Chapter 75: Sand Golem

Meanwhile, Garret rummaged through the remains of the sandworm kings, his hands moving with frantic determination. After what felt like an eternity, he finally found what he was looking for. "Yes! Finally!" he exclaimed, holding up two sand-colored cores, each the size of his fist.

"I've got them!" Garret shouted triumphantly to himself. "Wait till everyone sees this! I'm definitely the MVP today!"

Just as he was about to run outside to show off his prize, the ground beneath him started to shake violently. Garret's eyes widened in sheer terror as he stumbled, trying to keep his balance. "W-what the—an earthquake? Now? Seriously?"

The shaking intensified, and Garret could barely keep himself upright." He accidently dropped the cores."

"Mother Earth, have mercy! I didn't sign up for this!" he cried out, his voice cracking with fear. He clutched the sandworm cores tightly, as if they were his lifeline. "If I make it out of here, I swear I'll never mock a sandworm again!"

Meanwhile, Ruchir and the rest of the group were also feeling the effects of the earthquake. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and they exchanged worried glances. "What's happening now?" Alaric asked, his voice tense.

"We need to see what caused this," Senior Kai said, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Stay alert."

As they cautiously made their way towards the source of the tremors, the ground began to shake even more violently. Suddenly, a colossal figure emerged from the depths of the sand, towering over everything in its path.

The creature was a sand golem, standing at an astonishing height of 200 meters. Its body was made of compacted sand and stone, with rough, angular features that gave it an imposing and fearsome appearance. Each of its steps sent shockwaves through the ground, causing the very earth to tremble in fear.

The sheer size and presence of the sand golem were terrifying. It moved with a slow, deliberate gait, its massive limbs crushing everything in its path. Trees were uprooted and boulders shattered under its weight, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The air around it seemed to hum with an oppressive energy, a palpable force that pressed down on all who were near.

Garret, who had just managed to stagger outside, looked up and his jaw dropped. "What in the name of all that's holy... is that?" he whispered, his voice barely audible over the rumbling ground.

Ruchir and the others were equally stunned. "It's a sand golem," Ruchir said, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. "And it's huge."

"It's more than huge," Alaric said, his eyes wide. "It's a walking disaster."

The sand golem, seemingly unaware of the terror it was causing, continued its march towards the center of the forest. Its movements were mechanical, lacking any sign of sentience. It was like a force of nature, unstoppable and relentless.

As it advanced, it displaced countless demonic beasts from their habitats, driving them into a frenzied horde. The beasts, now desperate and agitated, began swarming towards Ruchir and his group.

"We're in serious trouble," Jack muttered, his fists clenched.

Senior Kai drew his sword. "We have to fend off the demonic beasts and figure out a way to stop that golem."

Garret, still clutching his prized sandworm cores, tried to keep his composure. "Great. Just when I thought we were done with the giant worms, now we have to deal with a giant sand monster and an angry horde."

The demonic beasts, ranging from smaller, agile creatures to larger, more formidable foes, closed in on them. Ruchir and the others prepared for battle, their faces set with determination.

"Stay together!" Ruchir shouted. "We can't let them overwhelm us!"

Alaric unleashed a barrage of fireballs, creating a wall of flames to hold back the advancing horde. Jack used his Tiger Fist technique to pummel the beasts that broke through the flames, his fists moving with incredible speed and power.

Senior Kai's sword flashed through the air, cutting down any beast that got too close. His movements were precise and lethal, a testament to his skill and experience.

Ruchir, combining his ink painting and swordsmanship techniques, created illusions to confuse the beasts, making it harder for them to target the group. His sword struck with deadly accuracy, each blow finding its mark.

Garret, despite his earlier fear, fought with a newfound determination. Using his body strengthening and rock techniques, he created barriers of stone to protect his friends and smashed through the ranks of the demonic beasts with powerful blows. "I've got your back!" he shouted, his confidence returning.

Flippy, though not as combat-proficient, did his best to support the group by tending to minor injuries and providing distractions to the beasts.

Despite their combined efforts, the horde of demonic beasts seemed endless. For every beast they defeated, two more took its place. The pressure was immense, and fatigue began to set in.

"We can't keep this up forever," Alaric said, his voice strained. "We need a plan."

Ruchir glanced at the sand golem, which continued its destructive march. "If we can just find a way to stop that thing, maybe the beasts will disperse."

"Any brilliant ideas on how to stop a 200-meter tall sand monster?" Garret asked, dodging a swipe from a beast and countering with a punch that sent it flying.

Senior Kai's eyes narrowed as he observed the golem. "It doesn't seem to be sentient, which means it's probably driven by some sort of magical core or energy source. If we can find and destroy that, we might be able to stop it."

"Finding it is one thing," Jack said, kicking a beast away. "Getting close enough to destroy it is another."

"We'll have to get creative," Ruchir said. "But first, we need to survive this onslaught."

The group redoubled their efforts, using every technique and strategy at their disposal to fend off the relentless horde. The ground was littered with the bodies of defeated beasts, but still, they came.

Garret, despite his earlier bravado, felt his energy waning. "Why can't these things take a hint and just stay down?" he grumbled, smashing another beast with a rock fist.

Ruchir spared a glance at the sand golem. "If we can just hold out a little longer, we might be able to find a way to stop it."

The colossal sand golem, oblivious to the battle raging around it, continued its march, each step causing the ground to quake. Its presence was a constant reminder of the overwhelming challenge they faced.

As the battle wore on, the group's movements became more coordinated, their attacks more synchronized. They fought with a fierce determination, knowing that their survival depended on their ability to work together.

But despite their best efforts, the horde showed no signs of slowing down. The demonic beasts were driven by a primal rage, their eyes glowing with a fierce, unrelenting hunger.

In the midst of the chaos, Ruchir spotted a faint glow emanating from the center of the sand golem's chest. "There!" he shouted, pointing. "That must be its core!"

Senior Kai nodded, his eyes narrowing in determination. "We need to get close enough to destroy it. Alaric, Jack, Garret—distract the beasts and create an opening. Ruchir and I will go for the core."

Alaric, Jack, and Garret nodded, their faces set with grim determination. "We'll cover you," Alaric said, his flames burning brighter.

As the three of them launched a coordinated assault to clear a path, Ruchir and Senior Kai dashed towards the sand golem. The ground trembled with each step the golem took, but they pushed forward, determined to reach their target.

The demonic beasts, sensing their intent, redoubled their efforts to stop them. Alaric's fireballs, Jack's Tiger Fist, and Garret's rock techniques created a chaotic battlefield, but they managed to hold the beasts at bay.

Ruchir and Senior Kai dodged and weaved through the melee, their eyes locked on the glowing core. As they approached, the sand golem's movements became more erratic, its energy fluctuating wildly.

"Now, Ruchir!" Senior Kai shouted.

Ruchir summoned all his strength, combining his ink painting and swordsmanship techniques into a single, powerful strike. His blade glowed with a brilliant light as he aimed for the core.

With a resounding clash, his sword connected with the core, shattering it into a million pieces. The sand golem let out a deafening roar, its massive body collapsing into a heap of sand and rubble.

The demonic beasts, suddenly leaderless and confused, began to disperse, their primal rage fading as they fled into the forest.

The group, panting and exhausted, watched as the remnants of the sand golem crumbled to the ground. They had done it. They had survived.

Garret, still clutching his sandworm cores, couldn't help but laugh. "Well, that was one heck of a fight. But at least we can say we took down a 200-meter tall sand monster."

Ruchir, despite his fatigue, managed a smile. "Let's just hope we don't have to do that again anytime soon."

Meanwhile, the principals in the cage sighed as they watched the distant battle unfold. Their expressions were a mix of pride and concern.

"These kids are too naive," Principal Yuan remarked, his voice tinged with regret. "They think destroying the core is enough. I should have prepared them better for this."

Principal Zhang nodded in agreement. "Indeed. The trials they face are far more complex than any of us could have anticipated. But they have shown great courage and resourcefulness."

Principal Liang added, "They will learn and grow from this experience. We can only hope they make it through."

Principal Mei, who had been meticulously examining the white-colored cage for weaknesses, paused and looked up. "I regret not teaching them more about the intricacies of demonic energy. It's not something they can simply overcome with brute force."

Outside the cage, Red Ox overheard their conversation and let out a booming laugh. "Hahaha! Naive, you say? Demonic energy is indeed magical, young ones," he taunted. "It's a force unlike any other. You can't just destroy it with sheer willpower. It takes true understanding and mastery."

The principals exchanged worried glances but remained silent. The ground beneath them began to tremble once more, and the sand, which had briefly settled after the golem's defeat, started to move again.

Red Ox's eyes gleamed with a malevolent glint. "See, the sand is moving again. I wonder what surprises it holds this time."

Principal Yuan sighed deeply. "I hope our students will soon learn the true nature of what they are dealing with. Their survival depends on it."

The principals watched helplessly as the sand continued to shift, their thoughts filled with a mixture of hope for their students' resilience and concern for the trials yet to come.