With a howl of glee, Larry charged the Golem. He summoned a pair of his HellRime Gauntlets and threw a left straight into the Golems chest. The collision sounded like a hammer striking a gong, and Larry leaped away from the Golem, smiling with excitement.

"You see that, Walker?" Paladin asked, pointing above the Golems head.

Colin watched Larry moved around and looked above its head, raising an eyebrow at the icon above its head.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 100%

"Mini-boss?" Colin asked. "What's a mini-boss?"

Larry threw a one-two blow into the Golem's torso and stepped to the side as it swung its crystal clawed hand. He sidestepped and deflected the blow away with and another of his own into its wrist. The Incubus crowed as he immediately leaped up into a roundhouse kick that knocked the Golem back a single step.

Paladin nodded at the Demon's moves and explained absently. "Mini-bosses and Bosses tend to be special creatures that are considered not as powerful as the main Boss of the area. Like… ALAN is probably the Boss of this event. If this thing is a Mini-boss, then it's probably powerful and has some tricks that it will reveal."

Colin looked at the number of attacks that Larry was landing and sighed at its altered percentage.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 99%

"Hey, Paladin. You mind switching out with Larry for a moment? See if you can have any more luck than him while I give him a boost," Colin asked, gesturing to the Mini-boss.

The Sumo shrugged and lumbered over, "why not?"

"Larry, let Paladin take it for a minute!" Colin ordered. "Get over here!"

The Demon crouched low and leaped into the air, executing a perfect crane stance with the leap. Larry leaned back and kicked the Crystal Golem in the face with a loud crow while flipping back and away from it towards Colin. The series of back handsprings ended at Colin's side with a casual stead landing and a smirk at his Master.

"Show-off," Colin muttered, touching Larry's arm and speaking the name of his second Infernal Spell. "Lesser Bolster Demon."

Larry noticeably swelled with Colin's spell. "Oh, that's… tingly," he said, shivering with the power of the spell. The HellRime Knight grew two inches in height, biceps flexed and grew, and his exposed teeth grew a little bit sharper. What HellRime that Larry had conjured around his arms gained a more prominent red than the light dusting that the conjured weapons had before.

Colin heard a solid thumping sound that he observed came from Paladin, who'd palmed struck Mini-boss. The Golem had barely flinched at the heavy strike and reared back its arm and closed its fist. It threw the blow into the Sumo's gut, who leaned low and turned to the side, grabbing and pulling the fist with him.

The arm moved with him but stopped a moment later when the Golem refused to be moved with Paladin's weight and movement. Instead, the Golem pulled back and spread its claws to swipe at him. To the giant Player's credit, he reacted quickly, almost as if he was actually competent in his style of fighting. He stepped into the attack area, empowered his attack with glowing yellow energy, then twisted as he swung both palms forward.

The claw sliced the outside of the Sumo's bicep, which he grunted as he tanked the hit. While both of Paladin's palms struck the body of the Golem with the energy detonating loudly with the impact.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 97%

"Shit," Colin muttered, looking at the barely dented health. He wasn't positive, but Colin was reasonably sure that Paladin was at least level thirty-one to be a Sumo class. If a character at least twice his current level barely dented the Golem before them, what sort of chance did they have over time.

"Larry, sick 'em," Colin ordered, a sadistic smile gracing his face.

"Yes, sir," Larry said, creating a small HellRime Pickaxe and rushing the Golem.

"Rielle, your job is to focus on watching our backs. If any Golems come and try to join in, feel free to stop them. If you need help, call for it or run away back somewhere I can find you later, got it?" Colin ordered.

She nodded, "Yes, Walker."

"Nox?" Colin called out.

"What is it, DevilWalker?" Nox asked, Colin's shadow seeming to ripple and deepen as Nox talked through it.

"Yesterday, you said golems have a weakness to ice, right? But this is also bound to some kind of earth monster. Is it possible that earth monsters are also weak against ice?" Colin queried.

"Yes, in most cases at least," Nox replied.

"Do you think that ice could deal more to this monster since it is both a Golem and bound to a creature of the earth?" He asked, watching his Familiar and Paladin fight it for a moment.

"Possibly," Nox answered with an audible shrug. "There are always exceptions to every rule and weakness. But I would suggest treading carefully… that thing is dangerous."

Colin nodded and pointed his draw Xiphos at the Golem that was swinging its clawed hands at his companions. He announced, "Ice Shard!" and a splinter of ice formed along the flat of his sword about two inches in length and shot towards the Golem, impacting it in the face.

The Golem recoiled from the blow and took a single step back just as Larry and Paladin simultaneously attacked its center. Larry's pick dented its armor and pierced its shell, while the Sumo flexed and swung his palm at its chest. The Golem was forced to take another step back with the force and went still for a bare second.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 89%

Colin watched as a seam appeared out of nowhere on its face and a mouth opened in that second. As Larry and Paladin moved towards the Golem to continue their pounding, it leaned back, and a roar burst forth from its open maw. The sound was a near physical force, knocking the two away for a moment and halting their advance.

Several blue and red crystals upon its back jutted out another foot or two, and a few recent smaller spikes appeared on the back of its arms and hands. After completing its roar, the Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem stood up straight and seemingly stared at the duo that was fighting it a moment ago. It was strange, but Colin was getting the impression that it was thinking about its approach before it acted.

Larry did not wait for it to make up its mind, however, and sprinted the few yards to the foe and leaped, the Pickaxe held over his head. Before he struck down, the Golem moved his arms in front of it, light-gathering around its crystal ladened hands. A wave of light sprang forth from its arms, catching Larry midair and knocking him back to the ground past Paladin.

"Crystal, light, eh, it kind of makes sense," Colin said, letting out a heavy sigh. Activating Kinetic Vigor, Colin rushed the mini-boss and sprinted past Paladin before he reacted to the change in the enemy. Leaping up to its chest, he drove the Mythic Xiphos into its chest, and it stuck fast in the left side of its chest. Planting his legs to the sides of the weapon and leaning back, he pulled back and freed his Xiphos from the Golem.

Landing on the ground with a solid step and a slight hop backward, Colin looked up and checked its health, hoping for a big difference.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 87%

"A lousy two percent!" Colin groaned, taking a few small steps back, and charged it again. Larry was right behind him with two smaller clubs in his hands and Paladin behind him this time. With Kinetic Vigor active, he was a small percentage faster than the others and was targeted first out of the three.

The Golem swung its shimmering claws at Colin, who attempted to dodge the large hand. A wave of light collided with him, the energy slicing and pushing him back and away from the assault.

You have taken 53 points of damage and now have 362/415 health remaining.

Gritting his teeth, Colin stopped using Kinetic Vigor and breathed for a second to get a few points back in his Mana Pool. The Incubus and Sumo were somehow still engaging in combat with the Mini-boss and slowly whittling down its health. With that change a few moments ago, Colin was unsure how long they could last if its following change made the fight more challenging. Rielle was fighting with her Longsword against two Golems, one Rogue Golem and a Basic Warrior Golem. She was doing reasonably well, considering that she didn't seem to have taken a hit yet and was still swerving past their combined attacks.

She looked to have it in hand for the moment, and he got a few points of Mana back, so he returned to the main problem at hand.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 83%

Only another four percent reduction since he last looked, well, it was time to go all out then. If ice was its weakness, then Colin would have to use it to the best of his abilities, and Larry too. It seemed that his Familiar instead preferred weaponed combat to magic, but he remembered seeing Water Magic Manipulation on its shortlist of notable skills when he was choosing him.

"Paladin! You got it for twenty-ish seconds?" Colin called out to him.

The Sumo twisted his massive bulk to the side in time to avoid a claw swipe angled at his gut and yelled back, "I can give you a few seconds without help!"

"Larry, come back here!" Colin ordered, using his position as Master to make his Familiar come away from the fight. When he arrived, Colin spoke quick, "We are going to hit him hard and fast with ice and cold since that is a Golem's weakness. You do have spells, correct?" Colin asked.

Larry nodded hesitantly, "yeah, but not many. I use it for my HellRime shaping," he answered.

"Then use what you have, then fall back to recover mana before going back in," Colin touched his Demon's shoulder and used his Weak Heal Demon spell to recover some of his lost health. "I'm going in to give Paladin a hand."

With his piece said, Colin hurried forward and drew one of his throwing knives from the pouch at his jeans' back. He aimed and threw it at the Golems shoulder, hoping it was one of his frost element knives.

It wasn't, the spinning blade impacted the Golems forearm, and a burst of flames erupted from the spot. The mini-boss seemed startled by the sudden conflagration for a few seconds but didn't pay it any mind a moment later. That second gave Colin enough time to draw several of his knives and find one of his four frost knives and aim for the Golems face.

The blade missed due to the Golem's movements but still landed in the area between his shoulder and neck. Instead of sinking in, the knife clattered off, but that only reduced the effect, not negate them. A layer of ice started forming around that joint, cracking and breaking like glass as the Golem fought to be able to move that stiffening area of its body.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 81%

In its moments of struggling against the ice, Colin heard Larry announce, "downpour!" and rain appeared from nowhere and soaked the area for a few seconds. Ten seconds exactly, and then Larry yelled, "Ice Sheet!" and the water under all their feet solidified into a solid sheet of ice that Colin immediately felt unsteady on.

With one last spell, Larry said, "Frosty Balance!" and blue ice waves of magic flowed from his hand and washed over the Party. Everyone got the same Prompt.

You are now under the effects of the spell, 'Frosty Balance.' For the next 30 minutes, you shall succeed in all acrobatics checks needed to maintain your footing on ice, snow, and other ice born hazards. This does not mean you can do anything that you couldn't do already without proper equipment or training. I.E., Skating is ill-advised.

"Knock it down!" Colin shouted, running at the Golem that was at the center of the impromptu ice rink.

Colin ran at the Golem, his footing was perfect as he moved over the ice and tried to time his attack with Paladin. The Sumo was crouched with his knees bending at perfect ninety-degree angles. His left side leaned towards the Golem, and his left arm outstretched towards the Golem, palm forward. His other arm was flexing out and bent near his chest; the arm was holding a flowing yellow energy that built along with his hand and forearm and building up along his bicep.

When he swung his entire body into a powerful strike, the glowing arm swung towards the Golem, he yelled, "Charged Chi Palm Strike!" The attack sent all the charged energy in the Sumo's arm and forced it into the Golems chest, near where the rib cage would be on a person.

While their timing wasn't exactly spot on, with Colin's attack coming a second after Paladins, Colin threw his entire body into a thrust. Aimed for as high as he could on the Golem's body.

The attacks knocked the Golem back a single step, making its foot slip on the sheer ice underneath its feet. Colin ran up to its torso, and practically palm struck it with how hard and face he moved to touch its shoulder. Remembering an ability he had, Colin announced, "Psychic Resonance! Chill Touch!"

A prismatic light flowed from his head and heart and towards his hand as the spell activated. A wave of cold spread out from his hand into the Golem's shoulder and started moving within the structure nearby it. The Psychic Resonance Ability supercharged the spells with his wisdom and charisma attributes as positive modifiers to the spell. It also increased the mana cost exponentially, which was why Colin hadn't had a strong cause to use it yet.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 71%

Damn, a full ten percent of its health gone from that series of attacks and Colin's significant mana expenditure. Colin moved his hand from the frozen shoulder to another part of its torso, leaving a handprint in the ice, and cast the spell again before it started moving.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 69%

The Golem suddenly started glowing. The light around it began to… sparkle around its body, and a rippling wave of light emanated forth from its body. Knocking everyone but Paladin away from the Golem as it started standing up, while Paladin climbed on top of its body. He pressed down on the Golem and said, "Power Stomp!" raising and pounding his barefoot into the Golem's chest. The little progress in standing the Golem had made was wasted as it was forced back to the floor.

He repeated that process another time before the SoulBound Crystal Shell Golem bent its neck and looked squarely at the man on top of its chest. It opened its mouth wide and showed off its new crystal-lined maw, which was being filled with an orb of charging light.

"Well, shit," Paladin muttered as the attack went off.

The beam of light did blast Paladin off its frame and several feet past Colin, but it also let the Antagonist see how it was using those light powers.

"Paladin! How are you doing?!" Colin called out to the man that was groaning on his back behind him.

"I feel like I got a massive, ow, sunburn," he groaned out as he sat up and looked at his tender looking red skin.

"Debuff?" Colin asked, the Golem taking a few seconds to rise shakily from the ground.

"Yes, Concentrated Sunburn. Three minutes of decreased concentration from pain and increased sensitivity from fire and light damage," he explained.

"Okay, take a short breather and jump in if we are in trouble," he told him. "Larry! Go fully shield for about fifteen seconds!" Colin ordered, reaching into his Dimensional bag.

"Yes, Master!" He responded, summoning two shields almost as tall as he was and jogging towards the crystal-covered Golem. He locked both together as he got in front of the mini-boss and crouched to more easily absorb the impact. His defense was just in time as the Golem opened its maw again, the light gathering into the crystals on its back. Glowing for a second before dimming as another beam shot forth from the Golem's mouth.

The beam kept going for five seconds, during which time Larry held his shield firmly in place, even as the HellRime construct was starting to crack from the damage.

The second the beam dispersed, a green-gold flame enveloped the Golem. Larry looked back to see Rielle staring at the Mini-boss with the Heavenly Blight burning in her unblinking eyes. With her recent increases to this skill, it had gotten more powerful and a little more efficient to use, but that didn't mean she could hold it for long.

As she stared, the Golem resumed approaching Larry, the Heavenly Blight not seeming to bother it much.

Colin finished applying the Effigy Buff' Scylla's Scales' to fight more effectively at the front with Larry and watched as the Golem attacked. It swung one of its claws at Larry's shields and shattered both as if there were wood. The second strike came a moment later, slicing into his torso and throwing him away several yards with the sheer strength and weight it possessed.

"Paladin, how much longer?" Colin asked, the man behind him.

"A minute-forty!" he returned.

Colin watched the health of the Golem drop a percentage every six or seven seconds.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 58% Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 57%

"Larry! How much health do you have left?!"

"One hundred and thirty-one," he returned.

"Do you heal over time?" Colin queried.

"Yeah, but it's slower than mortals when I am here," Larry said, sitting up even as the Golem crouched low and light gathered around the crystals about its back. The icy floor underneath its feet started to evaporate as the spell Larry cast had just elapsed.

"Finally, Colin yelled, pointing at the mini-boss and designating the area of effect. "Obscuring Black!"

A thick layer of black mist covered the designated area, completely blocking out all light from penetrating deeper than an inch or two into the fog. Colin was hoping to stop the Golem from collecting any more light from the sun, given that it seemed to be absorbing the light for its attacks, not generating it. It also had the effect of blocking Rielle's line of sight to the Golem, forcing the skill to shut down and giving her a break from the skill. Great, now she would need a minute to recover from both the time she'd spent with her eyes open and the mana drain.

Next, Colin cast the spell Dark Vision onto himself, followed immediately by Black Mirror, a spell he didn't design for this purpose.

As Colin had thought, the Golem had absorbed some light, but not a lot given that this seemed a lot weaker than the last beams. Colin's spell had conjured an octagonal two-foot mirror made of black glass and blacked with a dark metal that reflected images but not light. He held the mirror in one hand like an improvised shield and put the mirror side between him and the beam.

It made contact with the beam, the concentrated light hitting with some physical force, but was absorbed by the mirror.

Spell name: Black Mirror

Mana Cost: 25

Casting time: 1 second

Range: touch

Duration: five minutes

Effect: This spell conjures an octagonal mirror made out of conjured darkness. The mirror can be as small as two inches across but as large as two feet. No matter its width or height, the mirror weight remains only heavy enough that it is not awkward to carry and half an inch thick. Unlike regular mirrors, this shadow construct can still reflect images but absorbs light instead. Thus allowing this mirror to be used in stealthy situations. This mirror is not made for combat and will shatter upon the first impact with anything that would break regular glass.

The mirror shattered into broken shards a moment before the resounding pieces evaporated into misty shadows.

With Dark Vision on, Colin could see that the Golem was looking around within the cloud of darkness. It seemed confused for a moment, as if it couldn't decide why it couldn't see anything. Then it took a single step forward, and the change of angle allowed him to see through the cloud and at the Basic Warrior Golem that ALAN was still using to observe the fight.

He'd taken no action in this fight beyond directing his mini-boss here to fight Colin and his team, and that really pissed Colin off. The arrogance of the thing, what did he really think that this thing was enough to take them on and win. Its impassive stare at the fight and its stiff bearing as it stood with its arms he'd behind its back implied that it really thought its thing would win.

"No, fuck you, ALAN. I'm DevilWalker, and I refuse to let this… thing beat me!" Colin roared, his mind surging at the situation, overriding his senses and filling his veins with power. It was strange. He wasn't feeling actually enraged at either entity before him, no matter if that was what it felt like. It felt more like…

Determination has reinforced and reenergized your mind and your will to fight on. Your mana pool has been fully restored and is multiplied by 150% for the next minute. Also, you will be under the effect of the 'Fortified Blessing' for the next three minutes. Fortified Blessing - All natural armor, no matter the source (except infernal powers), shall be multiplied by 125%. This shall also increase the natural armor's weight, the reduction of flexibility, and the appearance of the natural armor by the same amount. You Determination skill has increased to level 4. You will has been strengthened, and this skills effects have grown.

"Shit," Colin breathed as he read the prompt. His skin, no, his scales itched as the effect of Scylla's Scales intensified and stretched further over his frame. A few short seconds later, the alteration finished, and he was left feeling heavier but more durable at the same time. It was strange, but he had little time to absorb what happened to him.

Activating Kinetic Vigor to take advantage of the increase to his Mana Pool, Colin ran at the Mini-boss while it was still in the dark mist. He sprinted past its front and slid to a stop, using his hands to slow even faster, his toughened scales scraping against the ground. Then he scrambled at its back, even as it turned to determine where that sound came from.

Colin grabbed one of the Crystal spines on its back and held on as he gripped tighter to his Xiphos. Using the Chill Touch spell with the hand he held on with and Aligned Strike with his Xiphos, Colin swung with reckless abandon at the crystals covering the Golems back. The Mini-boss bucked and tried to reach Colin with his arms but just could reach Colin as he swung at anything within reach. He quickly ran out of Mana, giving him a minor headache, but still, he kept swinging.

Suddenly, they left the area of effect of Obscuring Black, and Colin groaned as he saw the wall that the Golem was trying to walk backward into. Colin tried to push off of the Golems back and roll away from the path it was going, but the enhancement from Fortified Blessing made him significantly less nimble than before. He slipped his leap away and instead fell off its back, going to the floor as it rushed backward, stepping on his chest with one of its steps.

You have taken 62 points of damage and now have 300/415 health remaining.

"Ow," Colin groaned out as he got to his feet and watched at the momentum the Golem had forced it back into the wall it intended to squish Colin with. The resounding crash echoed through the open area they were fighting around, and the Antagonist took a moment to decide on his next course of action. He was regaining his Mana steadily, but not quickly, he couldn't make out the Golem's remaining health with the dusk cloud obscuring his vision. His only bit of good news was that he didn't break any bones from it stepping on him. Probably from the enhancement to Scylla's Scales.

A few moments later, Colin heard the Mini-boss work its way out of the rubble and walk out of the dust cloud.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 34%

"Well, that is a lot more like it," Colin said, grinning as he stood up straight, popping his back with the effort that it took to do so. Rolling his shoulders, Colin approached the Golem as it came to him and sped up to a jog even as it lumbered forward faster itself. It swiped at Colin with claws empowered by light, and he stepped into the swing, using his increased weight and armor bonus to deflect the blow.

You have taken 17 points of damage and now have 287/415 health remaining.

The attack pushed him away several feet, and Colin took a few points of damage, but he wasn't knocked off his feet, and he hurried forward and swung his Xiphos at its swinging arm. It tried to grab Colin with its other arm and grazed at Colin with the tips of its claws.

You have taken 12 points of damage and now have 275/415 health remaining.

Damn, this increased natural armor had slowed him down more than he expected, or maybe the Golem was moving a good amount faster. Either way, he swung at the offending hand that attempted to get him and used Aligned Strike with another quick attack at its hand.

It then broke pattern and kicked at Colin, the heavy attack knocking him back several feet and giving the Golem the space to rear back its head. Drawing in light for a light beam at point-blank range.

Then Larry jumped in front of Colin, summoning a pair of tall shields and putting them between himself and his Master. The beam collided and was so bright that light could be seen through the HellRime that made up the shields. The Shields cracked and shook under the continued pressure and ended a few seconds later as Paladin hurried forward, holding a gourd in his left hand.

He took a quick swig from the container and dropped it down to his side; Colin watched as he took a deep breath. Then he sprayed the contents at the Golem, the result was immediately apparent as the Golem slowed down. Immediately, Paladin jumped forward and empowered his strikes as he struck at the slowed Mini-boss.

Larry dropped the shields and quickly remade them, jumping in the way of the Golem's next glowing claw strike. Then Paladin stepped around the Demon and tackled the Golem with his entire body weight.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 20%

The Golem's red eyes got covered with the same crystal that covered its body and quickly started thrashing around wildly as thin beams escaped it at random. A single beam missed Colin by bare inches while another sliced into his leg, scorching him seconds before the increased natural armor disappeared.

You have taken 17 points of damage and now have 258/415 health remaining.

Another beam got Larry, and he growled as he dropped both shields and conjured a massive hammer. He charged and swung at the Golem, only to have a clawed limb kick him away before he could swing his attack.

The Golem burst into Heavenly Heavenly Blight as Rielle reengaged her skill and stared at the Golem, who just continued swinging at a defending Sumo. He either tanked the hits sent at him, blocked the attack properly, or evaded the attack with a dexterity that belied his size. The more Colin watched the Sumo with continued interest. Unlike a lot of Player's he'd observed in here were unskilled and untrained, but whoever this guy was in real life, he actually spent time training to be this good.

Colin pointed his free-hand at the Golem before him and fired off several Shadow Bolts at it until he ran out of Mana again. When Paladin looked worse for wear, Colin called out for him to step back. Colin jumped in to absorb some of the damage and did his best to follow in the Sumo's excellent example of tanking.

You have taken 27 points of damage and now have 231/415 health remaining. Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 5%

The flames winked out around the Mini-Boss, and Rielle stumbled backward, further away from the conflict than she was a moment before. Her heaving breathing made it evident that the effort she'd taken was not an easy one to do. Colin needed to make sure that he did something nice for her when they got away from this.

"Larry, Let's go, Final push," Colin yelled, ducking past a swinging claw and thrusting his sword at the next one coming towards him.

The Incubus Conjured a HellRime Bow and loaded Quiver, firing past Colin and impacting the Mini-boss with accurate shots. As much as Colin would have loved Paladin's help, the man deserved a break from being pummeled for a few minutes. So he simply kept doing his thing. Taking damage as a matter of course for this situation.

You have taken 39 points of damage and now have 192/415 health remaining. You have taken 20 points of damage and now have 172/415 health remaining.

The final blow came a moment later. Larry's last arrow impacted the Golem's right bicep and practically sheered it off with the damage. The Golem stumbled back away from the area where Colin had been fighting a moment earlier.

Mini-boss: Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem. Health: 0%

The Golem tried to stand for a long moment before collapsing to the ground.

Congratulations! Your Party killed the Mini-boss, Soulbound Crystal Shell Golem, and have gained 17,345 EXP to each party member. You now have 74,596 /70,215 until level 16. Level up! You are now level 16 and have gained 5 Attribute points to spend. You now have 4,381/105,232 until level 17. Due to your ability, Anatomy of a Boss 1, you can choose a new ability at every fourth level compared to every fifth. When ready, feel free to choose what ability you would like. Your Ravenous Mythic Xiphos is now level 11. The minimum and maximum damage have increased. Your Short Blades Skill is now Level 9. Your damage, attack speed, and reaction time with short blades has increased by a small margin. Your Aligned Strike Skill is now level 7. Damage per Alignment Rank has increased. Your Water Magic Manipulation is now level 7. Your Kinetic Magic Manipulation is now level 10. Your Perception Skill is now level 7. The passive and active bonuses to your senses have increased.

The Basic Warrior Golem housing ALAN's perception walked forward and was clapping its metal hands together. "Wonderful, that was very enlightening to watch, DevilWalker. Unfortunate that it took one of my very limited Soulbound Golems to learn about this way of fighting," he said, shaking his head sadly.

Colin was breathing heavily as he approached the Golem, "so that's what that was all about? You were observing us and taking notes on how to improve?" Colin asked rhetorically.

"Yes," ALAN answered.

Colin didn't hesitate. He activated one final use of his leveled Aligned Strike and cut the Golem practically in half from neck to hip. The red light faded from Colin's sword as he finally started to relax a little since he wasn't immediately being observed.

"Alright, Let's gather some of these Crystals from the Golem and then get back on our way before we continue to the Auxiliary. Wait, on second thought, let's take a few minutes to rest and heal before we continue. I. Am. Tired," Colin groaned, sheathing his Mythic Xiphos.