The exhaustion accumulated over the days of relentless marching through the ancient ruins of the thirty-fifth floor visibly weighed on the shoulders of every member of the squad, turning the simple act of walking into a daily test of resilience and willpower. As soon as the first diffuse rays filtered through the stagnant gray mist covering the underground temple, the group dismantled the temporary camp in the stone alcove and resumed the rigorous crossing through the columned galleries where the atmosphere continued actively draining the mana from our bodies. We maintained the compact and defensive tactical formation — with Scarlet at the absolute vanguard, followed by Liriel's assistant, Rai'kanna, Elara, Vespera, Lyannis, Liriel, and me closing the rear with the blade firmly sheathed —, advancing with firm steps over the basalt slabs that echoed hollowly and distantly through the oppressive silence of the sector.
The heavy and stale air of that forgotten sanctuary seemed to carry the weight of entire eras of suffering and magical corruption, causing the breathing of all the girls to become slightly faster under the constant effort of keeping their spiritual cores protected against the continuous suction of energy. I allowed a serene, deep, and analytical thought to occupy my mind as I inspected the walls covered with faded runic inscriptions: the true essence of leadership in moments of extreme exhaustion does not manifest itself in the absence of fatigue, but in the unwavering ability to maintain collective focus, inspire confidence in tired hearts, and see the finish line even when darkness and exhaustion attempt to cloud discernment, proving that the unity of a true family of fighters is capable of transcending the limits imposed by the cruelest traps of a dungeon.
"I feel as if every muscle in my body were carrying tons of lead because of this damned drain," Scarlet murmured, lightly shaking her arms to stimulate circulation while keeping her reddish eyes fixed on the dark corridors ahead of us. "If we continue marching through this labyrinth of ruins for much longer without finding the main sanctuary, our reflexes will end up failing precisely when we need them to face the boss."
"The rate of mana decay around us has reached a critical level in the last few hours," Liriel agreed with an expression of evident concern, leaning firmly on the runic staff whose runes blinked weakly in the gloom. "The drainage field is not natural; it is being fed by a central source of corrupted energy located right at the heart of this floor. It means that we are very close to the final guardian's lair."
"We need to ration the remaining stamina potions and keep the spiritual shields at the strictly necessary level to avoid surprises," Elara intervened, quickly checking the contents of her alchemical reagent bag and distributing invigorating capsules to her companions. "Mutual support and absolute tactical discipline are our only guarantees of survival against whatever may be waiting for us at the end of this path."
We advanced another few hundred meters through a monumental corridor flanked by decrepit statues of ancient priests, whose disfigured faces seemed to watch our progress with icy severity. Suddenly, the temperature dropped sharply and the sound of heavy, metallic footsteps echoed across the stone slabs ahead of us, vibrating intensely against the ground and causing the dust accumulated on the columns to tremble. Moments later, the gray mist parted to reveal an immense circular chamber with a vaulted ceiling, at the center of which rested the guardian of the thirty-fifth floor: a colossal knight clad in black and corrupted iron armor, wielding a two-handed sword that exuded a terrifying crimson aura. It was a formidable opponent, whose imposing presence filled the space with a suffocating pressure capable of freezing the blood of any ordinary adventurer.
"Full combat formation! No one fights alone!" I ordered in a firm and cutting voice, drawing my sword with a fluid movement that made the blade resonate against the dense air of the chamber. "Vespera and Lyannis, use containment pulses to limit his mobility. Scarlet and Rai'kanna, advance along the flanks as soon as the first blow is delivered. Liriel and her assistant, prepare continuous support spells to stabilize our injuries."
The battle began brutally and relentlessly. The corrupted knight released a shrill metallic roar that shook the temple walls, advancing toward us with surprising speed for his massive size and delivering a devastating horizontal strike with his black sword. The shockwave generated by the impact shattered the basalt floor around us, launching fragments of stone in every direction and forcing the group to scatter with acrobatic leaps to avoid instant casualties. Taking advantage of the momentary opening created by the evasion, Vespera and Lyannis conjured bindings of kinetic energy that temporarily restrained the colossus's legs, while Scarlet and Rai'kanna shot forward like silver lightning, driving daggers and spears into the gaps in the rusted armor to test the enemy's defenses.
Advancing through the center of the arena with my mind absolutely focused and my internal energy channeled at its maximum potential, I coated the blade of my sword with a golden aura of pure power and advanced directly against the knight, activating the blessing of temporary invulnerability against corrupted creatures. When the opponent's black sword descended upon me in a deadly downward arc, I blocked the blow with titanic effort that made the clash of the steel spark, generating a wave of energy that temporarily illuminated the dark chamber. With a battle cry that united the strength of all my companions, I spun my body and delivered an implacable vertical slash that pierced through the black iron armor, opening a deep gash in the automaton's chest and making him stagger backward with a thunderous impact.
Despite the severity of the wound, the corrupted knight reacted with blind fury, launching a disordered counterattack with his armored gauntlet that struck my left flank with enough force to hurl me against a stone column, causing a deep cut and making me bleed heavily on the battlefield. Upon seeing the impact, the girls redoubled the intensity of their attacks with fierce determination: Elara and Lyannis conjured instantaneous healing spells that partially closed my wound and restored the group's stamina, while Scarlet and Rai'kanna delivered a coordinated barrage of thrusts at the monster's vital points. Rising again with the unwavering support of my companions, I channeled the remainder of my spiritual energy into a devastating final blow, decapitating the corrupted knight and transforming him into thousands of luminous particles that dissipated into the air, leaving the floor's silver key and a heavy special magical stone on the ground, which I immediately stored in the magic bag.