Reincarnated with an SSS-rank Tamer System: My Harem of Villainesses-Chapter 65 – The Price of Protecting

The difference was noticeable.

The group moved with a fluidity that had not existed before, and while it was not perfect, it was infinitely better than the chaos of the previous minutes.

Gareth charged with his spear toward the golem’s right flank while Fernis followed close behind, searching for the cracks the first attack might create.

Behind them, Lihua channelled her wind magic to enhance every blow, and the thrusts that had previously bounced off uselessly were now leaving visible marks on the rock.

On the other side, Adam advanced alongside Sophía. He attacked at close range, forcing the golem to turn toward him, and she took advantage of every opening to launch icy bursts that slowly eroded the stone armour.

Whenever the creature tried to counterattack, both of them fell back at the same time, covering each other as they repositioned for the next assault.

’This is what we should have been doing from the start,’ Adam thought as he dodged a swipe and rolled to the left.

However, despite the obvious improvement in their coordination, the golem remained standing. The blows that landed left only superficial marks, the icy bursts cracked the surface but did not penetrate, and the wind cuts barely managed to destabilise it.

The creature was durable in a way that bordered on the absurd, as if its rock body could regenerate with every passing second.

The fight grew more intense with every exchange. The golem roared furiously as it launched increasingly erratic attacks, and the group had to adapt constantly to avoid being crushed.

At one point, the formation broke when a beam of energy forced everyone to scatter, but instead of panicking like before, each of them instinctively sought out the nearest companion to reorganise.

Adam ended up beside Sophía behind a rock formation, both of them panting from the exertion.

"Are you alright?" he asked without taking his eyes off the golem.

"Yes," she replied in a sharp but not hostile tone. "What’s the plan now?"

"The same as before. You attack, I distract."

Sophía nodded, and both of them emerged from cover at the same time. Adam ran to the right to draw the beast’s attention, while the elf prepared another ice spell that struck one of the golem’s joints.

The creature roared in pain for the first time since the fight had begun, and that sound sent a wave of hope through the group.

’We can do this,’ Adam thought as he dodged another attack. ’We just have to keep pressing.’

But then, something changed.

The golem stopped.

Its attacks ceased abruptly, and those eyes swept across the chamber as if it were assessing the situation.

The group also stopped, confused by the sudden change in behaviour. No one knew what was happening, and that uncertainty was more terrifying than any direct attack.

"What is it doing?" Gareth murmured distrustfully.

No one had time to respond.

Because in the next instant, the golem vanished.

Not literally, of course, but the speed at which it moved was so absurd that it might as well have.

One second it was in the centre of the chamber, and the next it had appeared right beside Fernis, with its tail already in motion for a devastating strike.

Fernis did not even have time to turn around. His eyes widened in shock when he felt the creature’s presence beside him, and his body began to move on instinct, even though he knew it was too late.

The tail came at him like a whip of stone, and there was no way to dodge it.

But then Adam appeared in front of him.

He did not know how he did it. He did not know where he found the speed to cross that distance in a fraction of a second.

He only knew that his body moved before his mind could process it, and that suddenly he was standing between Fernis and the golem’s tail with his sword raised like an improvised shield.

The impact was brutal.

The tail collided with the metal blade with a force Adam felt in every bone of his body.

The sword held for an instant, absorbing part of the blow, but the rest passed through him like an unstoppable wave.

He felt something break inside him, a wet crack that foretold nothing good, and then he was sent flying backward.

His back slammed into Fernis, and both of them were launched like projectiles until they crashed into the chamber wall.

The impact drove the air from his lungs, and for a second his vision turned completely white.

When the world regained some shape, Adam found himself on his knees on the ground with his arms trembling beneath him.

The sword had been destroyed. The only thing he could see was the pool of blood that was beginning to form in front of his face, fed by the blood pouring from his mouth in violent waves.

’Shit,’ he thought as another retch shook him. ’Shit, shit, shit...’

"Adam!" Fernis’s voice came from somewhere at his side, filled with a concern Adam had not heard before. "Damn it, you shouldn’t have done that! You didn’t have to—!"

Adam tried to respond, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was more blood. The pain was overwhelming, so intense that it was hard for him to stay conscious.

He could feel his ribs broken, the fragments pressing against organs that should not have been touched, and every breath was an agony that made him want to scream.

But then he felt a sensation he had felt before.

A familiar warmth that began to spread from within him, soft and steady. Nox.

The little dragon had started working immediately, channelling his energy to repair the internal damage.

Adam felt the bones begin to realign, the damaged organs slowly regenerating, and though the process was painful, it was also a relief to know that he was not going to die.

’Thanks,’ he thought toward his companion. ’I owe you one.’

Quick footsteps approached, and then Lihua’s hands came to rest on his back.

A greenish light enveloped his body as she channelled healing magic, and Adam felt the pain begin to lessen.

She did not know that Nox had already healed the most serious injuries, so she focused her magic on his whole body, on the cuts and bruises covering him.

"Hold on," Lihua murmured with concentration. "Almost..."

In the distance, Adam could hear the sounds of the battle continuing. Gareth and Sophía had to be keeping the golem busy, distracting it while he was being healed.

It was a risky strategy, but it was the only thing they could do right now.

After what felt like an eternity, the pain subsided to a manageable level. Adam coughed one last time, spitting out the remaining blood in his throat, and then began to rise slowly.

His legs trembled beneath him, but Fernis appeared at his side to support him before he could fall.

"Slowly," Fernis said as he helped him up. "Don’t push yourself too hard."

Adam nodded weakly and turned toward Lihua.

"Thank you," he said, his voice hoarse.

She shook her head as she stood up.

"It’s nothing," she replied before pointing toward where the golem was still fighting their companions. "You’d better worry about that thing instead. Because if we don’t find a way to bring it down soon, we’re going to end up dead."

Adam followed her gaze toward the beast, which roared furiously while Sophía bombarded it with ice spells.

Gareth was trying to keep its attention from the flank, but it was obvious that both of them were reaching the limit of their strength.

They needed a plan. A real plan, not just coordinated attacks and empty hope.

Adam fell silent, his mind working at full speed as he searched for a solution.

There had to be something, some weakness they had not noticed, some pattern in the golem’s movements they could exploit.

’Think,’ he told himself as the beast’s roar echoed through the chamber. ’Think, damn it...’