________
The Advanced Guardian moved first.
A blur of ancient steel and glowing energy—
BOOM.
Its weapon slammed down toward Lior.
But—
CLANG.
Seraphina intercepted the attack.
Golden light exploded from her blade as she blocked the strike.
The shockwave cracked the stone platform beneath them.
"Stay behind me," she said calmly.
Lior nodded, frozen in fear.
Behind them, the control node pulsed violently.
The fragment hovered above it, slowly syncing.
But it wasn't complete yet.
They needed time.
And the guardian wasn't going to give it.
The Pressure of Power
Izumi rushed in from the side.
Cold mana surged through his arm.
"Frozen Edge!"
His blade struck the guardian's side.
CRACK.
Ice spread across its armor—
But shattered instantly.
Izumi jumped back.
"…No effect?"
Dianara observed carefully.
"It's different from the previous guardian."
"The energy flow is stable."
"No weak points."
Mira dropped from above again.
Her daggers glowed with shadow and blood.
"Then we make one."
She dashed forward.
Her body vanished and reappeared in rapid flashes.
"Blood Shadow Dance!"
Multiple slashes struck the guardian in seconds.
But—
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Every hit was blocked.
The guardian didn't even flinch.
Mira clicked her tongue.
"…Okay. I don't like this one."
Seraphina Takes Command
The guardian raised its weapon again.
Energy gathered around it.
The air trembled.
Seraphina stepped forward.
Her aura expanded once more.
Golden light flooded the battlefield.
"Everyone fall back."
Izumi hesitated.
"But—"
"Now."
Her voice carried absolute authority.
He stepped back immediately.
Mira also retreated, though with clear annoyance.
"Fine."
Seraphina raised her blade.
The light around her intensified.
The water itself seemed to bend around her presence.
"Radiant Dominion."
A larger Sanctuary Field expanded.
This time stronger.
Denser.
Even the guardian paused.
Its movements slowed slightly.
Dianara noticed it instantly.
"…She's suppressing its energy."
Seraphina moved.
A single step—
And she was in front of the guardian.
"Judgment Strike."
Her blade descended.
BOOM.
The impact sent a shockwave through the ruins.
The guardian was pushed back several meters.
For the first time—
A crack appeared on its armor.
Izumi's eyes widened.
"She damaged it!"
Mira smirked.
"Now we're talking."
Team Strategy Forms
Dianara quickly spoke.
"That's the opening!"
She pointed at the cracked area.
"Attack there!"
Izumi nodded.
"Got it!"
He gathered mana again.
But this time—
Stronger.
Colder.
The forbidden training within him responded.
The water around him began freezing.
"Glacial Surge!"
Ice erupted forward in a powerful wave.
It struck the cracked armor.
CRACK.
The damage spread.
Mira followed instantly.
"Don't steal my spotlight."
She vanished.
Appearing directly at the weak point.
Her daggers glowed brighter.
"Crimson Fang!"
SLASH.
Her attack landed perfectly.
The crack deepened.
The guardian staggered slightly.
The Guardian Evolves
But then—
The guardian's core flared.
Bright.
Violent.
The cracks sealed instantly.
Energy surged through its body.
Dianara's eyes widened.
"…It's adapting."
The guardian raised both arms.
The ground beneath them began glowing.
A massive magic circle formed.
"Oh, that's not good," Mira muttered.
Seraphina's expression hardened.
"Everyone move!"
Too late.
The circle activated.
BOOM.
A massive energy blast erupted upward.
The entire area was engulfed in light.
Izumi was thrown backward.
He crashed into a pillar.
"Ugh—!"
Dianara barely held her barrier.
Mira was forced back mid-air.
Even Seraphina slid several meters across the ground.
When the light faded—
The battlefield had changed.
The control node was still active.
But now—
Multiple smaller guardians began forming around it.
Dianara stared in shock.
"…It's spawning reinforcements."
Izumi pushed himself up.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Mira laughed.
"Now this is fun."
Seraphina stood again.
Her grip on her blade tightened.
"This is no longer a simple battle."
She looked at the group.
"We divide roles."
Her voice was sharp.
"I will handle the main guardian."
"Izumi, Mira—deal with the smaller ones."
"Dianara—protect the synchronization."
Izumi nodded.
"Understood!"
Mira smirked.
"Finally, real work."
Dianara moved closer to Lior.
"I'll hold them off."
Behind them—
The fragment pulsed faster.
The synchronization was nearing completion.
But not yet.
And time—
Was running out.
Ending Build-Up
The main guardian charged again.
Seraphina met it head-on.
Their clash shook the ruins.
Meanwhile—
Three smaller guardians rushed toward Lior.
Izumi stepped forward.
Ice forming around his blade.
"Come on!"
Mira appeared beside him.
Shadow swirling.
"Let's finish this quickly."
The battlefield split into chaos once again.
But deep beneath Nerathis—
Something stirred.
The fragment pulsed.
The Core responded.
And the seal…
Cracked just a little more.
The battlefield split into chaos.
At the center—
Seraphina clashed with the Advanced Guardian.
Golden light and ancient energy collided again and again, each strike shaking the ruins of Nerathis.
CLANG. BOOM. CRACK.
Every impact sent shockwaves through the water.
But the guardian wasn't weakening.
It was adapting.
Faster.
Stronger.
More precise.
Seraphina narrowed her eyes.
"…So you learn."
The guardian responded with another powerful strike.
She blocked—
But this time, the force pushed her back several meters.
For the first time—
She was being pressured.
The Smaller Battle
Meanwhile—
Izumi and Mira faced three lesser guardians rushing toward Lior.
"Left one's mine," Mira said instantly.
She vanished.
Appearing behind one of them.
"Blood Shadow Fang!"
SLASH.
Her daggers struck rapidly.
This time—
CRACK.
The armor broke slightly.
Mira grinned.
"Much better."
Izumi focused on the other two.
Cold mana gathered again.
But something felt different.
Stronger.
Unstable.
The forbidden magic inside him reacted violently.
His breath slowed.
His vision sharpened.
The world around him felt colder.
"…What is this?"
Dianara noticed immediately.
"Izumi—focus!"
Her voice snapped him back.
"Control your mana!"
Izumi clenched his teeth.
"…Right."
He raised his sword.
Ice formed around it—denser than before.
"Glacial Break!"
He swung.
BOOM.
The attack shattered one guardian completely.
Izumi blinked.
"…That was stronger."
Mira glanced over mid-fight.
"Don't get cocky."
She kicked her opponent back.
"Finish your side."
Pressure Builds
But then—
The main guardian roared.
A deep, mechanical sound filled with ancient power.
It slammed its weapon into the ground again.
BOOM.
A wave of energy spread across the battlefield.
The smaller guardians reacted.
Their movements became sharper.
Faster.
Dianara gasped.
"It's enhancing them!"
Seraphina realized it too.
"We end this now."
Her aura exploded outward.
Brighter than before.
The water around her shimmered with divine energy.
She raised her blade.
"Radiant Ascension."
Light gathered.
Condensed.
Focused into a single point.
The guardian charged.
Seraphina stepped forward.
And swung.
The Turning Point
At the same moment—
Izumi faced the final lesser guardian.
It lunged toward him.
Too fast.
Too strong.
He couldn't block in time.
Then—
His body moved on instinct.
Cold energy surged uncontrollably.
The world slowed.
A thin layer of frost spread across everything around him.
"…What…?"
His voice echoed strangely.
Almost distant.
He raised his hand.
Without thinking—
"Ice Domain… Fragment."
A burst of freezing energy exploded outward.
The guardian froze instantly.
Completely.
CRACK.
It shattered into pieces.
Silence fell around Izumi for a second.
Mira stopped mid-movement.
"…Oi."
"What was that?"
Izumi looked at his own hand.
"…I don't know."
Dianara's eyes widened.
"That wasn't normal ice magic…"
"That was—"
She stopped.
Because at that exact moment—
Final Clash
BOOM.
Seraphina's attack landed.
Her glowing blade struck directly into the core of the Advanced Guardian.
Light exploded across the battlefield.
The guardian's armor cracked.
Then—
Shattered.
The giant construct collapsed to its knees.
Energy leaked from its body.
Then—
It fell.
The main guardian was defeated.
Synchronization Complete
At the same time—
The control node flared brightly.
Lior cried out.
The fragment pulsed violently.
Then—
It stabilized.
The glowing platform beneath him activated fully.
A wave of energy spread across the surrounding ruins.
The unstable currents calmed slightly.
The flickering lights steadied.
Dianara exhaled.
"…Synchronization complete."
Izumi relaxed slightly.
"So we did it?"
Mira landed beside him.
"For now."
She looked toward the deeper ruins.
"Don't celebrate yet."
Seraphina lowered her blade.
Her breathing steady.
Her expression calm again.
But her eyes moved toward Izumi.
"…That power."
Izumi looked away slightly.
"I didn't mean to—"
"You will explain later."
Her voice was firm.
Then she turned to Dianara.
"What changed?"
Dianara studied the surrounding area.
"The system stabilized… partially."
She pointed toward the distance.
"Other control points are still unstable."
"And the deeper layer…"
Her expression darkened.
"…is still reacting."
Lior stepped down from the platform.
The fragment floated quietly now.
"…Is it over?"
No one answered immediately.
Because they all felt it.
A faint tremor.
From deep below.
Seraphina looked toward the ground.
"…No."
Her voice was calm.
"But this was only the beginning."
Final Scene (Foreshadowing)
Far beneath the ruins of Nerathis—
In the sealed darkness—
A massive eye slowly opened.
Ancient.
Endless.
Watching.
The seal flickered.
Just for a moment.
But it was enough.