Reincarnated as a Duck

There were many things to consider. This room was one of them. Next were the steps, size, and move sets of that golem. After several other choices, Murai was the next problem, but that was like calling the sun's heat its own problem. It wasn't that bad, obviously.

He was seeing both right and wrong actions, as well as that obvious shine coming from somewhere. What exactly fueled this golem, or made it dangerous enough for Lisa and Mindarch to call it ancient and great?

Not all old things were like that. Danger could be the weight or how its head and four limbs move. That sort of thing made sense, right beside the overall mana or sets of runes and constructs.

The way his Sonar worked, mana revealed interesting aspects, waves, and flow. Sunlord Golem was obvious to see, as it was bright all over, even with a glance alone.

It was hiding something under all those spiraling and curved plates for sure. It wasn't a wrong approach to hide something there, as all things regarding golem-making considered attention to detail, defenses, and the intrigue of materials under protective layers.

Many wrongdoings and mistakes became obvious. The heat was most notable, and regardless of the materials used to reinforce its structure and assemble its size, it should be easier to see than hide.

Well, Murai might be wrong, considering this was a tool of war from the Old World, so it could be better than expected.

It might overheat, become damaged, or its structure couldn't go on for a long time, as Mindarch stated, due to reduced efficiency.

Once more, Murai recalled his words, as it was one of the core problems of this boss fight. The course of magical crafting wasn't as crucial if it meant crushing it completely or giving it enough of a spanking for its defeat.

Who decided what was which? That's up to him, rather than Mindarch, who was the one doing everything, no?

Two goals were enough, but two matters of victory were not.

Prolonged fights were never clever when stakes and stamina were problematic. Or they might be all about it, as not every golem could afford to go on forever, and living beings were the same.

The creators should anticipate potential instabilities, develop suitable templates, or address issues with runes or temperatures. Such a flow in the mind required direction, and not every golem would be a warring masterpiece.

One should always think about how to prevent exploits or missteps, so most crafters always think about how to sufficiently destroy their creations first. Then they would fix it, but what if it created new problems instead?

In a way, it was a never-ending cycle of work and wonders that not just golem makers had to deal with. Magicians, rune masters, and alchemist had their own sets of expectations, motions, and difficulties.

Any fix could cause numerous new issues, and even spells and problems could lead to unexpected turns or new gifts. Perhaps even some advantages?

Creating wasn't a little work. That was how it had always been, as many crafting and magical professions were not sprints but endless marathons. It was like pursuits that came to magic and overall Paths, though in them, there were numerous possible shortcuts.

Crafting was costly and required immense talent and focus, separating foolish attempts and amateurs from masterful creations, and separating the skilled from the experts.

There were limitations in the designs performed on golems. The capacity and route of magic weren't always hard to see, and many eyes could notice it nicely.

Diving deeper into their structures usually executed the job, so Murai thought of this Sunlord Golem as if he created it. Watching its big size, limits, limbs, and how it moved, he was like its finger.

Before stepping too close, he readied his mind and mana. Then, his overall condition was as good as it could be, apart from his patience and spirit. He was still frustrated, and some things were always worse in situations where they mattered.

[Very well,] Mindarch suddenly said. [Sunlord Golem is inclined to go at it, so prepare and defeat it to the point that it can no longer stand at its current efficiency. Killing it outright sounds implausible, regardless of all efficiencies, but if that's what we take, it is also suitable.]

[Anyway, it doesn't matter to us how it goes, as its power is plentiful, depen...oh, how poor of me. I shouldn't give further hints!] Mindarch laughed before continuing.

[If you feel defeated or unable to go on, give up, and I shall disable this golem straight away. Then, it is your loss, and your time in this Gate renounces its charm. Oh, and that's the end of the whole journey. Back to the Surface, M.]

[The fight shall start!]

Mana Sonar's waves flew onwards, delivering a knock on the golem's outer structure. It was the simplest and best way to strike it.

The inner view of mana and the sight of the room bounce back and forth, giving Murai a large amount of light and... well, calling it a chaotic jittering vision wasn't far from the truth.

Mana under Sonar was messy due to the excessive number of references, and it overwhelmed his mind because the room was far too vivid.

That golem was also a glistering, nonsensical figure, and those pillars were even worse.

He was also small...

Then, he was not. His soul was strong, and his perception was outstanding. That was true, but also inaccurate. His body was faulty, and his Heavenly Shaping wasn't advanced enough, and so was his Sonar. More than anything, Murai lacked time and experience in mastering what his magic could do.

Which wasn't a lot, in a sense.

It was worse than he had predicted, and his Sonar tensed around the golem, those pillars, and this room itself, giving him a dense picture of how all sorts of powerful energies influenced this entire room.

"Well, ain't it something?"

Luminous mana was all over the place, and the worst were those pillars, while that golem bathed in it all. Then, there were those little glowing Ultra Materium veins around portions of the walls, which couldn't lose against anything, but they did.

Those pillars were far too hefty and packed so much punch that Murai could not consider them.

"Should I crack them first? I mean, if this room floods or turns into ruins, would it be my victory?"

It was a fine idea, but if this room existed, how could his current self accomplish it? Murai laughed, and it was as he expected: his Sonar had its shortcomings but also terrific sensibility in such a place. This power was impossible to perceive.

Everything was tight and clustered when he looked at the size of that thing moving, surrounded by those pillars, and finally rising to its feet. The middle of this place was like an arena, and even the Sunlord Golem wasn't feeling large inside it.

He obviously had no issues with his size and body. Well, apart from the fact that he felt like an ant.

Murai scowled and judged his Sonar, which contrasted with his memories. It should give him a lot of things. Too many, frankly, ranging from the flow of mana, glimpsing at the deeper structure of those energies, elements, waves, and even bits of foretelling of what to anticipate.

This time, it felt as though he couldn't find anything specific. His Sonar was rather individualistic as far as his feelings went, almost like a manufactured tool that he hadn't obtained through mastery.

In that sense, it was true. He was given this power, but if that could be harmful, wouldn't this entire world not work?

Murai thought about it too much, and answers were on the tip of this world. It wasn't careful. He tested his powers numerous times throughout these mines and felt how some Ultra Materium veins felt better than others. Add to that the tight corridors and Materium affairs, and he quickly discovered his shortcomings.

He experimented with focusing on mines while ignoring veins or corners and discovered that growth and familiarity in his Sonar were like breathing and thinking.

It fluctuated significantly, almost like reading scripts and deciphering rough languages. Some were easy and painless, while others were troubling.

Sensing mana was its part, and his Sonar was called 'Mana' ability for a reason. IT couldn't do well with Laws at all, and obnoxious elements and intents were no different. Such problems were acceptable, yet with that said, his Sonar was still one of his most important decision-makers!

Murai believed it was no different against this Sunlord Golem as well, even if he felt wrong as it sized him and stopped screaming. It seemed that its internal workings had stabilized, and mana and bright steam had calmed down.

One thing cleared up right there. Murai felt Sonar sensed the prevailing capacity of mana, and this room was large enough for it to work better than ever, even if details were slacking. A sun was ahead of him, followed by incredibly dense structural mana in the appearance of a manufactured Titan.

It was correct to think of it as a different and unique vision technique, and he needed to attune to its level to 'see' better.

Which should be suitable very quickly, as he wasn't some knock-off mage possessing a regular monster. It worked in his mind, which then came like a sight through his eyes. It wasn't a passive thing like his Soul Read or Night Vision. It was more innate.

Mana Detection was closer to the vision techniques, which required natural talent, honest-to-god eyes, and magic. What Murai controlled arrived through Bloodline, and his previous Detection wasn't as bad as its level sounded.

But his Sonar was different; it was much wider, stronger, encompassing, and tense. It was of the upper tier as far as any Child Species or Race went, so it was no wonder he found it satisfactory.

In light of that, Murai did uncover a few mysteries of the Sunlord Golem and its outer flow. He hoped it would be unlike Anatidae Golem from the last Gate, though nothing indicated it was right or wrong.

If that was the case, wasn't the size way too ridiculous? Thankfully, he was able to notice what he should have noticed. It had a different kind of absurd attention. What arose in his senses were colorful mash and points scattered all over its body, glowing far too well in this already bright room.

No one would notice it. Even when his Sonar worked, it was hard to separate every wave from the rest. What helped was Brightlife, internal turmoil, mindful focus, followed by instincts.

Part of the engine processing glowed much better and encompassed most of the golem's crucial portions. Apart from that, he failed to notice anything coherent.

That could mean two things: the golem's insides were full of veins and passages of mana, or the plates he was seeing on the exterior were undulating the mana and light much more strongly than its interior. In that way, it could prevent curious sights, further enchant its looks, and strengthen its size.

As for those bright points, they should be both important and well-protected.

"Murai," Lisa argued aside, still handling Lorry like a ball. He winced in hopes of arguing about something, but Lisa slapped him on each cheek without looking, gazing at Murai, and gave him a rare hint.

"Don't think twice. That thing's internals and externals coexist with a big source of mana. Light is clear. Its engine and veins have strong points in heat and rays, but this one is strong in additional things. It has no layers, but it acts as one large mash as well. Eliminating its weak points is the first step. Force it to its knees. Strike and trash with it."

And that is all? Does it... sounds easy? Murai thought.

"What is the weakest link in such a size and concept? I suggest you get closer and play with your body more. Your magic isn't enough, but your body magic is. Your beak is your most precious material since your wings are loose. Now, what is Blitz or Peak? Tools. Use them," Lisa suggested, "and then smack it like a house made of cards. From bottom up."

"Tsh! It's still my problem, then." Murai scowled, figuring that what he thought before was still the best thing. Getting physical wouldn't bother him if the terms of size were equal. They weren't, so his confidence didn't rise that much.

After a few more pleasing knocks, Sonar should be helpful and pave the way to a quick victory. That was what he considered.

In time.

There were no obvious weak links in its current structure. No Sonar would give it. His beak might, even if it looked like one large cohesive machine with full mana capacity and nothing breaking.

It looked brand new, and its physicality was off the charts. It was probably no weaker than that latest Anatidae Golem stage he managed to fight.

Since then, Murai felt he had improved in numerous ways, and frankly, it shouldn't be about little copies or something like that. That little thing was of a different status and matter. It was new and full of complexity and warring sentiments.

Lisa was correct; he had no vast options in his magic, but it wasn't weak. Heavenly Shaping was full of wondrous achievements, and they were more cohesive and vast than Murai would admit to her.

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Then, he had his Peak Layering, which showed no small improvements. It was honest, simple, and part of his body like his beak. Because of that, he realized some things were much more suitable to rely on than vast magics. His body was why, so... it was daunting.

Murai assumed Swordsmanship and following a Path should, in some way, pose no hindrance to his body and what Anatidaes were about. That required knowledge and better clearance into what these beasts were about.

They might be against his options, so once more, he acknowledged why humans were masters and experts of the Epochverse.

Peak's delays and channeling were fine, even with the weakest forms, which were quick yet still strong. Using even more powerful forms was even better, and layer by layer, they assembled power. Eventually, through time, strategy, or trial, he might even come to like them.

His Blitz was also not very bad and worked while channeling layers of Peak. However, the Fatality would trouble most of the flows and success, so fusing these combos didn't work very well.

But only right now. What about the future? They should fuse later on, or... under his own critical thinking, or through straight-up experiments.

Perhaps Boosts could also help with that, while constant pushes would establish a fusion potential. Either way, it was related ot his Bloodline and body, so they were bound to work like limbs.

Or when the time was right, wisdom would rise like his overall magic.

Murai was sure he could improve in everything, through time and battles. He liked both at the same time, but only one existed before him.

So yes, the comprehension and peaceful training lasted for as long as it was worth it.

It was time to practice and dispute the norms.

Lisa still perked up as she watched him prepare and use his Sonar again. "Lastly, the idea that this Golem is as strong as that Anatidae is wrong. That little beast of a machine showed no small amount of fangs, but this oversized thing is more like a ridiculous, blazing fortress. It can be beaten."

Murai didn't need to hear half of those things she said.

Without question, Sunlord Golem was the largest enemy he had faced.

Looking ahead, Murai's eyes moved left and right, assessing the groundwork, elevations, debris, and every movement. He charged ahead, seeing that the location around the pillars was mostly bare and fine for him to go into.

Dodging was acceptable, yet he should be careful.

Sunlord Golem stood in the middle of that arena, taking more than a quarter of its space, so the ground was relatively open for humans to fight. A duck should have no issues with it whatsoever.

Charging in, most of the debris was aside the chamber when Sunlord Golem had awakened, so Murai had room to move, get farther, and even closer.

Left behind, Lisa wondered if her explanations were sufficient or if she should have been more explicit. Getting involved herself was out of the question. If things were to be quick, then getting physical with his layered Peak sounded like the best solution, given the absolute and guaranteed timing.

But would that golem allow it? Or... Mindarch, who might be in charge, or not at all? It was doubtful that ambushing or taking time with his Shaping was the next goal.

First of all, nothing was ever cheap, let alone free. Lisa assessed her intentions and clarified her hints, but no matter what, the way she handled these things in the past was very different from Murai. Things they had to accomplish were far from this little ancient memorial.

Crashing everything with brute strength alone was the way of Lisa. It felt the best, and getting rid of lifeless tools was even better. It wouldn't piss off anyone since it wasn't a murder. It was simple destruction.

Focus on the limbs should work the same as when he fought Goliath Golem, and since it was this gigantic, considerable weight should delay acceleration or overall efficiency.

In that sense, repeating the old strategy could work. Lisa hadn't seen that fight in full motion, and she didn't play with her current words either.

So she let Murai work. That's what should be more pleasing to both of them, which her past selves would not agree with. Ultimately, it was her current self that needed to change. Murai was the same.

The last upsetting merit was the type of Sunlord Golem. Lisa knew plenty of them from before. Sun God was a fervent follower and ideologist of not sending lives where they shouldn't belong. That meant wars or numerous jobs.

The Sun God used golems a lot and focused on boundless professions, people, and considered rewards and adaptability to be very important. It was stated via many charts and murals. For a multitude of Chaos Cycles, his Divine Kingdom thrived like nothing else, and it wasn't even a whole world—just a part of this one.

Sunlords were viable in all sorts of situations, if not everything under the heavens. From workers and nurses to soldiers, they could help the whole realm establish a new era. However, that era disappeared, which was one of the most unfortunate events that few could have imagined.

Lisa was the same; she was barely sad and aware of how many eras were quenched like dogs or bastards like herself. She liked that ideology since it deprived death but allowed endless opportunities for competitors to thrive.

It was about the impossible peace, and fighting such an era sounded amusing, even if it was borderline utopian.

There were at least dozens of kinds of Sunlords. This one was known as a Slapper, obvious by its large hands and very large physique. It was used as a combatant in wars and a worker in mines, though there were differences.

Its overall vision was smoother, and the output of energy was too wild even at this level, so perhaps it was a more battle-oriented Slapper.

Perhaps something hideous was underneath the smooth structure of its skin. Lisa knew no proper way to hint at anything better, so she decided to observe.

Murai moved into the inner portion of those pillars. Sunlord Golem screeched once again, letting a huge amount of steam and light cover its body. Like a furnace bearing too much heat, it moved by angling its torso and taking a massive step forward.

Its massive body almost fell as it swayed one of its large hands forward, but it wasn't to slap at Murai as if he were an ant. It was for stability since the other hand went behind.

It pivoted to its left side, moving rather slowly, allowing Murai to assess it as a dangerous move-set. It was almost funny how slow it used its most basic attack motion. A crazy momentum rose, and its left arm slapped forward like a massive hammer. Its fingers squeezed, so the heaviness and momentum were noticeable, like glaring steam. It was no slap.

A long-hangin', hammer-like fist flew over its shoulder, and like a blacksmith working with a hammer, it struck the ground.

Murai dodged it long before it attacked, gathering that its sensors and speed weren't the best, but it made up for it with sheer brute strength.

The ground shook. A meteor struck like that fist, creating large shockwaves that blew straight to Murai's face, flipping him from the arena as if he were a pebble.

Even Lisa, who was holding and ignoring Lorry at the same time, shared the same fate; they flew to the walls and then fell to the debris scattered below.

Lorry screeched for Lisa to continue slapping him, but far from that arena. She refused him, slapped him once, flew upwards, and glanced at how Murai ended up.

Many deep and degrading cracks spread across the ground, yet no holes or significant destruction caused harm to anything or anyone. Even those pillars remained, bearing no weight in this fight.

Sunlord Golem turned its head, which seemed to possess most sensors—if not all of them. Its head was nothing but a strangely smiling jaw when open, and with steam and light coming from inside, it felt terrifying at night.

It located Murai in no time; he was stumbling over the debris in a corner, cursing at himself and how he overlooked its strength.

In the arena, Sunlord Golem leaned forward a little, prepped its jaw, and opened it.

Murai was still stumbling, feeling as if he had been hit with a hammer. His eyes were still open, so he found his footing after slapping rocks aside with his wings and stabilized his body after poking the ground with his beak.

It was far from being over; he saw and noticed the danger, feeling how brightness and mana quivered. A breeze moved toward the middle of this chamber, gathering nothing about the Wind.

It was a powerful mana-gathering method that the Sunlord Golem initiated, causing the whole room to change.

Like a cannon made from its mouth, a grand, viscous beam made of mana derived from Light and Flame, it was a Ray Shot, rather than an absurd cannon. And it's coming right towards Murai at incredible speed.

"Level 50 my ass?!" Murai cursed, forgetting that his little Anatidae copy possessed a rather similar attack, but he had no idea what its level was like. He doubted it would make a difference, let alone calm his senses.

Golems were golems, while it was the living who adhered to typical leveling experiences. Golem held mostly reading potential, which was nothing more than a guess or a basic awareness of the range and its possibilities.

In the end, it was all about numbers and math. So yeah, they were bullshit that shouldn't work all the freaking time.

The ray was coming like an attack, the size of a person, and the speed of a blasting train.

Murai grimaced as he jumped to his feet, figuring that the power and decision-making this Golem possessed wasn't small or laughable. Perhaps he underestimated it too much or overestimated his thinking. It was likely he was stupid in both matters.

He jumped from the debris, but he was still in the vicinity of this ray, so he quickly assembled two choices. Use Robust Spirit, or take it head-on?

Well, he decided in less than a breath. That was all he had. Spreading his left wing forward, he pushed it to the ground as he covered his left flank, bent down, and jumped.

When the ray collided against his wing, it struggled and threw him to the right side of the chamber instead of being hit straight in the face.

Unexpectedly, the ray glided across his wing, even if it was a rather thick and powerful ability full of nasty effects. However, his wing was cooler, even if some charred feathers fell, bones bent, and most momentum slowed because of his clever angle, lack of size, and jump.

Like a flying plane hit by a storm, he made the best decision.

It ended up hurting his left wing a lot, but Murai knew it wasn't that terrible, since he had been working on his deflections for a while.

He stumbled like a sorry duck, stepped down, and passed the worse dangers of that ray. Explosions wracked many rocks behind his back.

Steadying his breath and steps for a few moments, Murai straightened his back and saw that Sunlord Golem was coming.

The shredded debris and the explosion weren't small, and even the following shockwave merely fluttered his hood off his head. The ray's strength was meant to be difficult to dodge, as it was wide, quick, and also hot and penetrative.

A direct hit could destroy ancient walls, wipe out squads of armies, and wasn't pleasant for anything living. Murai agreed and wasn't inclined to try his hoodie or his neck and witness their defenses.

Surprisingly, the rest of his body was fine. Slight sizzle and charred mist went from his wing's longest feathers and also his hoodie, but Murai tossed that issue behind his head as he slapped his wings to the ground and folded them on his back.

He ought to be using his wings more, he reckoned and understood. His body was art. A temple, too, one monk might say.

Murai stepped forward, feeling that this golem was something he could defeat, but it could do the same thing in a heartbeat. It was a pain in the ass and a rather unpleasant opponent.

Hopefully, it won't conclude or turn into a vicious fight like the one with Anatidae Golem.

"Why can't I fight normal enemies? Toss beasts at me; wolves, or demons, or anything! For my sake, really..." he showed remorse and decided on a shift. He Conjured a large amount of mana, bathing the space above him with brilliant and almost white mana.

He created two Sharpblades above his head, each two meters long, yet thin at the tip and thick at the start. They almost looked like weird javelins, but their tips were glinting in Sharpness and giving sword-like constitution.

Their width wasn't a strong pursuit of their style; their speed was. Frankly, his mana sword technique lacked one proper face, but Murai wore hundreds of them, so he never decided on how to master this type of sword. That was one advantage of choice, yet even the moldability of mana had good and improper sides.

Murai could Shape swords fast and give them different weights, shapes, and suitable styles against several opponents. He created this pair in less than a few seconds with his Heavenly Shaping, which worked with pretty much every mana foundation.

These dual Sharpblades were strange; Pillage mentioned a few times how Murai gave him examples and how styles and mana worked for him. It was odd, but Murai wasn't conventional. Pillage wasn't either, so both of them had quite some fun in the Heavenly Shaping Manual.

It was about priorities. A focus, Pillage called it. Focusing on one steadiness over one subject of powers defined matter and mastery.

Mastering—or pursuing a type of aptitude—was about spells and finding answers to what magic stood for all sorts of eras, and what mages possessed or could possess. It needed an approach, knowledge, and foundation. Legacy was the most suitable description.

Murai didn't like every single approach, so when Pillage argued for focusing on his core abilities, he decided to combine his Sharpness and Heavenly Shaping to form an alliance.

It seemed to be compatible anyway, but what wouldn't be? Even his Arrows, Spears, and Flame Shots delivered plentiful improvements throughout his training, and it wasn't even over.

Heavenly Shaping had numerous layers and stages, and Pillage promised to give him time. That was fine; the Heavenly Shaping Manual offered different realms, and time flowed there more slowly. It was a splendid chance to focus his mind on more idyllic ideas.

Pillage's suggestion terminated his own thoughts, and Murai created these Twin Blades, or so he liked to call them. They were Murai's combination of expertise and strengths. Those bordered on a style of ancient swordsmanship called Formless Subline Style, his new, thoughtful, and nice Path.

His Sharpness combined it, creating a suitable environment for acceleration, sharpness, and discharge. Speed, accuracy, and ways to handle this were similar to how many comparable fields operated, as many matching ideas delved into most Shaping mantras and techniques.

How to do Shaping quicker? How to master speed and efficiency, and create perfect spells and conduct energies? Those sorts of thoughts were alive as long as those energies existed and developed celestial objects.

But focus was a focus, and Heavenly Shaping was Pillage's masterwork. So what if the human races had equal stuff, if not something greater due to their sheer numbers and dedication?

Beasts weren't equal to humans, yet Pillage created an extraordinary situation where the strength and viciousness of mana and beasts assembled into a unique methodology.

Murai had to show some respect for his name and adjust to it. It was fine if it failed hundreds or thousands of times. One success would give Pillage endless satisfaction, even as a spirit.

Pillage argued that mindful specifics were better suited to his technique, as they could mesh with others after mastering the first layers.

Murai accepted that compromise, as he wanted to do something similar from the beginning.

His current Twin Blades were nothing but a pair of Sharpblades, and it wasn't a lofty sword technique or a magical spell to break anything in sight. That was still pending the core vision, or what they could do.

He experimented with shapes quite a bit, as their size, tip, or Sharpness should be fixed for their strength and cement their heart.

Right. He planned to move away from the ever-changing matter of his mana and Shaping. It was what spells were; they were transfixed onto a specific structure and power, rather than being like an endless sea.

In that, force lay, making blades constructed from mana complex and valid, even if they would never match the peak of real swords.

Slowly, the pair above Murai curved, turned, and fixed onto his currently preferred appearance. Such were blades for chopping large things apart, yet lacked handles since he did not need them. That was good; he didn't need to bite them, let alone hold them with his wings. That would be weird.

He could hold one with his beak, however, and had done it before. It wasn't his preference after he started to seek efficiency and speed in this new vision.

It barely made things stronger than before, yet it wasn't about that or control. There was something magical about techniques and spells.

When mana and Heavenly Shaping merged within his body, clashing against each other and interacting with his mentality, his spirit shook. Then it smoothed out, like turning sober in a blink. That could be problematic and up for debate depending on circumstances.

Spells never went right on their own since mana adhered to no such principles. The living was. Mages. Their minds and bodies were circuits, engines, and apparatuses.

Shaping was about handling further details, and it was no wonder a mage needed very high perception, expertise, or patience. Maybe all of that or beyond.

In that sense, Pillage would be lying if he stated he had seen someone reach this sort of understanding faster than Murai.

With new weapons, Murai crossed them and waved his right wing and right Sharpblade into a taunt. It was an exercise; a link to a body, spell, and giving both a tant and spiritual remnant, or something close to intent.

Sunlord Golem obviously didn't take it as such, but it still attacked.

Murai watched it again, sizing it up from the bottom. It was a bit faster than before, so he was barely able to put his Shapblades toward the course of the incoming fist.

He moved forward and tried to deflect it to the side. The tremor shook the air and ground, but since most of this force went through his Sharpblades, no shockwave crashed into the ground.

Something else crashed. Murai's enduring Shaping took a massive hit as he stopped the mountain descending over his mind. Gritting his teeth, he held himself up, his Sharpblades weighing on his mentality and Shaping.

Nothing lost its touch, though both his blades cracked and nearly turned to mist if it weren't for the massive force of mana that Murai sent toward them. Repairs were difficult when attacked or... under such a massive force.

His body and mind shook when the fist pushed his Sharpblades aside without delay. It went for the ground beside Murai, so Sunlord Golem must've changed its strategy and expected something.

Or was this a decision under its move set? Either way, the strike to the ground wasn't a huge problem.

What was a problem was how it happened. It meant this golem could make swift decisions or have many choices in its motions.

That idea was one of the most problematic aspects when fighting or creating golems, yet, when the shit worked out, it made fights easier or more difficult, depending on who was against it.

Was that it?

Murai knew it was a false hope unless he created an opening or realized what Mindarch was limiting enough for him to oppose.

A sturdy pressure came right back at him, so Murai jumped away from that fist, its side passing him, coming like a huge tower.

Murai grunted and pushed his Sharpblades and beak against it. It was a straight-up duel of strength and endurance. The exact thing that Murai shouldn't do, Lisa believed from afar.