Silence.
A silence so absolute that even the wind seemed afraid to breathe.
I slowly lowered my spear.
The crimson cracks that had covered the sanctuary walls were fading one after another, dissolving into countless particles of light.
The oppressive aura that had poisoned the entire valley for centuries had vanished.
For the first time…
The sanctuary felt alive.
Aegis-17 remained kneeling before me.
Its enormous metallic body was motionless, head lowered in respect.
“My command has been fulfilled,” it said.
“The First Seal has been restored.”
Lyra finally found her voice.
“…You…”
She looked between me and the guardian with wide blue eyes.
“…What exactly are you?”
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
How could I explain something I barely understood myself?
The Origin Core pulsed gently inside my chest.
A calm warmth spread throughout my body.
The system appeared.
Origin Synchronization Increased
40% → 45%
New Passive Ability Unlocked
Origin Aura
Creatures below your realm will instinctively recognize your authority.
Mental resistance greatly increased.
Spiritual perception enhanced.
Another notification appeared.
Main Mission Updated
Legacy Key I: Complete ✓
Restore the Seven Origin Seals
Current Progress:
1/7
Reward after next seal:
Unknown
Unknown again.
This system loved hiding everything important.
Before I could think further—
Aegis-17 suddenly stood.
Its glowing eyes shifted toward the distant mountains.
“…Hostile signatures detected.”
I tightened my grip on the spear.
“What?”
The guardian raised one massive arm.
“Three Spirit Foundation cultivators.”
My heartbeat skipped.
Spirit Foundation.
An entire realm above Body Tempering.
Against people like that…
I wouldn’t survive a single exchange.
Lyra’s expression immediately darkened.
“…Someone sensed the eclipse.”
Aegis nodded.
“The energy released by restoration awakened nearby observers.”
Observers.
Not cultivators.
Not adventurers.
Observers.
That word alone carried an unsettling weight.
The guardian’s voice lowered.
“They have searched for Origin relics for hundreds of years.”
“…They’re coming here.”
The peaceful atmosphere shattered instantly.
I looked toward the mountain entrance.
Nothing.
No movement.
Yet every instinct screamed danger.
Aegis suddenly extended one finger toward me.
A tiny silver cube floated from its palm.
It slowly drifted into my hands.
The object was surprisingly warm.
“What is this?”
“Emergency Preservation Module.”
I blinked.
“…What?”
“It contains partial records of Sanctuary-17.”
“…If I fall…”
“…The knowledge survives.”
I stared at the cube.
It couldn’t be bigger than my thumb.
Yet somehow…
It felt unimaginably heavy.
“Why give this to me?”
The guardian answered without hesitation.
“Because probability analysis has changed.”
“Current chance of my survival…”
It paused.
“…Twenty-three percent.”
Lyra’s face turned pale.
Even she hadn’t expected that answer.
“You can lose?”
Aegis looked toward the mountains again.
“I was designed to defend against civilizations.”
“My systems have not fully recovered.”
“Current combat capability: Twenty-one percent.”
Twenty-one.
Against three Spirit Foundation cultivators.
Not good.
Not even close.
Suddenly—
The earth trembled.
A pressure unlike anything I’d ever experienced swept across the valley.
Trees bent.
Loose stones exploded into dust. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Even breathing became difficult.
Someone…
No.
Three people.
They hadn’t even arrived yet.
Just releasing their aura from a distance was enough to shake the mountain.
Lyra gritted her teeth.
“They’re close…”
Aegis stepped in front of us.
Its gigantic shield unfolded from its left arm with a metallic roar.
Ancient runes ignited across the surface.
“Host.”
The guardian spoke without turning around.
“There is insufficient time.”
“You must leave.”
“I won’t.”
The answer escaped before I could think.
Aegis remained silent for a moment.
Then…
“…Statement acknowledged.”
Another violent tremor shook the sanctuary.
This time—
Three figures appeared on the distant cliff.
Their robes fluttered in the wind.
One wore black.
One crimson.
One pure white.
Even from hundreds of meters away…
I couldn’t see their faces.
Only their overwhelming presence.
The man in white took one step.
He vanished.
The next instant—
He stood outside the sanctuary entrance.
Space…
Had he crossed that entire distance in a single movement?
His calm eyes swept over the ruins.
Then…
They stopped on Aegis.
For the first time—
The expressionless cultivator smiled.
“So…”
His voice echoed through the valley.
“The rumors were true.”
“An Origin Guardian still exists.”
The air instantly became heavy enough to crush stone.
Aegis slowly raised its shield.
Ancient blue light erupted across the sanctuary.
The man smiled even wider.
“This…”
“…is going to be interesting.”
The valley fell deathly silent.
The man in white stood at the sanctuary entrance with his hands clasped behind his back, as though he were taking a leisurely walk instead of invading an ancient ruin.
Behind him, the cultivators in crimson and black descended from the cliffs without haste.
Each step distorted the spiritual energy around them.
My instincts screamed.
Run.
Hide.
Survive.
But my legs refused to move.
Aegis-17 stood like an unbreakable mountain before us.
Its mechanical voice echoed through the sanctuary.
“Unauthorized entities detected.”
“Access denied.”
The white-robed man chuckled.
“So the old protocols still function.”
His silver eyes examined every rune carved into Aegis’ armor.
“A relic from the Origin Civilization…”
“I never thought I would witness one with my own eyes.”
The man in crimson laughed.
“Enough talking.”
“Destroy it.”
Without warning—
He flicked a finger.
A crimson spear of spiritual energy tore through the sky.
It crossed hundreds of meters in less than a heartbeat.
BOOM!!
Aegis raised its shield.
The collision exploded into a storm of blue and crimson light.
The entire mountain shook violently.
Dust rolled across the valley like a tidal wave.
When the smoke cleared—
Aegis had not moved even a single step.
Its shield glowed brilliantly.
Integrity: 97%
The white-robed man’s smile faded slightly.
“Interesting.”
The cultivator in black finally spoke.
“It absorbed the attack.”
Aegis answered with cold precision.
“Threat Level Updated.”
“Hostile intent confirmed.”
“Defensive Protocol Omega activated.”
Every rune throughout the sanctuary ignited.
The broken pillars rose into the air.
Countless fragments of ancient stone began orbiting the guardian.
The sanctuary itself…
…was awakening.
My Origin Core suddenly pulsed.
A familiar voice echoed inside my mind.
Synchronizing with Sanctuary Systems…
Emergency Authority Granted
Temporary Control Available
I froze.
Control?
Before I could react, streams of information flooded my consciousness.
Every hidden passage.
Every energy conduit beneath the sanctuary.
It was overwhelming.
“Kael!”
Lyra grabbed my shoulder.
“What is it?”
“I…”
I stared at the glowing runes spreading beneath my feet.
“I think…”
“I can control part of this place.”
Her eyes widened.
“Then don’t just stand there!”
Another explosion interrupted us.
The crimson cultivator launched dozens of attacks simultaneously.
Blades…
Spears…
Chains…
Flames…
The sky itself seemed to rain destruction.
Aegis charged forward.
Its gigantic sword appeared in its right hand.
CLANG!
The guardian cleaved through the attacks with terrifying force.
The resulting shockwave split the clouds overhead.
The valley echoed with the sound of ancient steel.
For the first time…
I witnessed a battle beyond mortal understanding.
Yet—
A notification appeared before my eyes.
Guardian Energy Reserve
18%
17%
16%…
It was dropping far too quickly.
The guardian couldn’t keep fighting forever.
The white-robed man noticed it too.
“So…”
“You’re running out of power.”
His calm expression finally became confident.
“You survived the fall of your civilization…”
“But time has defeated you.”
Aegis remained silent.
Its sword continued moving with perfect precision.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
Only duty.
For countless centuries…
It had fought alone.
An unfamiliar emotion settled in my chest.
Respect.
No…
Something deeper.
The Origin Core flared brilliantly.
Another notification appeared.
Compatibility with Aegis-17 Increased
45%
→
50%
New Authority Unlocked
Origin Resonance
Compatible Origin constructs can temporarily synchronize with the Host.
Warning:
Extreme energy consumption.
Possible unconsciousness.
My breathing stopped.
Synchronize…
With Aegis?
The guardian suddenly spoke without looking at me.
“…Host.”
“You have seen it.”
“You know the risk.”
I tightened my grip on the silver cube it had given me.
“If I use it…”
“…What happens?”
A brief silence followed.
Then Aegis answered honestly.
“You may save this sanctuary.”
“…Or both of us may perish.”
Before I could respond—
The man in white slowly raised his right hand.
The clouds above the valley began rotating into a massive vortex.
The pressure multiplied tenfold.
Even the mountains groaned.
The cultivator’s voice remained calm.
“I have entertained this long enough.”
“Disappear.”
An enormous sword made entirely of condensed spiritual light descended from the heavens.
It was hundreds of meters long.
Its mere presence made the valley seem insignificant.
Lyra’s face turned deathly pale.
“…That…”
“…That’s a Heaven-Splitting Art!”
Aegis planted its shield into the ground.
Every rune in the sanctuary exploded with blue radiance.
The guardian looked back at me one final time.
“Host…”
“The decision is yours.”
The colossal heavenly sword continued falling.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
The Origin Core within my chest blazed like a newborn sun.
And before I could even think—
A single word escaped my lips.
“…Synchronize.”