Daniel moved like a ghost through the sterile corridors of the upper labyrinth.
His enhanced [Aura Sense+] swept ahead, constantly probing for threats, while [Ghoststeps+] kept him hidden and silent.
His agility, now boosted past 160, allowed him to flow through the environment, his feet barely seeming to touch the floor.
He bypassed two more patrols of the Custodian Hunter models, melting into alcoves or using intersecting corridors to avoid confrontation.
Fighting them was doable, but time-consuming, and the Phase Two timer was always ticking in the back of his mind. Better to save his energy and charges for bigger obstacles.
According to his map, gleaned from the Regulator and Control Shards, he was nearing the major checkpoint, a large chamber marked 'Sector Transit Hub Alpha'.
Beyond it, the map indicated passages leading towards the 'Primary Control Spire', which sounded like a very plausible objective for the Academy's assessment.
Get to the control center, do something important (download data? Plant a virus? Make coffee?), and get out. Seemed typical.
As he approached the Transit Hub chamber entrance, his senses picked up powerful energy readings.
Not multiple small signatures like the Custodians, but one large, stable, and very potent signature right in the middle of the chamber.
And radiating from the far side of the chamber, a massive energy barrier blocked the exit passage towards the Control Spire. This was definitely the next major hurdle.
He peered cautiously into the chamber. It was large and circular, similar to the Flow Regulator room but even cleaner, brighter.
Glowing lines crisscrossed the floor, pulsing rhythmically. In the center hovered the source of the powerful signature.
It wasn't humanoid or animalistic. It looked like a giant, floating geometric crystal, maybe three meters tall, composed of dozens of interlocking facets that shifted and rotated slowly.
Colors shimmered across its surfaces, blues, greens, golds. It radiated a calm, intense power, and seemed directly linked to the crackling energy barrier blocking the far exit.
Daniel scanned the floating crystal guardian.
[Sector Gatekeeper - Series Omega Crystal]
Level: 5 (Elite)
Stats: Low Strength (Direct Physical), Moderate Vitality (Crystalline Structure), High Agility (Floating/Teleportation), Extremely High Spirit (Energy Manipulation).
Abilities: [Multi-Spectrum Beam Array], [Phase Shift Defense], [Energy Barrier Control], [Resonance Cascade (Area Pulse)], [Telekinetic Shove]
Threat Assessment: Elite Zone Controller. Highly mobile and possesses devastating ranged energy attacks.Physical attacks difficult due to phasing and structure. Controls linked barriers. Disrupting its energy flow or shattering its core facets is key.
Warning: Resonance Cascade can disable electronics and biological systems temporarily.
Another Level 5 Elite. This one specialized in ranged energy attacks and defense, the opposite of the physical powerhouse Skeleton Wolf.
Its Phase Shift and high Spirit meant his usual tactics might struggle again. That Resonance Cascade sounded particularly nasty, potentially disabling his Nexus Interface or even stunning him.
The energy barrier behind the Gatekeeper crackled ominously, a solid wall of white force blocking the passage indicated on his map.
There was no way around; he had to go through the crystal guardian.
Daniel took a deep breath. He checked his charges (14/20). His mana was full thanks to [Energy Siphon].
The burn on his back from the Custodian fight still stung, a reminder to be careful.
He quickly used [Scrap Armor Patch], grabbing a loose piece of plating from a nearby maintenance panel.
It clumsily stuck to the tear in his vest, looking ridiculous but offering a tiny bit of extra protection (+5 temporary defense). Better than nothing.
He stepped into the chamber. The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the Gatekeeper crystal rotated faster, its facets glowing brighter.
A low hum filled the air. Its 'gaze' locked onto him.
Without warning, multiple facets on the crystal lit up. Beams of different colored energy, red, blue, green, lanced out simultaneously, forming a complex web of intersecting attacks aimed right at him!
[Multi-Spectrum Beam Array]!
"Showtime!" Daniel activated [Ghoststeps+] and exploded into motion. He didn't just dodge; he used the entire room.
He sprinted left, then instantly wall-jumped, kicking off the smooth wall high into the air, flipping backwards over a crossing pattern of red and green beams that sizzled beneath him.
He landed silently, already weaving between two blue beams that tried to track him. His Agility was insane, turning the deadly energy web into an obstacle course.
The Gatekeeper adjusted instantly, its beams tracking his acrobatic movements. It was like trying to dodge a dozen snipers at once. He couldn't keep dodging forever.
He needed to attack. While mid-air from another wall-jump, flipping sideways to avoid a golden beam, he fired his D+ bow.
"[Mana Bolt+] – Arrow!" aiming for a large, central facet that seemed to glow brighter than the others.
Twang-FZZZT!
As the arrow approached, the Gatekeeper shimmered, using [Phase Shift Defense].
The arrow passed straight through its insubstantial form. Just like the Energy Leeches, but on a much larger scale.
Okay, direct attacks were useless while it phased. How to force it solid? He remembered the Sentinel fight, disrupting the connection.
This Gatekeeper wasn't linked to floor symbols, but maybe to the barrier it controlled? Or maybe raw force could disrupt its phasing?
He landed, slid under another beam, and ran straight towards the Gatekeeper.
As he closed the distance, it fired another barrage. He jumped, spun, kicked off a low-flying beam (using Shield Mastery's minor deflection to barely avoid a burn), and landed right in front of the shimmering crystal.
He slammed his fist down. "[Kinetic Hammer] – Shockwave!"
WHUMP!
The kinetic blast radiated outwards. The Gatekeeper's phased form rippled violently! It flickered, becoming momentarily solid before phasing again, but the blast had affected it! Raw force worked!
It retaliated instantly while solidifying. Not with beams, but with a powerful [Telekinetic Shove]!
An invisible wave of force slammed into Daniel, sending him tumbling backwards uncontrollably across the room like a rag doll.
He crashed hard into the far wall near the energy barrier, the impact knocking the wind out of him despite his Vitality.
[Warning: Minor Internal Trauma Detected. Vitality Resisting.]
He pushed himself up, groaning. Okay, that hurt. The Gatekeeper floated calmly, facets shimmering, readying another beam attack.
Daniel realized he couldn't just rely on shockwaves; he needed sustained force or a way to hit it during that flicker of solidity.
Suddenly, Nyx, who had been jostled awake by the impact, let out a sharp, high-pitched yelp from inside his pouch. It wasn't a normal puppy sound.
It echoed strangely in the energy-filled room, carrying a bizarre, discordant frequency, maybe her latent Soulfire or Shadow affinity reacting to the Gatekeeper's energy?
The effect was unexpected. The Gatekeeper's phasing stuttered violently!
Its light flickered rapidly, its form becoming almost fully solid for nearly a full second, as if Nyx's cry interfered directly with its energy matrix or spirit!
Daniel stared, shocked for a split second. "Nyx? Good girl!" He didn't waste the opening.
He poured energy into his hand, not just a bolt, but the unstable Kinetic Mana Pulse he'd used against the Sentinel's floor symbols. "[Kinetic Mana Pulse!]"
FZZZZZZT-WHUMP!
He fired point-blank at the momentarily solid Gatekeeper.
The pulse slammed into its central facet! Cracks spiderwebbed across the crystalline surface!
The Gatekeeper emitted a high-frequency screech, and its light dimmed noticeably. Its phasing ability seemed damaged!
It couldn't phase properly now, only shimmer weakly. It compensated by unleashing its full beam array, a desperate barrage aimed everywhere at once.
Daniel went back on the acrobatic defensive, flipping, wall-running, sliding, using every trick his Agility offered.
Beams scorched the walls and floor around him. He took another glancing hit, burning his leg, but kept moving.
He needed to finish it. He saw the cracks on the central facet. That was the weak spot. He needed one more solid hit there.
He dodged a final beam, then kicked off the wall, launching himself directly at the Gatekeeper in a spinning aerial corkscrew kick.
As he spun, he channeled kinetic energy through his leg and boot. "[Kinetic Hammer] – Impact Kick!"
CRACK-SMASH!
His heel connected squarely with the cracked central facet. The kinetic force, amplified by his spin and Strength, shattered the crystal structure.
The Gatekeeper emitted one final, piercing shriek. Its light flared blindingly, then extinguished.
The entire crystal construct crumbled inwards, dissolving into harmless, fading motes of colored light.
[You have slain: Sector Gatekeeper - Series Omega Crystal (Level 5 Elite)]
[EXP Gained: 500!]
[Level 4: 1196/1200 EXP] (Almost Level 5!)
Daniel landed lightly, breathing hard, multiple burns stinging his skin.
The huge EXP gain brought him right to the brink of Level 5. He felt power thrumming under his skin, ready to burst forth.
As the Gatekeeper dissolved, the massive energy barrier blocking the exit passage flickered and vanished with a soft hiss. The path forward was clear.
He quickly assimilated the fading energy signature of the Gatekeeper. It felt like pure, structured light and complex geometric patterns.
[Soul Assimilation successful on Construct: Sector Gatekeeper (Level 5 Elite).]
[Warning: Assimilating high-order geometric energy construct. Adaptability check (53) passed.]
[Gain: Spirit +30]
[Gain: Adaptability +15]
[Skill Enhanced: Shield Mastery upgraded to Energy Shield Manipulation (C-Grade)!]
[Item Acquired: Omega Shard (Key Fragment)]
[Assimilation Charge Consumed (13/20 Remaining).]
Another massive Spirit boost, pushing it near 110! His Adaptability soared past 65! And Shield Mastery got a huge upgrade!
[Skill: Energy Shield Manipulation (C-Grade):] Passive/Active Skill. Deep mastery of energy shields.
Passively increases effectiveness of shield equipment/skills by 30%. Allows active, temporary projection of a small personal energy shield (Costs Mana, Moderate Defense).
Can attempt to overload or bypass simple energy barriers (requires focus & mana).
He could create his own shield now? And maybe bypass barriers? That was incredible!
The Omega Shard also sounded important, likely a key needed for the Control Spire.
He looked towards the now open passage. It led into a dark, imposing structure visible even from here, the Primary Control Spire. That had to be the final objective.
His Nexus Interface chimed softly.
[Phase Two Assessment Duration Remaining: 17 Hours, 48 Minutes.]
[Objective Updated: Proceed to Primary Control Spire. Access Central Hub. Initiate System Purge Protocol. Await Extraction Beacon.]
There it was. Clear instructions. Get in, purge the system, get out. Simple on paper, likely deadly in practice.
He took one last look around the chamber, patted Nyx's pouch thankfully ("Good timing, girl!"), and stepped through the deactivated barrier, ready to face the final challenge of the Shifting Labyrinth.
He could almost feel Level 5 waiting for him just around the corner.