The Beast Who Never Left

Chapter 144 — The Beast Who Never Left

The guardian vanished.

Aether barely had time to react before the air in front of him distorted violently. The enormous black-crystal figure reappeared directly before him, its fist already descending with terrifying speed. Aether immediately raised both arms and poured Origin Energy into his body, but the impact still sent a shock through his entire frame. His feet dug several meters into the crystal floor as the force pushed him backward, and his arms went numb from the collision.

This was not an opponent he could underestimate.

The guardian's presence alone confirmed it. The pressure surrounding it was completely different from anything Aether had encountered inside Frostveil.

System messages appeared before his eyes.

[Unknown Origin Entity detected.]

[Classification: Origin Construct.]

[Current Cultivation: Origin Vein Realm — Early Stage.]

[Threat Level: Extreme.]

Aether's expression became serious. Origin Vein Realm.

That was an entire major realm above his current Origin Tempering Stage 9 cultivation. Even though his Infinite Origin Physique gave him extraordinary potential and his combat ability allowed him to challenge opponents above his realm, the difference between major realms could not simply be ignored.

The guardian attacked again.

This time, Blackfang moved first. The black-scaled wolf-like shadow appeared beside Aether and slammed into the guardian's arm, forcing the attack slightly off course. Ironhide and Grimhorn immediately followed, attacking from opposite sides. Their combined assault created enough interference for Aether to retreat several steps and regain his balance.

"Don't fight it head-on," Aether ordered. "Look for its weaknesses."

The others immediately understood.

Aria raised Starfall, her Starforged Physique releasing a sharp stellar pressure as she thrust the spear forward. A concentrated burst of star-like Origin Energy struck the guardian's chest, but the attack only forced it backward a short distance. Lyra followed with a thunderous strike, the power of her Thunderheart Physique running through her attack as lightning exploded against the guardian's shoulder.

Sylvara and Elara attacked from the sides while Evelyn maintained pressure from farther behind. Seris remained slightly farther back, carefully controlling her compressed Life Essence instead of wasting it against the guardian's defenses.

Vaelira did not attack immediately.

She watched.

Her silver eyes followed the guardian's movements, especially the strange spatial distortions appearing around its body.

"There!" she suddenly shouted. "Its armor isn't completely connected. There are spatial links between the sections."

Aether immediately understood.

"How many?"

"Several. The connections move whenever it attacks. I can sense them, but I can't break them directly."

"Then tell me where they are."

Vaelira nodded.

The guardian suddenly appeared behind Grimhorn and struck downward. Grimhorn barely avoided the attack, but the crystal floor beneath him exploded from the impact.

"Left shoulder!" Vaelira called.

Aether moved.

He used Shadow Step and appeared beside the guardian's left shoulder, striking the location Vaelira had identified. His fist collided with the spatial connection, causing a brief distortion.

The guardian reacted instantly.

Its other hand swung toward Aether.

Aether crossed his arms in front of himself, but the blow struck him with overwhelming force. His body flew backward and crashed through a section of the crystal wall.

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"Aether!"

Aria's voice carried across the chamber.

Aether dropped to one knee as fragments of black crystal fell around him. His arms were aching, and blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away and slowly stood.

"I'm fine."

He looked toward the guardian.

It was still standing.

The others had managed to slow it down, but none of their attacks had caused meaningful damage. They were fighting an existence that had crossed into an entirely higher major realm.

Aether clenched his fist.

He had deliberately avoided relying on the Executioner's Blade for a long time. The weapon was powerful, but he wanted his own body, Origin Energy, techniques, physique, and combat instincts to develop independently. A weapon should amplify the wielder's strength, not become the source of it.

But there was a difference between refusing dependence and deliberately throwing away an advantage.

Against an enemy like this, refusing to use every available weapon would simply be foolish.

The guardian disappeared again.

Aether prepared himself.

Then something inside his body reacted.

A familiar presence stirred within his Origin Beast Space.

Aether's eyes widened slightly.

A moment later, dark and silver energy erupted beside him. A beast stepped out of the swirling Origin Energy and landed between Aether and the approaching guardian.

She was larger than before, her dark and silver fur carrying a deeper Origin Energy aura. Her short horns had grown longer, and her golden eyes were sharper than Aether remembered. A strange Origin pattern rested upon her forehead.

Aether stared at her.

"Nyx..."

The beast turned her head toward him.

For a brief moment, the battlefield seemed to become quiet.

System messages appeared.

[Origin Beast detected.]

[Identity: Nyx.]

[Evolution detected.]

[Current Cultivation: Origin Tempering Realm — Stage 9.]

[Origin Beast Space connection confirmed.]

[Bond Compatibility: 94%.]

Aether's expression softened.

"You've been growing this whole time."

Nyx released a low growl and turned toward the guardian.

She did not hesitate.

The guardian appeared in front of her, its fist crashing downward. Nyx twisted aside and countered with a powerful claw strike. The collision sent both of them backward, but Nyx remained standing.

She could not defeat an Origin Vein Realm guardian alone.

But she could create openings.

That was enough.

Aether looked at the guardian again before extending his hand.

"Then let's finish this."

Origin Energy surged around his palm.

The Executioner's Blade appeared in his grasp.

Aria's eyes widened when she saw it.

"So you still had it."

Aether tightened his grip around the familiar weapon.

"I never lost it. I simply didn't want to depend on it."

The guardian attacked again.

This time, Aether did not retreat.

Nyx rushed forward first, forcing the guardian to redirect its attack. Blackfang followed from the opposite side, while Ironhide and Grimhorn struck its legs and torso. Aria drove Starfall toward its chest, Lyra's thunder exploded against its back, and Sylvara and Elara continued attacking the exposed sections.

Vaelira watched the guardian's spatial structure.

"Three connections on the right side!" she called. "One beneath the chest!"

Aether moved according to her instructions.

He stepped through the shadows and appeared beside the guardian. Executioner's Blade descended.

The blade struck the weakened spatial connection.

Cracks spread across the guardian's armor.

The construct roared.

Its Origin Energy erupted violently, throwing several of the group backward. Nyx was forced to retreat, but she immediately returned. Blackfang lunged at the guardian's shoulder and tore through the damaged crystal armor.

Seris saw the opening.

She condensed her Life Essence into a narrow, concentrated attack and sent it directly into the exposed section.

The compressed Life Essence penetrated deeper than before.

The guardian's movements became unstable.

"Now!" Vaelira shouted.

Aether's eyes locked onto the guardian's core.

He charged.

The guardian tried to defend itself, but Nyx intercepted its arm. Blackfang attacked from behind, while Aria's Starfall struck its chest and Lyra's thunder disrupted its Origin Energy.

Aether reached the core.

Executioner's Blade pierced through the fractured armor.

For one moment, everything stopped.

Then the guardian's core shattered.

System messages appeared.

[Origin Vein Realm Origin Construct defeated.]

[Origin Points +110.]

[Origin Points: 975 / 1,600.]

The victory did not bring relief.

The entire Origin Vault began shaking.

Cracks spread through the crystal walls as an enormous wave of spatial Origin Energy erupted from the destroyed guardian. The floor beneath them began collapsing, and the silver inscriptions covering the walls flashed violently.

"The vault is collapsing!" Elara shouted.

Vaelira immediately raised the Spatial Origin Crystal.

"I can stabilize the spatial layer!"

She poured Origin Energy into it, but the pressure was too great. Her face gradually paled as the crystal struggled to contain the unstable space.

Aether stepped beside her.

"Don't burn yourself out."

Vaelira looked at him.

"You trusted me."

"I still do."

Aether placed his hand beside hers and released his Origin Energy into the Spatial Origin Crystal.

The two energies connected.

The chaotic spatial fluctuations gradually began to stabilize. Vaelira's control became steadier as she guided the unstable energy while Aether supplied the additional strength needed to maintain it.

The shaking eventually weakened.

Then the floor beneath them cracked open.

An ancient staircase appeared beneath the ruined pedestal.

Everyone stared downward.

The staircase descended into darkness, far deeper than the Origin Vault itself.

Vaelira slowly lowered the Spatial Origin Crystal.

"The guardian wasn't protecting the vault."

Aether looked into the darkness below.

"No."

His grip tightened around the Executioner's Blade.

"It was protecting what lies beneath it."

At that moment, the enormous crystal tree above them began glowing.

Silver inscriptions spread across the walls, illuminating one after another as though something ancient had finally been awakened.

Aether looked toward the staircase.

"We just activated something."

From somewhere deep below, an ancient presence slowly began to approach.

The pressure was faint.

But it was unmistakably alive.