The Vengeful Core was massive, its crystalline armor designed to absorb punishment, but it was slow. Kael used the Core's bulk against it, launching himself into a rapid, zig-zag sprint, utilizing his superior AGI to close the distance. His blade, now blazing with the white-hot energy of Apex Form II: Sun Cutter, sliced through the air, leaving a shimmering wake.
The Core finally moved, its reaction a fraction too late. It didn't bother with subtle defense; it simply brought its massive, armored fist down in a spiritual strike, aiming to crush Kael's soul before his blade could connect.
Kael braced for the impact. The shockwave of dark energy slammed into him, but the new spiritual energy granted by his Level 3 status and the activation of Sun Cutter provided a momentary, shimmering shield. He felt the force—a psychic blow that left his teeth aching—but it didn't shatter him. The System was working.
"Too slow," Kael muttered, channeling all his focus into his sword arm.
The Sun Cutter met the Core's elbow joint—a weak point he remembered from the ledger. Instead of bouncing off the invulnerable armor, the pure spiritual energy of the Sun Cutter tore through the joint. There was no blood; only a screech of tearing darkness as the creature's arm twisted unnaturally.
The Vengeful Core roared, a sound of pure agony and confusion. It was hurt, physically and spiritually. The fact that a single, exiled human could damage its form was a violation of its existence.
The Mid-Grade Creatures, having recovered from the initial shock, began to swarm, but Kael ignored them. He had a 10-second cooldown on the Sun Cutter, and he had to make every second count before the Core healed. He had to disable the Ritual Master.
He pushed off the Core's damaged elbow, spinning toward the altar where the cloaked figure was frantically trying to intensify the ritual. The chanting grew louder, more desperate.
"Stop the human! Stop the light!" the Ritual Master shrieked, his voice distorted.
Kael used his Rending Flow—his Tier I skill—as a makeshift shield, slicing through the incoming Mid-Grade fodder. The low-level creatures dissolved, granting him crucial fragments of XP and buying him milliseconds. He was moving on instinct, the sheer adrenaline of the confrontation overriding the fatigue.
The Vengeful Core, enraged, unleashed a devastating spiritual beam from its chest. Kael barely dodged, the beam impacting the wall behind him, where the stone exploded into dust.
Cooldown: 3 seconds remaining.
Kael threw his body into a slide, dodging a second beam, and used the movement to get closer to the altar steps. He knew he couldn't afford to fight the Core conventionally. His goal wasn't to kill it; it was to disrupt the ritual.
He focused his attention on the Ritual Master. The Master was cloaked, but Kael noticed that the black, pulsing vines connecting the Master to the altar were the source of the ritual's energy.
A weakness. Sever the connection.
Cooldown: 1 second remaining.
As the Vengeful Core lumbered closer, preparing a third, massive strike, Kael launched himself up the altar steps. His blade, powered by Apex Form I: Rending Flow, was useless against the Master, but the vines were not creatures; they were extensions of the ritual.
Kael brought his blade down, not on the Master, but on the thickest, most pulsating vine. The steel sliced through the organic material.
The effect was instantaneous and catastrophic. The chanting stopped. The pulsing stopped. The energy fueling the altar vanished, and the dozens of gathered bodies being dragged toward the ritual pit dropped inertly.
The Ritual Master shrieked, an ear-splitting, non-human sound. His hood fell back, revealing not a creature, but a man—a Cultivator corrupted by darkness. Without the ritual energy, the Master was weak.
Kael didn't hesitate. His Sun Cutter cooldown was finally reset. He channeled his remaining spiritual energy and drove the blade directly into the Master's chest. The white light erupted, violently purging the corruption. The Master collapsed, dissolving into nothing but dust and ash.
A chorus of chimes sang in Kael's mind—the beautiful sound of success.
[Objective: Eliminate the Ritual Master COMPLETE!]
[Major XP Reward: +100!]
[Hidden Achievement: First Disruption! Spiritual Core Strength Permanently Increased!]
The Vengeful Core, now isolated and spiritually disconnected, shrieked in final agony. The loss of the ritual power destabilized its form. Its immense, crystalline body began to crack and shatter, the dark energy that animated it bleeding out into the desecrated air. Without the Ritual Master, the Core couldn't maintain its physical integrity. It hadn't been defeated by strength, but by tactics and the timely arrival of superior spiritual energy.
Kael stood alone in the silence, his chest heaving, his sword dripping non-existent light. The immediate threat was gone. The objective was completed. The System was demanding his attention.
He ignored the status updates for a moment, letting the victory soak in. He had returned from exile, embraced a dangerous, forbidden power, and disrupted a major enemy operation.
Then, he focused on the System. The sheer influx of 100 XP and the Hidden Achievement had changed everything.
[Mortal Foundation Level UP! Level 4 Reached!]
[Mortal Foundation Level UP! Level 5 Reached!]
[STR +3, AGI +3, STA +5. Spiritual Core Strength has been significantly stabilized.]
[New Skill Tree Branch Available: Blood Hunter Specialization.]
Kael realized this was just the beginning. Level 5. A specialized skill tree. He was no longer just surviving; he was rapidly ascending. He sheathed his sword, retrieved the Quartermaster's ledger, and looked toward the shattered Temple entrance. He had proven his worth, but the Shadow Lord still lurked, and Kael had just declared war.
He needed supplies, information, and a place to master his new Blood Hunter Specialization. The Sentinel's journey was now an inevitable, deadly climb toward the apex of power.