“What’s going on?”

“It escaped?”

I heard mechanical sounds, and something rose.

It was a giant crystal shining blue.

I chuckled lightly and said, “We’ll handle that. Move on.”

After disconnecting the communication, I shouted, “Destroy it!”

“Kiaa!”

The Lizardmen surrounded the crystal.

However, resistance was futile, and Velkist and Neryssa, who rushed in from both sides, slaughtered five of them in an instant. Arrows that penetrated their crude wooden shields cut off two of their breaths, and finally, I rushed in and swung my sword.

Kwachang.

As the thick blade struck, the crystal shattered like glass.

Grooooaan.

[Warning!]

[The statue’s ‘self-defense system’ advances to stage 3.]

100 meters ahead, the face of the statue, standing tall like a building, distorted.

A white light began to gather in its two eyes.

[The ancient statue is casting ‘Eye Beam’!]

“Say what again…?”

I grabbed Eloka’s head and pushed it down.

At the same time, I pressed my body against the floor. The white beam from the statue’s eyes passed over my head. Three Lizardmen hit by the beam evaporated into nothingness.

“All sorts of strange things are coming out.”

Jenna, who had been lying next to me, said in frustration.

[‘Biddin (★★★)’ returns to the arms of the goddess! His determination will be remembered forever.]

[‘Rosa (★★)’ has fallen into a critical state. Her life is in danger!]

Messages announcing death and near-death appeared one after another.

“It seems similar below too.”

“Is there an Eye Beam down there too?”

“Well, whatever it is, tell me what came out.”

“That’s enough.”

I cut off the communication and stood up.

I sheathed my sword.

“Protect me.”

Jenna immediately took aim.

We climbed up the slope. Arrows surged towards the two Lizardmen who had rushed in from the sides. They tumbled down with arrows lodged in them. Neryssa, who was below, finished them off with her rapier.

I leaped to the side as if gliding.

I passed through the white beam where I had been.

I ran again. This time, the beam from the right eye ignited the surface.

“What are you trying to do?”

50m.

30m.

When I reached 20m, a Lizardman wearing a helmet thrust a spear at me.

I dodged the thrust and spun my body around. I wedged the spear into my side and yanked it away. The Lizardman was kicked off the cliff.

Ziiiiing!

The statue’s eyes began to flash again.

I grabbed the spear with my right hand and threw it. The spear flew, making a whizzing sound, and pierced the statue’s eyes. The eyes that had emitted light darkened.

“Oh?”

“It’s resolved. Keep going.”

Velkist said as he thrust his sword into the Lizardman’s neck.

“Where did you learn such skills?”

“Just a little something I picked up.”

I drew my sword again.

Looking down, the surface seemed distant.

We had ascended hundreds of meters into the sky.

I shifted my gaze.

The magic circles wrapped around the arms were becoming increasingly blurry.

Thud! Thud thud!

Suddenly, the upper arms shook violently.

Eloka, losing her balance, staggered. I rushed to her and grabbed her.

“Th-thank you. I almost fell.”

“I don’t know what kind of magic that is, but it seems like it won’t last long.”

“At least we need to get to the shoulder.”

I looked up.

Around fifteen Lizardmen were flickering their eyes.

Beyond them, there was a railing, a corridor, and a bridge. If we could regain our balance, there would be enough space to move forward.

“The fourth one!”

Chiiiik!

Steam erupted unexpectedly.

“Kiaaaak!”

The Lizardman who emitted steam stumbled and fell.

[Object effect nullified!]

[The ancient stone statue is free from the power of the goddess!]

The statue, which had been stuck in the ground, began to lift its fist.

The slope between its arm and shoulder was gradually steepening.

“Brother, it seems like we don’t have much time!”

A Lizardman swung a sword at me.

I lowered my head to avoid it, then lifted the Lizardman with my shoulder and flipped him over. He fell, making a pitiful sound, rolling down under my arm.

The incline of the arm rose again.

“I’ll go first!”

Jenna climbed up the steep path like she was flying.

The dagger in her arms spun quickly, flashing.

Two unlucky Lizardmen fell, splattering blood.

Then Neryssa moved.

Seven throwing knives pierced three Lizardmen.

They choked on their throats and fell, their blood turning purple.

Next, Jenna and Neryssa climbed up onto the statue’s shoulder.

Groooooan. The statue groaned.

“Eloka, Velkist. Go!”

“What about you?”

“I’m the last one.”

A hole opened beside the upper arm, and a Lizardman popped out.

Just as the Lizardman with its head outstretched showed its tongue, Jenna’s arrow pierced its skull.

At that moment, Velkist, who was supporting Eloka, rushed past the Lizardman.

As the angle of the arm approached 70 degrees, I grabbed the protruding part of the arm and pushed with my foot.

“Kiaaak!”

The Lizardman who had tried to swing a sword at me slipped and fell vertically.

Neryssa and Jenna reached out and pulled Velkist and Eloka up.

“My turn now.”

I started climbing up the arm.

The slope of the arm reached 80 degrees.

I grabbed rocks with my hands and dug my feet in as if I was climbing a cliff.

When I looked up, Jenna was reaching out from the shoulder of the statue.

“There’s no foothold.”

The area where the shoulder met the arm was flat, and the only option was to jump. I pushed off with all my strength.

The moment I tried to grab Jenna’s arm,

Bangg!

The statue’s body shook violently.

My arm crossed with Jenna’s in mid-air.

“Oh no!! Oppa!”

My body started to fall suddenly.

“Don’t fall!”

My position wasn’t good.

There was nowhere to grab.

My falling speed increased.

“Uhh, no way, not you!”

I clenched Bifrost in reverse and plunged it into the body.

Kagagagak!

Blue flames sputtered as the stone and the blade rubbed against each other.

I scraped the surface of the statue and slid down.

That way, I descended about 100 meters.

When I reached that point, I drew a dagger from my left hand.

‘I’ll strike in one go.’

The dagger, gleaming in the sun, perfectly pierced a gap in the statue stone. I twisted the longsword in my right hand into another crack to stop the fall.

My falling body came to a stop.

Hundreds of meters above the ground.

I was suspended in mid-air with two swords.

Down on the ground, a whirlwind of sand and flames was swirling fiercely.

[Click!]

[You’ve taken a screenshot. The image will be saved in the gallery.]

‘Why… are you taking a screenshot?’