Chapter 276: Columns of Light

The deeper they went, the less the ancient passage resembled a passage at all. It had become a massive underground wilderness, trees growing from cracks in the stone, their roots spreading across the ground.

Strange glowing plants climbed the walls, surrounding pools of clear water, and enormous pillars of rock rose from the cavern floor and disappeared into the darkness above.

The map Halburn had left behind was becoming increasingly difficult to follow. Not because the markings were unclear. Because there were simply too many of them.

Arthur stopped beside a stone pillar and unfolded it.

Luna leaned over his shoulder. "Another territory?"

"And another one after that."

Sun looked at the map. "How many Chief Beasts did Halburn fight?"

"We don’t know," Athena said, walking closer.

Sun stared at the markings. "There are at least dozens."

"Then he must have gotten pretty strong," Arthur smiled.

Sun looked at him. "That’s what you’re taking from this?"

"What else?"

"That we’re probably walking into the territory of dozens of Chief Beasts."

Arthur folded the map. "Exactly."

Sun sighed. Mithra laughed. "Arthur seems happy."

"That’s the problem."

Vedas adjusted his grip on his golden spear. "Something is coming."

Arthur looked up. The ground began shaking. Once. Twice. Then the entire cavern erupted.

BOOM!

Stone exploded from the ground, a massive Beast bursting up beneath them, then another emerging from behind the trees, then another.

His eyes widened. "That’s a lot."

The cavern filled with roars, Chief Beasts pouring in from every direction. Some emerged from the forest. Others crawled from underground tunnels. Several descended from the darkness above.

The group immediately formed a defensive position. Vedas moved beside Arthur. Mithra stepped forward. Sun tightened his grip on his staff. Kong cracked his knuckles. Athy took to the air. Melo’s tails spread behind her.

Eden activated her Sharing, golden light spreading through the group, and suddenly Arthur could see the entire battlefield from multiple perspectives. Left. Right. Above. Behind. The Beasts were surrounding them.

Athena’s expression turned serious. "We’re surrounded."

Arthur looked around. There were too many to simply charge through. The first wave rushed forward, and he raised Dusk.

[Guardian Shield]

A golden barrier expanded around the group, the first Chief slamming into it.

BOOM!

Then another.

BOOM!

Another.

BOOM!

The barrier shook. Arthur gritted his teeth. He could hold them, but not forever.

Vedas thrust his spear through the barrier’s opening.

[Blazing Spear]

Golden-red energy pierced through one of the approaching Beasts. Mithra moved beside him, becoming a streak, her attacks flashing across the battlefield. Kong charged into another Beast. Sun’s shockwave knocked several backward. Melo’s dream mist began spreading. Athy attacked from above.

But there were simply too many. Arthur looked around. If they continued fighting like this, they’d eventually be overwhelmed.

Then his King Mark began burning. He froze, a deep golden light spreading across his arm. His eyes widened. The sensation was different from Piercing Light. The Mark wasn’t gathering power into a single point. It was spreading it, upward, into the ceiling.

He looked up. Golden light appeared high above the battlefield.

Sun noticed. "What are you doing?"

He didn’t answer. The light grew brighter. Then—

BOOM!

A massive pillar of golden light descended from the darkness and struck the ground, the Chief Beasts nearest it thrown backward.

Everyone stopped. Another pillar appeared.

BOOM!

Then another.

BOOM!

And another.

BOOM!

Massive columns of golden light began descending across the battlefield, not simply beams, but enormous walls of concentrated light, extending from the cavern ceiling all the way to the ground.

Arthur stared, his King Mark burning brighter. He moved his hand, and the columns moved with it, one appearing between two groups of Beasts, another blocking an underground tunnel, a third cutting off an entire section of the cavern.

His eyes widened. He understood. These weren’t merely attacks. They were terrain.

He raised his hand again, and a column descended directly in front of the group, the approaching Beasts forced to turn. He moved his hand to the side, another column appeared, and the Beasts were funneled into a narrow passage.

Vedas immediately understood. "You’re controlling where they can move."

"Yeah," Arthur smiled.

He raised his hand again.

BOOM!

Three columns descended in succession, the Beasts separated, and Mithra rushed into the opening, becoming a blur between them. Vedas followed. Kong charged another group. Sun slammed his staff into the ground. Melo’s dream mist spread through the confined area. Athy dove from above. Eden’s shared vision connected everything.

Arthur stood at the center of the battlefield. He wasn’t simply attacking anymore. He was controlling the battlefield itself. The King Mark burned brighter, another pillar descending, then another, the ancient cavern illuminated in gold, dust and stone filling the air. The entire battlefield had been transformed.

He looked at his hand. A notification appeared.

[King’s Mark Authority — Columns of Light]

He blinked, then smiled. "So that’s what you were hiding."

Sun stared at the enormous pillars. "...Since when could you do that?"

"Apparently now."

Mithra laughed as she passed by. "That’s so like you."

Sun shook his head. "That answer is getting worse."

Arthur laughed. The Beasts roared again, and his expression sobered. "Let’s finish this."

He raised his hand. The columns shifted, the entire battlefield changing shape, a group of Beasts pushed toward Vedas. He immediately charged.

[War Shout]

The Chief Beasts focused on him. Arthur moved another pillar, trapping them between Vedas and the wall of golden light. Vedas thrust his spear.

[Armor Piercing]

One Beast fell. Then another. The remaining ones began scattering, and Arthur blocked their escape.

BOOM!

A pillar appeared behind them. They turned. Another pillar appeared. Then another. They were trapped.

Mithra rushed through the opening. Kong followed. Sun’s shockwaves battered the ground. Athy attacked from above. Melo’s mist clouded the enemies’ senses. Within minutes, the enormous group had been reduced to a handful. Then the final Chief collapsed.

Silence returned. Arthur slowly lowered his hand, the golden columns remaining standing. He looked around. The cavern had been transformed, huge sections of the forest cut apart, several stone pillars shattered, but the ancient passage itself remained intact.

He stared at the new ability. "It can do more than attack."

"You’ve created temporary terrain with it," Athena said.

He looked at the golden walls. "Which means..." He raised his hand slightly, and a column appeared, then another, forming a narrow corridor. He smiled. "...I can decide where the enemy fights."

"Exactly," she said, smiling.

Sun looked at the battlefield. "That’s going to be annoying."

"Probably," Arthur laughed.

A loud roar came from the far side of the cavern. Everyone turned. A gigantic Beast stepped from behind the trees, its body covered in crystal-like armor, four massive legs supporting a body almost as large as a building, its back covered in layers of translucent crystal plates that reflected Arthur’s golden light.

Athena stared. "That’s another Chief."

He nodded and approached. It lowered its head, and he touched its crystal armor. His vision changed.

[Species: Crystalback Behemoth]

[Evolution Path]

[Crystalback Behemoth]

[Prismhide Titan]

[Radiant Mountain King]

His eyes widened. Radiant Mountain King. He stepped back. "Okay."

The Behemoth roared. He raised his spear. "Let’s go."

It charged, and he moved aside as its massive body crashed into the ground. Vedas attacked from the front.

[Armor Piercing]

The spear struck its crystal armor, cracking one of the plates, but it immediately swung its body and Vedas was forced backward. Mithra flashed in and struck the cracked section, shattering the crystal. Athy attacked from above.

[Brave Light]

Golden light struck the exposed body, and it roared. Kong charged.

[Nova Burst]

His fist smashed into the same section, and it stumbled. Arthur raised his hand.

[Columns of Light]

A massive golden pillar descended beside the Beast. It tried to move. Another pillar appeared. Then another. He was deliberately narrowing its movement. Mithra immediately understood and rushed into the opening while Vedas attacked from the other side. It turned, and Arthur shifted another column, the path disappearing. The Crystalback Behemoth was trapped.

"Now!"

Everyone attacked at once, Vedas’s spear piercing its damaged armor, Mithra striking its legs, Kong smashing its side, Sun’s shockwave destabilizing the ground beneath it, Athy’s light hitting its exposed chest, Melo’s dream mist dulling its senses. The enormous Beast finally collapsed.

The ground beneath them began shaking. A deep rumble came from the forest. Then another.

Sun looked around. "Please don’t tell me there’s another one."

"There’s another one," Arthur said, looking toward the trees.

Sun closed his eyes. "I knew it."

The ground exploded, a gigantic crocodilian Beast bursting from the earth, its body covered in dark green scales reinforced by thick roots, its jaws opening wide enough to swallow a person whole.

Kong’s eyes immediately lit up. "Grrr!"

"You want this one?" Arthur asked.

Kong nodded.

"Go."

Kong charged. The Rootmaw Crocodile snapped its jaws, and he jumped over its head and landed on its back. The Beast rolled violently, and he held on.

Arthur watched. "He’s actually riding it."

Sun stared. "Why is that somehow not surprising?"

Kong grabbed one of the Beast’s massive horns. It slammed itself into the ground, and he held on. It tried again. His grip tightened. It finally raised its head, and Kong pulled, the enormous creature’s body shifting.

Arthur’s eyes widened. "Is he..."

Kong roared, then lifted the Beast. For one unbelievable second, the Rootmaw Crocodile was completely off the ground. He turned his entire body, and threw it.

The massive Beast flew through the air and smashed through one stone pillar.

BOOM!

Then another.

BOOM!

Then a third.

BOOM!

The Rootmaw Crocodile finally crashed into the ground. Everyone stared.

Kong stood proudly. "Grrr!"

Eden bounced excitedly. Mithra laughed.

Sun stared at the three destroyed pillars. "...He actually threw it through three pillars."

"Yeah," Arthur said, smiling.

Sun looked at him. "You’re proud."

"Very."

The Rootmaw Crocodile slowly pushed itself back up. Arthur’s expression sharpened. "Not done yet."

Kong cracked his knuckles and charged again. Arthur moved to support him, but Kong didn’t need help, grabbing the Crocodile by the jaw. It thrashed, and he held on. Then—

[Nova Burst]

The explosion erupted point-blank, and the Rootmaw Crocodile collapsed.

Silence returned.

Arthur walked over and placed his hand against its scales. His vision changed.

[Species: Rootmaw Crocodile]

[Evolution Path: Rootmaw Crocodile]

[Ironroot Devourer]

[Worldswamp Tyrant]

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 54 → 56]

[Evolution Paths Discovered: 64 → 66]

He smiled. Another evolution path found. Another Chief defeated.

He looked across the cavern. Vedas was still standing with his spear. Kong was celebrating. Mithra was laughing. Melo’s tails swayed peacefully.

Athy flew back down. Eden bounced beside Arthur. Sun was staring at the destroyed pillars. Athena was already examining the remains. Luna looked toward the dark path beyond the battlefield.

Arthur followed her gaze. The route ahead continued downward, far deeper than they had gone before.

He tightened his grip on Dusk. "Let’s keep moving."

Vedas nodded, and the others gathered around him.

Behind them, the golden Columns of Light slowly faded one after another, leaving the ancient cavern in darkness once more.

But Arthur’s King Mark continued glowing.