Chapter 243: The Rift Guardian

Elias took a deep breath as he stared at the enormous doors at the end of the hallway. He ignored their intricate patterns, focusing instead on the familiar presence he sensed beyond them.

Monica was there.

He wanted to take her and leave the dungeon as quickly as possible, especially after receiving the notifications about her seizure and the growing Shadow Possession. However, the enormous structure blocking his path made it clear that he would have to face whatever awaited him beyond these doors.

’There is no other way.’

Tightening his grip around Valor Sword, Elias approached. His solid crimson Aura remained close to his body, ready to respond to any threat.

As he drew closer, the doors began to open.

A deep groan echoed through the hallway as both doors slowly swung inward, revealing the chamber beyond.

The moment Elias crossed the threshold, his attention shifted to the enormous hall before him.

Its ceiling stretched far above, while countless gigantic knight statues stood in orderly rows along both sides. Some carried swords, others held spears, and a few stood with their shields raised, resembling guards protecting an ancient royal palace.

Elias barely glanced at them.

His attention settled on the figure seated upon a throne at the opposite end.

He blinked, examining the person before muttering, "A human?"

The man had long white hair, silver armor with faint blue accents, and a black cape resting behind him.

However, his appearance was unsettling.

The whites of his left eye were completely black, surrounding an eerie red iris. Bulging veins spread from the eye socket across his face, while the entire left side appeared withered.

Despite his condition, he sat upright on the throne.

[Image]

Elias studied him before asking, "Are you the guardian?"

The man remained silent.

Elias glanced past the throne toward another doorway behind it. The moment he sensed the familiar presence beyond it, his expression changed.

"Monica..." he whispered.

She was right there.

He stepped forward, intending to pass the throne, but the seated man suddenly moved his lips.

A series of incomprehensible sounds escaped him, echoing throughout the hall. His words were distorted and unfamiliar, making them impossible to understand.

Elias frowned.

"I cannot waste my time on you."

The guardian slowly raised his left hand.

Dark blue light gathered around his palm and spread across his fingers. At the same time, an identical glow appeared around the stone sword held by a knight statue to Elias’s left.

The statue’s arm trembled.

Its sword suddenly tore free and shot toward Elias.

He immediately accelerated toward the guardian, but the unexpected attack forced him to abandon his forward momentum.

"What the fuck?!"

His eyes widened as he noticed the enormous weapon approaching. The broad blade generated a powerful gust as it cut through the air, forcing him to leap upward.

The sword passed beneath him and crashed into the floor.

A thunderous impact shook the hall, sending cracks across the stone and fragments flying in every direction. The surrounding statues trembled from the force.

Elias landed on the fallen sword, briefly using its broad surface as a foothold.

His gaze snapped toward the throne.

"Why can he do that?!" he muttered.

He had encountered monsters capable of manipulating their surroundings, but controlling a weapon held by a distant statue was something else entirely.

Before he could investigate further, the rubble surrounding the fallen sword began rising.

Small fragments lifted first, followed by larger chunks that floated into the air. The guardian moved his fingers, sending the suspended debris hurtling toward Elias.

Elias pushed off the sword.

Several rocks shot toward his head and shoulders, forcing him to twist between them. One grazed his clothing, while another passed close to his cheek before crashing behind him.

Larger fragments followed, approaching from different directions to block his escape routes.

Elias leaped over one, then lowered his body to slip beneath another. He landed on the floor just as another chunk passed overhead.

’What kind of ability is this?’

More rubble rushed toward him, forcing him to activate Tyrannical Giant’s Immovable Stance. Earth mana gathered around his body before expanding into a protective dome.

The incoming debris crashed against it, producing heavy impacts that shook its surface. Elias braced himself as the earth mana absorbed the attacks.

Then an orange notification appeared before his eyes.

[The host is facing a Lord King!]

Elias blinked.

’A Sword King?’

Before he could consider the implications, a massive piece of the broken statue hurtled toward him.

It struck the dome.

A sharp crack rang out as the protective structure shattered. The fragment continued through the broken earth mana, striking Elias and launching him backward.

His body slammed into the wall with a tremendous thud.

The wall cracked around his back before he dropped to the floor, sending dust spreading across the ground.

Elias clenched his teeth and slowly pushed himself upright.

Across the hall, the guardian was no longer looking at him.

The man had somehow obtained the dark lantern and was examining it. His red iris remained fixed on the white wisp inside its glass chamber.

Elias narrowed his eyes.

’He is wondering why it is pointing at me.’

The guardian tilted the lantern, studying its direction before looking back at Elias. His brows drew together as he examined the object again, seemingly unable to understand something.

Elias glanced toward the doorway behind the throne.

’Monica is right there.’

Crimson Aura gathered around his feet as he pushed off the ground.

His body shot forward, leaving cracks in the stone as he rushed toward the doorway. The guardian immediately raised his hand, lifting the scattered rubble once more.

Stones rushed toward Elias from several directions.

He jumped over the first cluster, then lowered his shoulder to slip beneath another. A larger fragment approached from his right, but he twisted in midair, narrowly avoiding it.

The guardian continued manipulating the debris, but Elias refused to slow down.

He couldn’t afford to waste time fighting when Monica was in such a critical condition.

The guardian glanced between Elias and the doorway before finally rising from his throne.

His silver armor shifted with a metallic clatter, and his black cape fell behind him. He raised one hand toward the doorway as the dark blue light around his fingers intensified, then swept his arm toward Elias.

Elias had almost reached the entrance.

He crossed the remaining distance and looked inside.

A figure lay atop an altar.

Rotating shadows covered her body, continuously shifting and overlapping like countless dark layers. Even beneath them, Elias recognized her familiar silhouette.

His steps stopped.

"Monica..."

There was no mistaking her presence.

Relief briefly washed over him. He had finally reached her, and all he needed to do was cross the doorway and take her away.

However, the shadows surrounding the altar suddenly reacted.

Several tendrils rose from Monica’s body and shot toward him.

Elias barely managed to raise his arm before they struck.

The impact sent him flying backward through the doorway. His boots scraped against the stone as he crashed onto the floor and slid several meters before stopping.

He lifted his head.

The guardian stood before him.

Elias’s expression twisted as anger replaced his momentary relief.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

His voice thundered through the hall.

Crimson Aura descended upon the guardian, forcing his silver armor to creak under the pressure. His boots dug into the stone as cracks spread beneath his feet.

Yet the guardian remained standing.

He slowly raised his open right hand.

The tendrils extending from the altar suddenly changed direction. Dark blue light spread across their surfaces, drawing them toward his palm as though controlled by an invisible force.

Elias watched as the tendrils gathered above the guardian’s hand.

They twisted together, compressing until they formed a weapon. The man closed his fingers, and the shadows hardened into a pitch-black sword.

Three spikes protruded from each side of its guard, while its blade seemed to absorb the surrounding light.

Elias narrowed his eyes.

He pushed himself upright, allowing his crimson Aura to spread across the floor.

Then he reached into his Inventory and retrieved Hellcaller.

His expression changed as he gripped the sword. The anger remained, but a dangerous grin gradually spread across his face.

’So you want to fight?’

Elias tightened his grip around Hellcaller and lowered his stance.

The guardian stood between him and Monica, holding the newly formed black sword as dark blue light flowed across its surface.

There was no reason to hold back anymore.

Elias rushed forward.

The ground split beneath his feet as his solid crimson Aura erupted outward. He crossed the distance in an instant and raised Hellcaller above his shoulder before bringing it down with tremendous force.

The guardian raised his black sword to block.

The weapons collided.

A violent shockwave spread from their point of contact, scattering dust and loose stone fragments across the hall. The guardian’s boots sank deeper into the fractured floor, but he managed to withstand Elias’s descending strike.

Elias pressed down against the opposing blade.

His muscles tightened as he poured Aura into Hellcaller, forcing the guardian to bear the full weight of his attack. The dark blue light surrounding the black sword flickered, but the man maintained his grip.

Then the guardian clenched his left hand.

Stone fragments rose behind Elias.

He noticed the movement and shifted his body, but a large chunk was already rushing toward his side. Elias pulled one foot back and kicked it away, sending it crashing several meters across the hall.

The impact broke their weapon lock.

Elias stepped forward as crimson Aura surged through Hellcaller.

Dark red lightning gathered along the blade, twisting around its length before shooting toward the guardian. The attack tore through the air with a sharp crack, illuminating the silver armor and surrounding statues.

The guardian raised his black sword to block.

The lightning struck.

For a brief moment, the two energies clashed, with dark blue Aura resisting the force of Elias’s attack. However, the blue energy gradually unraveled at the point of impact, breaking apart under the relentless pressure of the lightning.

Elias’s grin widened.

"Hahaha!"

A menacing, almost mad laugh escaped his lips.