Jade, Kelvin, Annabelle, and Audrey stood before the mysterious citadel once again.
The ancient structure looked exactly as Jade remembered.
Towering black walls rose into the sky.
Cracks ran across the enormous stone surface.
Ancient symbols covered the entrance.
Even after everything Jade had experienced inside this place...
He still couldn't shake the feeling that the citadel was watching them.
Waiting.
The enormous doors remained completely still.
Then—
CREAK.
The doors opened by themselves.
Jade's expression immediately became serious.
Kelvin, however, simply smiled.
"Looks like it remembers us."
Jade glanced at him.
"You think so?"
Kelvin shrugged.
"Maybe."
Annabelle and Audrey remained silent.
Neither seemed surprised by the doors opening.
That bothered Jade.
He couldn't explain why.
But the two girls continued behaving as though entering an ancient, potentially deadly citadel was completely normal.
Jade slowly stepped forward.
Kelvin followed.
Annabelle and Audrey entered behind them.
The moment the four figures crossed the entrance...
BOOM.
The doors slammed shut.
Darkness swallowed the entrance.
Jade's eyes immediately adjusted.
The strange darkness of the citadel was no longer unfamiliar to him.
Still...
Something felt different this time.
The air was heavier.
The atmosphere was colder.
And somewhere deep within the ancient structure...
Something was moving.
Jade stopped.
Kelvin noticed.
"What?"
Jade raised one hand.
"Wait."
Everyone became still.
Silence.
For several seconds...
Nothing happened.
Then—
Step.
Jade's eyes widened.
Another.
Step.
Then another.
STEP.
The sound echoed through the corridors.
Not one set of footsteps.
Many.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Something was running toward them.
Fast.
Jade's expression changed.
"No way..."
Kelvin's childish smile disappeared.
For the first time since Jade had met him...
Kelvin looked genuinely serious.
He stared toward the darkness ahead.
Then quietly said,
"Let me guess."
Jade looked at him.
"You killed those Shadow Knights before, didn't you?"
Jade's eyes narrowed.
Kelvin continued.
"And now you're thinking..."
"The Shadow Knights are coming back."
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Kelvin's expression became calm.
"If that's what you're thinking..."
He smiled faintly.
"You're right."
Jade's heart tightened.
The first time he had entered this citadel, the Shadow Knights had been a little weakened.
But they had still been manageable.
Now...
Something was different.
Jade could feel their pressure from a distance.
It wasn't the same.
It was far stronger.
Much stronger.
He slowly turned toward Kelvin.
"So you knew I'd be tempted to check out the treasure, didn't you?"
Kelvin laughed.
"Of course."
He shrugged.
"That's what humans do."
Jade frowned.
Kelvin continued.
"When something valuable is placed directly in front of you..."
"You naturally went to investigate."
"The treasure was right there."
"You could practically touch it."
"But..."
He smiled.
"One writing on the wall stopped you."
Jade's expression became confused.
"What are you talking about?"
Kelvin didn't answer.
The footsteps suddenly became deafening.
BOOOOOOM!
The corridor shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Then—
The darkness ahead moved.
Hundreds of figures emerged.
Shadow Knights.
Jade's eyes widened.
The creatures looked familiar.
But their presence...
Was completely different.
Their bodies were larger.
Their armor was denser.
Their shadows seemed almost alive.
The pressure radiating from each one was overwhelming.
Jade swallowed.
"...They became stronger."
Kelvin didn't answer.
He simply summoned his weapon.
Jade immediately understood.
There would be no more talking.
The Shadow Knights charged.
Jade summoned Ant Demon.
The towering figure appeared beside him.
At the same time, Titan Devourer materialized behind him.
Jade's crimson greatsword appeared in his hand.
Crimson flames immediately wrapped around the blade.
"Let's go."
He rushed forward.
The nearest Shadow Knight swung its enormous sword.
Jade raised his greatsword.
CLANG!
The impact shook his entire body.
Jade's eyes widened.
The force was overwhelming.
Before he could recover—
Two shadows wrapped around his feet.
They tightened instantly.
Jade was dragged backward.
His boots scraped violently against the floor.
He tried resisting.
The shadows tightened further.
Then—
BOOM!
Jade was slammed against the wall.
Stone cracked behind him.
He coughed.
"What the..."
These weren't the Shadow Knights he remembered.
Their coordination.
Their strength.
Their abilities.
Everything had changed.
Jade immediately looked toward Ant Demon.
She had already charged into the battlefield.
Her claws tore into one Shadow Knight.
The creature barely moved.
Another struck her from the side.
BOOM!
Ant Demon's body was launched backward.
She crashed into the floor.
Jade's expression darkened.
"Titan!"
Titan Devourer roared.
The enormous beast charged.
Its body collided with several Shadow Knights.
For a moment...
It looked as though the tide had shifted.
Then—
BOOM!
Titan Devourer was sent flying.
Its massive body smashed into a stone pillar.
The pillar collapsed.
Jade stared.
Both of his strongest Echoes...
Had been pushed back.
Meanwhile...
Kelvin stood in the middle of the battlefield.
Completely calm.
His blue hair swayed gently.
There was no wind.
Yet his hair moved anyway.
His expression remained peaceful.
Almost bored.
Then—
A dark bow appeared in his hand.
It materialized from empty air.
Kelvin pulled the string.
A black arrow formed.
He released it.
WHOOSH!
The arrow crossed the battlefield.
It pierced straight through a Shadow Knight.
But Kelvin didn't finish the creature.
Instead...
He turned.
Another arrow appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
Each shot struck a different Shadow Knight.
None of them were killed.
But every creature hit by his arrows staggered.
Their movements became slower.
Their aura weakened.
Jade's eyes narrowed.
He's weakening them.
Not killing.
Weakening.
The two girls were fighting as well.
Annabelle moved with terrifying efficiency.
Every movement was precise.
Every strike landed exactly where it needed to.
Audrey fought differently.
She moved almost effortlessly.
Dodging.
Countering.
Redirecting attacks.
Neither girl showed fear.
Neither hesitated.
Their combat ability was far beyond what their appearances suggested.
Jade's expression became increasingly serious.
They're monsters.
Not in appearance.
In combat.
Then—
A Shadow Knight suddenly appeared behind Kelvin.
Its sword rose.
Jade's eyes widened.
"Kelvin!"
Kelvin didn't even turn around.
The Shadow Knight swung.
The sword passed through Kelvin's body.
No blood.
No wound.
Nothing.
Kelvin's body had transformed.
His skin became completely black.
His entire figure turned into an intangible humanoid shadow.
The sword passed through him harmlessly.
The Shadow Knight's blade struck empty darkness.
Kelvin returned to normal.
His expression remained calm.
Then he raised one hand.
A dark orb appeared above his palm.
Then another.
Then another.
Soon several black orbs floated around him.
Kelvin smiled.
"Annoying."
The orbs suddenly opened.
Black arrows began firing from them.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
The arrows flew in every direction.
Any Shadow Knight attempting to approach Kelvin was immediately attacked by the floating orbs.
The system of defense was almost perfect.
Kelvin could attack from the front while his dark orbs protected his blind spots.
Jade watched carefully.
Then he understood something.
Kelvin wasn't trying to kill them.
He was creating a path.
Every Shadow Knight he struck became weaker.
Every opening allowed him to move farther forward.
He wasn't fighting to win.
He was escaping.
Jade's eyes widened.
He's heading somewhere.
Then the realization hit him.
The previous time Jade had fought these Shadow Knights...
They had already been weakened.
By Kelvin.
That was why Jade had been able to survive against them.
That was why Kelvin had been able to predict what Jade was thinking.
He had already studied them.
Already fought them.
Already understood their abilities.
Kelvin wasn't simply strong.
He was experienced.
Very experienced.
Jade slowly stood.
Ant Demon and Titan Devourer were still fighting.
But Jade had already made his decision.
He dismissed them.
Both Echoes disappeared into his Soul Sea.
"I'm not fighting this time."
Jade wrapped blood flames around his feet.
The shadows were still tightly wrapped around his legs.
Jade poured essence into his muscles.
His body suddenly exploded forward.
He was already an Initiate Overlord.
His speed was far beyond what ordinary Initiates could achieve.
He swung his crimson greatsword wildly.
BOOM!
One Shadow Knight was blasted aside.
Jade spun.
Another slash.
BOOM!
Another fell backward.
His Obsidian Vine Shadow erupted from his body.
Dozens of vines spread outward.
Crimson destructive flames wrapped around them.
The vines became burning whips.
They smashed through the Shadow Knights as Jade forced his way through the battlefield.
He wasn't trying to kill them.
He simply needed a path.
One step.
Another.
Another.
His sword continued moving.
His vines tore open gaps.
His body became a black-and-crimson blur.
Finally—
Jade reached the end of the formation.
He didn't hesitate.
His vines transformed.
His body changed.
Black wings spread from his back.
His body became lighter.
Smaller.
Faster.
A gigantic black bird shot into the air.
Several Shadow Knights immediately noticed.
They raised their weapons.
Then—
WHOOSH!
Dark arrows flew toward him.
Jade twisted through the air.
One passed beneath his wing.
Another missed his head.
A third—
BOOM!
It struck him.
Pain exploded across his body.
Jade's flight became unstable.
He nearly crashed.
But before he could fall...
His healing blood flame activated.
Warm crimson light spread across the wound.
At the same time, his destructive blood flame burned through the remaining shadow essence.
The wound closed.
The arrow dissolved.
Jade regained control.
"Not enough."
His wings beat violently.
A wave of destructive crimson flame erupted behind him.
The flames swept toward the pursuing Shadow Knights.
But—
Nothing happened.
The creatures pushed through.
Jade's expression became serious.
"They're too strong."
Then he saw something.
Little Black.
The tiny cat was moving quickly through the corridor.
Toward a familiar room.
Jade's eyes widened.
That room...
The skeleton.
The ancient skeleton covered in strange jewelry.
The one he had discovered before.
The one that had felt dead.
But never truly dead.
Jade's heart tightened.
"Little Black!"
The cat continued moving.
Jade tried again.
"Don't go in there!"
Little Black didn't stop.
Jade's voice became urgent.
"Don't enter that room!"
"That skeleton is alive!"
Little Black finally turned.
Its tiny body tilted.
Then its telepathic voice entered Jade's mind.
So shiny...
Jade nearly choked.
"That's not the point!"
Little Black turned around again.
It continued toward the room.
Jade cursed internally.
"Of course..."
"Of all the things you could be interested in..."
He changed direction immediately.
But—
A Shadow Knight caught up.
Its sword slashed through the air.
Jade barely dodged.
The blade passed close enough to cut several strands of his hair.
Jade's bird form spun.
He escaped through another corridor.
The Shadow Knight followed.
Another appeared behind him.
Then another.
Jade's breathing became heavier.
His essence reserves were falling rapidly.
He couldn't keep running forever.
Then another thought appeared.
His God Body.
Jade's eyes narrowed.
He had obtained the Crimson God Body.
He had barely tested it.
But this...
This might be exactly why he had received it.
Jade abandoned his bird form.
His body transformed back into human form.
Then—
He stopped.
His body fell.
BOOM!
Jade crashed onto the stone floor.
Dust exploded around him.
He remained on one knee.
His breathing was ragged.
His essence...
Half empty.
Already.
He slowly raised his head.
The Shadow Knights were approaching.
Dozens of them.
Their footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Jade clenched his fists.
"Fine..."
"If I can't escape..."
"...then I'll become something they can't catch."
He closed his eyes.
Deep inside his body...
Something awakened.
The Crimson God Body.
Jade activated it.
Immediately—
BOOM!
A terrifying pressure exploded from his body.
His hair changed first.
Black strands turned crimson.
Then brighter.
Brighter.
Until the crimson gradually transformed into golden blonde.
His eyes changed next.
Both pupils turned completely red.
His skin began glowing.
A brilliant white radiance spread across his body.
Crimson veins appeared beneath his skin.
They glowed like molten rivers.
Then—
His skin itself became pale white.
Almost flawless.
Almost otherworldly.
A powerful aura erupted around him.
The Shadow Knights slowed.
For the first time...
They hesitated.
Jade slowly rose from the ground.
His body floated several inches above the floor.
White light surrounded him.
Crimson veins pulsed across his body.
Then armor began forming.
First around his chest.
Then his shoulders.
His arms.
His legs.
Layer after layer of red armor wrapped around him.
Crimson.
Brilliant.
Terrifying.
Then the color began changing.
The red armor gradually turned white.
Pure white.
Radiant.
Divine.
Jade's crimson hair had already become golden blonde.
His red eyes stared forward.
And the entire corridor...
Fell silent.