Alpha Reborn!

Upon transgressing the beguiling façade, Evan and Lirian ventured down a secret passageway that led them to a vast and cavernous space.

As they stepped into it, it took a hard moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim lighting that enveloped their surroundings.

Their vision cleared up thereafter, and they scrutinized the area, taking in their surroundings.

It had a staircase leading to an arena and a towering ceiling that seemed to disappear into the darkness above.

Stalactites, twisting and graceful, hung from it as if reaching down to touch the ground.

A golem stood tall and imposingly beneath them, right in the center of the arena. It was humongous, standing 16 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Its body was crafted entirely out of dark, rough-hewn stones that carried a mystical property of demoralizing its opponents.

A wave of unease washed over Evan as he looked at it. His skin crawled with a prickling sensation as a chill crept up his spine, his breaths suddenly growing shallow and rapid as if he had been drenched in cold water.

He felt that the very essence of his being was under attack because he looked at the golem.

It was a feeling that seemed powerless to resist.

Every nerve in his body screamed at him to flee.

However, he stood rooted to his spot, not budging an inch nor tearing his gaze away from the source of his fear.

[You have been assaulted by the wave of suppression emanating from the Golem.]

[It can only be endured by cultivators in the Soul Fusion Realm.]

[You have failed the check.]

[The debuff "Fear" is affecting you!]

Evan knew what was adversely affecting him even before the notification chimed in his ears.

After all, he was familiar with the debuff that was overtaking his sanity as he had experienced it in his previous life.

He knew what it did to a person, and he knew how to combat it as well.

The method was self-flagellation.

It was painful.

However, each time he had used it in his past life, it had worked.

The unsettling sensation he was experiencing intensified.

A ruthless glint flashed in Evan's eyes, and he decided to go through with it like a man.

He pinched his waist harshly, twisting the flesh clamped between his fingers fiercely. The pain that assaulted his senses was sharp and immense, enough to cause a grown-up to whine, but he gritted his teeth, not making a single sound.

Almost immediately, the disturbance in his heart was curbed.

The ripples affecting his state of mind disappeared as soon as they appeared because of his self-cruelty. He was willing to harm himself than be affected by the passive of the golem that was as still as a statue.

[Ding! The debuff has been uplifted!]

The system notified Evan.

Evan turned to look at Lirian, noticing that he was unfazed by the passive skill of the golem.

It was because Lirian was in the Soul Fusion Realm, a state of being that allowed cultivators to endure such effects!

'It's good to be in the Soul Fusion Realm.' Evan thought.

He would have tackled this dungeon after reaching the Soul Fusion Realm if he wasn't hard-pressed. Only a few days were left before the awakening ceremony. He needed to urgently increase his strength within two days, and conquering this dungeon was the best plan he could come up with to achieve his goals.

Lirian's eyes narrowed in confusion as he stumbled upon the colossal golem in the darkened cavern.

"What's a golem doing in the labyrinth of kobolds?" he whispered into Evan's ears so as not to alert the golem.

Evan took a step closer to Lirian, his eyes shimmering in the dim light.

"This labyrinth isn't the work of kobolds," he revealed. "It was constructed by the legendary pair, Kaida Firestorm and Ethan Frost."

Lirian gasped, recognizing the names as the stuff of legends throughout the empire.

Kaida Firestorm was the second-generation Imperial Lord of Fire who set herself apart from her peers by making countless contributions to the empire, wielding the flames of passion and destruction with unparalleled mastery to eradicate all who dared to threaten the peace of her people. She was so popular in her time that the Fire Clan, a clan that valued men over women, begged her to become the patriarch, and she accepted their plea as she needed that position to get together with her beloved, who was Ethan Frost, the founder of the Frost Clan, the paragon of ice magic.

He was also the creator of the Breath of Frost that Evan had mastered.

It was really a mystical technique as it transformed his soul energy into ice-type soul energy, allowing him to use ice spells.

Spells were different than soul skills.

They needed an incantation to be manifested, whereas soul skills did not.

He knew the incantations of a few powerful ice spells, but he hadn't used them in the battles he had so far because of the high cost.

Lirian whispered to Evan, "You know, I've read their biography. The two of them are known as the most romantic couple in the empire. They were so in love they gave up their positions as the Patriarch of their clans a hundred and fifty years ago just to spend more time with each other. So, I'm curious, why would they spend their precious time building a dungeon and leaving a golem at the end? Are you keeping something from me?"

"They left it here as a test of the next generation's strength," Evan said in a low and hushed as if he was a thief sharing his secrets with a fellow rogue. "and to reward those who prove themselves worthy. The illusion we encountered earlier was also part of their test."

"Why are you telling me something so important only now?" he inquired.

"Where's the fun in that?" Evan chuckled, his eyes shining with mischief. "And don't pretend you're not curious about what can be gained by defeating the golem and passing their test."

Lirian raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. He scrutinized the area but was met with disappointment.

"Where's the reward you're talking about? I don't see anything precious in sight." Lirian asked, his tone tinged with skepticism.

"It's in plain sight," Evan said.

"What do you mean?" Lirian asked.

Evan pointed at the golem and explained, "Behind its formidable outer layer lies a treasure chest. It's filled with priceless items that could transform our lives for the better, should we succeed in claiming them."

"Well, that does change things," Lirian muttered as his determination to defeat the golem at any cost strengthened. "Let's do this, then!"