The immediate danger had passed, but Archelius was in a critical state. Defeating a Level 30 Imposter had required a suicidal drain of his Core Power.
[Core Power: 10/100 (Critical).]
His lack of Core Power meant his maximized Rank E skills—War God's Strike and Iron Skin—were barely functional. He was vulnerable.
"We need to find a safe chamber, quickly," Archelius rasped, directing the students into the mouth of the Citadel. Theodore carefully carried the unconscious Bethany.
The colossal entrance to the Citadel was a massive, arching gateway leading into the earth. The interior was a cavernous space carved from smooth, dark stone, crisscrossed by fractured stairways and ancient bridges spanning dizzying drops.
The air inside was calmer than outside, but thick with residual, ancient magical energy—the divine conflict energy he sensed earlier.
[Nexus Detected: Citadel of Whispers. Healing Potential: Low.]
[Local Threats: Level 25-40 Entities. Stealth: Critical.]
"Lisa, Raji, eyes on the ceiling and shadows," Archelius ordered, leaning heavily on the Divine Edge for support. "This is a maze. We need immediate cover."
They moved cautiously through the vast main hall. The Citadel was clearly a place of immense history, but its current state was one of ruined grandeur.
They found a concealed chamber off a broken service corridor—a small, dark room that offered some security. Theodore gently laid Bethany down, his hands shaking.
The Imposter Core
As soon as they were secure, Archelius focused entirely on his System. He pulled out the Imposter Core—the dark, heavy orb that was the core of the Level 30 entity. It radiated cold, stable power.
He immediately opened the Crafting Menu.
[Imposter Core (High Grade) x 1. Available Crafting Options:]
[Core Power Restoration (Minor): Consumes 1 Core. Restores 50 Core Power. Success: 100%.]
[Shadow Stealth Shroud (Rank E): Requires 1 Core, 5 Obsidian Scale Plates. Success: 70%.]
"I need to recover my power first," Archelius decided. He couldn't afford to be vulnerable, even for a few more hours.
He selected the Core Power Restoration. The System confirmed, and the Imposter Core vanished in a swift flash of silver light.
[Core Power Restored: +50.]
[Core Power: 60/100 (Normal).]
The immediate restoration of power was a profound relief. The tingling energy flooded his system, and the latent strength of his Rank E skills instantly returned. He felt safe again.
He then focused on the next priority: crafting a viable defensive item. He had the materials.
[Crafting Shadow Stealth Shroud (Rank E). Requires 1 Core, 5 Obsidian Scale Plates. Success: 70%.]
"Wait," Theodore interrupted, his voice hesitant. "Archelius, you... you have another core? You just consumed the core of that monster?"
"The System provides the means," Archelius replied, maintaining his cold, authoritative distance. "This new resource will give me a new ability. It's necessary for your survival."
He confirmed the craft. The materials vanished. The silver light pulsed intensely.
[Crafting Successful! Shadow Stealth Shroud (Rank E) Acquired.]
A long, thick piece of seamless, dark cloth, woven from the Shadow Essence and Obsidian Scales, materialized. It was surprisingly lightweight.
[Shadow Stealth Shroud (Rank E, Active): Grants short-term, high-level concealment. Cost: 5 Core Power per use.]
He now had an invaluable tactical tool—the ability to hide from threats far beyond his level.
Bethany's Awakening
As Archelius secured the new shroud, Bethany stirred. Her eyes flickered open, but she didn't seem to recognize her surroundings.
"W-where am I?" Bethany whispered, her voice weak.
"You're safe," Archelius said, kneeling beside her. "The Imposter used you as bait. You are in the Citadel of Whispers."
Bethany immediately recognized him. "Archelius? But... you were—" She stopped herself, staring at his powerful stance and the Rank E Arm Guard. "What happened to you?"
"The same thing that happened to all of us," Archelius replied, allowing a brief flicker of his human vulnerability. "But the System chose a different path for me. You, Klaus, everyone else... you all came here with your Core Zero weakness."
"But I remember everything," Bethany said, sitting up, her eyes clearing. "The moment we arrived, I felt the familiar emptiness. But then... then I saw the map."
Archelius froze. "The map? You saw the System's map?"
"No, not like that," Bethany shook her head. "I saw a map of energy. I can see the connections. Back in the Academy, I was learning Wind Magic, but I was always better at sensing the flow. Here, the energy is immense. I can see the raw flow from the Citadel, and I saw the Imposter's signature."
She pointed to the far corner of the ceiling. "There's another one. Smaller, but faster. Level 20. It's watching us right now."
[Warning: Proximal Level 20 Threat Detected. Entity Classification: Imposter 2.]
Archelius instantly pulled the Shadow Stealth Shroud over himself. He was shocked. Bethany, the illusionist, was now a high-level energy sensor. Her seemingly useless Core Zero specialty had become an invaluable asset in Aethelgard.
"Raji, Lisa, Theodore! Perimeter alert! Imposter 2 is above us!" Archelius commanded, his voice muffled by the shroud.
The students jumped to attention, terrified.
The Counter-Ambush
"Archelius! It's moving! It's coming for us!" Lisa shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at the corner.
"Bethany, can you pinpoint its exact location?" Archelius asked, trusting her unique sensory ability over the System's delayed warning.
Bethany closed her eyes, focusing. "It's using the residual energy to cloak itself. It's moving across the ceiling... It's going to drop onto Theodore! Now!"
Archelius acted instantly. He dropped the Shadow Stealth Shroud and activated a full-power Sprint Burst. He moved with blinding speed, not toward the ceiling, but toward Theodore, knocking the shocked student violently out of the way.
THUD!
A Level 20 Imposter, smaller and faster than the first, slammed into the stone floor where Theodore had been standing.
Theodore stared in shock at the black, shadowy entity, which was now recovering and looking directly at Archelius.
[Threat: Imposter 2 (Level 20). Ability: Stealth and Precision Strike.]
"An Imposter... but you smell like the first one," Imposter 2 hissed, its voice sharp and cold. "You are more than Level 11, little mortal. You are a predator."
Archelius activated the War God's Strike on the Divine Edge. "I am your executioner."
He knew this Level 20 was designed for speed and assassination, the perfect counter to his previous weakness. He had to end this fight instantly, before it could use its stealth to separate him from the students.
"Raji, Lisa, Theodore! Protect Bethany! Do not move!" Archelius commanded.
He charged Imposter 2, relying entirely on his enhanced Iron Skin and the overwhelming power of the Divine Edge.
The Imposter was fast, its attacks a blur of hooked claws aiming for weak points. But Archelius was faster. He used the continuous power of the Rank E Strike to create a wall of lethal, violet-silver energy.
The Imposter's claws met the Divine Edge, showering sparks but failing to penetrate the energized defense. Archelius pushed his strength, overpowering the assassin.
He didn't use the War God's Fist—he needed to conserve Core Power. Instead, he drove the Divine Edge deep into the ground, beneath the Imposter's feet, and leveraged the entire weapon upward.
The Rank E blade struck the Imposter's unprotected underside, channeling the full, pure force of the System into the entity.
The Imposter 2 exploded instantly, vaporizing into black smoke and a second, smaller core.
[Imposter 2 (Level 20) Defeated. XP Gained: 2000.]
[Total XP: 5500/6400. Core Power: 50/100 (Remaining).]
Archelius retrieved the second core, his breathing heavy. The immediate threat was gone, but the lesson was clear: the Citadel was actively sending assassins.
He looked at Bethany, who was staring at him with a mixture of terror and fierce determination.
"Bethany," Archelius said, his voice firm. "Your ability is invaluable. From now on, you are the early warning system. You will tell me every fluctuation, every shadow, every thought. Your safety, and theirs, depends on your sight."
Bethany nodded, her eyes now gleaming with focused power. "I can see the nexus, Archelius. The energy is centered deep below. That's where the Imposters are coming from."
Archelius looked at the second core in his hand. He was close to the next Level Up, and he needed to synthesize the second core into a better defensive item. He was Level 11, but fighting like Level 25. He needed to be Level 15 to secure their future.