The cavern trembled.
Dust poured from the ceiling as ancient stone cracked beneath Aegis’ feet.
The Stone Sentinel gripped its colossal sword with both hands.
Its left eye glowed a brilliant sapphire.
Its right eye burned crimson.
The two colors clashed violently.
Like two souls fighting for control of the same body.
The system immediately issued an emergency alert.
SANCTUARY ALERT
Guardian Status
Aegis – Stone Sentinel
Purity: 67%
Corruption: 33%
Recommendation:
Do NOT destroy the Guardian.
Arjun took a cautious step forward.
“Aegis!”
The guardian’s sapphire eye focused on him.
Its deep voice echoed through the cavern.
“K…
Keeper…”
For a brief moment, hope flickered across everyone’s faces.
Then—
The crimson eye flared.
Black veins spread across the guardian’s stone body.
Aegis let out a deafening roar.
Chunks of stone rained from the ceiling.
The colossal sword rose high into the air.
Marshal Liang immediately shouted,
“Defensive formation!”
The Dragon Division reacted instantly.
Silver barriers layered over one another, forming a massive shield around the group.
BOOM!
The giant sword slammed into the plaza.
The impact sent a shockwave racing through the underground sanctuary.
The silver barriers cracked.
Several Dragon Division officers were thrown backward.
Marshal Liang planted his spear into the ground to keep from falling.
“So this…”
He muttered.
“…is the strength of a Sanctuary Guardian.”
Bruno cracked his knuckles.
“My turn.”
Before Arjun could stop him—
BOOM!
The Heavenly Bear Emperor launched himself into the air.
Golden spiritual energy exploded around his body.
2He looked tiny compared to the giant guardian.
Yet his momentum resembled a falling meteor.
Bruno’s fist collided with Aegis’ armored chest.
KABOOM!
The ancient guardian staggered back three steps.
The entire cavern shook.
Bruno landed gracefully and smiled proudly.
“See?”
“I still strong.”
Aegis slowly looked down.
Its crimson eye narrowed.
Then…
It flicked one finger.
Bruno disappeared.
Not because he dodged.
Because he had been launched halfway across the cavern.
CRASH!
The panda smashed into an ancient temple wall before sliding to the floor.
A cloud of dust rose.
Silence.
Arjun’s face turned pale.
“Bruno!”
Five seconds later…
The dust cleared.
Bruno stood up, rubbing his head.
“…That hurt.”
The system calmly updated.
✔ DAMAGE REPORT ✔
Heavenly Bear Emperor
Physical Damage: 0%
Emotional Damage: Moderate
Reason: Embarrassed in front of the Keeper.
Bruno crossed his arms.
“I wasn’t ready.”
Sun Wukong laughed so hard he nearly dropped his staff.
“You say that every time!”
“I mean it!”
“I know!”
Even Aisha couldn’t suppress a smile.
The laughter lasted only a moment.
Then Aegis roared again.
The corruption continued spreading across its stone armor.
Ren’s expression became serious.
“The corruption is adapting.”
“We’re losing time.”
Arjun looked toward the system.
“What now?”
✦ NEW OBJECTIVE ✦
Purify Sanctuary Guardian: Aegis
Success Conditions:
Reduce Corruption below 10% Reach Guardian Core Restore Guardian’s Will
“Guardian Core?”
Located inside the chest cavity.
Arjun looked up at the thirty-meter-tall stone giant.
“…You expect me to climb that?”
Affirmative.
“Of course you do.”
Sun Wukong rested his golden staff on his shoulder.
“I’ll make an opening.”
The monkey’s carefree smile disappeared.
His golden eyes sharpened.
For the first time…
The Great Sage Equal to Heaven looked serious.
He spun the golden staff once.
The air exploded.
The ground beneath his feet shattered.
Without another word—
He vanished.
A thunderous shockwave echoed through the cavern.
The next instant…
Sun Wukong appeared directly before Aegis’ face.
His staff struck the giant’s forehead.
BOOOOOOM!
The sound echoed for kilometers.
Its stone helmet cracked.
The crimson eye flickered.
The monkey landed lightly on the guardian’s shoulder.
“Still slow.”
He grinned.
“Guess sleeping for ten thousand years makes anyone rusty.”
The guardian swung one enormous hand toward him.
Sun Wukong simply wasn’t there anymore.
He reappeared on the opposite shoulder.
Then above its head.
Then behind its neck.
He moved so quickly that dozens of afterimages filled the cavern.
Even Marshal Liang struggled to follow his movements.
“Incredible…”
The veteran marshal whispered.
“So this…”
“…is the Great Sage in his prime.”
Bruno pumped his fist.
“Monkey showing off again.”
The wolf calmly replied,
“He always does.”
High above, Sun Wukong shouted,
“Keeper!”
Arjun looked up.
“I’ve got its attention!”
“Now do your job!”
Arjun nodded.
He sprinted toward the giant guardian.
Behind him, Aisha called out,
“Be careful!”
He waved without looking back.
“I’m always careful!”
The system immediately responded.
Statement verified as false.
“…Seriously?”
Host’s survival history disagrees.
Arjun sighed.
Even during a life-or-death battle…
The system refused to let him have the last word.
He reached Aegis’ enormous stone foot.
The climb had begun.
Chunks of shattered stone rained from above.
The cavern echoed with explosions as Sun Wukong continued dancing around Aegis like a streak of golden lightning.
Every swing of his staff created shockwaves powerful enough to shake the underground sanctuary.
Yet…
He wasn’t trying to defeat the Stone Sentinel.
He was guiding it.
Leading every attack away from Arjun.
“Too slow!”
Sun Wukong laughed as he flipped over Aegis’ enormous sword.
“You used to hit harder than that!”
The corrupted guardian let out a furious roar and swung again.
The golden staff collided with the stone blade.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact blasted a crater into the plaza.
Meanwhile, Arjun had reached Aegis’ left leg.
He looked up.
The guardian towered above him like a mountain.
“…Why do all the important things happen at ridiculous heights?”
The system appeared.
✔ CLIMBING ROUTE CALCULATED ✔
Recommended Path:
Left Knee Waist Armor Right Shoulder Guardian Core Estimated Success Rate:
73%
“Only seventy-three?”
Host frequently improvises.
“…Fair.”
Arjun jumped onto the first stone plate.
The ancient armor was covered with glowing runes.
Some were cracked.
Others pulsed weakly beneath layers of corruption.
As he climbed, strange whispers echoed around him.
Fragments of forgotten memories.
“Protect the Sanctuary…”
“Do not let them pass…”
“The Keeper entrusted this world to us…”
The voices were filled with determination.
Not hatred.
Not fear.
Only unwavering resolve.
Arjun paused for a moment.
“…You fought until the end.”
The crimson corruption immediately reacted.
Black mist erupted from the cracks.
It twisted into dozens of shadowy warriors.
Each wore broken armor and carried ancient weapons.
Their eyes glowed blood-red.
The system instantly analyzed them.
CORRUPTION MANIFESTATION
Entity:
Memory Wraith
Quantity:
24
Threat Level:
A
Objective:
Prevent access to Guardian Core.
“Seriously?”
“I can’t even climb in peace?”
The nearest wraith lunged forward with a rusted spear.
Before it could reach Arjun—
BAM!
A black flame spear pierced its chest.
The shadow dissolved instantly.
Varkhaz landed beside Arjun with a grin.
“My lord.”
“I believe bodyguards exist for a reason.”
Another wraith attacked from behind.
Silver claws flashed through the air.
The Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf appeared silently and tore the shadow apart.
“You climb.”
“We protect.”
Bruno suddenly dropped onto the guardian’s knee from above.
He carried a massive boulder in both paws.
“Delivery!”
Without hesitation, he threw it.
CRASH!
The boulder flattened three charging wraiths at once.
Bruno proudly dusted off his paws.
“Hehe.”
“Strike!”
Sun Wukong laughed from above.
“Thanks!”
Arjun couldn’t help smiling.
They trusted him enough to protect his path without hesitation.
Not because he was the strongest…
But because he was their Keeper.
The system quietly displayed another message.
✔ KEEPER PASSIVE ACTIVATED ✔
Sanctuary Bond
Allied Guardians gain increased combat efficiency while protecting the Host.
Current Bonus:
+18%
Arjun resumed climbing.
He reached Aegis’ waist.
The corruption grew denser with every meter.
The once-golden runes had become almost completely black.
A deep voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
“Turn back…”
He froze.
The voice wasn’t Aegis’.
It was cold.
Ancient.
Filled with endless malice.
“You cannot save this world twice…”
The system flickered violently.
UNKNOWN MENTAL INVASION
Protecting Host…
Protection Failed…
Arjun clutched his head.
The whispers intensified.
He saw flashes of cities burning.
Sanctuary Guardians falling one after another.
Kael kneeling beneath the World Tree, covered in blood.
Then…
A single sentence echoed louder than all the others.
“You failed them once.”
“No…”
Arjun whispered.
“I wasn’t even there.”
The voice laughed.
“Your soul was.”
His vision blurred.
His hands nearly slipped from the stone armor.
Suddenly—
A warm hand grabbed his wrist.
Arjun looked up.
Aisha.
She had climbed after him.
“What are you doing here?”
She smiled despite the danger.
“You looked like you needed someone.”
“You could get hurt.”
“So could you.”
She gently tightened her grip.
“You’re not climbing alone.”
For a moment…
The oppressive whispers weakened.
The system slowly stabilized.
✔ MENTAL STABILITY RESTORED ✔
Reason:
Emotional Support Detected
Arjun smiled gratefully.
“Thank you.”
Aisha rolled her eyes.
“You can thank me after we survive.”
Together, they continued climbing.
Above them, the Guardian Core pulsed with alternating blue and crimson light.
Each pulse grew more violent.
Ren looked up from below.
“They’re almost there…”
Marshal Liang tightened his grip on his spear.
“Hold the line!”
Dragon Division officers battled wave after wave of Memory Wraiths flooding from the plaza.
The underground sanctuary had become a battlefield.
Finally…
Arjun and Aisha reached Aegis’ chest.
Embedded within layers of cracked stone was a massive crystal heart.
Half of it glowed sapphire.
The other half had turned completely black.
The system issued its final instruction.
✦ PURIFICATION PROTOCOL READY ✦
Objective:
Place both hands on the Guardian Core.
Keeper Authority Required.
Estimated Purification Time:
180 Seconds
Warning:
Host will be completely defenseless during the process.
Arjun stared at the countdown.
Three full minutes.
In the middle of a battlefield.
He took a slow breath.
Then looked at his companions below.
Bruno raised a paw.
“We got you!”
Sun Wukong spun his staff and grinned.
“No one’s touching you.”
The Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf silently nodded.
Varkhaz slammed his flaming spear into the ground.
“My life before yours, my lord.”
Marshal Liang pointed his spear toward the incoming corruption.
“Dragon Division!”
“Protect the Keeper!”
“HOOAH!”
Hundreds of voices answered as one.
Arjun looked at Aisha.
She smiled.
“We’ll keep them busy.”
He nodded.
Then…
He placed both hands on the Guardian Core.
The crystal exploded with blinding golden light.
PURIFICATION INITIATED
Guardian:
Aegis – Stone Sentinel
Progress:
0%…
A deafening scream echoed from deep within the crystal.
It wasn’t Aegis.
Something else…
Something that had been hiding inside the Guardian for ten thousand years.
To Be Continue….