The vast cavern opening was now dominated by the shadow of the Stone Rider and its terrifying mount. The Guardian's roar still echoed off the walls, its lethal pressure making the air heavy. Berwick, Alchio, Akemi, and Hyogaki held their breath, braced in combat stances against the colossal threat before them. The silence stretched, taut with tension, broken only by the faint grinding sounds from the Guardian's stone body and the low hum emanating from its glowing eyes.
Berwick was the first to move. "The plan is simple!" he yelled to the others. "Hyogaki, you scout for weak points! Akemi, provide ranged support and distract it! Alchio, you're with me, let's give this thing a proper 'hello' upfront!"
"Understood!" replied Hyogaki and Akemi almost simultaneously.
Alchio gripped his crystalline sword tightly, taking his place beside Berwick. Berwick's earlier words still resonated, sparking a newfound confidence within him. "Ready!"
"Alright then..." Berwick said, his eyes locked onto the Rider. "Charge!"
Berwick and Alchio launched themselves towards the Rider from two different directions. Berwick used wind magic to accelerate his steps, while Alchio created a thin layer of ice on the ground, sliding across it with speed. Their aim was to pinch the Rider from both sides and disrupt its balance. Akemi drew her bow, sending a volley of distracting arrows towards the Rider's glowing eyes. The arrows ricocheted off the stone armor but succeeded in momentarily drawing the Guardian's attention. Meanwhile, Hyogaki moved with agility, circling the Guardian, probing its armor and its mount for any potential cracks or weaknesses.
Just before entering the range of the Rider's spear, Berwick ducked low and swung his sword towards its leg. Simultaneously, Alchio leaped from the other side, attempting to bring his ice sword down on the Rider's arm. The grating sound of metal scraping against stone filled the air. Both the sword and the ice blade merely managed to leave a few shallow scratches on the Rider's formidable armor.
"Tough one!" Berwick grunted.
The Stone Rider seemed almost indifferent to their coordinated assault. It slowly raised its massive spear and then swung it towards Berwick with incredible speed. Berwick dodged sideways just in time, the spear tip slamming into the ground where he'd stood, creating a small crater and sending stone fragments flying. As the Guardian retracted its spear, it swung its shield in a wide arc towards Alchio. Though Alchio tried to conjure an ice shield, the force of the blow sent him hurtling backward, crashing hard onto the ground.
"Alchio!" Akemi cried out in concern.
"I'm okay!" Alchio coughed, pushing himself back up. He clutched his shoulder; the impact had been severe. "Just… rattled a bit."
Hyogaki shouted his observation: "Its armor is too thick! Direct attacks don't seem effective! The mount... the mount is more mobile, maybe there's an opening there!"
Right on cue, the Stone Rider's colossal mount neighed. It wasn't the sound of a normal horse; it was a harsh, ear-splitting noise like rocks grinding together. The steed reared up, slamming its front hooves down, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground that momentarily unbalanced all four of them.
The mount fixed its glowing eyes on Akemi and Hyogaki. Apparently, the Rider intended to leave the more agile targets to its steed. Despite its massive size, the stone horse charged towards Hyogaki with surprising speed.
"This one's mine!" yelled Akemi. She drew her bow again, this time infusing the tips of her arrows with small bursts of light magic. The glowing projectiles flew towards the charging mount.
Hyogaki quickly retreated. "Akemi, keep it distracted! I'll examine it up close!"
Berwick glanced at Alchio. "Looks like the big guy is ours."
Alchio nodded grimly. "We can handle him." Despite the pain in his shoulder, he gripped his sword firmly.
However, things didn't go according to plan. When Berwick and Alchio tried to re-engage the Rider, the Guardian's defenses and counter-attacks were much faster and more brutal. Berwick used his sword to parry spear thrusts, occasionally trying to land Ether-charged punches on the armor, but his hands stung with each impact. Alchio employed ice magic, attempting to slow the Rider and restrict its movements, attacking with his sword whenever he saw an opening. But the Rider shattered the ice with ease and deflected Alchio's strikes with its shield.
"This isn't working!" Berwick growled through gritted teeth. "We need to be faster!" Seizing a momentary lapse in the Rider's defense, he lunged forward.
Alchio simultaneously launched an attack from a different angle. "Cutting him off, Berwick! Coming from the right!"
But neither had anticipated the Rider's next move. The Guardian planted its spear into the ground and, with a sudden pivot, swung its shield around like a wall, directly into their path. Just as Berwick realized he was about to collide with the shield head-on, he saw Alchio converging from the same direction.
"Alchio, watch out! Look where you're going!" Berwick yelled.
But it was too late. Alchio, startled by Berwick's warning, turned his head just in time to slam right into Berwick's back.
"No way! Hit the brakes, man, hit the brakes!" Alchio yelled nonsensically.
Losing their balance completely, with shouts of "Oof!" and "Ah!", they became entangled, tumbling head over heels in a comical heap several meters across the dusty floor. When they finally came to a stop, Berwick found himself sprawled next to Alchio, while Alchio looked like he'd tried to bury his head in the ground like an ostrich.
"What do you think you're doing, you oaf!" Alchio grumbled, Berwick's elbow digging into his ribs. "Why didn't you warn me properly! We almost became paste on that shield!"
Berwick quickly scrambled up, dusting himself off. "What was I supposed to do! I was in mid-charge when you suddenly cut in front of me! Besides, I did yell, didn't I? Are you an ice-head or something?"
"Ice-head?! You're the one who should watch where you're going, coming at me like a freight train! I almost got run over!"
The Stone Rider actually paused for a fraction of a second, seemingly regarding the bickering pair on the ground with something akin to confusion at their foolish display. This momentary pause ended as the Guardian raised its spear once more.
"We'll settle this later!" Berwick snapped, scrambling sideways. Alchio rolled in the opposite direction. The spear slammed down violently where they had just been, cracking the floor further.
Meanwhile, Akemi and Hyogaki were engaged in a desperate struggle with the giant stone horse. Akemi constantly dodged the mount's attacks while harassing it with arrows. Her light-infused arrows sparked against the stone hide but failed to cause significant damage. Hyogaki, however, moved with incredible agility beneath the creature, weaving between its legs, probing joints and runic markings with his dagger.
"Find anything, Hyogaki?" Akemi called out, ducking under a sudden tail swipe, her hair whipping around her face.
"I think so!" Hyogaki replied, his voice laced with excitement. He was intently focused on a glowing green rune located behind the mount's rear left knee joint. "This rune glows differently from the others! Brighter, and it seems to... pulse! The area trembles slightly whenever the horse takes a step! I think this might be its balance center or a weak point!"
"Got it! I have an idea! We need to immobilize it now!" Akemi pulled a specially crafted arrow with a hooked tip from her quiver. A sturdy, shimmering energy chain was attached to its end. Taking a deep breath, she narrowed her eyes, took aim, and fired the arrow into a patch of what looked like slightly softer stone just beside the rune Hyogaki had indicated. The arrow embedded itself firmly, the hook deploying. "Hyogaki, now!"
Hyogaki instantly understood Akemi's plan. He swiftly grabbed the other end of the energy chain, looped it several times around a massive, nearby crystal pillar, and secured it with a knot reinforced by his own Ether. When the mount felt the pull on its leg and tried to move angrily, the energy chain snapped taut. The horse neighed furiously – that grating, rocky sound again – trying to break the chain, but Akemi's arrow and Hyogaki's knot held surprisingly firm. The mount's left rear leg was suspended awkwardly in the air.
"Fantastic! Now it's my turn!" Akemi selected her most specialized arrow this time. Its tip was intricately inscribed with complex runes and began to accumulate intense light energy the moment she touched it. She closed her eyes, focusing all her attention and Ether into the arrowhead. The tip now glowed like a miniature sun, radiating palpable heat. "Hyogaki, get clear!"
As Hyogaki quickly somersaulted back to a safe distance, Akemi drew her bow to its absolute limit. The bowstring groaned under the tension. She opened her eyes, locking onto the pulsing green rune, held her breath, and released the arrow. Leaving a bright white trail in the air, the arrow flew towards its target with the speed of a lightning bolt.
BOOOOM!
The moment the arrow struck the rune, a deafening explosion occurred. The green rune shattered like glass, spraying sparks of green energy outwards. The shockwave rocked the cavern. The stone horse let out an echoing, agonized shriek, a sound unlike anything heard before. Its chained leg fell limp, and then its entire colossal body lost balance, toppling sideways with a tremendous crash. The impact shook the very foundations of the cave, sending more dust and rock raining down from the ceiling. The light in the horse's eyes faded, and it lay still.
"We did it!" Akemi shouted triumphantly, wiping sweat from her brow. Hyogaki ran over and clapped her on the shoulder. "Great shot!"
However, on the Rider's side, there was no time for celebration. Though momentarily distracted by the mount's fall, the Stone Rider was far from defeated. It seemed the loss of its steed hadn't slowed it down but had instead enraged it further. The lava-like glow in its eyes intensified. It relentlessly pressed its attack on Berwick and Alchio, using its spear and shield with brutal efficiency.
"This guy is incredibly tough and angry!" Alchio exclaimed, narrowly dodging a shield bash that pulverized the ice barrier he'd hastily created.
"Looks like we have no choice but to take him head-on!" Berwick stated grimly. "Change of plans! I'll attack upfront and draw its focus. You prepare your strongest, most piercing ice attack! We need to break its armor at a single point!"
"What? Alone? Are you sure, Berwick? He's too strong!" Alchio hesitated, worried.
"Just do it!" Berwick didn't give Alchio a chance to argue further. He launched himself towards the Rider, but this time, he sheathed his sword on his back. He was focusing on his fists. Ether swirled around his arms like vortexes, coalescing into a distinct, pulsing red aura.
Seeing the determination, perhaps even recklessness, in Berwick's eyes, Alchio pushed aside his hesitation. "Alright! But be careful!" He retreated to create a safe distance and brought his hands together again, gathering his Ether. This time, his goal wasn't just a large block of ice; he focused on concentrating his Ether into a single, piercing point, channeling it to form the sharpest, coldest ice spear imaginable. The blue energy swirling between his palms grew brighter and more defined, shedding tiny, freezing crystals into the air.
Berwick closed the distance to the Rider rapidly. The Guardian's full attention was now fixed on him. The Rider thrust its spear towards Berwick, but he seemed to anticipate it. With swift, almost unbelievable acrobatic movements, he evaded the deadly spear strikes. He flipped sideways, spun in mid-air, slid beneath thrusts. And he wasn't just dodging; whenever an opportunity arose, he slammed Ether-charged fists into the Rider's stone armor. While the punches might not have been severely wounding the Guardian yet, each blow landed like a hammer strike, staggering it momentarily and buying precious time for Alchio.
"Still standing, insect?" the Rider growled, its voice like grinding rocks. Berwick's agility and persistence were clearly infuriating it. Seeing that the spear attacks weren't effective, it changed tactics. With a sudden movement, it dropped its spear, letting it embed itself in the ground. Then, it tossed its shield aside as well.
Seeing it speak, Berwick offered a slight smirk and a mocking tone. "Oh, so someone can talk? Good. While you're at it, tell me, how do you manage to use the toilet in that armor? Or wait, does your waste come out as crystals or something? Always wondered."
Instead of answering, the Rider extended its stone hands towards Berwick. The rocks at its fingertips elongated and sharpened, transforming into claws as dark and sharp as obsidian. Similar spikes erupted from its shoulders and elbows. It was preparing for close combat. "No need for the spear. I'll crush you with my bare hands!"
Berwick's expression turned serious. "Let's see if you can."
The Rider lunged forward with unexpected speed. Its stone fists and claws slashed through the air towards Berwick. Instinctively, Berwick raised his guard, blocking the blows with his forearms. The sounds of stone impacting stone echoed sharply. Berwick retaliated, his own fists landing on the Rider's torso and arms. They were locked in a brutal exchange, Berwick relying on agility, the Rider on sheer power and weight.
During this ferocious clash, Berwick made a split-second miscalculation. He failed to notice a sharp spike extending from the Rider's left forearm. The spike moved like a striking snake, bypassing Berwick's guard and stabbing deep into his right side.
"ARRRGHHH!" A raw scream of agony tore from Berwick's throat. The spike had penetrated deep, piercing his armor and muscle. His breath hitched, spots dancing before his eyes. Intense, searing pain flooded his entire body. He staggered back several steps, clutching the wound, hot blood seeping between his fingers.
"BERWICK!" Alchio yelled in horror. The ice spear he was forming was nearly complete, but seeing Berwick injured shattered his concentration.
The Stone Rider advanced slowly on its wounded prey, the lava-like glow in its eyes burning with triumph. It raised a clawed hand. "Game over, brat."
Berwick had collapsed to his knees. Pain was etched on his face, but his eyes showed no sign of surrender. On the contrary, a ferocious determination, a primal rage he hadn't shown before, blazed within them. He spat out a mouthful of blood and wiped his mouth fiercely with the back of his hand. Despite the wound, he struggled to rise. "Not... over yet... you pile of rocks!"
His Ether exploded outwards like a volcano erupting within him. The red aura surrounding him intensified dramatically, vibrating the very air, causing small pebbles on the ground to levitate. The blood seeping from his wound seemed to vaporize upon contact with the sheer heat of his energy.
"ALCHIO! NOW!" Berwick roared.
Snapping back to reality at Berwick's cry, Alchio cast aside all fear and hesitation. Focusing with renewed intensity, he thrust his hands forward, launching the single, massive, deadly ice spear he had prepared with all his remaining strength. "FRIDGIA'S FROST! PIERCE HIM!"
The ice spear shrieked through the air, spinning rapidly as it flew, and struck the Rider square in the chest – the thickest part of its armor. KRAAAAK! A deafening crack echoed upon impact, followed by the spear successfully breaching the Guardian's stone plating and embedding itself deep within its torso. A dense, freezing mist instantly billowed from the spreading cracks around the point of impact. The Guardian roared again, a choked sound of agony this time. Large portions of its body began to rapidly encase in thick ice, its movements becoming visibly sluggish. It tried to pull the impaled spear out, but its freezing joints refused to cooperate.
This was the moment Berwick had been waiting for, the opening he had created through his own pain.
Ignoring the agony in his side, ignoring the blood loss, he launched himself forward like a predator unleashed. He moved so fast he left a blurry red afterimage. The ground beneath his feet cracked and buckled under the force of his charge. Reaching the Rider's partially frozen, slowed form, he channeled all his rage, all his pain, all his remaining Ether into his fists. His arms no longer just glowed; they appeared to be formed of pure, solidified energy.
"MY BUSINESS... WITH YOU... ISN'T FINISHED YET!"
His first punch landed squarely on the Rider's ice-covered chest, right near the fissures created by the ice spear. THOOOM! The sound this time fundamentally shook the cavern. The impact shattered the ice layer instantly, turning the crack in the stone armor beneath into a gaping hole. Blinding light and a tremendous shockwave pulsed outwards.
Berwick didn't stop. He seemed beyond pain now, moving purely on instinct and an indomitable will. His fists became a blur, raining down blows like machine-gun fire. Right, left, uppercut, elbow, knee strike… Each impact was more violent, more destructive than the last. The raw power of his Ether hammered the Guardian's stone body, shattering and pulverizing it.
CRUNCH! BAM! CRACK! SMASH!
The sound of his fists was no longer just noise; it was a symphony of destruction. With every CRUNCH that echoed through the cavern, clouds of dust erupted from the ground, and gale-force winds whipped around them. The floor beneath Berwick's feet had completely given way, deep fissures spiderwebbing towards the cavern walls. Crystals and rocks falling from the ceiling seemed insignificant compared to the destructive force being unleashed.
The Rider's body was disintegrating under the relentless assault. Its arms were torn off, its legs shattered, the hole in its torso growing wider with each blow. The Guardian tried feebly to resist, attempting to gather energy for one last counterattack, but Berwick's speed and power gave it no quarter. Every strike further annihilated its very being.
Berwick launched himself into the air one last time, perhaps with all the energy he had left. His body seemed momentarily engulfed in red flame. Twisting in mid-air, he focused all his strength, all his will, all his fury into his right fist. His fist glowed like a small, descending meteor.
"THIS IS... THE LAST ONE! VANISH! RRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
The fist connected with the Rider's still-resisting, fractured head.
SHAAAAATTER! KABOOOOOOM!
The sound overwhelmed everything else. An ear-splitting shattering noise accompanied a massive explosion. The Rider's head simply ceased to exist under the impact of Berwick's fist, vaporizing instantly. Cracks spread like a virus across the Guardian's remaining body at impossible speed. For a few seconds, it stood like a crumbling statue illuminated by the green and red light leaking from its fissures, but then its resistance completely failed. With a final, earth-shattering rumble, its massive stone body collapsed, disintegrating into thousands of pieces. It was like watching a mountain crumble.
When the thick cloud of dust slowly began to settle, all that remained where the Guardian had stood was a large mound of shattered rock and crystal fragments. The Dungeon Guardian… was defeated. Utterly destroyed.
Berwick stood directly in front of the Guardian's remains, head tilted back towards the ceiling, taking deep, ragged breaths. His chest heaved rapidly, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. The wound in his side was still there; the bleeding had slowed, but the pain was returning with a vengeance. His red-black trench coat was in tatters, his clothes beneath similarly damaged. His face and arms were covered in cuts, bruises, and dust. The wild, burning light in his eyes had faded, replaced by profound exhaustion. But he was standing tall. He had done it.
A deep silence fell over the cavern. Alchio, Akemi, and Hyogaki remained frozen where they stood, holding their breath, staring at Berwick. They couldn't quite believe the scene they had just witnessed. What they had just experienced… defied comprehension.
"He... He alone..." Akemi stammered, her voice trembling. Her bow hung loosely in her hand, her arrow forgotten on the ground.
Hyogaki removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes as if needing to see more clearly. "Power at this level... That... That's a monster..." His whisper was filled with awe, and perhaps a touch of fear.
Alchio was completely mesmerized, his gaze fixed on Berwick. The raw power Berwick had just displayed, the fists that had shattered the Guardian, the indomitable will that refused to yield despite injury... The word "weak," which his own family had branded him with for years, suddenly felt utterly meaningless. Berwick stood stronger than anyone Alchio had ever known, perhaps even stronger than his own father. This strength wasn't just destructive; it felt like it held a core of protective instinct, a quest for justice. How could someone like this not already be a Guardian? Was he hiding his power? Alchio shook his head slightly, deciding there must be a logical explanation and chose not to question it further for now. The initial feelings of rivalry or jealousy Alchio might have felt towards Berwick were completely replaced by a deep sense of respect, and perhaps, for the first time in a long while, trust. He could trust this person, and he felt fortunate to potentially have such an ally.
"This man... this... was truly incredible."
Just as Alchio took a step towards Berwick, a powerful beam of bright white light descended from the cavern ceiling, stopping directly in front of Berwick. Within the light, a large, holographic panel materialized. Its dazzling brilliance illuminated Berwick's exhausted but proud silhouette. On the panel, clear, large letters displayed the following text:
[ DUNGEON GUARDIAN DEFEATED! ]
[ EXAM STAGE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED! ]
[ GROUP 3 VICTORIOUS! ]
[ ALL PARTICIPANTS TELEPORTING TO MAIN HUB... ]
Immediately following this, a strong, mechanical announcer's voice echoed throughout the cavern:
'Congratulations, Guardian Candidates! Group 3 has successfully completed this stage of the exam! All participants, please prepare for teleportation!'
Under the bright glare of the panel and the imminent teleportation, Berwick finally expended the last of his strength. His knees buckled. As his consciousness faded, his body began to slump forward. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was the blurred silhouettes of his friends rushing towards him and an all-encompassing white light.