The Nephilim, concerting their strength, fulminated their first attack, aiming at us as they shouted and released an intense echo.
Yi San charged ahead, conjuring a shimmering shield that enveloped the six of us in a protective embrace. As we summoned our weapons, I gripped my Scarlet Star sword, heart pounding, and launched an offensive just as the Nephilim braced for another strike. Wiman joined me, and together we cut down the first two foes that had dared to claim a foothold on the tree that had sheltered them. Yi San, Chunho, Haksu, and BUMA dispersed from the ground, narrowly avoiding the second onslaught that rained down upon us.
One of the Nephilim leapt at Yi San, who had already propelled himself further away to evade the attack. I felt an inexplicable force pulling me towards him, like an invisible cord that disrupted my balance. As he landed on another tree, I found myself exposed in the centre of the chaos. Just as I swung my sword in defence, Wiman positioned himself behind me, inadvertently dragging Haksu down with him as he rushed to Yi San's aid.
The Nephilim spread their immense wings and took flight amid the turmoil. In that singular moment of insecurity, they appeared swifter, their power amplified in a way I could not comprehend. My gaze was drawn to three of them, and as I attempted to flee, my feet felt leaden. It dawned on me that Yi San was soaring towards me, the Cuff token glowing ominously in the sachet beneath his belt.
"Everyone, it's the tokens! We must fight alongside our partners!" I shouted, propelling myself upwards towards Yi San, who was under assault from the Nephilim behind me.
The space around us felt constricted, the towering trees looming like giants as we faced the Nephilim, mere ants in their shadow. Yi San and I levitated back to back, a temporary sanctuary amidst the storm.
"What's this about the tokens?" he called out, urgency lacing his voice.
"We can't stray too far from each other in battle; it's as if a mechanism activates when we're close," I explained, noticing the glow emanating from his sachet.
"For us to succeed, we must be in sync, deeply attuned to one another," he replied, concern etched on his features.
"Let's test our limits. Jump to the tree on the right; I'll take one of the two closer," I proposed. He nodded, and we charged at the beasts bearing down on us. I found my mark, stabbing one in the heart, watching it crumble to ashes as I turned to see Yi San dispatch his adversary with equal precision.
"I must have been eighty metres away," I said, gauging our distance as I swept my sword through the air, returning to the centre where we had stood. Yi San flew, positioning himself beneath a Nephilim, his sword plunging into its neck as he fell back into place behind me.
"That was indeed eighty metres," he confirmed.
"I suspect the limit is a hundred metres," I deduced, "If I'm right, we need to lure the Nephilim down. Once I can't ascend higher, I'll be vulnerable to those attacking from above, so I will halt, allowing you to charge forward." I took command of the situation, not waiting for a response before I launched into action.
The situation couldn't have permitted Yi San to reason with me while the others were busy fending for themselves. Although their martial prowess seemed reliable enough to break through, the urgency of our predicament weighed heavily on my mind.
At exactly one hundred metres, I found myself halted, the Nephilim, divided into two groups, poised to strike. I had gambled on two things: first, that Yi San would pierce through the lower group, and second, that he would move toward me, which would set the stage for a decisive attack against the monstrous creatures.
As if guided by fate, he did just that. With astonishing speed, he surged ahead, a bolt of light slicing through the air, about fifty metres in front of me. He launched a devastating slash that unleashed a powerful energy wave, cleaving through the Nephilim and sending shockwaves that rattled the surrounding trees, which groaned and trembled as if acknowledging the turmoil.
To my surprise, he seemed invigorated rather than drained, radiating a strength that surpassed my expectations. Yet, his back was exposed; the remaining Nephilim in the vicinity quickly took notice of his vulnerability and surged toward him.
I sprang into action, blocking their advance with my sword. With a flourish, I unleashed my Ten Thousand Deva Blade technique, which duplicated my weapon into a whirlwind of ten thousand swords, forming a swirling vortex around us. I expanded the formation outward, slicing through many of the Nephilim, causing several to retreat in alarm. Merging the swords back into a single blade, I launched it ahead, a streak of lethal intent.
Though some evaded the strike, many were fatally wounded, their forms beginning to disperse like shadows in the wind.
"The safest distance for us to fight is within ninety metres at most," I whispered to Yi San, who responded with a low hum of agreement.
I relayed this information to the others as our battle raged on. Initially, there had been about a hundred and fifty Nephilim, but now, with their numbers dwindling, I sensed we had gained a significant advantage.
"Regroup," I proposed, and we converged in the centre of the small war zone, where the trees loomed ominously, their branches creeping closer. Four hours had passed, yet there was no sign of the Fire and Ice lanterns, our hoped-for allies.
The Nephilim circled us hesitantly, a behaviour that was unexpected. Their wings flapped in uncanny synchrony, and I couldn't shake the feeling they were communicating, perhaps through some inscrutable bond.
"There aren't too many left," Yi San noted, his voice steady.
"But each time we reduce their numbers, the power of the survivors seems to swell," Wiman observed, a frown etched on his brow.
"It's likely they partially channel the energy of their fallen comrades before it completely fades," Haksu speculated, echoing my own thoughts. Yet as I listened, something about the ashes of the fallen Nephilim nagged at me; they appeared to be sinking into the ground.
"There's something more at play here," I pointed out, directing their attention to what had caught my eye.
The ashes of the fallen Nephilim were rising from the ground, and those who came into contact with them began to evolve, forming protective armours around their bodies. The dark spiritual energy was overwhelming, and I turned to the others, my heart racing.
"It's a blood sacrifice formation technique," I exclaimed, recognising a familiar symbol etched into the earth. I couldn't recall where I had seen it—perhaps in a book at the Commune's library—but certainty gripped me.
"A technique that gathers the channelled energy of fallen comrades bound by blood." Yi San's voice resonated with a depth of understanding that sent a shiver through me.
"Impossible! Unless induced by a Mortal, there's no way the Nephilim, those dark, conscienceless creatures, could conjure such an advanced sorcery," Wiman insisted, his brow furrowed in disbelief.
"Then how?" Haksu inquired, the tension thickening in the air.
"Our previous attacks won't be effective against the Nephilim. This technique grants them immunity. We must harness more powerful strikes this time," I pointed out, urgency lacing my words.
"But time is slipping away, and we haven't found the lanterns. We don't even know if the other teams are safe. If we exhaust our energy here, it could spell disaster for us," Chunho pressed, anxiety creeping into his tone.
"Then let's take a gamble," I proposed.
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone?" Buma's voice was a gentle reminder of our precarious situation, a nudge back to the present.
"The Nephilim are the most dangerous aspect of this contest. This is precisely why the Tournament exists. Low-ranking and Mortal martial practitioners stand no chance against these monsters; they need us to retrieve treasures that belonged to humanity before these lands fell," I insisted, conviction surging within me.
"No way!" Yi San's reaction hinted at the weight of the truth I was unveiling.
"You don't think…?"
"These gigantic trees could contain vast amounts of energy and still stand. If we are small in their midst, it implies enough space for us to fight. One of the Mortal camps must have existed in this forest," I asserted, my resolve hardening.
"What do we do now?" Buma asked, uncertainty clouding his voice.
"There's a weakness to the Blood Sacrifice spell. The energy channelled isn't permanent; it fades after fifteen minutes unless countered. We can't face these monsters alone, so we must lure them to the others for assistance," Yi San proposed, his gaze steady.
"Won't that put them in danger? How can we be sure they're unharmed?" Wiman interjected, concern etched on his features.
"The spell is almost complete," Buma spoke up, urgency evident in his tone.
"We can't fight them here; that would only empower them. Instead, we must avoid confrontation for fifteen minutes. But can we keep dodging them?" Yi San asked, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. "If the others are in the same predicament, they'll have no choice but to flee. We need to keep moving to find the camp where the lanterns are most likely hidden."
Before I could respond, he grasped my hand and took flight, pulling me into the sky.
"We can't just leave," I muttered, my heart racing.
"It's the only way they'll follow us; they value us both," Yi San whispered, his resolve unyielding. Something about him felt off, a tension simmering beneath the surface. Though I felt warmth in his protection, this Tournament was more than I had anticipated, a trial too intense for my phantom body. With my real form sequestered in a space vault, I feared that the strain of facing the elevated Nephilim could take a toll on my essence. Perhaps those fifteen minutes would be enough to replenish at least half of my expended energy.
Moments later, the others caught up with us as we soared through the forest, psychically scanning for traces of the former human camp while remaining vigilant for other teams. The deeper we ventured, the darker it became, the trees growing thicker and taller, their shadows enveloping us. The oppressive aura of dark energy obscured any faint scents of life, leaving us with an unsettling silence.
Then I sensed it—something ahead. I signalled to the others, and we halted at the foot of a towering tree.
What we saw astonished us all.
"It can't be," Haksu murmured, his eyes wide as he beheld a cluster of buildings, over five hundred years old, standing resolutely amidst the encroaching wild. They were marked by a certain decay but still defiant, surrounding what appeared to be a Demonic Pillar bound by a series of constraint chains.
"What in the world?" Chunho gasped, disbelief mingling with horror.
"For at least five centuries, they must have been aware of the danger posed by the Demonic Pillar, expending vast energy to keep it subdued. Unless they sought to preserve it, there could be no other reason," I pondered aloud. "But knowing the threat it posed, why bother?"
"No wonder there are so many Nephilim in this forest. They are compelled to protect the Demonic Pillars from humanity. It's likely they've claimed this forest, not able to break the confinement, but ensuring it remains untouched," Yi San asserted, his understanding deepening.
Yet, a sense of urgency clawed at me. I felt the Nephilim drawing closer, and I realised with a jolt that the fifteen minutes were almost up.
There were more of them now, some unfamiliar, their shadows stretching ominously toward us.
"They are coming."
"Let's quickly find the lanterns." Chunho charged towards the structures with enthusiasm, Buma trailing behind him. But something felt wrong, a chill creeping into the air.
"Stop…"
It was too late. The two had triggered a formation beneath us, an intricate array that radiated a brilliant crimson light, casting an eight-pointed barrier in the sky—a spiritual cage sealing our fate. We could not escape unless we destroyed the hidden eye of the formation. Yet, paradoxically, this barrier did not prevent the Nephilim from entering, meaning we would be vulnerable to their attacks while trapped.
A fierce battle loomed on the horizon, one that I feared my body might not withstand. We descended and regrouped, positioning ourselves once more in front of the Demonic Pillar.
"I'll buy us time," Wiman muttered, determination etched on his face.
"What?" Haksu's voice trembled, uncertainty evident.
"We'll join you; it's partly our fault we're trapped now," Chunho stepped forward, resolve hardening.
"Focus on finding the lanterns instead," I suggested. "We'll search for the eye of the formation." I glanced at Yi San, who, after a moment's contemplation, nodded in agreement.
"There will be too many Nephilim coming. We must act quickly," Wiman asserted, and in an instant, we scattered. Yi San and I began to search through the ruins of the structures.
Unlike any buildings I had encountered in my life, the walls were composed of a remarkably tough material resembling black quartz. Traces of pure Divine energy lingered in the air, yet as we explored, we stumbled upon a pair of imposing iron doors, one hanging precariously in its frame.
The structure resembled a fortress, adorned with illegible inscriptions and rough drawings that whispered secrets of the past.
Inside, we found a collection of cages arranged in a concentric pattern, stained with blood. Judging by their immense size and the broken constriction chains strewn across the ground, it was evident they had contained creatures of colossal proportions.
Yi San approached the largest cage, towering at twenty feet high and five feet wide.
"What was here, a mythical beast?" I wondered aloud, curiosity piqued. As we surveyed our surroundings, a strange stench permeated the air.
"No," he replied, his tone grave.
"Dark Matter… here?" I echoed, astonishment flooding through me as I met his gaze.
"Those possessed by Dark Matter don't undergo physical transformations, but the same cannot be said for the Nephilim," Yi San seemed to read my thoughts.
"This place has been here for ages, yet the Nephilim only appeared a few years ago. They've spoken of experimenting on people affected by Dark Matter but found no permanent cure for their demonic possession. It doesn't seem like this was a holding facility for the possessed," I insisted, a sense of dread creeping in.
"Consider this: the Nephilim are not as capable as humans in establishing the Blood Sacrifice formation. The very fact that this formation exists here indicates that the camp wasn't designed to contain people—rather, it was meant to keep them out."
"But why protect the Demonic Pillar?" I queried, my mind racing.
"The Imperial Government was stringent about anyone spreading news regarding demon activity, striving to maintain order within society. All our lives, we were led to believe that humanity was doing its utmost to shield us from the demons, yet they never divulged the truth of the wars fought at the Borderlands. The more I reflect…"
"It was to study the Demonic Pillars," I interrupted, realisation dawning. "This wasn't merely a camp; there's no evidence of soldiers or warriors having occupied this place. The drawings on the walls likely document activities, and those cages—those constriction chains—were meant to keep their prisoners in check. It's probable that the Nephilim have been here for centuries." Yi San's voice was tinged with disappointment, the weight of the revelation heavy between us.
I don't know why the sudden change in his personality struck me as so alarming, why he had become consumed by fury.
"Are you alright?" I asked, concern threading through my voice.
"The Elders, the Sect leaders—they were all a bunch of liars," he whispered, his words unsettling. I had always assumed he revered them, but there was clearly more beneath the surface. Just then, explosive sounds erupted from outside, jolting us further into the chaos.
The structure shook violently, and fragments of debris began to rain down from the ceiling, landing perilously close to the cages. The Nephilim had arrived. I knew we had to refocus on our mission. Drawing upon my psychic sense, I sought energy fluctuations. Typically, the eye of a formation concentrated energy to protect itself from damage, a safeguard that would prevent its collapse. Yet the tumult outside interfered with my concentration, raw energy swirling chaotically around us. Given that the formation had been conjured by a cultivator, I realised how challenging it would be to uncover the true eye of the energy.
"Can you find anything?" Yi San inquired, urgency lacing his tone.
"No," I confessed, but I pressed on, delving deeper into the chaotic energy. I sensed a prominent source nearby, but it was in a location I least expected when Chunho and Buma burst in.
"We found them!" Buma exclaimed, relief flooding through me as Yi San and I hurried to join them.
"Where are they?" Yi San asked, his anxiety palpable. Buma and Chunho, visibly stunned, urged us to follow them outside the building. We took a back corridor that led to a structure resembling a cave within the facility's gardens.
Descending a few steps, we entered what appeared to be a crypt filled with coffins. However, one striking statue caught my eye, carved into the wall: a beautiful man with long, pitch-black hair, poised majestically atop the head of a dragon. On either side of the relief, pairs of fire and ice lanterns flickered, their energy seemingly granting the statue an almost lifelike vitality.
At that moment, I felt the Divine Bone Rune in my original body react violently, and I crouched in pain, momentarily losing my senses. I couldn't hear the others, though their expressions conveyed concern. In my blurred vision, I thought I saw the statue shift, though I wasn't sure if it was a hallucination.
A sharp pain pierced my head, and I screamed, images flashing in my mind. A couple—a woman and a man—appeared, their distorted memories swirling around me before I managed to repress the Divine Bone Rune and regain my clarity.
"Are you alright?" Yi San asked, his worry deepening as the fight outside grew fiercer.
"We don't have time," Chunho yelled, urgency punctuating his words.
"This man looks familiar," I remarked, taking in the shrine-like cave, the atmosphere heavy with reverence.
"The lanterns act as energy reserves, but they're affixed to this statue. It's likely that the statue serves as the eye of the formation, a door waiting to be triggered. No one has been here in ages; the lock must be weak, allowing dark matter to seep through," Buma explained, his voice steady yet tinged with apprehension.
"So you're hesitant?" Yi San asked, probing deeper.
"It might be more than just dark matter," I cautioned, understanding their trepidation.
"We need the lanterns, and Wiman and Haksu won't be able to hold off the Nephilim for much longer. But being trapped here, we have no idea what we could unleash once the lock is broken," Buma insisted, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.
"I sensed the eye of the formation, but the issue is that it lies outside, beneath the Demonic Pillar. If we are correct, this formation seems designed to contain whatever lurks behind that door. Destroying the eye of the formation carries the risk that the lock won't hold against what it keeps at bay. That would mean we can't escape this place, and we're running out of time to secure our victory in the Tournament," I summarised, my voice heavy with the weight of the situation.
"Maybe this is the real tournament?" Chunho suggested, a hint of uncertainty in his tone.
"Why would they gather some of the top martial artists and cultivators in the world here? It doesn't make sense. They summoned us to deliver the Fire and Ice Lanterns, which could unleash forces beyond our comprehension," Yi San countered, suspicion etched on his face.
We were engulfed in confusion, questions swirling like a storm within us. The only solution I could think of began to take shape in my mind.
"Let's leave the lanterns," I proposed, my voice steady despite the tension.
"What?" Chunho's disbelief was palpable.
"The degree of Dark Matter is abnormally high. Taking the lanterns, which are containing it, might worsen our situation. However, if we destroy the eye of the formation, we can then rebuild it," I reasoned, hoping to convey the urgency of our plight.
"What about the Tournament?" Buma interjected, his brow furrowed with concern.
"If the Elders orchestrated this, then the Tournament is a test of our morals. If they didn't, we cannot easily succumb to a dangerous scheme. We can destroy the eye of the formation to escape, and since formations can be both created and dismantled, we might reconstruct it by combining our powers. This way, we could contain the Nephilim until the Elders decide on our course of action. They could even reinforce it," I defended my stance, feeling the weight of my convictions.
"It's better this way," Yi San agreed quickly, and with his support, we turned to Chunho, who remained hesitant.
"There's roughly thirty minutes left," he stated, worry etched across his face. "Before we can reconstruct the formation, we need to understand it thoroughly. A single mistake could mean we can't reset it."
"I'll do it with Yi San," I resolved. "We can't be apart in case of danger, and you two can help Wiman and Haksu protect us from the Nephilim." As it appeared we had reached a consensus, we swiftly left the cave.
Stepping outside, the chaos had intensified. Wiman and Haksu, who had mounted a strong defence, were visibly exhausted, their powers nearly depleted. The sight of Wiman, in particular, stirred a deep unease within me.
"Let's hurry," Chunho urged, leading us towards the heart of the conflict where the winged Nephilim had gathered, some still lurking behind the barrier.
We landed before the Demonic Pillar, its ominous presence towering over us.
"Where are the lanterns?" Wiman inquired, his voice strained.
"They aren't here," Yi San lied, urgency in his tone. "We did find the eye of the formation, but you'll need to protect both Saya and me."
"It's keeping a limited number of Nephilim from entering the formation. Destroying it would mean facing all of them at once. Moreover, dismantling this ancient high-grade formation requires an immense supply of energy, significantly lowering our chances of survival," Wiman reported, his words heavy with foreboding.
"In twenty minutes, we'll likely be teleported back to the Sect. We must hold out until then. It's enough time for us to report to the Elders," Buma muttered, determination flickering in his eyes. Without further ado, Yi San and I positioned ourselves at opposite ends of the Pillar.
"Memorise the first half, and I'll take the second," he suggested, aiming to simplify the daunting task ahead.
"It will drain a lot of energy from you." I voiced my concern, unease knotting in my stomach.
"But it will be better this way than having you exhausted on your own," he insisted, his determination stirring something deep within me. I felt profoundly moved by his selflessness.
We closed our eyes, synchronising our breaths, the air thick with tension. As we waved our arms, we began to revolve the different parts of the formation, studying how they fit together. The task proved daunting, the complexity of the details overwhelming. Time was not on our side, and I fought to focus, pushing through the confusion until I finally mastered the first half.
"I'm going to break the first half," I alerted Yi San, adrenaline coursing through me.
"I'm ready," he replied, resolve shining in his eyes. Together, we combined our energies and struck the formation. It retaliated, sending ripples of energy waves from the ceiling that pressed down upon us with a fierce intensity.
We pressed on, the sound of cracking reverberating through the air. "We are almost done," I urged, feeling the weight of our task. With a final, resounding crack, the formation split in half, shattering completely. A massive wave of energy surged through the forest, repelling and destroying some of the Nephilim, while others scrambled to escape the explosive force.
The impact was almost unbearable; our defences had weakened, and we were thrown several metres away from the pillar. As the energy gradually waned, something astonishing occurred.
It didn't take long for us to recover, though we may not have noticed the change at first. The seal of the formation had been what kept the constriction chains on the pillar intact. Now, shattered into countless fragments, the pillar began to glow brighter, resonating with a rhythmic pulse that echoed like a heartbeat. The louder the throbbing grew, the more the particles of soil trembled beneath us, as if heralding the awakening of a colossal presence.
"What's going on?" Haksu shouted, confusion etched across his face.
"Repair the formation!" I yelled, urgency propelling me forward as I refused to wait for an impending catastrophe. The throbbing quickened, an ominous rhythm that urged action.
Drawing upon my memory, I waved my hands, conjuring the foundation of the seal in a desperate attempt to undo the damage. I knew it would take time to reset its activation radius, but I couldn't hesitate any longer.
Yi San joined me, and together we wove the rings of the formation's foundation, creating a tapestry of energy that felt as though it were pulling the very fabric of reality back into place.
Suddenly, everything stopped. I felt it—the shift in the air, the weight of a thousand unspoken words.
Another heartbeat resonated with the throbbing of the Demonic Pillar, oddly emanating from the cave where we had been earlier. It was deafening, loud enough for all six of us to hear, before the ground trembled violently, cracks forming in the relief door and shattering many of the lanterns that scattered like shattered dreams across the ground.
"Something's coming out!" I alerted the others, urgency igniting my voice. "Harder!" I shouted, and they began channelling their remaining strength into us as the seal of the formation accelerated its descent upon the region.
We were so close—only four minutes left for the formation to complete. Time was slipping through our fingers like sand.
Just as the formation hovered above us, a brilliant purple beam of light erupted from the heart of the cave, shattering the formation's seal rings in an instant. It was a pillar of light that scattered the clouds in the vast sky, releasing another wave of dark energy that surged towards us.
There was only one way to save us all, and I knew I had to risk everything, even my identity. I began channelling the strength of the Divine Bone Rune while my real body prepared to manifest. Suddenly, a sound like thunder roared, followed by a fierce gust of wind. In that moment, another white pillar descended before us, crackling with lightning. I felt a powerful arm wrap tightly around my waist, pulling me away from the impending doom.
It was the Eastern Guardian, his familiar silver half-mask gleaming, a stern expression etched on his face. With unwavering focus, he aimed forward, his right hand gripping the residual energy ring and crushing it entirely before it could inflict further harm.
I gazed at him in awe, yet he seemed oblivious to my presence, his bright blue eyes fixed on the danger ahead. Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged—dressed entirely in black, their aura radiating immense power, though I could not recognise them.
"At last, after all these years…" the stranger muttered, their voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine.
"What are you?" the Eastern Guardian demanded, a hint of tension in his tone.
"Of course you wouldn't know. I am here to collect something that belongs to me," the stranger replied, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished above the cave, positioning himself behind a massive coffin illuminated by the faint purple light.
The Eastern Guardian prepared to fly away, but before he could react, the figure disappeared just as our Tokens were reset. We were teleported back to the room that had welcomed us in the Sky Castle, greeted by a sea of hostile gazes, some tinged with concern for our condition.
There were about sixty people, none more than a hundred, all looking as wounded as we were—or worse. My mind raced as I processed the chaos, then I remembered I was still in the arms of the Eastern Guardian.
A burning sensation flared around my finger, a reminder to focus on myself. The illusory mark of the ring was acting up, revealing its aggression on my phantom form. Suddenly, dizziness washed over me. I had already expended so much of my power, and before I could brace myself, I collapsed, darkness swallowing me whole, sparing not even the slightest part of my consciousness.