Survival(3)
The crimson warning hanging in the humid air wasn't the result of a lucky hunt.
It was the result of thirty-two hours of relentless survival.
For thirty-two straight hours, Lee Seo Jun and his temporary squad had never truly rested.
The Verdant Hell had more than earned its name.
Throughout the endless alien night, they fought without pause, surviving one ambush only to walk into the next.
Shadow Wolves hunted in coordinated packs, isolating stragglers before tearing them apart.
Ironhide Boars charged through everything in their path, their iron-like hides shrugging off ordinary weapons.
Venomous Stalkers waited beneath roots and foliage, striking only when their prey let its guard down.
Seo Jun and his squad had cut them all down.
His iron longsword was barely recognizable now.
The blade was chipped, bent, and dulled beyond repair. It looked less like a weapon and more like a jagged piece of scrap.
Every muscle in his twenty-year-old body screamed in protest.
His hands had long since gone numb.
His shoulders burned with every movement.
Only the constant surge of adrenaline kept him standing.
Yet there was no frustration in his eyes.
Only satisfaction.
This was how strength was forged.
Behind him, the academy cadets looked far worse.
Mud clung to every inch of their uniforms.
Monster blood had dried into dark stains across their clothes.
Heavy exhaustion weighed on their faces as they leaned against the black trees, struggling to remain conscious.
Even Ha Neul was nearing her limit.
Her control over mana had improved at an astonishing pace, but her face had turned pale.
Her breathing was uneven.
The hand gripping her wand trembled despite her efforts to steady it.
The only reason any of them had survived this long was because Seo Jun had held the front line alone.
And now, because he had slain far more monsters than the Tower had anticipated...
Because he had accumulated more Survival Points than this stage was designed to allow...
The Tower decided to correct that imbalance.
A hidden execution protocol had been activated.
"ROOOOOAAARRR!"
The roar shook the jungle.
It wasn't the cry of a beast.
It sounded like a declaration.
A warning issued to everyone present.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The dense undergrowth parted.
A towering figure stepped into the faint green light filtering through the canopy.
Every cadet froze.
A giant clad in ancient armor emerged from the shadows.
[The Corrupted Abyssal Knight]
Nearly eight feet tall.
Its rust-covered armor appeared fused directly to black, decaying flesh.
A tattered crimson cape hung from its shoulders, swaying gently despite the complete absence of wind.
Yet its appearance wasn't what made Seo Jun narrow his eyes.
It was the sword.
A massive curved greatsword rested in the knight's hand, forged from pitch-black metal.
Dark mana coursed across its surface like strands of black lightning.
Compared to that weapon, Seo Jun's battered longsword looked pitiful.
Then there was the aura.
It seeped from the cross-shaped visor of the helmet like invisible poison.
The moment it touched the surrounding jungle, leaves withered.
Grass blackened.
Flowers crumbled into ash.
Even the air itself felt tainted.
Seo Jun's expression turned solemn.
He knew that energy.
He had witnessed it countless times in his previous life.
The corruption of the Invaders.
The power wielded by the Outer Gods.
The same force that would one day descend upon Earth and reduce entire civilizations to ruins.
Somehow...
The Tower had absorbed a fragment of that corruption.
And turned one of its monsters into something far more dangerous.
The crimson system window flickered violently before shattering into countless fragments.
[Target Confirmed]
[Commencing Eradication]
The Corrupted Abyssal Knight slowly raised its greatsword.
There was no roar.
No reckless charge.
Its stance was disciplined.
Every movement was calm, efficient, and devoid of unnecessary motion.
Like a veteran who had survived countless battlefields.
Dark mana wrapped around its armor.
A strengthening technique.
And an exceptionally powerful one.
Seo Jun assessed it in an instant.
Strength.
Agility.
Stamina.
All roughly twenty-two.
Not exact.
Close enough.
An ordinary human possessed average stats of seven.
Seo Jun had already reached fourteen.
The difference was obvious.
The knight was stronger.
Faster.
And armed with a vastly superior weapon.
To any ordinary awakener...
It was an impossible opponent.
A battle that ended only in death.
Seo Jun simply tightened his grip around his sword.
Numbers were useful.
But they were never absolute.
He had learned that lesson long ago.
Combat wasn't decided by statistics alone.
Victory belonged to the one who judged the battlefield correctly.
Timing.
Precision.
Experience.
Those three things had overturned impossible odds more times than he could remember.
A dull blade could still kill a god...
If it struck at the perfect moment.
"Shield Group."
Seo Jun's calm voice cut through the suffocating silence.
"Drive your shields into the ground."
The cadets carrying tower shields immediately straightened.
"Don't try to stop its blade."
"Absorb the shockwave. Nothing more."
His gaze shifted toward Ha Neul.
"Coordinate with the archers."
"Aim for its torso."
"Wait until it fully commits to a swing. The moment it overextends, the spearmen target its joints."
"We don't need to wound it."
"We only need to force it to react."
He looked across the exhausted faces surrounding him.
Despite their fatigue...
Despite the fear in their eyes...
His voice never wavered.
"We'll win this."
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"Together."
Ha Neul swallowed hard and tightened her grip on her wand.
"...Understood."
Min Ho and others who have shields, have slammed their shield into the muddy ground.
They dropped to one knee behind it. Their entire body shook. But they nodded.
"We'll hold."
The Knight disappeared.
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath its feet. Mud and roots flew into the air. It wasn't teleportation.
It was pure speed and it was more than his own.
Seo Jun didn't follow it with his eyes.
Instead, he closed his eyes.
For a brief moment, his senses expanded outward.
The flow of air.
The movement of mana.
The faint traces of killing intent.
Left. Right. Above. Front. Behind.
Nothing escaped his awareness.
It was as though he had become one with the surrounding space itself. Even with his eyes closed, he could perceive every movement the enemy made.
His eyes snapped open.
He moved.
A sharp pivot and a lowered shoulder. His damaged sword rose diagonally.
CLAAAANG!!
The collision sounded like thunder. A violent shockwave erupted from the impact.
Trees bent. Fern leaves flattened. Several smaller trunks cracked apart.
The shield group screamed as the pressure slammed into their shield.
Their boots dug trenches through the mud.
But they held. They didn't move.
Behind him, the archers remained protected.
Seo Jun's arms nearly went numb. The force behind the strike was monstrous.
But he never intended to block it. At the last moment, he redirected the attack.
He made a thirty-degree deflection..
The Knight's immense strength slid harmlessly along the blade.
The greatsword missed its target.
CRASH!
The weapon buried itself into the mud.
A tiny opening appeared.
That was all Seo Jun needed. His exhausted body surged forward.
One step. Inside the Knight's guard.
His sword flashed. A silver arc cut through the darkness.
And struck directly toward the exposed side of the Corrupted Abyssal Knight.
The slash landed.
Screeeech!
Sparks burst across the clearing.
Seo Jun's sword scraped across the Knight's side, leaving only a shallow mark.
It was too shallow. The armor was far tougher than he expected.
The Knight reacted immediately. Its armored fist shot toward him like a cannon.
"Seo Jun!"
Ha Neul shouted.
Seo Jun lowered his body.
Whoosh!
The fist tore through the air above his head. The pressure alone felt like a hammer.
He rolled backward and created distance.
At the same moment,
Twang!
Twang!....
Five arrows and three spears flew from the rear.
The archers and spearman weren't aiming for damage.
They aimed for distraction. The arrows struck the Knight's shoulder and the spears struck its joints.
Clang!
Clang!
The armor held. But the monster's attention shifted for a fraction of a second.
That was enough.
Ha Neul raised her wand.
Her breathing remained calm despite her exhaustion.
Mana gathered and compressed. It was focused. There is no point of distraction.
A brilliant blue sphere shot forward.
BOOM!
The spell exploded directly against the visor.
The Knight stumbled.
Just one step. But it stumbled.
"Good!" Seo Jun shouted.
"Don't target the armor. It is tough."
He pointed at its legs.
"Target the joints, torso and knees. If we can't break it, we'll break its balance!"
The squad immediately adjusted without hesitation and panic.
They trusted him.
And the battle continued.
And for several minutes.
✦ ✦ ✦
The fight became a war of endurance. A brutal contest of will.
Again and again the Knight attacked. Every swing of its greatsword shattered trees. Every step left craters in the ground. Dark mana continuously flowed through its body. Making it faster, stronger and harder.
Yet Seo Jun never stopped moving. He dodged, parried, redirected and countered.
Like flowing water squeezing through impossible cracks.
Each movement saved his life by inches.
Once.
Twice.
Ten times.
A hundred times.
But his body was reaching its limit.
His palms were torn apart.
Blood soaked the sword grip.
His ribs screamed whenever he breathed.
A strike from the Knight's knee earlier had cracked at least two of them.
His vision occasionally blurred.
His legs felt heavier with every passing minute.
Still, he endured. Because he wasn't fighting alone.
"Left!" Min Ho roared.
The warning came just before the Knight changed direction.
Seo Jun immediately reacted.
The greatsword missed his neck by centimeters. A second later an arrow struck the monster's visor. Not enough to damage it. Enough to interrupt it.
Then Ha Neul followed.
BOOM!
A mana blast exploded beneath the Knight's right foot. The giant staggered. Seo Jun instantly punished the opening. His sword flashed.
A strike at the knee. Another at the elbow. A third at the neck joint.
Tiny damage.
Tiny cracks.
Tiny advantages.
Slowly accumulating.
That was how weak hunters defeated stronger monsters.
One mistake.
One weakness.
One opportunity at a time.
Several minutes passed.
The squad was falling apart. The archers had exhausted every arrow. Their quivers were empty.
Ha Neul's face was pale. Her mana was nearly gone.
Shields looked like scrap metal. Their hands bled so heavily they could barely hold it.
And Seo Jun's sword… was dying.
Deep cracks covered the blade. Every collision made them spread further.
A warning flashed repeatedly.
[Weapon Durability: 1%]
One more clash. That was all it would take.
The Knight seemed to sense it. A grinding roar escaped its helmet. Dark mana erupted around its body. The greatsword rose. Both hands gripping the hilt. The surrounding air trembled.
Even the ground seemed to recoil. Seo Jun's eyes narrowed. A finishing move.
The monster was betting everything and so was he.
"Everyone behind the shields!"
Seo Jun shouted.
"Now!"
Nobody argued. They immediately obeyed.
The Knight swung.
BOOOOOOM!!
Dark energy exploded outward.
A massive crescent of corruption ripped through the jungle.
Trees disintegrated. The earth split apart. Death rushed forward.
And Seo Jun stepped directly toward it.
"SEO JUN!"
Ha Neul screamed.
His sword rose with perfect angle and perfect timing.
The ultimate technique of the Flowing Stream Sword Art.
A sword existed for one purpose alone, to cut.
When that principle was taken to its extreme, offense and defense became one. Any attack that entered its domain was simply severed.
The collision arrived.
CRACK.
Time froze.
Then,
SHATTER!
His sword exploded.
Hundreds of fragments scattered through the air.
That was expected but he countered it perfectly.
The final weapon protecting them was gone.
Ha Neul's heart dropped.
The archers froze.
Even other squad members' faces turned pale.
It was over. The greatsword continued toward Seo Jun's neck.
And yet,
Seo Jun smiled. A tiny smile.
Because this was exactly what he had been waiting for.
A swordsman depended on his sword.
The master did not.
The weapon was merely a tool. The true blade was always the person wielding it.
The moment his sword shattered, another memory surfaced.
Another skill. Another life.
Ancient martial arts flooded into his mind with countless battles, countless masters and countless victories.
The foundation of all fist combat.
The Diamond Vajra Subjugation Fist
✦ ✦ ✦
[Diamond Vajra Subjugation Fist]
Rank: Epic
Level: 5
Description:
A supreme fist technique created to suppress powerful enemies through overwhelming force and unwavering resolve. The user channels their physical strength and energy into every strike, creating impacts capable of shattering defenses and crushing opponents with the might of a vajra. At higher mastery, the technique embodies the indestructible nature of the vajra itself.
✦ ✦ ✦
Level 5.
The highest level he had ever mastered in his previous life.
The conditions didn't fully match. Not this time.
But he couldn't afford to think about that now.
If he failed here, the same tragedy would repeat itself.
So he forced it anyway.
He would endure the recoil. Because he already knew what awaited him once this stage was cleared.
Seo Jun stepped forward.
Not backward.
Forward.
Straight into danger.
He had already calculated the trajectory.
The greatsword passed behind his neck.
Less than an inch away, the blade missed him completely.
A few strands of hair drifted into the air, severed in its wake.
The knight's eyes widened.
For the first time, it showed surprise.
Seo Jun entered its blind spot.
Too close.
Far too close for a greatsword.
Mana gathered around his fists. Blue light coiled tightly around his knuckles.
The last remnants of his strength. The last remnants of his mana. Compressed into a series of consecutive strikes.
Everything he had left.
His first fist strike landed.
BANG!
Palm strike. Directly into the elbow joint.
The armored arm locked. The Knight lost control of its weapon.
Second strike.
CRACK!
A fist smashed into the damaged knee. Metal fractured. The giant's balance collapsed. It tried to counter using fist in close combat but failed.
Third strike.
BOOM!
An elbow slammed into the visor. Its head snapped backward.
Seo Jun continued.
No pause.
No mercy.
His body moved like flowing water. One strike connected to another and it was too fast.
Foot.
Hip.
Shoulder.
Fist.
Every movement generated power for the next.
The armor protected the surface. But not the force beneath.
Shockwaves traveled through metal.
Into flesh.
Into bone.
Into the corrupted core hidden within.
The Knight staggered.
Again.
Again.
Again.
It couldn't recover. The relentless close-range assault overwhelmed it completely.
Then Seo Jun gathered everything.
Every injury.
Every ounce of exhaustion.
Every remaining drop of mana.
His right fist pulled back. His body coiled. Like a drawn bowstring.
The world seemed to slow. His breathing steadied.
One final strike. One final chance.
"BREAK!."
The word echoed through the clearing. Seo Jun stepped forward.
BOOOOOOM!!
His fist struck the center of the chest plate. The impact sounded like thunder.
Cracks spread across the rusted armor. Blue mana exploded inward.
The force pierced deep into the monster's body. And reached the corrupted core.
Crack.
A small sound.
Yet somehow louder than the entire battle.
The core shattered. Everything stopped.
The Knight froze. The dark energy vanished.
Its sword slipped from its grasp.
Thud.
The weapon landed in the mud.
Silence followed. For several seconds nobody moved. Nobody breathed.
Seo Jun remained standing. His fist pressed against the broken armor.
Ready for the next strike
If the monster moved again, he would fight.
Even with nothing left, he can't lose here. He must win.
But it didn't move. The crimson light behind the visor flickered.
Then slowly faded. Dark smoke escaped from the armor.
The corruption was disappearing.
And beneath it...
Something else remained. A silver glow. It was gentle and peaceful.
The massive knight slowly lowered itself onto one knee.
Face-to-face with Seo Jun.
A voice echoed inside his mind. It was broken and trembling....
"Thank you..."
As if spoken after centuries of suffering.
As if they had been trapped for an eternity of suffering.
The chains...
They are finally gone.
Seo Jun remained silent for a moment, studying the figure before him.
Not a monster, not anymore.
Just a soldier who had lost his way long ago.
He gave a respectful nod.
"Rest."
Silver light began to seep through the knight's armor, soft and fading.
But before everything dissolved, the voice returned but thinner this time, almost hesitant.
"…Before I fade… tell me your name. The one who freed me."
Seo Jun looked at it briefly.
"Seo Jun."
A pause.
"Remember it."
A faint silence followed.
Then, as if dragging memory from the depths of time, the knight spoke its own name.
"…I am Valtherion de Ravencrest, Blade of the Azure Crown."
A name once spoken in halls of glory.
Now only an echo at the end of ruin.
The knight lowered its head.
A faint, grateful smile formed beneath the helm.
Then its body dissolved into ash.
The jungle wind carried what remained away.
Leaving only two things behind.
A glowing crystal.
And a dark greatsword.
The battlefield finally fell silent.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Abyssal Sovereign Executioner]
Rank: Legendary
Description:
A greatsword forged from a corrupted material originating beyond this world. It carries the essence of the abyss itself, granting destructive power far beyond ordinary weapons.
However, due to crude forging methods and incomplete understanding of the material, only a fraction of its true power has been awakened. The weapon contains potential capable of reaching a higher realm, but its current form fails to utilize it fully.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Ravencrest Royal Legacy Relic]
Rank: Legendary
Description:
A crystallized legacy left behind after the dissolution of a bound soul.
It is not a weapon nor a living artifact.
It is the remaining essence of a knight who once served the Azure Crown carrying his duty, his oath and the final fragment of his existence after centuries of imprisonment.
It does not shine as light or radiate power. Instead it stabilizes mana and resists corruption as if preserving the memory of a knight who refused to abandon his duty even in death.
Within it lies a faint resonance that awaits the one who freed him.
However for one whose innate nature already rejects corruption and mental interference its value remains dormant. It will only respond when the proper conditions are met when its legacy can be inherited rather than simply observed.
✦ ✦ ✦
Seo Jun stood for exactly three seconds.
Then his legs gave out.
Thud.
He dropped to one knee.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
The pain hit him all at once.
His ribs.
His muscles.
His hands.
Everything screamed.
"Seo Jun!"
Ha Neul ran forward.
Tears streamed down her dirt-covered face.
She caught him before he could completely collapse.
For a moment she forgot the Tower. Forgot the monsters. Forgot everything. All that mattered was that he was alive.
Min Ho and the others quickly formed a defensive circle. Weapons raised. Eyes scanning the darkness. Ready for another attack.
But none came. The jungle was quiet.
For the first time in 33 hours...
It felt peaceful.
Seo Jun coughed weakly.
Then looked at Ha Neul. A small smile appeared. A real one.
"We survived."
Her eyes immediately became red.
"You idiot."
Seo Jun laughed weakly. Then reached for the fallen greatsword and crystal.
The moment his hand touched the weapon, golden light exploded across the jungle.
The entire canopy illuminated. The darkness retreated.
System messages filled the sky.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Hidden Condition Cleared]
[Lee Seo Jun and his group have defeated the Hidden Guardian of Stage One]
[Evaluating Performance and Contribution]
[Evaluation Complete]
[Grade Beyond Measure]
[Massive Bonus Rewards Granted]
[Unique Guardian Loot Acquired]
[Binding Complete]
[Unique Guardian Loot has been bound to Lee Seo Jun]
[The Guardian has left its final gift for the one who freed him]
✦ ✦ ✦
The squad stared upward. They were speechless.
Then another message appeared.
One visible to every surviving participant in the Verdant Hell.
✦ ✦ ✦
[System Notice]
[The Hidden Guardian has been defeated]
[Threat Level Reduced to Zero]
[Stage One Concluded]
[Total Survival Time: 33 Hours]
[Congratulations, Survivors]
[Preparing Transfer to Stage Two]
[Destination: Hall of Reflections]
[All wounds, fatigue, and mana depletion will be restored upon arrival]
✦ ✦ ✦
The moment those words appeared, everyone reacted at once.
Some let out exhausted sighs.
Some laughed in disbelief.
Some cried without holding back.
And a few simply collapsed where they stood.
They had survived.
Not because they were lucky.
Not because the Tower showed mercy.
They survived because they fought.
Together.
Golden light descended from above.
Their injuries began healing.
The muddy battlefield dissolved into particles of blue light.
Seo Jun felt the familiar pull of spatial transfer begin.
The nightmare was finally ending.
He closed his eyes.
Leaning slightly against Ha Neul.
For the first time since entering the Tower…
He allowed himself to rest, even if only for a moment.
The Verdant Hell faded from existence.
Behind them, it ceased to be a place.
Ahead of them, something else waited.
A new trial.
The first nightmare was over.
The true climb of the Tower had only just begun.