The valley fell into absolute silence.
Even the corrupted beasts hiding within the forest remained motionless after the armored guardian appeared.
Dark mist swirled around the towering figure standing before the ancient gates. Its silver armor was cracked and stained black, as though corruption had slowly consumed it over countless years.
Yet despite the darkness surrounding it
The guardian was still resisting.
Its crimson eyes flickered occasionally with traces of silver light.
"Seal. breaking..."
The distorted voice echoed through the ruins once more.
"Must not awaken"
Dev tightened his grip on his spear.
"So the giant corrupted warrior warning us is somehow even worse than whatever's inside."
"Apparently," Raghav muttered.
Several Bureau soldiers aimed their weapons nervously, but Headmaster Rudra raised a hand immediately.
"Hold your fire."
The guardian's spear trembled violently.
Black corruption crawled across the weapon like living veins.
Krishak stepped forward slowly.
Lunafang moved beside him without hesitation.
Director Rao frowned.
"Careful."
But Krishak continued advancing toward the guardian calmly.
His eyes focused not on the corruption
But on the fragments of silver energy still struggling beneath it.
This guardian had once belonged to the same civilization as the Stellar Hall.
Most likely a protector assigned to maintain the seal.
And for years-perhaps centuries-it had continued fighting alone against corruption.
The armored figure suddenly roared in pain.
Dark energy erupted violently from its body.
Several nearby stone pillars shattered instantly.
The guardian staggered before forcing itself upright again.
"Go." it growled.
"Before it wakes."
Then the corruption surged stronger.
The silver light inside its eyes dimmed rapidly.
Krishak's expression sharpened.
The guardian was losing control.
Without warning, black energy exploded outward like a storm.
The ground cracked beneath the creature's feet as its aura expanded violently.
Several Bureau soldiers were forced backward by the pressure alone.
"Formation line!" Ishita shouted.
Protective barriers activated instantly around the group.
The guardian raised its corrupted spear.
This time, the intelligence in its eyes had nearly vanished.
Only rage remained.
"It's being overtaken," Ananya said urgently.
Krishak nodded once.
"There's no time."
The guardian charged.
Its speed shocked everyone.
Despite its massive armored body, the creature crossed dozens of meters almost instantly.
Dev intercepted first.
His star-infused spear collided against the guardian's corrupted weapon with an explosive shockwave.
The impact threw Dev backward several meters.
"HEAVY!" he shouted while skidding across the ground.
The guardian swung again immediately.
Raghav and Skyrend attacked from the side, trying to distract it, but black energy erupted from the armor and forced them away.
Lunafang moved like silver lightning.
Moonlight gathered around his claws as he struck directly at the corruption spreading across the guardian's chest.
For the first time, the creature reacted visibly.
The black energy recoiled slightly where moonlight touched it.
Krishak noticed immediately.
Moonstar energy could suppress the corruption.
"Focus attacks on corrupted regions!" he ordered.
The team adapted instantly.
Ishita deployed restriction formations to slow the guardian's movements while Ananya supported from the rear with spiritual reinforcement techniques.
Dev attacked head-on again, forcing the guardian to block.
At the same moment, Lunafang struck from below, tearing away fragments of black crystal growing across the armor.
Silver light flickered briefly beneath the corruption.
The guardian staggered.
For one second, clarity returned to its eyes.
Then it spoke weakly.
"Destroy...core."
Krishak's eyes narrowed sharply.
Core?
The guardian suddenly slammed its spear into the ground.
Dark shockwaves erupted outward.
The surrounding ruins trembled violently.
Then.
A horrifying roar echoed from deep beneath the underground passage.
Everyone froze.
The sound was ancient.
Massive.
And filled with overwhelming malice.
Even the corrupted guardian visibly trembled.
"No." it whispered.
The stone floor inside the ruins cracked apart.
Black energy surged upward like volcanic smoke.
And from the depths below
Something answered the roar.
The entire valley shook violently now.
Trees collapsed in the distance.
Corrupted beasts throughout the forest howled simultaneously.
The spiritual pressure alone became suffocating.
Several weaker soldiers collapsed to one knee instantly.
Director Rao's face paled.
"What the hell is down there?"
Krishak's expression became colder than ever before.
He finally understood.
This was not merely a damaged ruin.
It was a prison.
And something inside was beginning to awaken.
The guardian forced itself upright once more despite corruption consuming its body.
Fragments of silver light emerged across its cracked armor.
It looked toward Krishak directly.
"You" it said slowly.
"Star.. inheritor.."
Everyone nearby looked shocked.
The guardian recognized him.
Krishak stepped closer carefully.
"Yes."
The armored figure lowered its spear slightly.
"Then. listen."
Its voice grew weaker with every word.
"Below sealed ancient corruption.."
Black energy spread across its neck and face.
"Seal powered by seven cores."
It pointed toward the ruins behind itself.
"Six.. destroyed.."
The implications hit instantly.
Only one seal remained active.
And it was failing.
The guardian's crimson eyes flickered violently again.
"Hurry..."
Then corruption surged completely over its body.
The last traces of silver vanished.
The guardian roared in agony as black crystal spread across its armor entirely.
Its aura doubled instantly.
The final remnants of its sanity were gone.
Rudra's expression hardened.
"Everyone prepare yourselves.'
The fully corrupted guardian raised its spear toward the sky.
Deep beneath the ruins, the monstrous roar answered once more.
Louder this time.
Closer.
And far below the collapsing prison..
Something ancient began opening its eyes.