The valley trembled continuously.
Cracks spread across the ancient ruins while corrupted spiritual energy erupted from beneath the underground passage like dark flames. The oppressive pressure in the air grew heavier with every passing second.
And at the center of it all stood the fully corrupted guardian.
The last traces of silver light had vanished from its armor.
Black crystal now covered nearly every inch of its body, pulsing in rhythm with the monstrous aura rising from deep underground.
Its spear lifted slowly.
Then the guardian attacked.
The corrupted spear descended like a falling mountain.
Dev intercepted instinctively, roaring as spiritual energy exploded through his body refinement technique. His spear collided against the guardian's weapon with a deafening shockwave.
The ground beneath him shattered instantly.
Even with reinforcement techniques active, Dev was driven backward violently.
"STRONGER THAN BEFORE!" he shouted.
The guardian moved again immediately.
Its speed had increased drastically after fully succumbing to corruption.
Dark energy surged outward in waves,
forcing Bureau soldiers to retreat while defensive formations cracked under pressure.
Raghav and Skyrend attacked from above, trying to distract it, but the guardian released a burst of corrupted aura that nearly knocked Skyrend from the sky.
Ananya's healing techniques activated continuously as injured fighters staggered backward.
Meanwhile, Krishak's mind moved rapidly.
The guardian itself was dangerous
But the true threat lay below.
The prison seal was collapsing.
And every moment wasted here brought whatever was imprisoned closer to awakening.
"We can't drag this fight out," Krishak said sharply.
Rudra nodded immediately.
"You have a plan?"
"Yes"
Krishak looked toward Lunafang.
The silver wolf already understood.
Moonlight began gathering around his body.
Pure silver energy spread outward, pushing back the corruption nearby.
The guardian reacted violently at once.
It roared in fury and charged directly toward Lunafang.
Exactly as Krishak expected.
"The corruption instinctively hates purification energy, he said.
"Then we use that."
Ishita activated multiple restriction formations simultaneously.
Silver chains of light erupted from the ground and wrapped around the guardian's legs.
For only a brief moment
But that was enough.
"NOW!" Krishak shouted.
Dev attacked head-on with overwhelming force while Raghav and Skyrend struck from above.
At the same time, Lunafang leapt forward surrounded by concentrated moonlight.
The silver wolf's claws slammed directly into the corrupted crystal covering the guardian's chest.
CRACK.
For the first time, the black armor fractured deeply.
Silver light burst outward from within.
The guardian staggered violently.
A distorted scream echoed from its throat.
The corruption was weakening.
Krishak moved instantly.
Stellar energy gathered around his hand as he struck directly into the cracked section of armor.
Ancient runes flashed across his palm.
A purification technique from his previous life.
The effect was immediate.
Black corruption erupted outward violently as silver light exploded from inside the guardian's body.
The massive armored figure froze.
Its spear slipped from its grasp.
For one brief moment
Its eyes returned to silver.
The guardian looked directly at Krishak.
This time, its voice was clear.
"Thank.. you.."
Then the armor shattered.
The giant figure collapsed slowly as corrupted energy dispersed into the air.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
The guardian was finally free.
But the victory lasted only seconds.
A monstrous roar exploded from beneath the ruins.
The entire valley shook harder than before.
Then everyone heard it.
A deep cracking sound.
The final seal.
Breaking.
Krishak's expression changed instantly.
"We're out of time."
Dark energy surged upward from the underground passage like a storm.
The ruins themselves began collapsing around the entrance.
Several Bureau soldiers stumbled backward in fear.
Director Rao stared at the darkness below.
"What happens if that thing escapes?"
Krishak answered honestly.
"A disaster.
"
No one questioned him further after hearing the certainty in his voice.
Near the collapsed guardian, fragments of silver light gathered weakly into the shape of a fading spirit.
The guardian's true consciousness.
Its form was unstable and transparent now, moments from disappearing forever.
Yet it still raised one arm toward the underground ruins.
"Last core.."
A glowing silver crystal appeared within its hand.
The seventh sealing core.
The final remaining seal fragment.
The spirit looked toward Krishak.
"Take.. it.."
Krishak accepted the crystal carefully.
The moment he touched it, information flooded into his mind.
A sealing formation.
An emergency suppression array.
And the location of the prison chamber below.
The guardian's fading spirit spoke one final time.
"The corruption....is not natural..."
Krishak's eyes narrowed sharply.
"What do you mean?"
The spirit's voice weakened further.
"Ancient invader.."
Its body began dissolving into particles of light.
"Do not. let it awaken.."
Then the guardian vanished completely.
Only silence remained.
Rudra stepped forward immediately.
"We descend now."
Director Rao looked stunned.
"You still intend to go inside?"
Krishak turned toward the dark underground passage.
The monstrous aura rising from below was growing stronger every second.
"Yes," he said calmly.
"If we retreat now, it will eventually break free completely."
Dev spun his spear once despite the tension.
"So we're going underground to stop an ancient corrupted monster sealed beneath a ruined prison."
Raghav sighed.
"When you say it out loud, this situation sounds terrible."
"It is terrible,"
Ishita replied flatly.
Ananya tightened her grip on her healing pouch but nodded firmly.
"We still have to do it."
Lunafang stepped beside Krishak, silver eyes glowing brightly in the darkness.
The wolf showed no fear.
Only readiness.
Krishak looked toward the underground ruins one final time.
The ancient civilization had not fallen because they were weak.
They had fallen fighting something horrific.
And now
That same threat was beginning to awaken again beneath Earth.
Without another word, Krishak led the team into the darkness below.