The vast chamber at the end of the descent was the true heart of the base, a cavernous space where symbiote matter pulsed with raw, concentrated energy. In the center, the darkness seemed denser, a silent vortex from which emanated an overwhelming presence: Knull. But between them and that final darkness stood figures. Not mindless hordes, but individual entities, towering and charged with power, the elite guardians of the Black King's headquarters.
There were four of them, each a terrifying manifestation of Void power, but with more defined forms and a clear purpose. A muscular giant covered in black chitinous armor, his hands ending in bone hammers. A slender, swift figure, blades of dark energy shooting from its arms. A floating entity, composed of pure, corrupted psychic energy, radiating an aura of madness. And at its head, a larger humanoid figure, with ornate armor made of solidified symbiote and a single glowing red eye, speaking in a booming voice that filled the chamber.
"Intruders. The corrupted flesh of the Void will detain you here," the leader roared, his voice echoing not only in the air but in their minds. "Your light is anathema. Your shadow... an impure mockery of our King's greatness. He senses your presence... and that of the shadow... And he deems one a nothing and the other an abomination to be cleansed."
Jinwoo felt the concentrated hostility of these beings. They were generals in Knull's army, his most loyal and powerful servants in this place. The tension was palpable. Their very shadows beneath their skin throbbed, ready for war.
Cid remained calm, assessing the guards.
Cid thought: The elite units of the Final Boss's Personal Guard. Omega Class. High combat power, specialized skills, and potential tactical coordination. They represent the last obstacle before direct confrontation with Knull. The "High Priority Target Neutralization" protocol is activated. I must identify their tactical roles and apply optimal countermeasures for each.
"They're the fortress's 'commanders,'" Cid said quietly to Jinwoo, as if commenting on a standard enemy formation. "The big, strong one is the 'heavy assault unit.' The fast one is the 'flank assassin.' The floating one is the 'psychological warfare/support specialist.' The leader is the 'coordinator,' and likely has a balance of skills. We must dismantle their formation."
The leader of the guardians laughed, a harsh and disturbing sound. "You speak of mundane tactics before the essence of the Void. You are ignorant."
The battle began. The armored giant charged directly, its bone hammers capable of shattering the very substance of the base. The flanking assassin dissipated into a shadow, seeking to surround them with absurd speed. The psychic entity unleashed a surge of energy that attempted to plunge their minds into primordial terror. And the leader stood in place, watching, ready to intervene.
Jinwoo didn't hesitate. He summoned the bulk of his shadow army. Thousands of warriors, knights, mages, and beastmen surged forth, filling the vast chamber. Beru and Tank faced the armored giant, their combined forces barely managing to hold off its brutal onslaught. Igris led a group of knights to intercept the assassin from the flank, their swords clashing in flashes of dark energy. The shadow mages countered the floating entity's psychic attacks with their own dark defenses.
Jinwoo himself launched himself into combat, targeting the Guardian leader or whoever posed the greatest immediate threat. His speed was immense, his dagger slashing with lethal precision, imbued with shadow energy.
Cid moved through the fray with his unparalleled speed. His focus wasn't on direct confrontation with a single Guardian at first, but on disrupting enemy coordination. He briefly appeared next to the armored giant, applying a "Structure Nullification" blast that cracked the chitinous armor, making Beru and Tank's work easier. He moved so quickly that he appeared behind the flank assassin, who was fighting Igris, applying an energy pressure that momentarily slowed his movements.
Cid thought: Interference with enemy coordination. Priority: Disable support and heavy assault units. The flank assassin and the armored giant are the most dangerous in the short term. The psychic entity can be handled by the Designated Asset's support units. The leader requires a coordinated approach.
The leader of the guardians noticed Cid's actions. He roared with fury and launched himself at him. His attacks were blasts of concentrated Void energy and physical blows of incredible force. Cid was forced to dodge and parry, using his "High-Level Defense Protocol" to avoid the most powerful attacks, creating fleeting energy barriers or deflecting the trajectory of the blows with minimal movement.
Meanwhile, Jinwoo and his generals fought ferociously. The fight against the armored giant was a test of endurance; Beru and Tank took and returned massive blows. The battle against the flanking assassin was a deadly dance of speed, Igris keeping pace with his superhuman skill. The psychic entity was a constant problem, its mental attacks requiring the Shadow Mages' concentration and affecting even Jinwoo if he wasn't vigilant.
"I need an opening with the leader!" Jinwoo shouted, launching a torrent of energy daggers toward the main guardian, who deflected them with ease.
Cid, evading a powerful attack from the leader, saw his opportunity. He knew his subtle touches wouldn't be enough against this level of Guardian. He needed a more direct, yet controlled, application of energy. He aimed for the leader's ornate armor, concentrating an amount of energy similar to what he used for the Alpha Sentinel, but refined.
Cid thought: Concentration of fundamental energy. 'Armor Breach Level 7.' Target connection points to destabilize the defense. The leader is resilient, but his armor isn't invulnerable to the calibrated fundamental energy. Create an opening for the Designated Asset's main attack.
He struck the leader's chest plate with a burst of pent-up energy. It didn't break it, but it caused the symbiote matter in that area to convulse and become unstable, creating a momentary vulnerability.
"Now, Monarch!"
Jinwoo, ready, appeared beside Cid. With the leader's defense compromised for an instant, he unleashed his most powerful attack, a concentrated blast of his Skill: Monarch's Domain, channeled through his fist in a devastating blow.
Jinwoo's blow, combined with the gap Cid created, slammed into the leader. The creature roared in pain, its armor cracking, and the Void energy within it fluctuated wildly. The leader staggered back, grievously wounded.
The leader's injury shattered the guardians' coordination. The psychic entity, sensing its commander's weakness, attempted a massive final assault, but the Shadow Mages and Jinwoo's focus withstood it. The armored giant grew more reckless, and the flanking assassin, without its leader's guidance, became more predictable.
Cid and Jinwoo, along with their loyal shadows, seized the opportunity. Cid used his speed to disable the flank assassin with a flurry of quick touches, rendering it inert. Jinwoo, with the help of Beru and Tank, focused his power on the armored giant, eventually overcoming its regeneration and destroying it. The isolated psychic entity was surrounded by a swarm of shadows and neutralized by their combined power.
Finally, only the wounded leader remained. Jinwoo approached, his power at its maximum. The leader glared at him with hatred, a pure essence of the Void, but without the power to back it up.
"The King... shall rise... and the shadow shall be cleansed..." the leader hissed before Jinwoo unleashed the final blow, a blast of shadow energy that disintegrated the remaining guardian in a storm of dissipating darkness.
Silence fell over the chamber. The dissipated bodies of the elite guardians vanished into the residual energy. Jinwoo's army of shadows retreated, leaving only the two men in the center of the vast space. Both were exhausted; the fight had been intense and had required everything from them.
They had overcome the final guardians. The path to Knull's overwhelming presence, now without immediate opposition, was open.
Cid, although physically unharmed, felt the strain of the battle.
Cid thought: Elimination of elite security units - Complete. The 'Final Guardian Engagement Protocol' has been a success. The Level 7 Agent/Designated Shadow Asset synergy proved superior to Omega-Class combat configurations. Weakness identification and coordinated high-power application was key. The infiltration phase has concluded.
He looked toward the concentration of darkness in the center of the chamber, where Knull's presence was palpable. The containment mission was about to enter its critical phase.
"The route is clear, Monarch," Cid said, his voice a little deeper than usual. "We've reached the... final confrontation point. The chief is waiting."
Jinwoo nodded, also looking into the vast darkness. The fatigue was real, but determination drove him. They had fought through Knull's domain, overcoming horrors and guardians. Now, only the Black King himself remained. The final confrontation was imminent.
.
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