Pyris strode forward, his boots crunching against the jagged terrain of the labyrinth's heart. Behind him, Nysa and Alera followed in silence, their gazes heavy with expectation.
None of them seed to be able to discern the aning behind his actions.
The atmosphere was thick, weighted by more than just the stale air of the labyrinth. A chilling aura radiated from the towering gate that stood before them—the gate to the Guardian's domain.
Pyris's mind churned as he replayed the warnings Nysa had shared before they entered.
"You can't fight the Guardian as a group to kill it," Nysa had said firmly, her green shade eyes locking onto each mber of the team. "If you try, the labyrinth will eject all of you without rcy—Throwing you out."
Her words had left no room for debate. The labyrinth's rules were absolute.
To even have a chance to fight it until one lost their life, they needed to invoke the Death Match Challenge, a duel to the death with the Guardian.
A single mistake, a mont's hesitation, and everything would be lost—Lyra's chance to claim the Guardian's core, Alera and Pyris's hidden plans, all of it.
Now, as Pyris walked ahead, his mind was alight with a tumult of thoughts. He had fought the Guardian before, testing its ttle, and it had humbled him. Never in his life had he faced an opponent who matched him so completely—not in raw power, not in skill. The Guardian was a Rank 16 monstrosity, and while Pyris himself had attained Rank 16, the Guardian stood above him, its divine mana amplifying its strength twofold. It had taken everything Pyris had just to scratch its defenses in their last encounter.
"Almost... Almost impossible," Pyris muttered under his breath. His fists clenched as his mind replayed the fight. Every strike he landed had felt like hitting an immovable wall.
Every counterattack from the Guardian had threatened to shatter him.
His jaw tightened. "If only I had Divine mana too…"
He thought of Goddess Lilith, the deity he served. As her chosen champion, Pyris wielded extraordinary gifts—his Lust and Golden Dragon lineages, his mastery of multiple elents, and the blessings she had bestowed. But one thing was missing: the essence of Divine mana, the very force that separated mortals and immortals from gods. Other champions of gods and goddesses wielded it as proof of their divine backing, yet Pyris had been left without.
He sighed, shaking his head. "No," he said to himself. "If I can't defeat a Guardian without Divine mana, how can I ever hope to face gods? Or Immortals? How can I Pyris Obsidian start making such excuses. I will faces this ugly monstrosity and more to co without Divine mana!"
The thought settled sothing inside him. Pyris was determined to overco this challenge with his own strength, without leaning on the crutch of divine power.
Yet, as if the Goddess herself was listening, a familiar sound rang in his ears.
[Ding!]
The system's voice echoed in his mind:
The Goddess recognizes your undying resolve.
Pyris stopped in his tracks, his breath catching as a new notification unfurled before his eyes.
[Ding! The Goddess has gifted you a treasure to her Champion.
Treasure: Void Essence Crystal!]
Before Pyris could react, more notifications followed.
[Ding!] New Mission Generated.
Mission: Find the treasures to create ????
Ti Limit: 1 year.
Rewards: Soul of Lia!]
Pyris's heart sank at the ntion of Lia, the system's administrator and his first companion in this world. His chest tightened as the next updates ca.
[Update: Host can no longer access System Administrator Lia. Finish the mission to reclaim her Soul.]
[Update 2: Failure to complete the mission will result in total annihilation of Lia' Soul.]
The final words hit Pyris like a physical blow. His vision blurred, the world around him seeming to spin. Annihilation. Not just death, but total obliteration. Lia would cease to exist.
"Lia…" he whispered, his voice trembling. Images of her flooded his mind—the first voice that had guided him when he awakened in this world, the unseen companion who had been there through every trial, every victory, every defeat.
Lia wasn't just a system administrator; she was a part of him, a constant presence in his life.
His knees felt weak, and for a mont, he stumbled. The weight of the Goddess's decree threatened to crush him. But as despair crept in, Pyris clenched his fists, his dragon blood surging with renewed resolve.
"If this is your will, Goddess…" he growled, his voice low but steady. "I will fulfill it. And when I do, you better have a good reason for this." He exhaled sharply, his breath coming out in a puff of mist. "But I'm not doing this for your reasons whatever they are. I'm doing it for Lia."
His words carried the weight of his determination. The fear in his chest didn't vanish, but it transford, fueling his purpose.
Pyris straightened, his golden eyes blazing with fire. He would gather the treasures, no matter what it took. He would fight, bleed, and suffer, but he would not fail. Lia's existence depended on it.
"System," he commanded, his voice firm. "Prepare a list of everything I need to gather. I'll review it when I get back ho."
[Yes, Host.]
The system's reply was calm, a stark contrast to the storm inside him. Pyris resud walking, his pace brisk. His companions exchanged glances, sensing the shift in his mood but saying nothing.
Before him lood the Guardian's domain, like a vast arena bathed in a foreboding light. The air was electric, heavy with the Guardian's presence. Pyris stepped through the threshold, his confidence unshaken despite the odds stacked against him. He had a fight to win, a soul to save, and far too much to protect.
But as he stood at the center of the arena, staring at the hulking figure of the Guardian, doubt whispered at the edges of his mind. He had tasted the Guardian's power before—its raw strength, its divine aura.
Was he truly ready for this? Or was his confidence re bravado masking the truth?
The Guardian's aura flared, dark and oppressive. Its eyes glowed with an unearthly light, and its voice bood through the arena.
"Mortal, do you challenge to a Death Match?"
Pyris raised his chin, his golden gaze settling on the guardian but didn't say anything imdiately for so ti before opening his mouth, his expression unyielding. "I do." And hell broke loose.
*****
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