"Chapter 54: The Battle Against the Dungeon Guardian"

Meanwhile, in the settlement located in Rivira, adventurers began to wake up. The past day had seemed like a dreadful nightmare—everything they had seen and endured had been a grueling trial. The memories of being chased by swarms of ants to the 18th floor still haunted them. They knew that mutated monsters could appear in the dungeon, but not in such numbers...

Throughout the settlement, adventurers gathered in groups, trying to devise a plan to return to the surface.

" Do you think that group made it to the surface? " asked one of the adventurers.

" I don't know. I hope they did and either brought help or at least some good news, " replied another.

" I doubt they managed to escape, " grimly remarked a third.

" Why do you think so? " asked a fourth.

"It's not pessimism, it's a realistic view of what could happen, " explained the third. " Do you really believe that those five managed to break through the swarm of ants?"

" Maybe they were lucky and passed unnoticed," suggested the second.

"Have you forgotten how many ants were chasing us?" continued the third. " And how fast they were? We couldn't even scratch them."

"Do you think I can forget? " the second adventurer raised a stump of his arm, showing what was left of it. From elbow to shoulder, there was now just a stump. " One of those creatures bit into my arm so hard that it instantly severed it. I haven't forgotten the damned pain I felt after losing my arm," he shouted, trying to release the accumulated anger.

"No need to shout. You're not the only one who suffered. Walk through this settlement, and you'll see that many have lost limbs and barely escaped alive," tried to calm him the first adventurer.

"I don't care about the others! I lost my arm, and now I can't work. Where will I get money to live now?! " continued the second, unable to contain his despair.

Similar conversations were happening throughout the settlement: some had lost arms, some legs, but they were all united by one thing—they had fallen into an ambush by mutated ants that had chased them all the way to the 18th floor. Some discussed action plans, proposing to unite and fight back against the monsters, while others talked about the need to send another group for help. But all these discussions remained just talk—no one wanted to take responsibility.

The arguments continued throughout the settlement until the adventurers felt the first tremor.

"What's happening? " asked one of the adventurers, running out of the pub.

" I don't know. I just came out when I felt the tremor, " replied another standing nearby.

" Something is happening in the dungeon, " said a third who also ran out of the pub.

" What do you mean? Something happened in the dungeon? " asked the first.

" I'm not sure. I just once heard from an adventurer that the dungeon is like a living organism, " said the third, drawing the attention of the others.

" That's definitely nonsense. How can a dungeon be alive? " doubted another listener.

" I don't know. I'm just saying what came to mind, " replied the third.

" No, he might be onto something, " interrupted another adventurer. " I also heard something similar from my god when he was drunk and started babbling about the dungeon."

Now everyone turned their attention to him.

" My god said that if a god dies in the dungeon, they die forever. So, the dungeon is not as simple as we think, " he continued, making everyone ponder what they had heard.

The adventurers wanted to continue their discussion, but suddenly another tremor occurred—crystals began to fall from the ceiling, and stones cascaded from the walls. The second tremor was much stronger than the previous one, but it didn't end there. The next shock shook the entire floor, and something enormous began to emerge from the ceiling. From where the crystals had once been, a giant stone monster crashed down.

Seeing the monster, the adventurers began to panic, but suddenly a massive golden dome appeared above the settlement, covering the entire area. Falling stones and crystals struck the protective barrier, bouncing off or shattering against it.

" What is that? " asked one of the adventurers, pointing with a trembling hand at the monster.

" I... I don't know. I've never seen anything like it, " replied another, trying to speak calmly.

" What kind of monster is this? In all the time adventurers have been on the 18th floor, nothing like this has ever happened, " said a third in a nervous tone.

" I'm more worried about the barrier that appeared over the settlement, " said a fourth, pointing at the golden dome.

" Now that you mention it, I've noticed it too. Maybe the dome was always here, just not activated? " suggested one of the listeners.

" I don't think so. This floor has been thoroughly explored. There definitely wasn't any protective dome, " interjected another adventurer, watching as the stone giant slowly rose.

" But what do we do now? Even if we have this barrier, we don't know how long it will hold, " said another adventurer, pointing at the giant, which was now standing at full height.

These words sparked panic among the adventurers, and they rushed in the opposite direction, trying to leave the settlement. But when they reached the edge of the dome, they couldn't pass through and began to struggle to break out. They used weapons and magic, but nothing worked. Eventually, realizing the futility of their efforts, the adventurers resigned themselves to their fate.

" It seems we have no way out, " said one of the adventurers who had been unsuccessfully trying to break the dome. His words drew everyone's attention.

" What do you mean, "no way out"? If we try, we can destroy this barrier! " objected another adventurer.

" I don't care! I'm getting out of here, and no one is stopping me! " shouted a third, delivering a powerful blow with his sword against the dome. But his weapon immediately shattered into pieces from the impact.

" You think we can get out? What's the point? Look up, " said another adventurer, pointing to a hole in the ceiling through which various mutated monsters began to fall.

" If we leave the dome, we'll either be crushed by that giant or eaten by those creatures, " he continued in a gloomy voice, resigning himself to the inevitable.

" Damn it! To die by the hands of those monsters or be crushed by the golem" " what a choice! " said another adventurer, sitting on the floor with a face full of despair.

" It looks like something is happening with the golem... " said another adventurer, pointing to a black mass that had suddenly appeared behind the giant and was beginning to wrap around it.

Alex had been with Ryuu when he came up with the crazy idea to resurrect her fallen comrades. But before he could voice this plan, their conversation was interrupted. Alex sensed that the Dungeon Guardian was starting to manifest. Without hesitation, he picked up Ryuu and quickly returned to their temporary refuge on the 18th floor, where the entire group had already gathered.

Everyone who remained on the 18th floor gathered near the house. Hestia and Hermes stood with grim faces, while Bell and Asfi were next to their gods, looking serious. Lily's group was meticulously checking their gear for the upcoming battle. Tiona and Ais from the Loki familia had already donned their battle armor and were making final adjustments to their weapons. At that moment, Alex appeared, carrying Ryuu in his arms.

He noticed the tense expressions on his companions' faces and understood their feelings. This battle was unlike any they faced on a daily basis. Feeling another tremor, Alex decided to activate the protective runes over the settlement and their temporary home to prevent anyone from being harmed by falling debris.

As soon as the protective dome was activated, a third tremor followed, and the Dungeon Guardian began to materialize from the ceiling—a massive stone golem embedded with crystals running through its body. Alex decided to wait until the Guardian fully materialized before initiating the attack.

" Ladies, I'm not going to say any grandiose words or nonsense, " Alex said, drawing the group's attention. — I'll just say this: don't die. I don't want to have to drag your asses back from the realm of the gods later.

" Don't worry, Alex, we'll manage, " Lily replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

" I don't care. You need to survive and show me how much you've grown to handle this threat, " Alex said, turning his attention to the Dungeon Guardian, which had now crashed to the floor. The women understood that beneath his harsh words was genuine concern. They smiled, knowing this was his way of expressing his feelings.

"You haven't activated all the runes? " Hermes asked, observing the situation.

" Correct, " Alex nodded, keeping his eyes on the Guardian.

" So, what are you waiting for? " Hermes asked, also intently watching the golem.

" Waiting for them to make their next move. I don't want to spook them, " Alex replied, noticing monsters starting to fall from the ceiling.

" Are you waiting for them to force the Guardian through the mutation process? " Asfi clarified, observing the increasing number of monsters.

" You could say that. But I'm also waiting for the one behind all this to finally appear on this floor. Then I can trap him, " Alex said, preparing for the enemy's next move.

" It looks like it's starting, " Alex said in a serious tone, and everyone focused on the Guardian.

The group turned their attention to the Guardian, or rather to what was appearing behind it. A strange black substance had emerged, resembling a massive slime covered in numerous eyes and mouths filled with sharp teeth.

The black slime immediately attacked the Guardian, wrapping around it like a snake trying to strangle its prey. The Guardian tried to resist, but no matter how it struggled, it couldn't rid itself of the black slime. The more it fought, the tighter the slime wrapped around it, completely enveloping its body like a cocoon.

" What's happening? " Asfi asked nervously, pointing at the black cocoon forming around the Guardian.

" It's a process of capture and mutation, " Hermes answered, staring intently at the ominous cocoon.

" He's right, the Guardian's body is being fully absorbed and mutated, " confirmed Alex, watching the changes in the mana flows inside the cocoon.

" And what will emerge from this? " Hestia asked, gripping Alex's hand. She was frightened by the scene.

" I don't know. If you're scared, I can send you home, " Alex offered, looking at the trembling Hestia.

" No, it's fine. I'll manage, and I know you can protect me, " Hestia said, trying to force a smile.

" Why haven't you activated the protection on this floor yet? " Hermes asked nervously, his anxiety showing.

" If you're scared, I can also send you home, " Alex smirked, observing Hermes's pale face.

" Even if I'm scared, I'm not missing this spectacle for anything, " Hermes replied, steeling himself.

" Well, as you say, my dear friend, " Alex said, continuing to watch the changes in the cocoon.

" Where are all the monsters that fell from the ceiling? " Daphne asked, noticing they weren't moving toward them.

" They're all around the settlement. Or rather, besieging it, " Ryuu replied, watching the horde of monsters circling the dome.

" It looks like it's time to activate the next layer of protection, " Alex said, noting that the process in the cocoon had started to slow down.

Alex stamped the ground, sending a mana pulse to activate the final line of defense. Soon after, the pulse spread across the floor, and runes began to appear at key points, glowing brightly to indicate their activation. Symbols began to spread from the runes, covering the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Alex's group watched the process with astonishment, unable to believe their eyes. Everything around them was covered with symbols in an incomprehensible language, filling every surface. The hole in the ceiling through which monsters had previously fallen was covered with a membrane that also bore inscriptions, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

" Amazing, " Asfi murmured, observing the scene.

" How did you achieve this? " she asked, directing her admiring gaze at Alex. Her curiosity about his abilities had grown into deep respect.

" If I start explaining how I did it, we'll need a whole day, which we don't have, " Alex replied, causing the group to roll their eyes, understanding that his explanations were always complex and hard to grasp.

" Then try to simplify it, " Hermes suggested, watching Alex closely.

" Hmm... To put it simply, it's like a large magical circle, " Alex said after a brief pause, trying to simplify his answer as much as possible. But his words only led to more questions from the group.

" And simpler? " Tiona asked, with Alex rolling his eyes in frustration.

" Fine. Look, each rune is part of a larger picture. When I activated them, they started connecting to each other to create a complete image, " Alex explained, simplifying his thought as much as he could.

" So, the runes interact with each other to form one large magical circle? " Asfi clarified, trying to grasp the essence.

" Exactly. Here's your prize for the correct answer, " Alex said with a smile, tossing Asfi a candy, which she caught and ate with satisfaction.

" What about me? " Hestia asked, tugging on Alex's arm.

" Alright, here you go, my spoiled goddess, " Alex replied, pulling out her favorite candies from his pocket. Hestia began munching on them with pleasure, instantly forgetting her fear.

The group watched the interaction between Alex and Hestia, many shaking their heads as they saw him indulging his goddess. All attention was focused on the process happening in the cocoon. On the elevated platform where the group stood, there was complete silence. Alex watched the cocoon closely and noticed that the process was slowing down — a new Guardian was about to emerge.

" It's almost ready, " Alex said, drawing the group's attention.

As soon as he spoke these words, the flow of mana raging inside the cocoon suddenly ceased. A stifling silence settled around them — even the sounds of the monsters disappeared. Suddenly, there was a crackling noise as if the shell was starting to break.

Cracks quickly spread across the entire surface of the cocoon, signaling the completion of the process. Soon, a black hand covered in a viscous substance, like mud, broke through the shell and dripped onto the floor. Then, with a sudden burst, the newly mutated Guardian emerged with such force that it created a powerful gust of wind that reached Alex's group.

Alex quickly created an additional barrier to protect his companions from the strong gust. The new Guardian now looked like something horrifying: its body, once resembling a stone golem, had transformed into a grotesque creature made of an incomprehensible substance. Its body was dotted with numerous eyes and mouths filled with sharp teeth. Each eye reflected madness and a thirst for blood, and the creature's appearance inspired terror, as if it only craved destruction and chaos.

" Alex, what happened to it? " asked Lily, her eyes fixed on the horrifying monster that no longer resembled the former stone golem.

" It looks like they didn't just use a crystal. Perhaps they merged it with the creature that inhabited the crystal, " Alex replied, watching the monster, whose roaring sounds created destructive shockwaves.

" Are you sure you can handle this monster? " Ryuu asked, gripping Alex's hand tightly and looking at him with worried eyes.

" I'm sure. Or rather, I have no choice. I have to deal with it, " Alex answered, trying to reassure her.

" Alex, I believe in you, but this monster gives me a terrible feeling, " added Hermes, who was so impressed by the sight of the monster that he had goosebumps.

" Ladies, stick to our plan. I'll distract the Guardian, and you handle the other monsters. The others are already weakened by the protection on this floor, so you shouldn't have any trouble eliminating them, " Alex said, resolutely stepping out of the protective dome.

Alex stepped out of the dome and summoned the Chastifol spear to test how durable the monster had become. He carefully observed the creature, approaching slowly, and considered possible methods of attack.

" First, let's test how durable and resilient it is, " Alex muttered, noticing the monster moving towards the settlement.

" Chastifol, true form, " he said. The spear, floating behind him, glowed and began to change shape. It took on a golden hue, and the tip transformed into something resembling a leaf with streams of mana flowing over it. Mana started gathering around the spear like fire.

" I hope this works," Alex muttered, preparing to test his bold theory.

" True form of Chastifol, combined version. Mode "Multiplication" plus mode "Sunflower," " he commanded. The spear glowed even brighter and divided. In the new form, instead of small daggers, huge swords appeared.

The swords plunged into the ground and began to sprout enormous buds. The number of buds matched the number of swords that had hidden underground. Gradually, the buds opened, revealing their true form — gigantic sunflower flowers.

Alex's group, watching the spectacle, couldn't believe their eyes. They were especially stunned, those who had previously ridden on the spear when it took the form of a cushion.

" I rode something that dangerous? " Hestia asked in amazement, rubbing her eyes as she tried to comprehend what was happening.

" Me too, " confirmed Ais, looking at Alex's back as he stood amidst the giant sunflowers.

" What kind of weapon is this? " Hermes asked, pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

" Alex calls this spear "Chastifol." He says it belonged to the fairy king, " Lily explained, recalling Alex's stories.

" Are there fairies in this world? " asked Asfi in surprise, examining the sunflowers that were gathering mana at the center of their flowers.

" I don't know. Alex rarely talks about his travels, " Lily shook her head.

" But why did he summon them? " Hermes wondered, his eyes still fixed on the sunflowers. " Though, honestly, it looks amazing."

" If you look more closely, you'll see that mana is concentrating at the center of each flower. Most likely, Alex is preparing an attack, " Asfi explained, nudging Hermes and pointing to one of the sunflowers.

Alex began infusing the sunflowers with mana, intending to strike the monster that still hadn't noticed his actions. But when the mana concentration reached a critical point, the gigantic creature finally took notice and swiftly moved towards Alex, determined to destroy the enemy who dared to attack it.

" You noticed too late, " Alex said with a smirk, watching the Guardian. " Now let's see how durable you are."

With those words, Alex prepared to activate his deadly weapon, eagerly anticipating how the sunflowers would unleash their power upon the monster.

When the mana in the sunflowers reached its peak, Alex initiated the attack. Brilliant beams of mana burst from the flowers and sped towards the Guardian with incredible velocity. It was impossible to evade such a barrage of beams. Following its instincts, the Guardian shielded its head with one hand, protecting its weak spot, while the other hand covered its upper body, which Alex hadn't been able to discern due to the dense flow of energy.

The Guardian began to retreat under the relentless barrage of beams. When the attack ended, deep wounds were visible on the monster's body, oozing a strange, filthy liquid resembling muddy water. Unlike ordinary wounds, these did not heal quickly.

Alex closely observed the Guardian, analyzing where the wounds healed faster and where they healed more slowly. He recalled a theory — that a golem always has two crystals inside it sustaining its life.

The closer the damage is to the crystals, the faster the wounds heal. Alex noticed that the wounds near the head and abdomen healed more quickly, suggesting possible locations for the crystals. Despite the mutations, the Guardian remained a golem. Alex understood what needed to be done and decided to move on to the next phase of the attack, eager to finish the battle.

Alex leaped towards the Guardian, intending to drive it to the other side of the floor to give the girls a chance to deal with the other monsters and clear the floor. As soon as Alex vanished, heading towards the Guardian, the girls sprang into action.

They rushed to the settlement to eliminate the remaining monsters while Alex distracted the Guardian. Their eyes burned with fire and a thirst for victory, as Alex had promised to grant the winner's wish. As they neared the settlement, they stopped on a rise and exchanged competitive glances.

" Victory will be mine, " Lily declared, clenching her fists.

" You still need to grow up to compete with me, " Tiona smirked, twirling her Guan Dao.

" Victory will be mine, " Ais confidently said, drawing her rapier.

" Hah, I don't think you have a chance. We've trained the longest with Alex, " Daphne added, slinging her club over her shoulder.

" We'll see, " Tiona replied, leaping towards the monsters.

" I won't let you be the first to spill blood, " Daphne shouted, following Tiona.

" Hm, let's see who wins, " Lily said, making a powerful jump and aiming to land in the center of the group of monsters.

Meanwhile, Alex, summoning Beowulf mid-air, prepared to strike the Guardian with brute force. Pushing off the air, he accelerated sharply and, changing trajectory, delivered a powerful blow to the Guardian, sending it to the other side of the floor. The loud crash from the impact caused another tremor to ripple through the area. Alex landed and followed the Guardian.

As Alex approached, he saw that the Guardian had already repaired the damage. Without wasting any time, Alex charged and struck the head, where he suspected the first crystal was located.

The Guardian sensed Alex's presence above and tried to cover the vulnerable spot, but did not expect such a powerful hit. The blow was so strong that the Guardian crashed to the ground, and the arm it used to shield itself was completely destroyed, although it began to slowly regenerate. Alex wasted no time and rushed back to continue his attack.

In a fit of rage, the Guardian swung its healthy arm, trying to crush the attacker. But Alex deftly dodged each strike, looking for the right moment to land another blow to the head to destroy the crystal. When the opportunity arose, Alex did not hesitate. He leaped towards the Guardian's head, delivered a powerful strike, then dodged a counterattack and pushed off the air, gaining momentum for his next assault.

Alex realized that one hit wasn't enough, but the crystal in the Guardian's head was now visible. He charged at the crystal with overwhelming force, delivering a decisive blow. The Guardian fell onto its back, seemingly lifeless.

Alex landed and watched the defeated foe. The mana flow, which had been circulating in the Guardian's body, became chaotic and began to rapidly gather towards the crystal located in its chest.

Alex did not waste any time. He did not want to give the Guardian a chance to undergo a second evolution. Rushing to the monster, he grabbed its leg and threw it into the air. While the Guardian was airborne, Alex delivered a powerful uppercut directly to the chest. The blow caused the Guardian to rise higher, but the wound on its body instantly healed. Alex realized that the Guardian's power had increased.

 It seemed that the first crystal he destroyed was related to its initial abilities, while the second crystal, located in the chest, was part of the dark corruption merging with the Guardian. If the first crystal had helped resist this corruption, now it had completely taken over the Guardian's body. Alex understood that to fully destroy the Guardian, he needed to obliterate both its body and the crystal.

Alex summoned Yamato, intending to completely destroy the Guardian's body and then shatter the crystal in its chest. Delivering another blow that lifted the Guardian higher, he assumed a fighting stance with Yamato. Silence fell over the dungeon — there were no sounds of battle or the chaotic roar of the Guardian.

Alex focused on the attack. Drawing Yamato from its sheath, he began delivering a flurry of fast and precise strikes. In the air, where the Guardian floated, time seemed to freeze for a moment. Then there was the sound of tearing metal, and the space around was sliced with numerous lines. The Guardian's body was instantly destroyed, leaving only the black, vile crystal from which miasma seeped.

Alex's hand was covered in a pale black flame, and he directed it towards the crystal hovering in the air. A shell was already beginning to form around the crystal as the Guardian attempted to regenerate. However, it did not manage to recover in time, as Alex clenched his hand, causing the crystal to crack. Cracks appeared on its surface, and the crystal emitted a howl filled with hatred towards all living things.

 Alex did not want to listen to this and, clenching his fist, shattered the crystal. As the crystal fragments hit the ground, they were engulfed in black flames, completely burning away the remnants of the crystal. Alex had done the right thing by preventing the Guardian from undergoing a second stage of evolution. Only a fool would wait for the enemy to become stronger before continuing the battle.

Ensuring that the Guardian was destroyed, Alex looked towards the settlement where the girls continued to fight. Deciding to check on how they were faring, he set his sights on the settlement and leaped in its direction.

To be continued...