Argos emerged from the spiraling staircase into a grand chamber, his footsteps echoing off the towering walls. The air was damp and carried a faint metallic tang, a sure sign that this wasn’t a place for idle exploration. Torches lined the walls, their flickering light casting dancing shadows that only added to the room’s ominous atmosphere. At the far end of the chamber stood a massive set of ornate doors, locked tight and inscribed with glowing runes.

  "Figures," Argos muttered, hefting the rusted spear over his shoulder. "Can’t just walk into the city like a normal person. Gotta fight the tutorial boss first."

  As if on cue, the ground beneath him trembled, and a deep, guttural roar echoed through the chamber. From the shadows emerged a towering construct—a golem forged of stone and metal, its eyes glowing with an eerie crimson light. The Gatekeeper’s body was a patchwork of jagged rock and molten veins, steam hissing as it moved. It raised one massive arm, the movement slow but deliberate, and brought it crashing down in a show of raw power that sent shockwaves through the ground.

  "Right," Argos said, gripping his spear tighter. "No pressure."

  The Gatekeeper charged, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground. Argos sidestepped just in time to avoid a crushing blow, the impact leaving a crater where he had been standing.

  "Slow, but hits like a truck," he muttered, circling the massive construct.

  He lunged forward, aiming for a joint in the creature’s leg. The spear struck true but barely scratched the surface. A system message popped up:

  "Elemental phases, huh? Let’s see what you’ve got."

  The Gatekeeper shifted, its molten veins glowing brighter as it slammed its fist into the ground. A wave of fiery energy surged outward, forcing Argos to dive behind a fallen pillar for cover.

  "Guess we’re in the fire phase," he said, grimacing as the heat singed the edges of his clothes. He scanned the room and spotted a cracked water pipe running along the ceiling. Grinning, he sprinted toward it, dodging fiery projectiles hurled by the Gatekeeper.

  Reaching the pipe, Argos jabbed it with the butt of his spear. Water gushed out, creating a cascading spray that drenched the molten areas of the Gatekeeper’s body. Steam hissed, and the creature’s movements slowed.

  "Now we’re talking," Argos said, rushing back into the fray. He targeted the cracks forming in the Gatekeeper’s stone armor, his Piercing Thrust skill driving the spear deep into its core. The construct roared in pain, staggering backward.

  Just as Argos thought he had the upper hand, the Gatekeeper roared again, its body glowing with renewed intensity. It slammed its fists into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked Argos off his feet. A system message appeared, the words stark and foreboding:

  Argos coughed, rolling onto his side as the Gatekeeper advanced, its movements faster now, as if enraged. He clutched his side, wincing at the dull ache radiating through his body. "Alright, alright," he muttered, dragging himself to his feet. "No need to get dramatic."

  The Gatekeeper swung a massive arm, and Argos barely managed to duck in time, the air whooshing above him. He stumbled backward, his spear feeling heavier in his hands. "This thing’s got a second wind," he muttered. "Great. Just great."

  The construct’s attacks came faster now, each swing and stomp forcing Argos to retreat further. His health bar blinked ominously in the corner of his vision, a constant reminder of the stakes. "Focus on surviving," he told himself, the words almost reflexive.

  Argos’s vision blurred briefly as he stumbled against a fallen column. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. "Alright, big guy," he muttered. "If you want me gone, you’re gonna have to work for it."

  He scanned the room for anything that could tip the scales. His eyes landed on a cluster of glowing runes etched into the wall behind the Gatekeeper. "That’s gotta do something," he muttered. Gathering the last reserves of his strength, he sprinted toward the creature, dodging another fiery projectile. The Gatekeeper turned, raising both arms for a devastating slam.

  At the last moment, Argos dove to the side, rolling across the ground and coming up in a crouch. The runes glowed brighter as he reached them, and a system message appeared:

  Argos grinned despite the sweat dripping down his face. "Now we’re talking."

  He turned back to the Gatekeeper, whose movements had slowed, its energy flickering unevenly. Gripping his spear with both hands, he charged, the weapon glowing with a faint blue light. He leapt onto a fallen piece of rubble to gain height and drove the spear into the creature’s core with all his might. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the room, and the Gatekeeper froze, its molten veins dimming as cracks spread across its body.

  With a final, earth-shaking roar, the Gatekeeper collapsed into a heap of rubble, glowing runes flickering out one by one. A triumphant system message appeared:

  Argos collapsed to the ground, panting. His eyes darted to the system message hovering in the corner of his vision, the rewards making him grin despite his exhaustion. "Stat points and skill points? Not bad. An iron spear? Way better than the rusty junk I’ve been dragging around."

  He hefted the new weapon, testing its balance. The solid weight and sharp point brought a small smile to his face. "Finally, a weapon that doesn’t feel like it’ll snap if I sneeze on it."

  Sliding the gold coins into his inventory, he gave the spear a practice spin, the movement smooth and natural. "Alright," he muttered. "Guess that’ll do for now."

  "Alright," he said, slinging it over his shoulder. "Let’s see what kind of trouble I can find up there."