Chapter 46: Fallen III

Ryan decided that it was time to join the battle personally.

Although his summons were holding their ground, the Fallen Guardian had become much stronger after entering her final phase. Her three faces allowed her to control plants, release corrupted energy, and manipulate life force simultaneously. Even with the support of his totems, defeating her would take considerable time if he continued relying entirely on his summons.

Ryan drew his Death Blade Greatsword and activated Death Blade Aura.

Black Death Energy spread across the blade, increasing its cutting power. He then activated Death Knight Physique, strengthening his physical attributes and improving his resistance to damage.

However, Ryan wasn’t finished preparing.

He opened his skill interface and selected several skills that would be particularly effective against a corrupted creature.

First, he activated Dark Purification, a skill he had acquired from the Fallen Priest. Dark energy gathered around his body, allowing him to resist hostile energy while interfering with certain corrupted effects.

Next, he activated Holy Ruin.

Golden light spread across the edge of his greatsword, mixing with the black Death Energy already surrounding it. The combination created an unusual aura that could damage corrupted creatures while retaining the destructive power of his Death Blade.

Ryan examined his weapon with satisfaction.

"Let’s see how you handle this combination."

He also activated Fallen Blessing, strengthening his body and improving his ability to withstand the corruption spreading across the battlefield.

With his preparations complete, Ryan finally moved.

He used Death Step, turning his body into Death Energy and instantly crossing the distance between himself and the Fallen Guardian.

The boss reacted immediately.

Several thick roots shot toward him, while the second face released a wave of corrupted energy. At the same time, the third face began gathering its strange life-manipulating power.

Ryan avoided the roots and passed through the edge of the corrupted energy before appearing directly in front of her.

His greatsword descended.

The Fallen Guardian crossed several roots in front of her body to block the attack, but the blade cut through them with ease. The remaining force struck her shoulder and forced her backward.

Ryan didn’t stop there.

He followed with another slash, then used Brutal Swing to deliver a powerful blow against her defenses.

The Fallen Guardian raised a barrier of intertwined roots, but Ryan’s enhanced greatsword broke through it. The golden light of Holy Ruin spread across the damaged plants, interfering with the corrupted energy sustaining them.

For the first time, the boss’s regeneration slowed noticeably.

Ryan immediately understood the advantage.

"These skills work better against her than ordinary attacks."

He continued pressing forward, striking whenever he found an opening. His Death Blade Aura increased his damage, while Holy Ruin helped him deal with the corruption protecting the Fallen Guardian.

However, she wasn’t going to let him attack freely.

The first face controlled the roots, sending them toward Ryan from every direction. The second released several waves of corrupted energy, forcing him to move constantly. Meanwhile, the third face gathered life force from the surrounding plants and used it to repair the damage to her body.

Ryan blocked an incoming root with his greatsword before cutting through another.

He then used Death Step to avoid a wave of energy and appeared beside the Fallen Guardian.

His sword struck her side.

The boss staggered, and the third face released a strange cry. A powerful pulse of energy spread across the battlefield, pushing Ryan away and forcing his summons to retreat.

Ryan landed on his feet and looked at her.

"You’re really making this difficult."

He glanced at his summons and noticed that they were still fighting effectively under the effects of his totems. The Skeleton King and Death Knight continued attacking from the front, while the Spirit Wolf and Spirit Serpent kept the boss occupied from the sides.

Blizzy froze the roots whenever they threatened to trap the others, and the Skeleton Great Mage continued launching spells from a distance.

The Fallen Priest maintained its support abilities, while the Vampire Baroness took advantage of every opening to attack.

Ryan nodded.

At least he didn’t need to worry about his summons being overwhelmed while he fought the boss directly.

He tightened his grip on the greatsword and rushed forward again.

This time, he used Death Blade Execution.

His first strike forced the Fallen Guardian to raise her defenses. The second shattered the barrier of roots surrounding her body, and the final strike landed before she could retreat.

The combined force sent her stumbling backward.

Ryan followed with another attack, using his enhanced physical strength to keep her from recovering.

The Fallen Guardian tried to gather more corrupted energy, but the effects of Dark Purification and Holy Ruin continued interfering with her abilities. Her movements became less coordinated, and the roots she summoned no longer responded as quickly as before.

Ryan took advantage of the opening.

He used Death Step to pass through a sweeping root and appeared beside her. His greatsword struck again, cutting through the corrupted growth protecting her body.

The first face let out an angry cry.

The second face released a burst of green energy, while the third attempted to absorb more life force from the fallen Tree of Life.

However, Ryan had already recognized the pattern.

Whenever the third face gathered energy, the other two became less effective for a brief moment. He used that opportunity to launch another series of attacks, forcing the Fallen Guardian to interrupt her attempt to recover.

The battle continued for several more minutes.

Ryan repeatedly attacked whenever he noticed an opening, while his summons kept the surrounding roots under control. The totems continued strengthening their attacks and defenses, allowing them to maintain the pressure.

Gradually, the Fallen Guardian began losing ground.

Her roots became slower, her corrupted energy weakened, and the wounds inflicted by Ryan’s greatsword became increasingly difficult for her to recover from.

Finally, Ryan noticed that the third face had stopped gathering energy.

"Now’s my chance."

He activated Death Blade Domain.

A dark field spread across the battlefield, strengthening Ryan’s attacks while weakening the enemies within its range. The Fallen Guardian’s movements slowed as Death Energy spread around her body.

Ryan immediately used Death Step.

He appeared directly in front of the boss and raised his greatsword.

The Fallen Guardian attempted to defend herself with another barrier of roots, but Ryan’s blade broke through it.

His final strike landed squarely against her body.

The force of the attack sent her crashing backward toward the enormous roots of the fallen Tree of Life.

Her three faces released different cries as the energy surrounding her body began to collapse. The roots across the battlefield stopped moving one after another, and the corrupted plants gradually lost their unnatural vitality.

Ryan landed a short distance away and watched carefully.

He didn’t assume the battle was over until the system confirmed it.

After a few seconds, the Fallen Guardian’s body finally collapsed, and the green energy surrounding her disappeared.

A system notification appeared before Ryan.

[The Fallen Guardian of the Tree of Life has been defeated.]

Ryan let out a breath and lowered his greatsword.

"Finally."

He looked at the fallen boss and shook his head.

"That was much harder than I expected."

Even with his powerful talents, numerous skills, and ten summons supporting him, the battle had taken considerable effort.

For someone who had only recently arrived on the second floor, this hidden boss was far beyond what most Climbers could reasonably challenge.

Ryan had learned from the Tower Association’s information that the Fallen Guardian was considered one of the five most difficult bosses on the second floor. Many Climbers avoided her entirely because defeating her wasn’t necessary to complete the dungeon.

The rewards were attractive, particularly the skills she could drop, but the difficulty made the fight a poor choice for most people.

Ryan, however, had managed to defeat her.

He glanced at his summons and then at the totems scattered around the battlefield.

"Good work, everyone."

After checking that the area was safe, he turned his attention to the fallen Guardian.

Now that the battle was over, it was time to collect his rewards.