Chapter :- 119

Arc 7 - Chapter 4: The Awakening of the Forgotten

A deafening silence fell as Jae-min stepped beyond the archway, his body tensed in anticipation. The moment his foot crossed the threshold, an unnatural chill seeped into his bones, sending a shiver down his spine. His grip tightened around his sword, every instinct screaming at him to turn back. But he had made his decision. There was no retreat.

Seol-ah and Dae-hyun followed closely behind, their expressions grim. The ruins stretched out before them—massive stone pillars half-buried in the mist, their surfaces covered in glowing, ancient symbols. The air was thick, heavy with something unseen yet oppressive. It felt like walking through a graveyard where the dead still watched.

A gust of wind howled through the ruins, scattering dust and debris. As it passed, the massive shadowed figure ahead began to take shape. It was unlike anything Jae-min had ever seen—an enormous humanoid statue, its body wrapped in rusted chains that glowed faintly with arcane energy. The moment Jae-min's eyes met its hollow sockets, an eerie whisper filled the air.

"You are not welcome here."

The voice was neither loud nor soft, but it resonated deep within his mind, like a thought that had been planted against his will.

Dae-hyun took a step back. "I really, really don't like this," he muttered.

Seol-ah exhaled sharply. "It's a guardian," she said. "Something left behind to prevent intruders from going any further."

Jae-min studied the figure. It remained motionless, its body wrapped in those strange glowing chains. Whatever its purpose was, something told him that those chains were the only thing keeping it from moving.

And then the chains cracked.

A low, rumbling sound filled the ruins as the first shackle shattered, sending a wave of energy rippling through the air. The light in the symbols flickered wildly, and the ground trembled beneath their feet.

"Jae-min!" Seol-ah shouted, stepping back.

Before he could react, another chain snapped, followed by another. The statue's stone surface began to crack, revealing something dark pulsating beneath. A sound, neither human nor beast, echoed from within its chest—a deep, guttural growl that sent a wave of fear down Jae-min's spine.

And then, its eyes lit up with an otherworldly glow.

The guardian moved.

BOOM.

With a single step, the ground caved beneath it. Dust and rubble exploded into the air as its massive arms tore through the remains of the chains. A deep, reverberating growl filled the ruins, shaking the very air.

"YOU DARE TRESPASS?"

Jae-min didn't have time to answer. The guardian lunged.

He barely managed to dodge as an enormous stone fist smashed into the ground where he had stood, sending cracks through the floor. Seol-ah rolled to the side, drawing her daggers, while Dae-hyun pulled out his bow, already notching an arrow.

"We're fighting it?!" Dae-hyun shouted.

"No choice!" Jae-min yelled back, darting forward. His sword ignited with mana as he slashed at the guardian's leg. Sparks flew, but the blade barely made a scratch.

Seol-ah appeared behind it in a blur, her daggers flashing as she struck at its joints. Another glancing blow. Nothing. The thing was too heavily armored.

The guardian turned, its massive hand swinging toward her. Seol-ah barely ducked in time, flipping backward as the force of the strike sent a gust of wind rushing past her.

"Great," she muttered. "It's fast too."

Jae-min gritted his teeth. They couldn't keep dodging forever. He needed a way to break through.

And then he saw it—the glowing cracks left behind by the broken chains. The weak points.

"Seol-ah! Aim for the cracks!"

She didn't hesitate. With a sharp nod, she vanished in a blur, reappearing behind the guardian. Her daggers gleamed as she struck, the blades sinking into one of the cracks. A pulse of energy erupted from the wound, making the guardian stagger.

It worked.

Jae-min didn't waste the opportunity. He charged, pouring every ounce of mana into his sword. His blade glowed with an intense blue light as he swung down, striking another weak point. The moment his sword connected, an explosion of energy burst forth. The guardian roared, its body convulsing as another massive crack spread across its chest.

Dae-hyun loosed an arrow, infused with his mana, and it struck dead center in the glowing weak spot.

The guardian lurched. Its massive form trembled, energy leaking from its wounds. The once blinding glow in its eyes dimmed, flickering wildly.

And then—

With one last agonizing growl, the guardian collapsed.

A deafening silence followed.

Jae-min stood there, panting, his sword still glowing faintly. Seol-ah wiped the sweat from her brow, exhaling deeply.

Dae-hyun let out a short, breathless laugh. "Well... that was horrible."

Jae-min didn't respond. He was staring past the fallen guardian, toward the ruins beyond.

Because now that the guardian was gone, the path ahead had revealed itself.

A massive, ancient door stood before them, covered in even more glowing symbols. Unlike the guardian, this door radiated something else—something far more ominous.

And as Jae-min stepped closer, he felt it.

Something was waiting for them.

And it was awake.