The small stone chamber was silent, save for the heavy, shared breathing of Leo and Lara. Below them, the ruined Mountain Temple was a soundscape of smoke, crackling fire, and the occasional desperate cry of a wounded Trinity soldier. The massive explosion had bought them time, but the noise had guaranteed the attention of the ultimate threat.
"We're clear for now," Lara whispered, her pistol steady. She was leaning against the shattered wooden door, listening to the fading sounds of chaos. "The door won't hold long if they decide to use explosives. Where are we, Leo?"
Leo, exhausted but mentally hyper-alert, examined the chamber. It was a centuries-old guard post, and the path forward was clear: a massive, rusted iron gate that led into a complex of fortified bridges and walls—the Ancient Citadel.
His Meta-Strategist II trait was displaying the immediate necessity of breaching that gate and securing the Tier 3 area before the Trinity backup arrived.
"This is the entrance to the Citadel, Lara. The next major zone," Leo explained, walking toward the gate. It was sealed tight with a heavy, medieval lock and thick chains. "We need to breach this gate. It's the only path up the mountain."
He had reached a crucial turning point. He was at Level 11 and had three unallocated Attribute Points. To successfully enter the Citadel, he needed to maximize his physical stats for the high-intensity combat and traversal ahead.
Current Stats: Strength 11, Dexterity 17, Stamina 12, Mind 13.
Leo's decision was instantaneous: dedicate all points to Strength to breach the physical obstacles and maximize his weapon damage for the heavily armored Trinity soldiers.
[Attribute Allocation Log]
* +3 Points to Strength. Rationale: Maximizing physical power. This will allow him to force the gate, climb under load, and increase the stopping power of all melee and projectile weapons, making the Pry Axe a near-instakill on lower-tier Trinity armor.
* New Strength: 14
[Attribute Allocation Complete! New Base Stats: Strength 14, Dexterity 17, Stamina 12, Mind 13]
[Tier 2 Cap Reached! Strength Maxed!]
Leo felt the immediate, raw power surge through his chest and arms—a potent, undeniable feeling of physical dominance. He was now a Tier 2 Maxed powerhouse, a balanced and lethal survivor.
He grabbed the Pry Axe, the heavy tool feeling light and balanced in his newly powered hands. He examined the massive chains securing the gate.
"The lock is too thick for a bullet, and we can't waste the dynamite," Leo assessed. "I have to use the axe to smash the locking pin. It will be loud."
"Then make it quick," Lara urged, reloading her pistol and taking a defensive position by the door, ready for the inevitable counterattack.
Leo positioned the heavy head of the Pry Axe against the rusted iron pin securing the chain. He took a deep breath, harnessing every ounce of his new Strength (14).
He swung the axe in a short, brutal arc.
CRACK!
The first blow was deafening. The pin bent but held.
He swung again, putting his entire body weight behind the strike.
KERR-CHUNK!
The metal pin sheered off with a violent shriek of twisting iron. The heavy chain rattled loudly, then fell loose to the stone floor. The gate was unsealed.
"The gate is open! Let's move!" Leo shouted.
Lara was already at the open gate, her eyes scanning the terrifying vista ahead: a high, narrow, snow-swept bridge crossing a dizzying gorge, leading to the massive stone walls of the ancient, frozen Citadel.
Just as they were about to step through, the sound they had been dreading finally came. Not the distant whir of Trinity, but a heavy, rhythmic THUMP-THUMP-THUMP from the main temple chamber below.
The Oni was ascending the stairs, tearing through the broken barricade of the guard post.
Leo and Lara sprinted onto the narrow, icy bridge. It was a terrifying, exposed run, with sheer drops on both sides. They were barely halfway across when the enormous Mountain Oni burst through the shattered guard post door, filling the frame with its monstrous, lumbering silhouette.
It paused, its focus instantly locking onto the two tiny figures on the bridge. It raised a massive, stone-clad fist and let out a roar that shook the entire mountain.
"Run, Leo, run!" Lara screamed, accelerating her pace.
Leo looked back, seeing the behemoth gaining on them. He pulled out one of his Stabilized 9mm Pistols and, without breaking stride, fired a rapid burst at the Oni's unarmored legs. TAT-TAT-TAT! The bullets barely deterred the creature, which merely staggered for a moment.
They reached the end of the bridge, scrambling onto the flat plateau just outside the main Citadel walls. A narrow, arched doorway—the only visible entrance—was before them.
"Inside, now!" Leo urged.
They dove through the archway, crashing onto the cold, stone floor of the Citadel courtyard. Leo shoved the heavy wooden brace bar across the inside of the archway, securing the gate against the monster.
They were safe for now, sealed within the walls of the ancient fortress.
Lara leaned against the cold stone, panting, the adrenaline finally starting to recede. "What now, Leo? What does the Citadel hold?"
Leo looked up at the massive, frozen walls towering above them. His Mind (13) immediately displayed the daunting challenge ahead: a massive puzzle box full of traps, more powerful Solarii remnants, and the final, brutal confrontation with Trinity's main force.
He had maxed out his fundamental stats. Now, it was time to unlock the truly devastating abilities.
[Host Level Up! Level 12 Reached!]
[New Attribute Points Available: 3]
[Tier 3 Skill Tree Unlocked: SABOTEUR]
[Skill Points Available: 1]
Leo stared at the options, a grim smile forming on his lips. With his Mind (13) and the high-grade powder in his possession, he knew exactly what the next stage required.
"The Citadel is a proving ground, Lara," Leo stated, his voice gaining a hard, strategic edge. "It's full of traps. And to survive, we need to make sure we're the ones setting them."
He was ready to begin his transition from a master strategist to a master Saboteur.
Chapter End.