Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix
Chapter 1190 - 1190: Shadow golem

The shadow golem charged at Rain with surprising speed and agility. As the creature closed in, Rain anticipated the attack and leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the charge. To his surprise, the golem displayed a level of versatility not commonly associated with such beings.

Rather than mindlessly pursuing its target, the shadow golem adapted, swiftly turning to the side in an attempt to catch Rain off guard. The creature's movements were surprisingly fluid, its shadowy form undulating with a grace that defied the traditional image of a golem.

As Rain descended from his jump, the golem shifted its tactics. Its massive arms swung from side to side with remarkable dexterity, creating a whirlwind of force that sent blasts of wind rushing through the air.

The sheer power and speed of the golem's movements demonstrated a combination of brute strength, agility, and endurance that defied the expectations usually associated with beasts of this kind.

"Hmm?" Rain thought as he kept jumping from one side to the other.

Rain saw the shadows of the monster's body moving, and he could see some parts that weren't exposed by the shadows… it was a metallic body with a silver hue. Rain furrowed his eyebrows, but then the movement speed of the beast increased and began to reach him.

"Any more than this, and my feet will crumble…" Rain thought.

Using a forced Impulse limited by the class system wasn't that convenient… With his real strength sealed, Rain could feel his muscles and bones suffering damage and his health decreasing.

The system was truly amazing and suspicious… to think that all that power could vanish just because Rain wasn't using his domain. That was one of the reasons why he didn't trust the overseer or anyone else with the keys to take his powers and skills. That was why he wanted to make his own system… even though he had failed at that since he returned.

When the arms of the beast were about to reach him, Rain suddenly jumped… the right arm of the creature passed below him, and Rain used his arms on the arm of the creature to propel himself forward and then kicked the head of the monster with all his might, the sound of metal echoed in the area and the monster stopped for a moment, but soon moved its other arm to smash him.

Rain slipped to the side and avoided the hit. Using the thick arm of the monster like a branch, Rain swung from one side to the other. Until the creature tried to smash him against its own body. Before that could happen, Rain let go of the arm and landed. In the next moment, the beast hit itself and made it stagger.

When Rain was about to step in, he saw the shadows moving and spreading around its whole body… covering all of the vulnerable spots. Rain noticed that… the creature had been stunned for a moment, so who did that? It had been the king…

"Controlling shadows to do this much…" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.

Rain thought about the versatility and control the king exhibited over shadow magic. The ability to not only control the challenges within the castle but also summon them showcased a level of mastery that intrigued Rain. Shadow magic, in its conventional sense, was not typically associated with such versatile capabilities.

Considering the nature of shadow magic, Rain considered the possibilities that allowed the king to manipulate the challenges in such a manner; unlike elemental magic, which often had clear and defined aspects, shadow magic operated on a more abstract level. It could embody darkness, concealment, illusions, and even the manipulation of perception.

"It could also hinder the movements of those touched by it… forcing them to obey his will," Rain thought.

If Rain hadn't heard about the people who were working for him, he would have assumed that the challenges were once the best warriors that the king had fought… the dark knight and the golem were a bit off for that, but it would make sense to some extent.

Regardless, Rain could think about that later. The shadow on the body of the creature changed, making certain areas exposed, and the area on its legs seemed more ominous… that was confirmed when the monster suddenly charged at Rain faster than a bullet.

Rain barely had the time to raise his arms and protect his head… but he still was pushed backward until his back was almost crushed by the impact and against a pillar. He only avoided that because he raised his legs and then used them like a spring to decrease the impact… still, that broke some bones, and they were still cracking as the monster tried to finish its job.

When the monster tried to gain momentum gain, Rain used that chance to propel himself upward, and then the beast collided with the pillar. Rain landed behind the beast and then turned around to punch the exposed areas, but soon, the shadows moved and protected the whole thing.

"You should learn a new trick," Rain thought and then attacked the beast anyway.

The sound of Rain's blow echoed through the chamber like the resonating clang of metal against metal, reminiscent of striking a giant bell. As the vibrations settled, the shadow golem's movements stopped abruptly. The creature, once agile and imposing, now knelt and eventually collapsed to the side like a masterless puppet cut from its strings.

Rain used a calculated double-palm strike, aiming to inflict internal damage. There was a distinct vulnerability in the area where Rain had targeted, and the subsequent impact seemed to have disrupted something within the creature. Despite his awareness, Rain couldn't sense any direct magic emanating from the king.

It left him pondering the nature of the force that animated these challenges—a force unquestionably bound to the king's will yet covered in mystery.

"Victory is yours, and you have two thousand points back for your victory," The man on the throne said.