The last strands of black mist faded into their bodies.
Stillness followed.
Arin stood unmoving, his breathing steady, eyes slightly narrowed as he processed the sensation.
It was… strange.
Not painful.
But not entirely comfortable either.
Like something foreign had settled inside him—yet at the same time, it was strengthening him.
His senses sharpened.
His body felt lighter.
Sharper.
More aware.
Beside him, Kael shifted.
"…That felt weird."
Arin gave a faint nod.
"…Yeah."
He glanced toward the group of five.
They were still watching.
Careful.
Patient.
Waiting.
Arin stepped out of the crater, Kael following close behind.
He gave a small nod to the leader.
"…Thanks. For guarding us while we were vulnerable."
The leader studied them for a moment, as if trying to see through something unseen.
Then he spoke,
"In this world… you survive by helping others. Or you don't survive at all."
Before Arin could respond—
A voice echoed inside their minds.
Cold. Clear. Emotionless.
Mission complete.
Arin's gaze sharpened instantly.
Kael stiffened.
Collect your reward at the Monolith.
A brief beat—
Second mission: Locate the Monolith.
Then it vanished.
Kael blinked.
"…You heard that, right?"
"…Yeah," Arin replied.
Kael looked around at the endless rocky terrain.
"…So where exactly are we supposed to find a 'monolith' in all this?"
Arin scanned the horizon.
Jagged stone. No landmarks. No direction.
"…Could be anywhere."
"Did you get your second mission?"
Both turned toward the leader.
He was already watching them.
"…Find the Monolith?" he asked.
"…Yeah."
Arin stepped forward slightly.
"Do you know where it is?"
The leader held his gaze, then nodded.
"Yeah."
Arin's eyes narrowed.
"Same mission for everyone?"
The leader shook his head.
"Only the first five are the same on this floor."
A short pause.
"After that… it changes."
Arin absorbed that quietly.
The leader glanced at the sky.
It was dimming.
"We should move."
His tone hardened slightly.
"Night's not safe."
"Monsters get worse."
Arin spoke,
"…The Monolith?"
"It's on the way to town."
Kael's eyes lit up.
"…Seriously?"
"We were heading there anyway," the leader said, gesturing north.
"We can guide you."
Arin didn't answer immediately.
He studied the man.
Posture. Voice. Eyes.
Looking for cracks.
For lies.
There were none.
At least—none obvious.
Kael leaned in slightly.
"…We trusting them?"
Arin kept his eyes forward.
"…We don't have a better option."
Kael exhaled.
"…Fair."
Arin nodded once.
"…Alright. We'll go with you."
A faint smile crossed the leader's face.
"Good."
They began moving.
Six became seven.
Boots crunched against stone as they headed north.
The wind swept across the wasteland.
The crater faded behind them.
After nearly half an hour—
Kael edged closer to Arin.
"…I think I can use it again."
Arin's eyes flickered—but he didn't turn.
"…Come closer."
Kael stepped in.
Noticing the faint smile forming on Arin's face, he smirked.
"…What are you thinking?"
Arin leaned in and whispered.
Kael's expression shifted.
Curious—
Then stunned.
"…Bro…"
He let out a quiet breath.
"…That's evil."
Arin said nothing.
But the slight curve of his lips didn't disappear.
Behind them, the leader walked with his group.
Watching.
Listening.
Measuring.
After a while, Kael spoke louder,
"…So… names?"
The leader didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"People don't exchange names here."
Kael blinked.
"…Why?"
"Because people die."
Simple.
Flat.
Final.
"You don't collect names in a place like this."
A brief pause.
Then—
"If you clear more than seven missions…"
"…you're not a complete beginner anymore."
He glanced at them.
"After that… maybe."
Kael scratched his head.
"…Damn."
For a while, only the wind filled the space between them.
Then Arin spoke again.
"…This Monolith."
The leader glanced at him.
"What about it?"
"…Anything we should know?"
The leader was quiet for a moment.
Then—
"It's guarded."
Kael frowned.
"…By?"
"A monster."
Arin's eyes sharpened.
"…So we have to kill it."
The leader nodded.
"Yeah."
Kael sighed.
"…Of course we do."
Arin's voice remained steady.
"…Has it been defeated before?"
A faint hint of amusement crossed the leader's face.
"Many times."
Then it faded.
"But it doesn't matter."
"…Why?"
The leader's voice turned colder.
"Because every time a mission is assigned…"
"…it comes back."
The wind picked up slightly.
"It exists for one reason."
"To stop you from progressing easily."
Kael cracked his neck lightly.
"…So it's a fresh fight every time."
"Exactly."
Kael looked ahead.
Toward something unseen.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"…Good."
Arin glanced at him.
"…You're enjoying this."
Kael didn't deny it.
Far ahead—
Something waited.
As they climbed over the final ridge—
The leader spoke,
"…The Monolith."
A breath.
"…And its guardian."
They stepped forward—
And saw it.
The Monolith.
Kael blinked.
"…That's it?"
It stood no taller than five feet.
Small.
Unimpressive.
A simple black pillar.
But—
Something about it felt wrong.
Arin slowed.
The surface wasn't smooth.
It was too dark.
Not stone.
Not shadow.
It didn't reflect light—
It consumed it.
The closer they got, the dimmer everything felt.
As if light itself was being swallowed.
Faint markings covered its surface.
Twisted.
Uneven.
Not carved—
Moving.
Like they were trying to crawl out.
Kael frowned.
"…Why does it feel like it's watching us?"
No one answered.
The air grew heavy.
Each step felt harder than the last.
Arin's heartbeat slowed—
Not naturally.
Forced.
Like something was syncing it to a rhythm that wasn't his.
Then—
He noticed.
"…No shadow."
Kael froze.
"…You see it too?"
"…Yeah."
The world felt still.
Like everything was waiting.
Arin's gaze shifted.
Not to the Monolith—
But beside it.
Something stood there.
At first, it looked like a stain in the darkness.
Then it moved.
Slow.
Deliberate.
It rose—
Unfolding into something massive.
A knight.
Twice the height of a man.
Encased in heavy armor that wasn't metal—
But something deeper.
Something that swallowed light.
Jagged edges ran along its form like broken blades fused into its body.
No face.
Only a hollow helm.
And inside—
Nothing.
Then—
A faint glow appeared.
Two eyes.
Cold.
Empty.
Watching.
Kael felt it.
"…That's the guardian?"
The leader's voice dropped.
"It changes."
"…What?"
"For a solo climber… it's balanced."
"For a duo… it adapts."
"For a team…"
"…it becomes a Named Guardian."
He narrowed his eyes.
"…But this one…"
"…feels stronger than that."
Kael swallowed.
"…How strong is that exactly?"
The leader didn't look away.
"…A Named Guardian isn't just stronger."
"It's recognized by the Tower."
"It has a will."
"An identity."
"…And it doesn't fight blindly."
Kael exhaled.
"…Great."
The knight shifted.
A massive greatsword rested in its grip.
Cracked.
Ancient.
Pulsing with dark energy.
As it moved—
The air warped slightly.
Like reality resisted its weight.
Then—
It stepped forward.
THUD.
The ground trembled.
Not from speed—
But presence.
Kael stared.
"…That thing doesn't look slow."
Arin's eyes gleamed.
"…No."
The leader exhaled.
"…We'll help you."
Kael blinked.
"…Really?"
"We've cleared eight missions," he said calmly.
"We're not beginners."
He looked at the guardian.
"…We can handle it."
Then—
"But we need a plan."
He turned to his group.
"You two wait."
They stepped aside.
Voices low.
Sharp.
The axe wielder spoke first.
"…Boss. That thing's dangerous."
"…We can handle it."
"…Maybe."
He glanced at Arin and Kael.
"If it kills them…"
"…it takes their souls."
"We get nothing."
A beat.
"But if we kill it…"
"…we get everything."
The leader went quiet.
Thinking.
Then—
"…We fight."
They returned.
"We'll help you."
Kael nodded.
"…Thanks."
The leader added,
"But whatever it drops…"
"…is ours."
Kael looked at Arin.
Arin met his gaze.
A silent exchange.
Then—
"…Deal."
The knight stepped forward again.
The ground shook.
The air thickened.
The moment stretched—
Right before impact.
End of chapter
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