The dungeon was collapsing around me, the walls cracking and crumbling as the ground shook violently.
Dust and debris rained down from the ceiling, and the air was thick with the sound of stone grinding against stone.
I was running as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest, when Aro's voice cut through the chaos.
"Dodge," he said, his tone casual, almost bored.
I didn't question it. A chill ran down my spine, and I swerved to the side just as a massive axe spun past me, missing me by inches.
It slammed into the dungeon wall with a deafening crash, embedding itself deep into the stone. I skidded to a halt, my eyes darting to the source of the attack.
Standing in the middle of the corridor was a giant knight statue, its stone body towering over me.
Its eyes glowed with a faint, eerie light, and the sheer amount of mana radiating from it was overwhelming.
I could tell immediately—this thing was [C-] rank. Stronger than me. Much stronger.
I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "Of course. Just when I thought I was done with this place, an annoying one shows up."
"Annoying?" Aro said, his voice dripping with mockery. "This thing could crush you like a bug. You sure you want to fight it?"
"Do I have a choice?" I shot back sarcastically, my eyes never leaving the knight.
It was already moving, its massive greatsword—easily twice my height—gripped in both hands.
The ground trembled with each step it took, and I could feel the weight of its presence pressing down on me.
I glanced past the knight, estimating the distance to the exit.
The dungeon was collapsing fast, and I had maybe five minutes before this entire section came down on top of me.
Five minutes to take down this thing and get out alive. No pressure.
The knight lunged at me, its greatsword swinging in a wide, devastating arc.
I channeled mana into my feet, enhancing my speed, and darted to the side just as the blade crashed into the ground, sending chunks of stone flying.
The impact shook the corridor, and I used the momentum to leap forward, my rapier-like longsword flashing as I aimed for the knight's exposed side.
But the knight was faster than I expected. It twisted its body, bringing its sword up in a sweeping motion to block my strike.
The force of the collision sent a shockwave through my arms, and I barely managed to keep hold of my blade.
I gritted my teeth, pushing off the knight's sword and flipping backward to create some distance.
The knight didn't give me a moment to breathe. It charged again, its movements surprisingly agile for something so massive.
Its greatsword came down in a vertical slash, and I sidestepped, the blade grazing my shoulder as it slammed into the ground.
I countered with a quick thrust, aiming for the gap in its armor at the joint of its arm, but the knight twisted its body, deflecting my strike with the flat of its blade.
I cursed under my breath, my mind racing. This thing was overpowering me, and I didn't have time to play around.
The dungeon was still collapsing, and every second counted. I needed to end this—fast.
The knight swung its sword horizontally, and I dropped low, the blade whistling over my head.
I rolled to the side, coming up in a crouch, and launched a fire spear at its chest.
The spell hit its mark, exploding on impact, but the knight barely flinched. Its stone body was scorched, but it showed no signs of slowing down.
"Fire's not going to cut it," Aro said, his tone annoyingly calm. "You'll need something stronger."
"No kidding," I muttered, my eyes narrowing as I dodged another swing.
I switched tactics, summoning ice to encase the knight's legs.
The frost spread quickly, locking it in place for a moment. I used the opportunity to dash forward, my blade aimed at its neck.
But the knight shattered the ice with a roar, its greatsword coming up to meet my attack.
Our blades clashed, sparks flying as I pushed against its overwhelming strength.
My arms trembled under the pressure, and I knew I couldn't hold out for long.
With a grunt, I disengaged, flipping backward to create some distance.
The knight pursued, its movements relentless.
It swung its sword in a series of brutal strikes, each one forcing me to dodge or block. I was running out of options, and the dungeon was collapsing faster now.
Chunks of the ceiling were falling all around us, and the ground was cracking beneath my feet.
I needed to end this. Now.
Channeling the last of my mana, I combined fire and lightning, forming a swirling plasma orb in my hand.
The knight charged at me, its greatsword raised high, and I hurled the plasma at its chest.
The attack hit with a deafening explosion, the force of it sending me flying backward. I hit the ground hard, my vision swimming as I struggled to get back up.
When the smoke cleared, the knight was still standing, but its body was cracked and crumbling.
It took a step forward, its sword raised, but then it stopped. Its glowing eyes dimmed, and with a final, shuddering groan, it collapsed into a pile of rubble.
I let out a shaky breath, my body trembling with exhaustion. But I didn't have time to rest. The dungeon was coming down around me, and I had to move. Now.
Pushing myself to my feet, I turned and ran, the sound of collapsing stone echoing behind me. The exit was close. I could make it. I had to.