Shield Of Vengeance

###Chapter 23: To Protect, And Avenge

The guild hall was bustling as adventurers milled about, looking for their next task. The guild lady approached the request board, her hands clutching a fresh poster. With a practiced motion, she pinned it to the wall. A random adventurer glanced at the new addition, curiosity piqued.

"Huh?, who's that?" the adventurer asked.

The guild lady smiled knowingly.

"This is no ordinary adventurer. This is the lone boy who defeated the 10th floor's floor boss single-handedly. The same boy who saved Princess Mira—sister of Princess Lea—from the fierce enhanced Grimshale. The boy known as... 'The Lone Hero.'"

A hush fell over the nearby adventurers, their murmurs of disbelief blending into an air of reverence. The scene then shifts back to the dungeon, where the so-called "Lone Hero" stood face-to-face with the towering monstrosity that was Skeletus.

Arie stood firm, his burning right eye extinguishing, revealing something, a glowing red, pattern etched across his eye. The strange symbol pulsated faintly, a clear indication that this was no ordinary ability. Agin, still watching from the sidelines, froze, his breath caught in his throat.

"He might be stronger than me, even in my true form"

Agin muttered under his breath, stunned by the sheer intensity of Arie's presence.

Before Skeletus could react, Arie vanished in an instant, his teleportation magic activating. He reappeared not far in front of the skeletal titan, he raised his sword, gettin ready swing it. As Arie swung the Sword of Calamity, the space in front of him shimmered, distorted like the air above a raging fire. The distortion rippled outward, barely perceptible, but its impact was undeniable.

Skeletus staggered backward, a jagged crack spreading across its massive chest as if the very fabric of reality had been cut. No one saw the slash itself—only the aftermath. The air hummed with an unsettling resonance, as though the world was catching up with the strike.

Agin froze, his battle-hardened instincts faltering as he whispered, "What the... What was that?"

The skeletal giant roared in agony, its massive form trembling as shards of bone rained to the ground. Princess Lea tightened her grip on her sword, her eyes flicking toward Arie, who stood firm and unshaken.

A deep crack formed in Skeletus' ribcage, but the monster didn't falter. Instead, it retaliated with raw ferocity, summoning a wave of Spinal Surge, sharp bone spikes erupting from the ground .

Arie leapt into the air, his movements fluid, dodging the onslaught of spikes. He landed atop one of the protruding bones, briefly stabilizing himself before dashing forward again. The space around the blade distort as he charged it with the same technique, unleashing another invisible slash aimed at Skeletus' shoulder.

The Skeletus roared in response, its hollow eyes glowing with a red glow as it conjured another attack. This time, it raised its massive arms, launching a barrage of bone spikes directly at Arie. The speed and precision of the attack were far greater than before, catching even Agin off guard.

"Another skill? It got stronger?"

Princess Lea said, her voice filled with concern. "But Arie... he's keeping up!"

Arie's Calamity Eye tracked each projectile with razor-sharp precision. His movements were like a blur as he dodged left and right, teleporting just as a spike would graze him. The spikes struck the walls and ground around him, but not a single one touched their target.

Skeletus then let out a guttural growl, raising its hand and forming a massive orb of dark energy above its palm. With a flick of its wrist, it hurled the orb toward Arie.

Arie raised his free hand, summoning his Weaponer ability. A swirling mass of slime-like energy emerged, transforming into a massive shield. The orb collided with the shield, sending shockwaves through the chamber as the impact pushed Arie back.

He slid to a stop, his eyes narrowing. "It got stronger, and faster too" he said quietly, his tone calm but menacing. "This won't be easy"

Skeletus lunged forward, its massive hand swiping at Arie. Instead of dodging, Arie teleported just as the hand passed through him, reappearing behind Skeletus. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed The Arrow of Destruction, a concentrated beam of energy that pierced through Skeletus' back, leaving a gaping hole.

The skeletal titan staggered but quickly regenerated, its bones knitting back together with eerie speed. Its glowing eyes flared as it slammed its claw into the ground, sending out another wave of Spinal Surge.

This time, the spikes came faster and in greater numbers. Arie gritted his teeth, teleporting repeatedly to avoid the barrage. Each movement was precise, his Calamity Eye locking onto every incoming attack.

From the sidelines, Agin watched in awe.

"He's reading every move,"

he muttered.

"It's like he knows what's coming before it happens."

The fight reached a fever pitch as Skeletus unleashed a flurry of bone spikes and dark blasts, forcing Arie to go on the defensive.

Arie stood his ground, his stance unyielding, his expression unreadable. From the outside, he looked composed—like a warrior in perfect control of the battlefield.

But in his mind, chaos raged.

"I'm at my limit…"

His muscles screamed with every movement, his lungs burned for air, and the weight of the Sword of Calamity felt heavier than ever. One wrong step and it's over.

He pushed the thoughts aside, narrowing his focus. Skeletus loomed ahead, its hollow eyes glowing with malice, unaware of the storm building within Arie.

"I just need one opening. Just one…"

Arie gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his face as he narrowly evaded another barrage of bone spikes erupting from the ground. Each movement felt heavier, more exhausting than the last, but he couldn't stop—not now. The Skeletus roared, its sheer presence oppressive, and Arie knew one thing: this was no easy fight.

His sword arm ached from every clash, every parry. His movements were sharp but frantic, a mix of instinct and desperation. He wasn't untouchable—far from it. Skeletus's relentless attacks forced him to adapt with each strike.

"Come on... come on!" Arie muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on the hilt of the Sword of Calamity. The creature was stronger than he'd anticipated, its regeneration quicker, its magic far more devastating. He leapt back just in time as another "Spinal Surge" erupted from below, narrowly avoiding the spikes.

The Skeletus didn't let up. With a sickening sound, it launched shards of its own bones toward him, sharp enough to pierce steel. Arie threw himself to the side, his teleportation spell flickering out of instinct to reposition him, but even then, one of the shards grazed his shoulder, tearing through his sleeve and leaving a shallow gash. He hissed, stumbling as the blood dripped down his arm.

"Damn it... This thing isn't slowing down."

Agin, watching from the sidelines, clenched his fists. "He got hit, and the skeletus seems to have gotten even stronger now, Arie, you should retreat! You can't win this, your mana might ran out before you can even kill it!"

But Arie didn't retreat. Instead, his gaze hardened.

"I have to find an opening... There has to be a weakness"

he thought, his mind racing as his body refused to give in. His breaths were ragged, but his resolve was unshakable.

The Skeletus lunged again, its movements faster now, as though sensing Arie's struggle. Its massive form towered above him, and it swung its bone-encrusted arm down like a hammer. Arie reacted just in time, teleporting mid-swing to avoid the crushing blow, but the force of the strike shattered the ground where he'd stood, sending debris flying in every direction.

Landing a few paces away, Arie stumbled but stayed on his feet, his chest heaving. His mind burned with determination as he gripped the Sword of Calamity tightly. The weapon pulsed in his hands, its magic urging him forward. The Skeletus turned toward him again, its hollow sockets glowing ominously.

"I'm not... done yet!" Arie growled, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. His body screamed for rest, but he pushed through, his instincts telling him it was now or never.

With a burst of energy, he dashed forward. This time, his movements were rough, not polished or perfect, but raw and unyielding. As he approached the Skeletus, its massive hands shot toward him like a vice, but Arie twisted mid-step, narrowly avoiding its grasp. He slashed upward with the Sword of Calamity, a distorted ripple in the air marking the path of his blade.

The strike connected, carving deep into the Skeletus's torso. It stumbled back with a groan, bones falling away from the impact. Arie didn't let up. He followed with another slash, then another—each blow fueled by sheer willpower.

"Stay... down!" he shouted, driving his sword into its side.

But the Skeletus roared in defiance. Its chest began to regenerate, the bones pulling back together as dark energy coiled through its form. Arie's eyes widened, his muscles screaming as he wrenched his sword free and leapt backward.

"No way... It's healing again?" he muttered under his breath, his heart pounding in his ears.

From the sidelines, Agin cursed under his breath. "This is insane. He can't win on his own... but he's still holding his ground."

The Skeletus straightened, its form somehow more menacing than before. Spikes of bone jutted from its limbs, its attacks growing wilder and more destructive. Arie barely kept up, his teleportation magic faltering under the strain. Every move, every strike, cost him more energy.

"Arie, stop! You'll get yourself killed!" Agin yelled, desperation in his voice.

But Arie didn't respond. His mind was locked in, his gaze never leaving the Skeletus. He could feel the toll on his body, the weight of every blow he'd endured, but he refused to falter. Somewhere deep inside, he knew he couldn't give up—not now.

The Skeletus unleashed another barrage of bone shards, faster this time. Arie lunged to avoid them, but one pierced through his side. He gasped, dropping to one knee as the pain flared through his body.

"Arie!" Liana cried, watching helplessly from where she and Lea were recovering.

Arie clenched his teeth, his hand pressing against the wound. He forced himself to stand, blood dripping down his side. "Not... yet," he muttered, a flicker of light sparking in his right eye.

Arie's breathing was heavy, but he refused to show it. He gripped the Sword of Calamity tightly, its blade shimmering with distorted air like heat waves from a raging fire.

The first slash landed, a streak of destruction tearing across Skeletus's chest. Another followed, then another—each one faster, stronger, and more precise than the last. The skeletal titan staggered, unable to keep up with the relentless onslaught.

Skeletus staggered, as its bones splintered and shattered, pieces of its massive rib cage flying across the ground.

The monster screeched in defiance, and from the broken earth beneath its feet, spikes erupted—Spinal Surge—jagged bone spears shooting toward Arie like death itself.

"Tch—!" Arie hissed as he leapt to the side, twisting mid-air just in time to evade the attack. The surge of bones sliced through where he'd been standing only moments before, crumbling as they missed their mark.

Skeletus, undeterred, began gathering energy—dark tendrils spiraled toward its core, preparing a devastating blow. But then—

It happened in an instant.

Arie's eyes narrowed. The flickering flames that had once consumed his gaze vanished, leaving behind a strange, glowing pattern—sharp, cold, predatory.

And in the blink of an eye—

Arie disappeared.

Skeletus froze. For a beat, the battlefield was silent. Then, a faint sound sounded behind the towering skeleton. Arie now stood there. Before the Skeletus could react.

Every single bone of its rib cage collapsed, sliced clean through.

Skeletus let out a hollow, echoing roar, a sound of pure anguish as its massive form wavered, trying to hold itself together. Arie, unmoving, shifted his grip on the *Sword of Calamity*, positioning it low at his left side, where a scabbard might've been.

With a sharp inhale, Arie launched forward. His figure blurred out of sight, and the next thing visible was a single, brilliant streak of light—like a black flame streaking through the air.

The ground split apart beneath him, leaving a massive gash—a slash so deep that it scorched the stone itself.

Arie turned his gaze to the Skeletus, as his final slash left both the Skeletus and the ground... Cleaved in half...

Arie stood still, as the black fire in his right eye flickered and faded, the strange pattern slowly unraveled. His eye returned to its normal state, and with it, the overwhelming surge of power drained away, leaving him standing, yet utterly exhausted.

Arie slowly took his steps back toward Agin, the Skeletus's bones crumbling behind him. His body, drained from the fight, began to falter. His vision blurred, and his legs wavered with each step. As he stumbled, his strength gave way, and he collapsed.

Agin rushed forward, catching him just before he hit the ground. "Arie!" he called, his usual calm replaced by concern. Liana and Princess Lea quickly rushed to his side, starting a healing chant to stabilize him.

As they worked, the teacher stood back, watching with an unsettling smile on his face, as if pleased by the scene unfolding before him.