch said, speaking to Murai as a lofty tool that considered all Challengers with a hefty amount of privileges.

It went this way after a long time, so it took Murai by surprise since Mindarch gave him almost no attention whatsoever in this Gate.

[A certain location is here, hidden but clouded in fog of war. It is old. It is here! However, it is an overwhelming route, so beware. Hellscape has been a vast and big playground, so let's go ahead with the final boss battle to set the tone for the next one.]

[Guardian!]

[It is a golem!]

[Reborn from ancient times, it is a tool of war used in the Old World. Divine Wars were plentiful in countless pictures and murals, yet history is deeper than the eye can see. The mind? Who could imagine what once was? Pages lack the resourcefulness that rocks have. It is deeper. Always has been. This golem here is a shadow of that time, and this temple is one of a kind.]

[It is Sunlord! A tool of war derived from many golem and runic structures of that time.]

[Sunlord: Ancient Golem that has met many requirements for outstanding engines, runes, and engineering.]

[Level? Tricky. Considering the current timeline, they vary and could disrupt the status quo and power leveling. Equivalents are between Level 50 and...?]

"No way this thing ever touched a God..." Lisa said without shame, and after a few simple glances.

[They certainly trash with Extremes and even a few Overlords and Sages. When needed, of course. Now, what is the necessity of this one? Mere mark and being a necessary Guardian. As for what it used to be? Unknown.]

[Secrecy? Difficulty? Sunlord's power and Level are nonexistent, and this is part of the suitable processing that I advise, make, and open. Back then, a different world meant different rules. Alas, efficiency can prevail, and this world is here, and so am I, the great Mindarch! We prevail.]

[Let's go with a part of its strength and set the established output to X37, Z9912! All eyes are set. It is ready to roll, absorb light, and fight.]

[It has been slumbering alongside many other tools of this temple. Used and belonging to Sun God, Levandis has them all, or what is left of them.]

[It is an old relic, though be cautious, for it is a tool of war, and even if it is old, wars still remain, setting many lines apart. The past wasn't one bit weaker than the present. In fact, the quality of the runes and ancient magic wasn't stronger or weaker. It was different, magical, and strong.]

[Scope and all, the Old World had many appropriate specialties. They can and always come to the current era, because history is what sets eras apart.]

[History dictates precedence. After all, it is exemplary to see failure and success in one evolving revolution and stretch, am I correct?]

No answer came back from the group waiting for his useless chatter to stop.

Mindarch returned to a more suitable topic.

[Task: Defeat or kill Sunlord, delivered to the most suitable Power Level and strength of your Hellscape Run.]

[Trick: ?]

[Rules: ?]

[Is that.. all? What tricks and rules are needed with such a simple task, yes? None at all. Uncover your path to Gate 4 and escape the clutch of the ancient world because this golem is hard to escape. It's a battlemaniac!]

"Oy!" Lisa shouted after all. "Stop spouting nonsense. This isn't a normal portal at all! Look around!"

[S-shut up...] Mindarch said weakly. [For better or worse, there are some rewards afterward, and Sunlord can't wait any longer. As special as the ghost states, a special room lies ahead.]

[Reward: Ancient Stash of Sun God Relics is at this portal. It is vague. Scattered. Ancient. DANGEROUS!]

[The degree of rewards is flexible by the result and boss battle, for the Guardian is the judge, and so am I!]

Lisa wanted to argue about something, but that name touched her memories. It was a good hint; she couldn't point this out in a better way, because it was wrong.

She was entertaining the possibility that Mindarch was lying. It was suspicious, but many aspects of the Sun God were doubtful and weird. A lot of things were left in this world to rot or scatter. After the Old World, this temple evolved anew, and no matter how time passed or flowed, not all history remained.

[Reward! Gain a choice of special kinds of Relic Artifacts under Level 40, or Level 50 if you extinguish Sunlord successfully.]

[Output is hard to determine, but let's assume 1%. It can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to an hour, but there is no set time limit. Mechanics are old and unique, capturing the current Challenger at X37. Power is around... well, let's say the Child and fodder, yes?]

[Your life and all possibilities that you've undergone are there as well, so fight well, defeat it, or wait for its life to flicker and allow yourself to escape.]

There were a couple of interesting hints, yet Lisa was unable to recognize any of them as she sized that freaking tool.

Murai nodded and accepted this outlet; this was the most he could get out of Mindarch. He trusted him, and this talk about relics sounded fun. That was because of a sizable jump in artifacts, but it was not as if his body could handle all of them.

Mindarch gave a reasonable perspective, even if he held scrupulous intent behind these messages. He hadn't mentioned important routes and secrets. He stated what might be fitting for this room and what the Gods tolerated, and how to escape.

In short, this battle was inevitable, and Murai sought an outlet for his anger. This thing was far too perfect for it! It was old, big, and asking for a beating with all this light and mist that started to scatter around the walls.

As for what was beyond, it was the same old foolish stake of contest and rewards, hiding within another Gate if he succeeded. Murai wasn't too happy about that.

If anything, it reminded him of the Acaman Golem whom he had defeated after a rather long struggle.

Back then, he was weak.

Today, he was not, but was he enough if the output could clash against the Sages and Overlords? That could mean merely energy infusion, but at the core, this golem should live with that energy, so its constructs should be powerful and unkillable for his level.

In that sense, maybe he couldn't kill it. In another sense, Mindarch said he would turn it into a weaker form, so maybe its defensive structures would suffice with bold strategies.

Anything standing in his way, Murai shall destroy it. He had no intention of doing it in any other way. That was what he had trained for and how he worked on improving his arsenal.

He didn't even experiment with his Brightlife all that much, and instead wondered what it altered in comparison to his body, magic, or cores. This might do it.

"Sorry, Bagus," Murai murmured, watching as the small hill began to move once more. It was loud, screechy, and slowly trembling in energy as its engine rumbled. "I guess I will have to take my time with this one."

Small tremors were nothing. Shakes and multiplied cracks all over the room didn't surprise anyone, even if Lorry trembled like the pillars that stood up against this nonsense.

A massive amount of forceful light came from the grass, fungi, or moss. Some even caught fire from the powerful heat.

The light was radiant, obliterating all grass, and even the pillars dimmed. Everything about this place changed, similar to the way those pillars appeared at the entrance. It grew sharper and penetrative until the shine reached its crescendo.

Murai was no longer seeing a thing, and he wasn't even hurt. Just annoyed. Lisa wasn't calm and was almost able to see everything.

The moss was the last to pass within this light, and any life that grew on this golem died off.

After an unknown number of years, restored and finalized, its fun shall start even as a guarding dog set with a purpose no one described. It was so old that its use was dozens of times more questionable than Acaman Golem, with a few millennia of history.

Murai was correct about the age and questionable parts, yet the size, quality, and art of golem-making were nothing new. Depending on the quality of the cultures and talents of their maker, they could outlast any geniuses and, in a couple of cases, even the entire world.

In the history of many of his lives, there were heights and classics about what one could see and guide. Years held magic, and time held it together. From concepts, births, and destruction, convictions rose and fell and grew back together.

Many things could outlast planets and ideas of people, and golems were nothing new or old. They were something reliable, created by luck and the charm of imagination, and this one was no different.

Tremors echoed as the golem continued to rise. It was significantly larger and stronger than the Acaman Golem. Sunlord had many distinct specialties, which made it both dangerous and broken, yet... it was still too large and perhaps too severe for Murai's present condition.

For once, the Artificial Core inside of it was pretty darn powerful, letting light and beams of light and mana turn into quite a flow. It seemed that the Materium was the reason, and the Light Element was its main component.

That was an interesting topic since Murai was still in a place full of Materium, while he held something even more precious inside of him. It could fuel him, no? It should strengthen him for sure, but how and why? It didn't fluster him. He was annoyed.

Thinking and seizing ways to victory came from assumptions, awareness, and knowledge. Murai stood, observing the golem's every move and pattern.

It must possess runes integrated with Ultra Gems, or in this case, Carved Ultra Gems, as he guessed. They must be different and potentially required for something this suitable. They were a source of light or mana at the same time, fueling this colossus and the runes.

Could he eat those gems, or... were the pillars around it for something specific?

Murai went over them, hoping to notice something, but it was unclear whether they were connected or a mere facade. Deep down, he felt his Brightlife acting up, shuddering in his Beast Core and warming his body in an act of war and lucidity.

It seemed a challenge came up to him, rather than him going towards it. Escape broadened as Murai doubted what it held and how it affected him.

To a certain extent, he feared this light and Resonance that latched onto him like a spider. Shouldn't it be more... intense? Worse? His Brightlife was neither, while he should be the worst. Everything indicated that this Sunlord should be beyond Extremes in power, quality, and in every way, full of old abnormalities.

Sunlord Golem had something that his Brightlife wanted, and both things roared in weird association, or... it was something tasty, perhaps?

"Heat acts as a bridge between Light, Brightness, Flames, and many other things. Heat can be many things, as it is primordial Radiation that moves molecules, protons, neutrons, alpha particles, and energy. It could not possibly be a flame, but it certainly feels heated up. Oh, I am, too." Murai considered his choices and finalized the starting sequence.

As he did so, the ground shook one more time, and debris flew away, crashing against the walls and making way for a proper fight. Golem's two limbs stretched, reaching to the sides, and pushing its legs free.

Each limb was long and thick. What was surprising was the amount of rocks and debris around it. Murai thought it would be larger. Now, it seemed that someone had buried it or forgotten about it, as this room improved or expanded.

"Well, shit... I don't see how to beat it."

"You beat it. Simple as that." Lisa said as she patted his hooded head. "Now, go on."

A deep mechanical scream shook the room, driving the remaining debris, earth, and dirt aside. Sunlord Golem crawled onward in all four, and even then, it was massive, but not in a way Murai assumed.

Sunlord was a ten-meter-tall humanoid golem with an unnatural, smooth surface and a remarkably crafted design featuring many tight, metallic plates. The worst thing... It was spotless. Clean. There wasn't even a crack, debris, or scratch on this tool of war. Mana was protected, and so were its constructs and veins.

That was dubious. Perhaps it never went that far, or it was so well repaired, its wear showed no signs, or it was unconventional and tough.

It retained excellent shape and form, as that was what a mighty golem should be, no matter how power-squished it was. It described no fronts or jokes about redesign. Murai couldn't tell whether it was an original or an improved variant, unlike the Goliath Golem or Acaman Golem, whose issues were apparent to him.

So, what about Anatidae Golem? Perhaps Murai should look further and work with his Brightlife and Sonar. Regardless of the type of work in this masterclass, everything created had to adhere to the rules of the creation games. That was energy, outputs, circuitry, heat, and matters of cooling.

There were no obvious exploits. It had no external flow of veins. It wasn't right or wrong to assume it was original, or whether it was a tool from the Old World or a transformed masterpiece.

"One percent, was it?" Lisa asked, not believing it should be that far, so she demanded Mindarch to clarify. "You can't possibly do it this way. Its level should be up to your calculations after all that shit. There are equivalents and work for that, Mindarch." She demanded.

Surprisingly, he talked back.

[If you don't like it, Level 50 is about right, since collapse, winning, and extinguishment mean different layouts of work. It is a challenge against this little Child, so it is far from the edge, so I never asked for death. It isn't as if it's impossible. It is just... there is no other Guardian. Good luck.]

Lisa snickered and knew what this was right away. One of the hardest possible Guardians was before Murai, and how well it was limited was up for debate. Its size was a problem. Its output and shine could mean more ominous news.

The Sun God's forces and sacred agendas were very much present in this world, and many people knew of him, even though his former dwelling had become the Levandis Temple.

There was still Mindarch, who originated from the Old World, so it wasn't surprising that many other properties of that time prevailed. There were many treasures. The Old World loved those concepts, so many current Gods viewed them as dormant, dominant, and intriguing.

Like a force of nature, magic and the concept of strength linked and moved the Old World, which held its distinct continents and cultures. Many ideas survived the passage of years because they were always adequate.

Similar to how herds of beasts could live and evolve, old and forgotten vaults and dungeons harbored no ill will. They were just there, treasuring and hoarding the history and power.

Sunlords survived. Not just them; Lisa knew there were dozens of other variants, so she quickly recollected them and realized this one was still strange.

Levandis would always do that to her, Lisa knew, but she hated surprises. They were way too good to pass as bare-bones attempts in golem-making.

"This is going to be tough," She said to Murai's mind. "I know a few things about this Sunlord. It holds rather strict concepts and values. Like countless tools left or hidden, I don't know what remains active or what Mindarch set it with just those numbers. Asshole. Be cautious of sudden movements and examine them. Legs are probably an issue. Still, it is about the previous world and such weapons that Levandis would never fear. She should. Well, not always. As long as the source of everything is gone, it is essentially hers."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Murai asked her as she gazed at that crawling giant.

"Nonsense... Sorry."

"You are apologizing... again. Oh, hell no. That feels wrong. Don't you dare to apologize again! Not today!"

Lisa sighed, nodded, and knew her help wouldn't do much. The previous ruler of this temple was at fault. Not Mindarch.

Sunlord had a white-yellow color scheme and was completely metallic in appearance. Ultra Gems were a tiny portion of this machine, whose curved, smooth surface prevailed all over its body, creating one or many layers of armor. It was hard to tell what was hiding and what was not.

Murai couldn't guess it well, but it should be durable, thanks to the steam rising under the tight gaps, while the fog itself was still bright and rising. It followed Heat and Light. They were everywhere in and on this golem.

Tall and slimmer legs should be the first issue. Burly and thicker arms should be harder to wield, and its central mass and move-set should be slow and strong.

They went right to the ground, pushing mechanical palms to the ground. As for its torso, it was thin but still larger than many humans, while the head was different from the rest.

It was flat like a brick, so relatively simple. A metallic jaw went from one side to the other, creating a strange line when it was shut.

When its mouth opened, that's where the roar resumed. Inside were sharp spikes made of Carved Gems, littering its mouth, seeping Heat and Light inside and outside. It looked dangerous and was quite loud.

Steam was coming from there as well, but not too much, so nothing implied if it had a prominent Artificial Core around its head, or if its powering matters were something else.

After all, was Ultra Materium part of the Old World and these golems? That was possible, so Murai considered further options and tested his eyes and Sonar alike.

Perhaps more Gems could be beneath the plates; he hadn't seen everything or even touched it.

It was like a giant, with numerous clumsy aspects due to the limitations of his own little level, which could lead to physical issues. That's why it was weird. Like its legs, which were relatively thin compared to the arms, it had strange proportions, so Murai began to think about what Mindarch had said.

One percent.

Seeing its appearance and remembering those words, Murai went over his mana and how to get this thing to its knees. There were many possibilities from his memory, as its size was both an advantage and a nuisance. It could lead to a couple of twists and tough finishers.

He needed to see its power first before deciding on further judgment. Its runic connections and constructions were too hidden for his Sonar, or they could be tricky if it were manufactured and used in Divine Wars.

Then, there was the matter of hurting it where it should hurt. Ancient golems could have numerous hidden issues concealed behind their perfect exterior or facade. That highlighted problems and traps, and even move-sets. No golem should be perfect in that department, as it wasn't very clever and truly comparable to actual, powerful beings.

It wasn't as if old things were weak. Oftentimes, it was the exact opposite, which was one of the fondest ideas Murai had ever believed. Then, there were young geniuses who could even grind the nerves of grand, fraudulent immortals.

Murai was familiar with both concepts, though, as with countless types of magic and creations, or ways of living, some people were unlike others, and golems could be similar.

Their makers wanted them as strange and unique as possible, giving potential enemies nasty surprises or challenging their own creation processes. Years or their entire life could be spent on that one single objective.

There were crazy people like that everywhere.

Hiding something under these smooth plates, Murai was wondering what sort of golem was comparable and what its peak strength and limits meant. Because of the influence of the outcomes in such tools, it was problematic.

Like with the Anatidae Golem, what if there was a different structure underneath? What made the golems most intricate were their makers. It was what was inside or outside that mattered, for they were nothing but tools for what they ought to do.

Hurting the source was always the best way to crush them, while the start was to get there, or closer, one bit at a time.

Sunlord Golem growled, letting out screeching sounds as it prepared for its long-awaited war.

"Murai," Lisa shouted. "It's starting, so deal with this thing as fast as you can. Lorry said it right. We need to get to the next Gate as we predicted."

"Right. Wait... Right?" Lorry said.

"You thing!" Lisa grabbed Lorry like a ball, punching him and grabbing him as he deserved, but she did not. He was happy, unlike her.

Still, the weirdest thing was hard to fathom, imagine, or love. Lorry didn't like Lisa the same way Levandis did her bidding, or it might be a case of no preferences, just the people who beat him, and where or how.

In a way, the art of words and acts was much better and greater than the finest of anticipations.

Murai didn't need to hear her reminder; he found a way to knock and beat this thing the fastest way. It will hurt, but so be it.