Chapter 246: Defeating the Guardian

The guardian took another step forward.

BOOM.

The entire chamber shook.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Its enormous body was covered in black, armor-like scales, while blue energy pulsed beneath its skin. Two curved horns extended from its head, and its claws scraped against the metallic floor.

The system displayed its status.

[BLACKRIDGE TOWER GUARDIAN]

[Rank: S-Rank]

[Threat Level: Extremely High]

[Objective: Defeat the Guardian]

Christian stared at the notification.

"S-Rank?"

Peter swallowed.

"I was hoping it would say A-Rank."

Darren looked at him.

"You actually thought we’d get lucky?"

"No."

"Then why did you say it?"

"Wishful thinking."

The guardian suddenly lowered its body.

Neil’s eyes widened.

"Everyone!"

The monster disappeared.

BOOM!

It crossed the chamber in an instant, and its claw slammed into the ground where Neil had been standing.

CRACK!

The floor shattered as Neil rolled away.

"Fast!"

Victor rushed in from the side, his weapon striking the guardian’s foreleg, but the impact produced sparks, causing his eyes to widen.

"Hard!"

The guardian swung its other claw; Victor barely blocked.

BOOOOOOM!

He was sent flying across the chamber.

"Victor!"

Natalia immediately moved.

She intercepted the guardian’s next attack, her weapon flashing as she struck toward its exposed side. The guardian twisted, and her attack landed- a deep wound appeared, and blue energy spilled from it.

Natalia smiled.

"We can hurt it!"

The monster roared and swung its tail. Natalia was hit before she could react.

WHAM!

She crashed into the wall.

"Nat!"

Victor got back to his feet.

"She’s alive!"

Neil didn’t waste another second.

"Peter!"

"On it!"

Peter rushed forward, a bloody aura covering him. Salmoa followed, and Darren moved with them. The three attacked simultaneously.

Peter’s strike came from the left, while Salmoa attacked from the right, and Darren went straight for the guardian’s head.

BOOM!

The creature staggered. Christian jumped onto its back.

"HEY, UGLY!"

The guardian turned its head.

"Look at me!"

He punched it.

BOOM!

The guardian roared. Christian punched it again.

BOOM!

"How do you like that?"

The monster suddenly reached backward, and Christian’s smile disappeared.

"Uh-oh."

Its claw grabbed him.

"GUYS!"

Neil moved instantly- a powerful attack slammed into the guardian’s arm. The claw loosened, and it dropped Christian.

Peter caught him.

"Got you!"

Christian landed awkwardly.

"Thanks."

Peter grunted.

"Try not to get eaten."

"I wasn’t planning to!"

Across the chamber, North Pantheon Academy had joined the battle. Their captain shouted.

"Formation Delta!"

The students immediately spread out. Several raised their weapons, while others activated abilities. A massive wave of ice swept across the floor. Another student followed with lightning. A third created a barrier.

The attacks struck the guardian one after another.

BOOM!

CRACK!

KRAKOOOM!

The monster was forced backward. Neil looked toward them.

"Good!"

The North Pantheon captain shouted back.

"Don’t thank us yet!"

The guardian suddenly opened its mouth. Blue light began gathering inside. The captain’s expression changed.

"Everyone!" He raised his arm. "DEFENSE!"

The guardian released the attack- a massive beam of blue energy tore across the chamber.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The entire battlefield disappeared behind the explosion.

Silas watched from a safe distance. He had already moved to the edge of the chamber. Beside him stood Chloe. She was staring at the battle with wide eyes.

"You really aren’t going to help?"

Silas shook his head.

"Nope."

Chloe looked at him.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

He sat down against one of the walls. Chloe slowly sat beside him.

"You could defeat it in one strike."

"Probably."

"Then why aren’t you?"

Silas shrugged.

"Because they can handle it. It is not a legitimate S-Rank monster. It’s an A-Rank."

Chloe looked back toward the battlefield. Several students were struggling to get back onto their feet.

"That’s a dangerous assumption."

Silas smiled.

"Maybe." He rested his arms behind his head. "But if I solve every problem for them, they’ll never get stronger."

Chloe stared at him for a moment.

"You’ve changed."

Silas looked at her.

"How?"

"You’re actually thinking about other people."

Silas blinked. Then pointed at himself.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Horrible."

Chloe laughed.

Silas smiled.

"Besides, I already did enough outside." He glanced toward the sealed entrance. "They’ll probably be fighting me again later."

Chloe sighed.

"So you’re saving your strength."

"Exactly." He leaned back. "Strategic laziness."

Chloe smiled.

"That’s not a thing."

"It is now."

They turned back toward the battlefield. Silas crossed his arms.

"Come on, guys." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Show me what you can do."

***

The smoke began clearing.

Neil emerged first. His uniform was torn, and blood ran down his forehead, but he was standing. Around him, several students were slowly recovering. The North Pantheon captain looked around.

"Everyone?"

"Alive!"

"Still fighting!"

"Good!"

The guardian stood on the opposite side of the chamber. Its armor had several cracks, but it was still standing.

Neil looked at it.

"We’re barely damaging it."

The North Pantheon captain nodded.

"We need a coordinated attack."

Neil looked at him.

"You have a plan?"

"Maybe." He pointed toward the monster’s chest. "That blue energy."

Neil followed his gaze. The guardian’s chest was glowing brighter than the rest of its body.

"It’s protecting something."

"Exactly."

Christian walked over.

"So we hit it there?"

"Yes." Peter shook his head. "Getting close enough is the problem."

Darren looked toward the guardian.

"I can create an opening."

Everyone turned. Darren cracked his knuckles.

"How big?"

"Big enough."

Neil nodded.

"Then we’ll make it count."

He looked at everyone.

"Valecrest!"

They raised their weapons.

"North Pantheon!"

The City S students answered.

"We attack together!"

The guardian roared, and its blue aura exploded outward. The floor beneath it cracked. Neil pointed forward.

"GO!"

Everyone charged.

The guardian attacked.

Victor and Natalia split apart. The claw missed Victor. Natalia ducked underneath the second. Peter and Salmoa attacked from opposite sides, while Christian launched himself upward, and Darren followed.

North Pantheon’s fighters attacked from behind. The guardian struggled to keep up. It swung, blocked, turned, struck, and dodged.

For the first time, the S-Rank guardian was being overwhelmed. Neil saw the opening.

"Darren!"

Darren nodded. He slammed both hands into the ground.

"NOW!"

The floor beneath the guardian exploded upward, and the monster lost its balance. Peter and Salmoa attacked its legs. Victor struck its shoulder. Natalia drove her weapon into the crack along its side. Christian jumped directly toward its head.

"HEY!"

The guardian looked up.

Christian grinned.

"Catch!"

He slammed both fists into its face, along with the additional four he’d materialized.

BOOOOOOM!

The guardian’s head snapped backward. Its chest opened. The blue core became visible.

Neil’s eyes widened.

"There!"

The North Pantheon captain immediately understood.

"EVERYONE!"

Every remaining fighter unleashed their strongest attacks. Everything converged on the exposed core. The guardian roared and tried to protect itself, but there were too many attacks.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The entire chamber shook- the core cracked. A single fracture appeared across its surface. Then another.

CRACK.

CRACK.

CRACK!

The North Pantheon captain shouted.

"ONE MORE!"

Neil stepped forward.

"Together!"

He and the North Pantheon captain attacked simultaneously. Their abilities collided with the core.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The blue core shattered, and the guardian froze. Its enormous body remained motionless for a second. Then...

CRASH!

It collapsed.

Silence returned to the tower. Everyone stood there breathing heavily.

"WE DID IT!"

Peter collapsed onto the floor.

"I hate tournaments."

Darren laughed. Victor leaned against the wall. Natalia slowly pulled herself upright. The North Pantheon students began cheering.

Everyone was alive, but exhausted. Then a familiar voice came from the side.

"Not bad."

Everyone turned.

Silas was still sitting against the wall. Chloe was beside him. Christian stared.

"You didn’t do anything!"

Silas nodded.

"You did everything."

"You sat there the entire time!"

"I’m proud of you all."

"You could’ve helped!"

"..."

Christian pointed at him.

"Why are you even smiling?!"

Silas stood.

"Because you guys actually did it."

Neil shook his head.

"You are unbelievable."

Silas stretched.

"Thank you."

"That wasn’t a compliment."

"I’ll take it anyway."

Then the tournament system activated.

[BLACKRIDGE TOWER GUARDIAN DEFEATED.]

[ALL PARTICIPATING ACADEMIES HAVE RECEIVED REWARD CREDITS.]

[INNER TOWER ACCESS UNLOCKED.]

A massive door at the far end of the chamber opened. Beyond it was a staircase descending into darkness. The North Pantheon captain looked at Neil.

"That’s the way forward."

Neil nodded.

But before anyone could move... The system spoke again.

[WARNING.]

Everyone froze.

[ASCENSION GATE STATUS: INACTIVE.]

[REMAINING REQUIREMENT: ONE.]

Silas’s smile disappeared. The system continued.

[ONLY ONE ACADEMY MAY ACTIVATE THE ASCENSION GATE.]

The chamber went silent.

Valecrest looked at North Pantheon; North Pantheon looked at Valecrest. Silas slowly turned toward the others. Then he smiled.

"Well..." He cracked his neck. "Guess the temporary alliance is over."

Chloe sighed.

"Here we go."