SSS-Class Overlord: My Harem Rules the Realms (18+)
Chapter 50: Thorned Guardian.

Chapter 50: Thorned Guardian.

The stone door thudded shut behind Ethan with a low, echoing boom, like the lid of a giant tomb sealing tight.

A forest scent rushed into the chamber—rich moss, damp bark, and a faint metallic tang of ancient magic. Roots sprawled like tentacles over cracked tiles, and curling vines dangled from the arched ceiling.

In the center of the cavern, looming like a gnarled oak ripped from the earth, stood the Thorned Guardian.

Its bark plating shone a deep emerald under scattered rays of arcane light. Long, thorny vines writhed around its arms, crackling faintly with green sparks. Beneath a brow of leafy fronds, two eyes glowed like molten amber, fixed on Ethan with primal hostility.

Ethan planted Warlord Fang on his shoulder, rolling his neck with a series of pops. A grin split his face.

"Oho? A tough boss, huh?" He tilted his head, eyes glinting. "Too bad I already know how to tickle your splinters, big guy!"

The Thorned Guardian answered with a roar that rumbled through the chamber, vines cracking like whips. With a ponderous surge, it lunged forward, raising its enormous wooden glaive.

Ethan blurred sideways, skimming the creature’s swing by a hair. A spray of leaves slashed past his cheek, nicking a shallow cut that dripped a thin line of crimson.

"Alright, folks!" he called out, gesturing grandly as if addressing a classroom. "Welcome to Ethan’s Crash Course in Tree-Homicide 101! Lesson one—big dudes are sloooooow."

He hopped back a step as the Guardian brought its glaive down. The floor splintered beneath the blow, stone fragments flying.

"Look at that wind-up!" Ethan said, wiping sweat from his brow. "I could brew coffee, grind the beans, and sip a cappuccino before this guy finishes his swing!"

The Thorned Guardian bellowed, its chest swelling like a bellows as vines drew back in a coiling mass.

Ethan waggled a finger. "Uh-oh. Here comes the Vine-a-pocalypse!"

The monster lunged with a sweeping strike of vines, aiming to slam Ethan into the nearest wall.

"Aaaaand there’s the opening!" Ethan declared.

He darted forward, slicing low. His sword sang through the air—

—SHING!—

Steel struck bark. A fountain of wooden splinters erupted around the Guardian’s hip.

"Lesson two!" Ethan yelled, twisting to dodge a backhanded swipe. "They’ve got a cute little heart!"

He stabbed a finger at a tiny red crystal glimmering deep in the monster’s chest. It pulsed like a heartbeat, flickering briefly as plates of bark shifted apart.

"See that shiny core? That’s the delete button. Hit that, and they go timber!"

The Thorned Guardian let out a roar so loud it rattled dust from the ceiling. Vines lashed the floor where Ethan had been standing an instant before, gouging deep trenches into the stone.

Ethan vanished into shadows, reappearing behind the creature’s massive leg.

"[Shadowstep]—perfect for avoiding death and sneaking up on tree butts!" he said, patting the Thorned Guardian’s barky posterior with the flat of his sword. "Seriously, I’m starting to feel like a lumberjack here."

He hacked at the Guardian’s knee joint. A deep gash split the wood, dark sap spraying across Ethan’s cloak. The monster staggered with a guttural snarl, vines whipping wildly in confusion.

"Third tip!" Ethan announced, springing back to avoid a flailing vine. "Magic melts wood. No kidding."

He spread his free hand, shadows coiling around his palm like black smoke.

"Let’s give this bark boy a taste of non-physical damage... [Nightmare Veil]!"

A burst of dark energy erupted outward, rippling through the cavern. Shadowy tendrils slid into the gaps between the Thorned Guardian’s bark plating. The creature screeched, vines curling inward as the shadows sank deeper.

Frost-like crystals formed along its bark. Its massive body quivered as its movements slowed.

"Look at him," Ethan crowed. "Frozen like a log at a lumberyard sale! Fifty percent off, folks!"

The Guardian roared in fury, shaking off frost shards as it swung its giant arm in a brutal arc.

Ethan ducked under the blow. "Nice try, Groot’s angry uncle!"

He circled around, eyes narrowing as the glowing heartwood core flickered open again.

"Aaaaand—finishing move time!"

He lunged forward, shadows streaming behind him like black wings. His blade gleamed with dark magic, the edge almost humming with lethal promise.

With a clean thrust, Ethan rammed Warlord Fang straight into the Thorned Guardian’s chest.

A high-pitched crack split the air as the heartwood core shattered into glittering shards.

The Thorned Guardian howled, vines convulsing like serpents in their death throes. Its glowing eyes flickered once, then faded to black.

"Timberrrr!" Ethan shouted.

With a groaning creak, the Thorned Guardian toppled backward, crashing to the ground in a tidal wave of leaves and splinters. The impact shook the cavern floor. Dust billowed outward in a huge cloud.

A vibrant pulse of mana burst from the monster’s ruined chest, washing over Ethan in a wave of emerald light.

A clear system chime rang in his ears:

[DING! Level Up!]

[Ethan Graves has reached Level 70.]

Ethan exhaled hard, brushing sawdust from his hair and wiping a trickle of sweat from his temple.

"Whew. That was one hell of a workout. Thanks for the XP, you big salad."

He glanced at his cloak, which was now peppered with splinters and sap stains. "Man... I’m gonna be picking bark out of my clothes for a week."

A new blue window materialized before his eyes:

[Star Points Earned: 45]

Ethan blinked at the notification and scratched his chin.

"Hmm... let’s share the love."

He flicked through his menu, toggling stat options with quick taps. Warm pulses of power rippled through his limbs as he spread the points equally. His muscles felt denser, his breath steadier, his senses sharper.

[Updated Status:]

[Ethan Graves]

[Level: 70]

[HP: 480/480]

[Mana: 640/640]

[Strength: A-]

[Agility: A+]

[Intellect: A+]

[Endurance: A-]

[Charisma: A-]

[Luck: A-]

[Dominion Points: 0]

[Potential Rating: SSS]

[Harem Slots: 0/10]

[Stat Points Available: 0]

He rolled his shoulders, feeling his cloak ripple as the shadows pulsed softly around him.

"Heh... A-rank stats. Feels good. Real good."

The massive wooden doors at the far end of the chamber began to glow. A deep red line seared across their seams, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Ethan tilted his head, lips curling into a cocky grin.

"Alright... time to see what’s behind door number two."

He stepped forward, fingers brushing the hilt of his sword, eyes glinting with anticipation.

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