After Ryna and I shook hands to seal our deal—a gesture that apparently persists through time, space and creation—then, I reignited our conversation. “Hey, Ryna, where are we heading now?” I asked, all the while stretching my body to gauge how much control I truly regained.


    “Ryna’s heading towards the exit!” she chirped, her voice crackling with energy. Her enthusiasm was infectious, but I was in no rush. Perhaps we could linger a little longer, hunting for more of those gemstones. They’d certainly be useful—for her and her people, the nekojin she had mentioned, and for me to blend in without drawing undue suspicion. Until I could fully understand this world and master my overwhelming power, I needed to tread carefully. One wrong accident could mean...


    Together, we started our journey out of the ruins, an unending labyrinth of fractured stone and eerie silence. I couldn''t help but wonder if, beyond the crumbling walls, I might glimpse the vibrant green of trees or feel the fresh scent of life. It had been so long since I’d experienced anything resembling nature. The thought spurred me forward.


    The walk was painstakingly slow. These ruins weren’t just massive; they were colossal—the size of a skyscraper flipped sideways and buried deep underground. According to Ryna, we were on the 17th basement level when she found me. A casual stroll to the surface would’ve been a week-long pilgrimage for a less capable pair.


    Ryna, ever the chatterbox, filled the silence with periodic observations about our surroundings. “Okay, Lucy! You and Ryna are entering the 10th floor! Be careful!” she announced with a sudden shift in tone. We just entered a new place, but it felt differently from the previous others. The entire place changed, and above us I could see the clouds—the sky was there! But how? We were not outside, that much I could feel! I knew it with precision! "We''re still inside the ruins, why is there a sky of clouds!?" Then it dawned on me... Did Ryna just... Did she just use the word ''careful''?


    My mind grasped onto the term. “Careful? Why? What’s on this floor?” I asked, but before she could reply, an answer barreled toward us, fully formed and devastating.


    A thunderous crash shook the ground as a massive creature of stone emerged from the giant rubble. Standing at least nine meters tall and four meters wide, the golem’s presence was overwhelming. Its rough, jagged body gleamed under the blinding light, but what truly astounded me was its speed. Despite its immense size, it moved like a blur, its colossal form dashing across the room in an instant.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


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    Ryna froze in place, her earlier cheer replaced by terror. She trembled as the golem blitzed to stand directly before her. It loomed over her small frame, raising a massive hand for what could only be a killing blow.


    I realized, too late, that we had separated. Ryna had scampered off earlier, chasing a glimmering reflection on the ground. Perhaps she had hoped to find another gem or some treasure for her needs. And now she stood alone, paralyzed with fear.


    The golem’s hand came crashing down with terrifying speed. Ryna turned to me, tears streaming down her cheeks, and whispered in a voice so faint I almost missed it, “Goodbye, Lucy.”


    But it wasn’t goodbye.


    The world slowed to a crawl, each second stretching into an eternity. This event started upon hearing the word ''careful''. This wasn’t the first time I’d experienced this phenomenon either, as if the universe itself bowed to my will, dilating time to grant me the space to act. While such an ability would terrify an ordinary person, to me, it was second nature. An eternity or a fleeting moment? I couldn''t tell the difference between the two anymore.


    I strolled casually through the frozen tableau, reaching Ryna and the golem just as the massive hand began its descent. With my right palm, I intercepted the blow, halting the attack effortlessly. My left hand rested gently on Ryna’s back. “Don’t worry,” I said softly. “This mister over here is strong, remember?”


    The golem recoiled, stumbling back as if shocked. Time resumed its flow, and Ryna gasped, her wide eyes flickering between me and the now-stationary creature. The golem’s gray body flushed an angry red, signaling its shift into a more dangerous state. It dashed again, faster than before—or so it thought. To me, it was still crawling.


    “Impressive,” I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else. “But not enough.”


    The creature blitzed again, its speed reaching a pinnacle that would’ve overwhelmed any ordinary opponent. But to me, it was frozen mid-motion, its every movement laid bare. I stepped forward and placed a single finger against its chest. I had sensed something unusual in that place, a strange energy source that pulsed faintly amidst its otherwise lifeless body.


    With a gentle tap, I cracked the core stone embedded in its chest. The golem froze, its red glow fading as its body crumbled back to rubble. Whatever life force had animated it was gone.


    Ryna stared, her mouth agape. “W-Wow,” she stammered. “Lucy is amazing!”


    I chuckled softly. “I just got lucky.”


    In truth, the encounter left me quite uneasy. If a creature like this was merely a guardian of the ruins, what dangers awaited beyond these walls? Peace, it seemed, would not come easily in this new world. But for now, I turned my attention back to Ryna, who was already poking at the golem’s remains curiously with a stick.


    “Come on,” I said, ruffling her hair. “Let’s get out of here. There’s a whole world waiting for us.”