I Have a Friend

Although he had not succeeded yet, he had over sixty days of experience in the challenge. The experience of the Golden Edge Witch was very useful to Luo Jun. He listened to her while observing the golems on the field.

"How much longer until the 100-day period?" Luo Jun asked, stretching his joints.

"I'm from the rescue team," said the Golden Edge Witch. "Ling Shen activated this ruin. He said he entered on the first day in the morning, and now it's the ninety-eighth day. That means the deadline is the morning of the day after tomorrow."

"By the way, did you see Ling Shen when you passed the fourth floor? Is he alright?"

"He had mutated," Luo Jun said. "I freed him."

As she said this, Luo Jun could sense a fluctuation in Golden Edge Witch's emotions, but she quickly calmed down.

"Thank you."

"It's too early to say thank you now." Luo Jun stretched his body. "There are still about ten Clan Troops on the third level, and your team members should be among them. They're all on the verge of collapse. There are also other hunters who came to rescue you... If we can't kill this monster within three days, we 'All Must Die!"

"You've already tried, aren't you going to give up?" Golden Edge Witch looked at Luo Jun.

"You haven't given up either, have you?" Luo Jun sneered. "Otherwise, why would you be telling me all this?"

As he spoke, he walked onto the field.

Just listening to experience isn't enough; you have to try it yourself.

If we count the day you entered as day one, the full 100 days should be the same moment on the 101st day. So, there are three zeros left until the deadline, which means there are three opportunities to heal and refresh the dice system... How to make use of these is the key to whether you can defeat this monster.

Reaching the edge of the field, Luo Jun took a deep breath and stepped in, but did not go in. He stood within three meters of the edge of the field, making it easy to exit at any time.

The golem in the center of the arena seemed to sense the intruder, and began to stretch its body, transforming into battle form, and charging forward wielding Great Axe!

"The main attack methods are downward slashes, horizontal sweeps, and diagonal slashes... The axe will be used first in the attack, occasionally combined with kicks and stomps. There are a few angles where joint movement will be restricted..."

Silently reciting the information from the Golden Edge Witch, Luo Jun watched the approaching monster as it raised its axe to strike him down!

Get out of the way!

Luo Jun didn't use the dice; he took two steps to the side and dodged the attack using his own strength.

Last time, he was caught off guard by the monster's strength and his frantic attempts to dodge were too difficult. This time, he was well-prepared and had anticipated the attack. Plus, he felt confident with his back against the safety boundary. Both his mindset and actions were completely different from before.

Although this monster possessed immense strength, it was still quite heavy, and the axe it wielded was also extremely heavy. While its attack speed was fast enough for an ordinary person, it was still lacking in Luo Jun figured out its attack pattern, dodging it wouldn't be difficult.

If the dice are rolled, the difficulty level is probably less than 30... but the Severity Coefficient is definitely high enough.

The next attack came! The monster pulled the axe from the ground and swung it diagonally!

This was a bit more difficult than the downward chop, but still manageable. Luo Jun dodged again, narrowly avoiding the axe blade.

At that moment, the axe in the golem's hand drew a circle in mid-air and then swept back with a horizontal strike!

Compared to downward slashes and upward strikes, horizontal sweeps have a wider attack area and are harder to dodge. This time, Luo Jun finally summoned the dice.

"Dodge Attack!"

"Ding! Event Difficulty 47, Final Points 70+5, Event Success!"

The moment the notification sounded, Luo Jun lunged forward, dodging the sharp axe blade, ducking his head to avoid the axe handle, and arrived at the golem's feet, punching its ankle!

On the previous level, this punch would have been enough to pierce the armor and twist the joints, but this time, Luo Jun's fist was shaken so badly that his bones almost broke... Looking at the thick armor, there were only slight dents.

Being stripped of five layers of the Body Refinement Realm is equivalent to a thirty-two-fold enhancement!

Just then, the golem suddenly raised a foot and kicked at Luo Jun!

Here it comes! It's in a blind spot where the axe can't reach, so it'll try to attack with a kick!

Remembering the experience taught by Golden Edge Witch, Luo Jun took a step back and moved into the blind spot of the kick, easily dodging the attack.

Taking advantage of the moment, the golem spun around and swung its axe at the target again!

But before its axe could strike, Luo Jun had already retreated several steps and exited the arena!

The golem's movements stopped abruptly, then it retreated to the center of the arena as if time had reversed, and curled up again.

"Call..."

Luo Jun breathed a sigh of relief.

Hearing about experiences is never as reliable as firsthand observation. This brief exchange just now gave him a deeper understanding of the attacks of Advanced Demon Statue, and he should be able to dodge them more easily next time.

After resting for a while at the edge of the field, he stepped back in!

In this way, Luo Jun kept pulling at the edge of the field. When he encountered an attack that he was confident he could dodge, he relied entirely on his own skill. If he encountered a situation that was difficult to dodge, he would use the dice and rely on his high Luck Level and the Point Correction to avoid the attack.

If you notice your performance declining and you're about to run into trouble, leave the area immediately, rest for a while, adjust your mindset, and try again.

Every encounter with the Advanced Demon Statue was fraught with danger, and the more they fought, the more Luo Jun admired the Golden Peak Witch. He couldn't imagine how he would have dealt with such a terrifying monster if his attributes were only at 15% of what they were now.

In the stands, the Golden Edge Witch watched the ever-advancing "Night," and the glimmer of hope that had been ignited in her Central Plains gradually faded away.

Admittedly, I managed to dodge attacks every night, but this time the challenge wasn't dodging, but defeating the golem.

The real challenge is how to break through the golem's defenses with flesh and blood!

While dodging, Ye was also constantly looking for opportunities to counterattack, but not once could he inflict effective damage on the Advanced Demon Statue... At this rate, no matter how many times he challenged it, it would all be in vain!

But looking at Ye on the field, he seemed oblivious to this, continuing his tireless challenges. With each challenge, more than half of the ninety-eighth day had passed, and according to the outside time, it was almost evening...

At this moment, Luo Jun had one last Dice Opportunity left. As the number of challenges increased, he became more and more familiar with the golem's attack patterns, and could now ensure that he would not be put in danger for a long time. More than three hours had passed since he last used the dice.

But no one can be perfect. In this battle, he accidentally took a wrong step and was thrown off his rhythm by the monster. By the time he recovered, the axe was already at his feet!

Activate the dice!

"Ding! Event Difficulty 66, Final Points 5+5 points, Great Failure!"

"Oh no!"

Luo Jun was terrified and immediately activated his ability to Regret, but he had already used up his last die roll, leaving him to rely entirely on his own abilities to dodge.

Although you won't get the bonus from the dice rolls, at least you avoid the consequences of Great Failure!

Luo Jun aimed precisely at the direction the axe was coming from and dodged with all his might...

Brush!

A flash of blood appeared, and a severed arm spun and flew into the air.

Then look at Luo Jun, who, despite the excruciating pain, scrambled and crawled away from the venue...

His arm was severed from his upper arm, and blood was gushing out. Luo Jun endured the pain and pinched the wound to barely stop the bleeding.

This wasn't the worst injury he'd ever suffered, but having a limb severed was a first for him...

"It will recover after midnight," the Golden Edge Witch said calmly. "Don't challenge it again before then."

Luo Jun nodded. He had run out of dice rolls and his arm was broken, so he really couldn't continue the challenge.

Looking at the panel, I'm still a few dozen experience points short of leveling up... I thought this time I could gain a lot of experience, but I failed and even lost an arm.

Fortunately, he was Root Bone, and his wounds healed much faster than the average person. The bleeding stopped in no time, though he appeared somewhat weak from the pain.

"You've experienced it firsthand, haven't you?" The Golden Edge Witch looked at Luo Jun: "The biggest challenge in getting through this isn't dodging the golem's attacks, but defeating it."

"You've challenged us so many times, dodged countless attacks, but never managed to break through our defenses. Your opponent, on the other hand, only needs one hit to cripple you."

Luo Jun looked at Golden Edge Witch: "By the way, how did you get through the previous level?"

Luo Jun suddenly remembered that the Acquired Potential was not as good as his Innate Potential. If the Witch could pass the fourth level, he should be able to pass the fifth level using the same method.

"Me?" The Witch smiled. "My amplification is quite good, close to 70%, and I'm at the sixth level of the Body Refinement Realm. My Acquired Potential is more than eighty times that of an ordinary person..."

70%?! This level is basically what Old Yuan said about the Limit of normal cultivation... This talent is truly freakish!

More than eighty times stronger; with that kind of Root Bone, this Advanced Demon Statue wouldn't be difficult to deal with...

"So you know," the Golden Edge Witch sighed, "That it's impossible to pass this level."

"Almost impossible." Luo Jun looked at the golem curled up in the center of the arena. "But as long as I'm alive, there's hope!"

"You're very optimistic," Golden Edge Witch with some surprise. "Seeing you wearing a mask too, I thought you were like me, someone who likes to hide your true feelings."

Luo Jun thought to himself, "What I'm hiding isn't my inner self, but this handsome face."

"So what if I'm not optimistic?" Luo Jun chuckled. "Besides, you've survived for over seventy days, haven't you? If you were truly desperate, you wouldn't have waited for me to show up."

"Perhaps I'm afraid of dying," the Golden Edge Witch laughed.

"Everyone is afraid of death." Luo Jun let out a long breath. "Who isn't struggling to survive?"

"Since we can't change these ruins, let's do our best to stay in this damned world until the very last moment!"

The Golden Edge Witch was slightly taken aback, paused for a few seconds, and then said, "I... know someone who said something similar to what you said."

"Oh?" Luo Jun found that chatting could alleviate the pain to some extent. "Was your friend also trapped somewhere before?"

"He and I... maybe we can't be considered friends..." Golden Edge Witch shook her head. "We've barely exchanged a few words, and our recent interactions haven't been very pleasant..."

This isn't a friend, it's more like an enemy... Luo Jun thought to himself.

Unaware of the dark lines beneath Luo Jun's mask, the Golden Edge Witch continued, "He's an orphan, living in an environment he's not good at, doing things he's not good at. Every step he takes requires more effort than others, yet he doesn't receive the corresponding rewards. But he remains optimistic, and even when he's struggling to make ends meet, he'll step forward to help others."

Isn't he a model youth? How can you have a falling out with someone like that? How awful must your personality be?

Luo Jun looked at the Golden Edge Witch, a hint of wariness in his eyes. At the same time, he felt a little sympathy for the orphan she mentioned. He was about to express his condolences about the hardships of being an orphan when he suddenly realized that he couldn't let anyone see his true identity...

Even if people find out that I'm also an orphan, it's not acceptable.

"Heh heh, orphans lack the love of a complete family, and they almost all have psychological problems." Luo Jun said against his will, uttering the words others had once used to slander him. "The qualities you see might just be a facade; deep down, he might be a dark guy..."

"It's very impolite to judge someone like that!"

The previously indifferent Golden Edge Witch suddenly became sharp. "You don't understand him at all, you just rely on your so-called experience to speculate about others. How is that any different from those irresponsible cyberbullies? Do you know how many people have suffered misfortune because of your slander and defamation? Do you know how much harm such irresponsible remarks can cause to others?"

Luo Jun was stunned by the scolding. His original intention was simply to distance himself from the label of orphan so that others could not deduce his true identity. Why was this Golden Edge Witch suddenly so agitated?

Could this woman have a crush on that orphan?

Although he was scolded, Luo Jun felt a slight warmth in his heart. However, seeing that the other party was clearly really angry, he didn't want to provoke them further. Apologizing wouldn't fit his current persona, so he could only pretend to be nice and give a cold snort before falling silent.

An awkward atmosphere filled the space where only the two of them were present.

Time passed second by second, and finally, as midnight arrived, a warm current enveloped Luo Jun. His severed arm regenerated at a visible speed, and his lost energy was fully replenished.

Alright, while I'm in good shape, let's continue the challenge!

He stretched his body and stepped back onto the field.

Although the Intermediate Point Correction have been updated, Luo Jun is not in a hurry to add points. Firstly, he wants to save them just in case, and secondly, if his stats are slightly lower, it will be more difficult and the severity of attacks will be higher.

We're just one step away from leveling up. Once we level up, we'll need to increase the attributes of the next level. For his next chance to roll the dice, it's best to give him an event with a high difficulty and Severity Coefficient. This will result in a lot of experience overflow, and he'll likely be able to use the six refreshed chances to complete the level up again, gaining the greatest improvement in the shortest amount of time!

To defeat this impossible enemy, we must mobilize all available resources and strengthen ourselves as much as possible!

With a preliminary plan in mind, Luo Jun stood on the sidelines, waiting for the Advanced Demon Statue to awaken and charge forward.

Dodging, counterattacking, maneuvering... With the experience from the previous day, Luo Jun's movements became increasingly fluid, and he handled the situation more freely. Several times in a row, he didn't let the golem touch him.

But as the saying goes, no one is immune to making mistakes, especially now that his abilities have declined significantly. When facing an enemy far stronger than himself, he cannot continue to maneuver indefinitely.

Finally, the Advanced Demon Statue seized an opening in Luo Jun's defenses and launched a dangerous attack!

Dice, please!

"Ding! Event Difficulty 48 points, Final Points 16+5, Event Failed!"

If you fail, should you Regret and start over?

Luo Jun made a quick judgment: the golem's attack wasn't an axe, but a kick. He had successfully dodged the kicks before, and the Severity Coefficient was around six times. Getting hit shouldn't be a big problem; at worst, he could leave the arena to recuperate for a while...

With that in mind, he did his best to avoid damage and took the kick head-on!

Bang!

A massive steel hoof struck Luo Jun. Despite his best efforts to defend himself, he felt his entire skeleton tremble and his joints ache terribly. Then, he sensed the golem's hoof change direction, sending him flying...

Wait... fly?

Oh no!

Luo Jun suddenly realized what was happening and kicked him towards the center of the field!

Looking up, he saw the enormous golem had already taken long strides to catch up and was swinging its axe at him!

I'm too far from the edge of the arena to quit the fight, and my joints are still aching, making dodging difficult...

Activate the dice!

Get out of the way!

"Ding! Event Difficulty: 88 points; Final Points: 100 + 15 points! Event Success!"

Fantastic! It worked!

Ignoring the wasted Intermediate Modification, Luo Jun was invigorated and tried his best to dodge, but as soon as he exerted force, he felt a sharp pain in his ankle and could hardly move...

How could this happen? Wasn't it supposed to be successful?

He gritted his teeth and pushed off the ground with all his might, but it was too late to dodge. At this speed, even if he avoided a vital spot, he would lose a leg... and then he would be in the middle of the field with nowhere to escape!

Just then, the golem's falling axe stopped in mid-air. Then, its body began to twist unnaturally, retreating back to the center of the arena, where it curled up in front of Luo Jun, entering a standby state.

Thank you _ec for the 100 reading coins!

Thank you to reader 1343008251650068480 for the 1500 Origin Point Coin!

(End of this chapter)