Ethan's gaze tightened.
He could tell this thing wasn't some run-of-the-mill guardian. It was a lifeform in a symbiotic bond with the entire vein.
That didn't make him hesitate.
He drifted down to the lower slope, reached out, grabbed a chunk of exposed ore, and pocketed it into his spatial sphere.
Almost at the exact same instant—
The Stone Golem's eyes lit up.
A deep, earthy yellow.
The air started to tremble.
"Invader."
Its voice was low and thick, like it came straight up from the planet's crust.
Then its palm came down.
That hand fell like a collapsing mountainside, carrying enough force to crush everything beneath it—including Ethan.
But the moment it made contact, white lightning exploded out of Ethan's body.
The shockwave spread.
The Stone Golem's huge frame jolted, and it was forced back several steps. Hairline cracks appeared across the rock plating on its body.
It let out a rumbling roar and slammed both hands into the ground.
