I stood frozen as the wall behind the altar crumbled.
A giant figure stepped out of the darkness. He was taller than any man I had seen, wrapped in chains that dragged behind him. His body was nothing but blackened bone and ash-colored armor. Fire burned in his hollow eye sockets.
And still, somehow, I knew this thing was not alive.
It wasn't even truly undead.
It was something… older.
The chains scraped the floor as he moved forward, slowly, like a king returning to his ruined palace.
"Who dares sit upon my throne?" the thing asked again. Its voice was deep and layered, like two voices speaking at once—one human, the other… ancient.
Rin clutched my arm. Her eyes were wide with fear. "Kael… what is that?"
The system responded before I could.
System Alert:
High-tier Entity Detected
Name: Warden of the Forgotten
Title: Grave King of the First Age
Class: Abyssal Undead Monarch
Threat Level: Catastrophic
I raised my hand, summoning a flame.
My shadows flickered at my feet.
But my body was still injured. Eclipse Core hadn't finished healing. And Overdrive was on cooldown.
The Grave King looked at me.
Not with hatred.
Not even anger.
Just… confusion.
"You are not my sons," he said. "Not the betrayers. Not the chained saints. Then why are you here? Why does my throne burn with your fire?"
"I claimed this Sanctum," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I took it from the Empire."
He tilted his skull. "The Empire still lives?"
"They do. And they sent a holy knight to kill me just hours ago."
He stood in silence for a moment.
Then, he laughed.
It was a dry, echoing sound, like stone cracking.
"Then time truly has passed. Much more than I thought."
The system dinged again.
System Alert:
Ancient Memory Unlocked
This ruin was once the Throne of Mourning — home to the Grave King, guardian of balance during the First War.
System Notice:
Warden of the Forgotten is in a weakened, recovering state.
He has awakened due to Kael's Sin Power activating near the heart of his throne.
So… he wasn't attacking. Not yet.
He was waking up because I disturbed the Sanctum's deep power.
"Why are you here?" I asked. "Why are you… chained?"
The Grave King's eyes dimmed.
"I was sealed here by the gods and the lords of flame," he said. "Once, I held back both the divine and demonic armies during the War of Origins. I chose balance over obedience."
"And they punished you for that."
"Yes."
His gaze slowly sharpened. "You smell of demon and man. But you carry fire that is neither. What are you?"
I clenched my fists.
"I don't know yet. But I'm not going to kneel."
The Grave King didn't seem offended. Instead, he nodded once.
"Good. Too many kings forget their spine."
Then something unexpected happened.
System Alert:
The Warden of the Forgotten recognizes your right of conquest.
He offers a trial.
Trial of the Broken Crown:
Endure the fury of the throne.
Survive the Warden's judgment.
Reward: Throne Core Fragment – Key to Sovereign Class evolution
I read the message again, eyes wide.
This was it.
This was how I could unlock the next stage of my power.
A piece of the Sovereign class path.
But also… it meant fighting him.
"What happens if I lose?" I asked.
"You will die," the Grave King answered simply.
Rin grabbed my arm. "Kael, don't! You're still injured! This is insane!"
"I know," I said. "But I don't have a choice."
Seren would return with reinforcements.
The Emberlord might come back, expecting me to accept his guidance.
I couldn't stay weak.
I had to grow stronger—now.
I looked the Grave King in the eyes.
"I accept your trial."
He nodded.
"So be it."
The floor cracked.
The ruins around us faded.
And suddenly, I stood alone in a dark arena of stone, surrounded by massive chains floating in the air.
Above me, the sky was burning. Beneath me, lava pulsed in cracks.
This wasn't just a vision. It was a pocket realm made by his will.
The Grave King appeared before me—no longer slow, no longer bound.
He stood tall, sword drawn, a giant crown of iron hovering above his skull.
"This is what I was," he said. "Before the chains."
Then he raised his sword—and moved like a storm.
I barely blocked the first swing. The shockwave shattered the stone beneath me.
The second strike came faster, slicing through flame and air.
I dodged left, then right, then let my shadow pull me into the ground—
—but his sword cut even through shadow.
I was thrown back.
Blood hit my tongue. My ribs screamed.
I stood again.
He waited.
There was no mercy in his eyes.
But there was respect.
System Alert:
Core Stabilization 60%
Sin Affinity [Pride] activated
Secondary boost triggered: Dominion Field (Lv. 1)
I felt the world shift slightly.
My aura expanded.
For a second, even the Grave King paused.
"You command Pride already?" he asked.
"Just learned it yesterday," I muttered.
Then I charged forward.
Flame in one hand. Shadow in the other.
I spun, letting my aura strike first—pressure like a crashing wave—
—and followed with a blast of hellfire straight to his face.
He blocked it.
But he stepped back.
I pressed the attack. I struck high, then low. I vanished into shadow and struck from behind.
He parried all of it.
But I saw something new in his stance.
He was no longer testing me.
He was defending.
System Alert:
Eclipse Core: Temporary Overload authorized (30 seconds)
Warning: Exceeding safe limits
I grinned.
"Let's see if you like round two."
Flames exploded around me.
The shadows thickened.
My body burned from the inside—but I didn't care.
I launched forward—
—and the Grave King roared.
Chains erupted from the air, wrapping around my arms, my legs, my throat.
I couldn't move.
He walked toward me slowly, sword raised.
"Your fire is not yet a crown," he said. "But it may be a spark."
He stopped inches from me.
And then… lowered his sword.
The chains vanished.
I collapsed, coughing and shaking.
Trial complete.
System Alert:
Trial Survived
Throne Core Fragment obtained
New Ability Unlocked: Sovereign Spark – Awaken latent potential of allies or domains
Sovereign Class Path: 5% complete
"You passed," the Grave King said. "You still burn. That is enough."
The arena faded.
We stood once more in the ruined Sanctum.
Rin ran to me, nearly crying. "You're alive! You idiot, what were you thinking?!"
"I… got stronger," I wheezed.
She hugged me tightly.
The Grave King turned away. His chains slowly wrapped back around him, binding him once more.
"I will sleep again," he said. "But if you ever fall to your pride, I will return—and burn your throne to ash."
"Deal," I said, nodding.
He looked back once.
And then stepped into the shadows, vanishing behind the altar once more.
System Message:
The Sanctum of Ash now contains a Bound Warden
Defensive Aura increased
Domain Authority increased
I had barely enough strength to sit up.
But I did.
Rin sat beside me, her head on my shoulder.
Outside, the flames that once guarded the Sanctum faded.
And in the distance—I saw light.
Not fire.
Not magic.
Torches.
Soldiers.
The Empire had arrived.