[Chapter 160. Challenger]

The center of the plaza was occupied by two concentric rings of heavy stones, ancient and weather-worn, akin to the megalithic structures that surrounded a standard land node. However, the pedestal in the center was different; it pulsed with a faint, rhythmic light that seemed to resonate with the very foundation of the city. Unconsciously, Searanox’s feet brought him closer to the structure. The air here felt heavier, charged with a latent energy that prickled against his skin. As he stepped over the threshold of the first ring surrounding the central pedestal, he came to a sudden halt.

`I have a really bad feeling about this.`

The thought manifested with a sharp clarity as he stared at the pulsing blue light. It wasn't the usual beckoning glow of a land node; it felt predatory, like a trap waiting for the right weight to trigger its mechanism. Next to him, a travel drone materialized with a soft hum. It hovered at his side for just a moment before he sent a mental command, and it shot off into the distance, leaving him alone in the silence of the plaza.

Minutes passed as he surveyed the surrounding ruins, his hand resting near the grip of his weapon. Eventually, the drone returned, descending from the overcast sky with Iris sitting atop it. She looked alert, her silver eyes scanning the perimeter before she looked at him.

"You called for me," she said, her voice steady.

Searanox turned toward her and waved a hand toward the pulsing structure he was standing within. "What am I looking at? It looks like a node, but the energy signature is off."

Iris dismounted the drone, which dissolved into sparks of blue light soon after it touched the cracked pavement. She walked to the edge of the stone circle, her tail twitching with a mix of recognition and unease. "This is a City Node, Searanox. It behaves similarly to the nodes you are already familiar with, but with a significant distinction: this one does not grant you mere territory. It grants control over the city itself."

He lifted one brow and tilted his head, his gaze shifting back to the pedestal. "You’re telling me I can claim this entire city as my own through the System? Why haven't you told me this sooner?"

A moment of heavy silence followed. Iris’s forehead wrinkled as she processed her thoughts, her expression shifting between frustration and a strange sort of mental fog. "I cannot say," she admitted, her voice dropping an octave. "Something was preventing me from telling you before. It felt like a wall in my mind. I do apologize."

"There is nothing to apologize for, Iris," he said, turning back to the structure.

His jaw tightened. That godforsaken System—it wasn't enough to simply withhold information; it actively prevented those bound to it from speaking the truth. It seemed Iris could only offer answers if he possessed the intuition to ask the right questions first. It was a restrictive, manipulative design, likely intended to keep newly awakened from grasping the full scope of their environment too quickly.

"Since you missed the opportunity to enter a node yourself yesterday, I will take you inside this time," he said, his tone shifting back to the calm, calculated resonance he used when preparing for a mission. "Step inside the circle."

Iris hesitated for a moment, her hands empty. "I haven't brought my weapon with me."

A travel drone appeared next to her once again, its blue lights reflecting in her silver eyes. "Then please go get it," Searanox replied. "I’m interested to see how your blade fairs against a Magitech Golem."

With a sharp nod, she mounted the drone. It surged forward, carrying her back toward their quarters. She returned just moments later, the massive Eldritch Zweihänder gripped firmly in her hands, its turquoise veins humming.

She stepped closer to the node stone in the center. Up close, the symbols etched into the obsidian surface were far more complex and numerous than those on a Land Node. They didn't just glow; they shifted, as if the runes themselves were alive and measuring the worth of those standing before them. Without waiting another moment, Searanox reached out and touched the cold stone.

A system window flashed before his eyes, pulsing with a vibrant, warning.

This was new. He had never seen the System issue a direct warning before. For a long moment, he stood there, letting his thoughts play out. The last time he had decided to investigate a phenomenon, he had ended up trapped inside a corrupted dungeon without so much as a whisper of caution from the interface. The fact that the System was now advising him to stay away suggested the danger ahead was of a completely different magnitude.

He mentally checked his gear, the charge of his drones, and the steady beat of his own heart. Then, he gave his answer.

`Yes.`

A familiar, violent pull tore at his body, far more aggressive than the transition of other nodes. For a brief heartbeat, he felt as if the space-time around him was a pair of jaws, attempting to rip not just his physical form but his very soul in two. The sensation was nauseating and cold.

When the world finally stabilized, he was standing in front of the same stone structure, but the world around him had transformed. The bright, morning sun was gone, replaced by a suffocating, monochromatic gray light. It bathed the ruins in shades of ash and lead. Even the air felt thick, carrying a heavy hue of gray that seemed to dampen sound and movement.

He turned his head, observing the surroundings. The buildings, the rubble, and even the weeds pushing through the concrete were frozen in time. He looked at his HUD; the internal clock was flickering, struggling against an uncomfortable distortion. Every timer in his vision was glitching. It was an eerie, liminal space. It was only then that he noticed Iris was bent over, leaning heavily on the hilt of her sword.

She looked like someone who had been forced to run a marathon immediately after a grueling workout. Her breathing was ragged, and her limbs trembled with a visible strain.

"Is everything alright, Iris?" The question felt inadequate; he could clearly see she was struggling.

"I feel as if... something chewed me up before spitting me out," she wheezed, her claws digging into the stone floor as she tried to steady her pulse.

Before he could offer assistance, the cold, synthesized voice of the System rang through the stagnant air, echoing off the gray buildings.

Searanox shook his head, a rare gesture of irritation. `Guardians... plural?`

From the streets leading into the plaza, the sounds of movement began to rise. They were loud, heavy, and rhythmic. As he turned toward the noise, he saw half a dozen beasts entering the clearing. Leading the pack was a creature that resembled a gargantuan turtle, its shell covered in jagged, crystal like spikes. Ancient moss and mutated plants grew in the crevices of its armor, swaying despite the lack of wind. Its size was staggering; it towered over the nearby three-story buildings by several meters. Its entire body was covered in scales that looked just as thick as the armored plates of the Depth Devourer he had faced before. Around its massive form, a strange, shimmering haze blurred the air, making it difficult to pinpoint its exact weak spots.

Accompanying the titan was a pack of wolves, each of them as tall as an Elemental Dire Wolf. Their fur was a void-like black, and they moved with a predatory unison that suggested a hive-mind connection. The moment they spotted the pair in the center of the plaza, the wolves broke their formation. They split into three distinct packs: one charged straight down the center toward him, while the other four wolves fanned out, curving toward his flanks in a classic pincer maneuver.

Without wasting a millisecond, Searanox summoned his full strength. Beside him, four Intermediate Assault Drones and four Offensive Drones materialized in flashes of blue light. Hovering directly above him, two Intermediate Defensive Drones took their positions, their projectors hummed as they began to map the battlefield.

There was no verbal command. The drones opened fire the moment their target was locked. Beams of concentrated energy lanced through the gray air, striking the lead wolf charging directly at him. The sheer kinetic force of the combined fire slammed into its hulking body. The beast was thrown off balance, smashing into the ground and kicking up a cloud of gray dust as it tumbled over the paved plaza.

It wasn't dead. It had merely been tripped by the sudden, overwhelming force of the beams. As it scrambled back to its feet, it shook its head violently before snarling and continuing its suicidal run. Searanox's gaze shifted to Iris, who was slowly recovering from the spatial transition. One of his defensive drones drifted over to her, projecting a shimmering, multi-layered barrier to protect her while she regained her strength.

"Iris, you take care of our left. My drone will support you," he commanded, his voice cutting through the snarls of the pack.

He raised his rifle, the weapon humming as it drew power for an overcharged shot. The violet beam lanced out, slamming into the lone wolf that had just regained its footing. The impact cracked the creature's skull with a sickening, wet sound, but the skull didn't explode—it merely punched through. The wolf collapsed, dead before it hit the ground, its momentum carrying its lifeless body a few more meters across the stones.

`It only pierced?`

The realization hit him hard. Normally, an overcharged shot from his rifle would have vaporized the head of anything that size. These guardians were far more durable than anything he had encountered in the past.

His drones were already switching targets, focusing their fire on the right flank while the massive turtle continued its relentless march forward. Its speed was surprisingly high for its size, each step shaking the plaza. The drone beams struck its legs, attempting to trip the wolves coming up on their flank. Two wolves were caught in the crossfire; one fell, but the other ignored the searing heat and closed the distance.

The wolf’s massive form smashed against the defensive barrier, its sharp, oversized claws tearing through the first shimmering layer within seconds. Another volley of beams carved through the air at point-blank range, the smell of burning fur and the sound of snapping bone filling the plaza.

Iris had recovered enough to engage. She surged toward the two wolves on the left, the defensive drone trailing her like a silent guardian. Her Zweihänder flared with a brilliant turquoise light as she brought it down in a devastating arc. The blade smashed into the first wolf with enough force to crack the stone beneath the beast’s paws. The wolf didn't fall immediately; instead, the blade buried itself deep into the creature's shoulder with a dull thud and a sharp, bone-snapping crack.