Chương 55: The Hammer Drop

Recap: A Crystal Golem blocked the shelter. A Mana Storm is approaching. You voted to DEPLOY HAMMER (WEAPON). Torin asked if I could store them. I couldn't. But I could store this. I focused on the Dimensional Pocket inside my stomach. The Guardian Hammer sat there, suspended in blue void. Heavy. Enchanted. Glowing with residual furnace heat. Target acquired, I thought. Trajectory: Up and Out. I opened my lid. I didn't bite. I ejected.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Skill Used: Dimensional Release Cost: 0 MP (Retrieval) Item: Guardian Hammer (Unique) Effect: Gravity Assist + Fire Enchantment The hammer materialized ten feet above the Golem's head. It didn't hover. It fell.

"WHAT… IS…" the Golem rumbled. It looked up. Its crystal eyes widened. CLANG. The hammer hit the Golem's skull. The fire enchantment flared. Orange flames met blue ice. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Damage Calculation: Blunt (Strength 7) + Fire vs. Ice Base Damage: 15 HP Elemental Bonus: x2 (Critical) Total Damage: 30 HP Target HP: 0 (Shattered) The sound was like a cathedral bell cracking. The Golem didn't just fall; it exploded. Shards of crystal flew in all directions.

The fire spread briefly, melting the ice floor, before sizzling out. Silence. Except for the hum of the storm.

"Did… did the box just spit a hammer?" Renn asked. His voice was small. Torin walked over to the pile of shards. He picked up the hammer. It was undamaged.

"Unique loot. Level 6. Box… you're… a arsenal." A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Boss Defeated: Crystal Golem (Level 6) XP Gained: 50 XP Current XP: 390/450 (Level 5) Loot Detected: Golem Core (Pure Crystal), Hammer (Retrieved) Store it again, I thought. I touched the hammer with my tongue. Whoosh. Back into the pocket. Safe.

"Storm!" Kara screamed. The sky inside the cavern turned purple. Lightning arcs jumped between the wall crystals. A bolt struck the spot where the Golem had stood. The ice vaporized.

"Inside! Now!" Torin yelled. We scrambled into the cave behind the formation. It was shallow. A alcove. But it was shielded by the thick crystal wall. ZAP. Lightning struck the entrance. The air smelled of ozone. My Thermal Adaptation passive hummed. The heat from the lightning didn't burn me. The cold from the ice didn't freeze me. I was… balanced. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Environmental Damage: 0 HP (Thermal Adaptation) Party Status: Safe (Cover) We waited. Ten minutes. Twenty. The storm raged outside.

Blue fire danced on the cavern floor.

"Safe," Kara finally said. She slumped against the wall.

"That was… too close." Torin looked at me.

"You saved us. Twice. The spiders. The Golem." You saved me by not selling me to a Guild, I thought. We're even.

"We need to talk about… loot," Torin said. He looked at the hammer inside me.

"That weapon… it's worth more than our lives. But you… you wield it." It's in my stomach, Torin. I don't wield it. I am it.

"Share?" Renn suggested.

"When we sell it… we split?" No, I thought. I need it. It's my ranged attack. I vibrated. Buzz. (No).

"Keep it," Kara said suddenly. She looked at the others.

"Think about it. The box… it fights better with it. We use swords. It uses… whatever that is. If we take it, we weaken the party." Torin nodded slowly.

"Agreed. But… the Core. The Golem Core." He pointed to the glowing shard on the floor.

"That's pure mana. Kara can use it. Or… the box can eat it." Eat it, I thought. Definitely eat it. But if I ate it… I'd be Close to Level 6. Level 6 unlocks… what? Taunt Upgrade? Storage Upgrade? Or do I save it for Kara? She's the mage. She needs mana. The storm was still raging. We were trapped here for a while. I had time to decide. Current Stats (Level 5 - Ironband Mimic): HP: 16/23 (Unchanged) Mana: 10/18 (Unchanged) Stamina: 28/28 (Full) Inventory: 2 Pebbles, Metal Items (Fused). Mage Staff (Loot).

Guardian Hammer (Stored). Status: Thermal Adaptation Active, Storm Trapped, Golem Core Available. What do you do? A) EAT THE CORE (XP) Consume the Golem Core. Gain XP. Push closer to Level 6. Prioritize personal power. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: +25 XP. Risk: Party might feel slighted.) B) GIVE CORE TO KARA (ALLIANCE) Let Kara take the Core. She needs mana for heals/buffs. Strengthen party bond. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: Party Loyalty, Future Buffs. Risk: Miss XP.) C) SLEEP (REGEN) Ignore the loot for now.

Rest while the storm passes. Regen MP/HP to full. (Cost: 0 SP. Time Skip: 1 Hour. Gain: Full Stats. Risk: Storm might breach shelter.) D) EXPERIMENT WITH HAMMER (SKILL) Try to use the stored Hammer as a projectile weapon repeatedly. Test the limits of Dimensional Storage. (Cost: 2 MP per Shot. Gain: Ranged Attack Skill. Risk: MP Drain.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins. [Author Note] Thanks for voting on Chapter 54! Option A (Deploy Hammer) was devastating!

You one-shot the Crystal Golem with its own weakness (Fire vs. Ice)! You're now 390/450 XP!