SSS-Class Overlord: My Harem Rules the Realms (18+)
Chapter 52: Why Did it Go Insane?

Chapter 52: Why Did it Go Insane?

swirling shadows of the Hollow Sanctum felt suddenly thicker, as though the entire dungeon were

holding its breath.

Ethan stood over the broken remains of the Verdant Core Golem, chest heaving from exertion,

sweat trickling down his neck. The glow from shattered emerald fragments still flickered faintly

among the rubble.

But there was something wrong.

Very wrong.

A deep chill prickled along Ethan’s spine.

He shifted his stance, scanning the corners of the cavern. His fingers tightened on the hilt of

Warlord’s Fang, knuckles whitening.

"System..." he murmured, voice low, "the hell’s going on? Why does it feel like a horror movie in

here all of a sudden?"

A flicker of static rolled across his sight.

[Warning.]

[An ominous anomaly has entered proximity. Danger classification: Unknown. Recommend

maximum caution.]

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Oh, for fuck’s sake... what the fuck is happening now?"

He dropped into a fighting crouch. His pulse quickened as he activated [Battle Focus].

Mana surged through his veins, sharpening every color, every sound. He could hear the faint

crackle of magical energy still leaking from the destroyed Golem’s remains... the distant drip of

water from a broken stalactite... even the pounding rhythm of his own heart.

But there was no obvious threat in sight.

Ethan prowled a slow circle, blade held ready. Shadows shifted and curled across the chamber’s

walls.

"...Where the hell are you hiding?" he growled.

Then his gaze snapped back to the Golem’s corpse, he saw something which took his calmness away.

A bright red glow began leaking from the creature’s chest cavity, seeping out between the jagged

pieces of shattered stone and bark.

Ethan blinked, leaning closer.

"...Wait a second."

The light flared, pulsing like a heartbeat.

The blackened remains of the Golem’s body began to twitch.

"Oh, no you fucking don’t—!"

Ethan launched forward, moving on pure instinct. Shadows streamed from his cloak as he raised

Warlord’s Fang high over his head.

He brought the blade down in a lethal arc toward the glowing red core—

—but a massive stone fist shot upward with terrifying speed.

CRUNCH!

Ethan’s eyes flew wide as the blow slammed into his gut.

"G-GAH—!"

The force hurled him backward like a ragdoll. He smashed into the far wall with a deafening crack,

stone dust exploding around him.

Pain screamed through his ribs. He felt warm blood bubble into his mouth.

He dropped to his knees, gasping.

"Son... of a... bitch..."

Slowly, shaking, Ethan pushed himself upright. He spat crimson onto the floor.

"Oh boy..." he rasped, his voice shaking but defiant. "It’s gonna be one of those fights, huh?"

The creature towering before him was no longer the same Golem he’d slain.

Its once-green mossy stone had turned pitch black, glistening as though coated in tar. Veins of

red light pulsed like magma through the cracks in its surface.

The massive creature let out a metallic roar, vibrating the very air. Its eyes burned with twin scarlet

flames.

Ethan’s grin was bloody and wild.

"...Bring it on, Groot’s evil cousin."

The Corrupted Verdant Golem charged, swinging both arms in a devastating horizontal sweep.

Ethan dove to the side, rolling across shattered tiles. He sprang to his feet, slipping into one of

Vandelion’s practiced stances.

He slashed with a swift upward stroke—steel ringing against hardened bark—but the blow barely

chipped the creature’s armored chest.

"Fucking hell, that’s tougher than the first time..."

He pivoted left as the Golem slammed its fist downward, sending a shockwave cracking through

the floor. Ethan danced around it, weaving in and out, his movements a blur of shadow and steel.

He lashed out with [Nightmare Veil], shadows blasting into the creature’s chest. The Golem

staggered, red veins sizzling as dark energy wormed into its cracks.

But it roared and swung again, catching Ethan across the shoulder. Pain ripped through him. He

bit back a scream, his vision flashing white.

He stumbled, breath tearing from his lungs. Blood trickled down his arm.

"Okay... okay..." he hissed through clenched teeth. "Plan B. Agility spam it is."

He vanished into shadows with [Shadowstep].

Reappearing behind the creature’s leg, he hacked at a vulnerable joint. Red light spurted like

blood.

The Golem bellowed, turning sluggishly. Ethan darted in and out of range, landing shallow cuts

wherever he could.

Still, the monster was relentless. Its sheer power forced Ethan to the brink. Twice, he barely

avoided killing blows by inches.

At one point, the Golem pinned him against a pillar, stone claws digging into his side. Ethan

screamed and drove his sword into the creature’s arm, freeing himself in a shower of black stone

chips.

Both combatants were slick with red glow and blood.

Ethan’s chest heaved. His arms felt like lead. His mana gauge hovered near empty.

But a wild gleam still danced in his eyes.

"Hey... buddy..." he panted, "you’ve got... one... hell of a core problem."

He feinted left, then [Shadowstepped] right.

As the Golem turned, its red core flared wide open.

Ethan lunged, driving Warlord’s Fang straight through the glowing crystal.

A high, crystalline shriek erupted from deep inside the monster. Red light poured from the wound

like molten lava.

Cracks spidered out across the Golem’s body.

Then, with a sound like a tree splitting in a storm, the creature collapsed into black rubble, the red

glow dying into darkness.

Ethan staggered back, dropping to his knees. His breath tore raggedly from his throat.

"...Fuck it..." he rasped. "Why the fuck... did the Golem... go insane...?"

He forced himself up and approached the shattered remains.

Among the rubble, something glimmered—a flawless red crystal, thrumming with ominous light.

Ethan’s hand trembled as he picked it up.

The moment his fingers touched its surface, heat surged through his palm. A strange, deep

vibration hummed in his bones.

Suddenly, a blood-red system window burst across his vision:

[ITEM OBTAINED: ███████████]

[CLASSIFICATION: EVIL ARTIFACT.]

[Further data unavailable.]

Ethan stared at the screen, sweat trickling down his temples.

"...Oh, that’s just great."

The glow from the crystal pulsed again, like a dark heart beating in his grasp.