Under the cover of the roaring sound waves Saitama was creating, Doctor Strange's hands moved at high speed. Golden magical runes circulated around his body as he tried to analyze the energy structure of the ghost monsters and find their weakness.
"Their core… seems to be hidden in the deepest part of the energy body, and its position keeps shifting!" Doctor Strange's voice came through in broken fragments amid the sonic barrage. "Conventional magic is hard to lock on precisely! We need a stronger mental impact, or… pure energy purification!"
Just then, an old and steady voice—seemingly piercing through the deafening sound waves and the monsters' shrieks—reached both of them clearly:
"Foreign warriors, still your thunderous wrath. These 'shadow fiends' are born of darkness, and they fear the light."
The voice came from an inconspicuous corner deep within the hall. As it fell, a gentle but resilient white radiance flared to life, like a candle lit in the dark. Wherever the light touched, the frenzied ghost monsters let out even more miserable screams, rapidly melting away like snow under the sun, temporarily daring not to approach the edge of the glowing aura.
Saitama stopped roaring and looked toward the light source with curiosity. Doctor Strange also let out a breath of relief, dispelling the binding spell that had been getting hard to maintain.
From within the glow, a figure slowly stepped out. He wore an extremely ancient-style gray-white robe, as if woven from some kind of plant fiber. On it were embroidered patterns unlike the ruin's rune style—full of a natural, earthy feeling. His hair and beard were completely white. His face was aged yet unusually ruddy, his gaze deep as an ancient well. In his hand was a wooden staff topped with a crystal that emitted white light.
"I am Kmaal, guardian of this 'Forgotten Sanctuary.'" The elder spoke, his voice carrying a strange rhythm, as if resonating with the land itself. "I have guarded this place for three hundred cycles of spring, preventing the darkness below from spilling outward."
"A guardian?" Doctor Strange stepped forward and dipped his head slightly. "I am Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. This is Saitama. We sensed an abnormal surge of dark energy here and came to investigate. These shadowmares… are they the result of the seal loosening?"
Guardian Kmaal nodded, deep worry on his face. "Yes, respected Sorcerer Supreme—and this… astonishingly powerful warrior." He glanced at Saitama, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes. "The ancient seal is decaying faster and faster. That 'Dark Erosion Rune' you disturbed is the 'lock' on the seal's outer layer. Its activation is like drilling a hole in a dam, allowing the foul power imprisoned at the edge of the 'Abyssal Maw' to seep through."
"The Abyssal Maw?" Saitama caught the key phrase. "So the whirlpool back in New York was their doing too."
Kmaal's expression grew even heavier. "The Abyssal Maw… a tumor of the cosmos, an existence that devours light. It seems its tentacles have once again reached into this world. Beneath the seal here is not the Abyssal Maw itself, but one of its projections—or rather, an 'anchor point.' If this anchor point completely loses control, it will open the gate for a true abyssal army."
"We have to stop it!" Doctor Strange said without hesitation.
"By my power alone, I can no longer sustain it," Kmaal admitted frankly. "The core of the seal must be reinforced, and the leaking darkness must be purified. I know the ancient rituals and the seal's weak points, but we need tremendous power to carry them out. You two… will you fight alongside this old man, and stop this catastrophe together?"
(End of Chapter)
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