Chapter 12: The Guardian Below
Arc 2: Trial of the Blade – Part 1
The stairway beneath the pedestal plunged them into darkness.
Their footsteps echoed as they descended the spiral, torches flaring to life on the walls, one after another—as if welcoming them deeper into the ruin's heart.
At the bottom, they emerged into a vast underground chamber. Pillars carved with ancient swords lined the walls, and at the far end, on a stone dais, sat a throne of broken steel.
Upon it... slouched a knight.
Not a statue.
A man—clad in fractured silver armor, his face hidden beneath a rusted helm. His hands rested on a massive blade stuck into the stone below. Bloodless. Motionless. But unmistakably alive.
Juno drew his weapon. "Who is that?"
Kaela whispered, "That's no guardian. That's a ghost from the Age of Blades."
Mano's system pulsed.
---
[System Alert: Final Trial Guardian Detected]
"Sir Vaelen – Swordshade of the First War"
Class: Legendary Phantom Knight
Affiliation: Unknown
Trial Objective: Prove Worthiness of the Heavenly Blade
Warning: High risk. Escape disabled.
---
Sir Vaelen rose without a word. As he stood, his sword burned with ethereal blue fire. His presence alone crushed the air—an aura forged in countless battles.
"You bear the mark," the knight's voice echoed like metal scraping on stone. "But are you worthy to inherit it?"
He pointed his blade at Mano.
"Draw."
---
Mano's fingers tightened around his hilt. A flicker of doubt surged in his heart—but he quelled it. This wasn't just a test of power.
It was a rite of passage.
> Heavenly Blade – Phantom Slash.
He struck first—his blade moving in a blur, a delayed ripple following behind. But Sir Vaelen was faster.
Steel met steel.
The shockwave cracked the stone beneath their feet.
Juno tried to step in, but the trial's barrier flared, trapping Mano and the knight alone.
Kaela banged her fists on the invisible wall. "Damn it! He's on his own!"
Inside, the fight grew more intense. Sir Vaelen wielded ancient techniques—ghost steps, echo feints, soul cuts. Each swing felt like a lesson in death.
But with each clash, Mano adapted. His sword remembered.
Flashbacks surged through his mind—memories not his own. Ancient battles. Forgotten victories. Countless wielders of the Heavenly Blade. It was as if every soul before him whispered guidance.
He parried. Pivoted. Then—
> Sword Burst.
A shockwave exploded from his blade, catching Sir Vaelen mid-strike. The knight staggered.
Mano didn't hesitate.
He moved forward, blade glowing with every drop of will he had left, and drove it forward.
---
The knight froze. Then... smiled beneath his helm.
"Well struck, successor."
He fell to his knees—and shattered into thousands of glimmering motes.
---
[System Alert: Trial Completed]
Heavenly Blade Rank Advanced – "Resonant Wielder"
New Trait Unlocked: Legacy of Blades
Passive: Inherit enhanced reflexes and battle instincts from past Heavenly Blade wielders.
New Feature Unlocked: Memory Echoes
View combat experiences of previous masters in dreams.
---
The barrier dropped. Kaela and Juno rushed in.
"You did it," Kaela breathed. "You killed a legend."
"No," Mano replied, panting. "I earned his respect."
Behind the throne, a hidden passage creaked open. A staircase carved in glowing silver revealed itself—leading further into the ruin's depths.
"Another path?" Juno asked.
Mano nodded, eyes hard.
"Not just a path," he said. "A legacy."