A few minutes before Zent arrived in the forest...
"Zent, where are you?" Celine asked with hope, unable to hold the magic dome any longer, even with the assistance of the green light behind the barrier.
Her right hand trembled strongly, sweat drenching her body. It was a miracle that she had managed to hold on until now, for the sake of her two unconscious friends. Not only her mana, but Celine's energy had also depleted, and her vision was starting to blur, a sign that her body had reached its limit.
Even a Tier 6 knight needed time to rest, and since yesterday, she hadn't had enough rest due to the various situations that had occurred.
Celine clenched her fist tightly, fighting against the growing exhaustion that was slowly overtaking her body. She would not give up until the very last drop of blood, for it was not yet time for her to falter.
She was a knight, and not just an ordinary knight, but a Tier 6 knight that was difficult to attain without hard work. Her journey was far from over, and there was still so much that Celine wanted to accomplish. Moreover, she refused to appear weak as long as she knew she could still make an effort.
After enduring a much harsher life, would she surrender because of fatigue?
That would never happen.
Summoning all her remaining strength, Celine enlarged the dome, shouting loudly as she unleashed all her power and mana. The cubes were propelled outward, shattering the cave walls and ceiling, creating a path for sunlight to enter and illuminate the weary knight who now smiled with relief, her body devoid of energy.
Her two companions were awakened by the thunderous sound of the crumbling cave, looking around in confusion, and then turning their gaze towards their friend who began swaying from side to side like a drunk person before falling downward, caught by Rayven.
"Celine, are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern, while Rio started chanting a healing spell, placing both palms forward to form a circle of green magic that bathed Celine's body in light.
Gradually, Celine's energy and mana were replenished, enough to give her the strength to return to the city.
They continued to wonder how she could destroy a cave located deep in the mountains and make it vanish without a trace. A Tier 6 knight may be strong, but not this strong. Only those at Tier 8 and above would be capable of such a feat.
Celine herself didn't understand how it happened.
She only knew that she had to save them or they would be buried alive.
Then Celine remembered the glowing wall, glancing back and discovering another room that appeared dark because of the remaining ceiling.
Inside, she saw a spider's nest with its eggs scattered around the pillars. It meant that the previous spiders were protecting their nest, trying to keep the danger away from their soon-to-hatch offspring.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
As they approached, a shadow of a giant creature with a humanoid body became visible. However, this creature had a faint green line on its faceless head, which Celine guessed was an eye.
The closer they got, the clearer the figure became. It turned out that the figure was not a living being but something else, resembling a large dormant golem, showing no signs of awakening.
Rayven and Rio observed the creature closely, tapping on its large and sturdy feet, producing sounds similar to the artificial cave they were in.
"What do you think this is?" Rio asked curiously while looking around, trying to find something that might be hidden behind the shadows.
"I don't know. Perhaps it's a Guardian? One that we're still unaware of, assigned to protect something," Rayven replied, carefully observing the large creature, unable to divert his gaze as he found its design fascinating, especially for the men, as the golem resembled a mighty knight.
"I'm curious, how powerful would it be if it awakened? Maybe on par with Tier 7 or 8? Why are there no records about it? Is it intentionally hidden or forgotten? Ohh, I really need to search for information," he continued,
She shake her head at his friend's behavior, which had become a habit whenever Rayven found something intriguing.
He would become a thief, not stealing treasures, but rather information. And he wouldn't hesitate to do so, even if it meant facing the king, as long as he could satisfy his thirst called curiosity. "Stop, Ray. You know what will happen if you let your curiosity take control," Rio said, concerned because Rayven wouldn't care if he had to risk his life for that information.
Like someone who has become addicted, it wasn't easy for Rayven to control himself. Especially after discovering something that could potentially hold a great secret, a secret that could possibly change everything. INFORMATION THAT COULD...
Celine couldn't hold back anymore and forcefully pressed Rayven's shoulder, causing him to kneel on the ground while screaming for forgiveness, promising not to repeat it again. "Control yourself.
You are a Tier 5 knight. Don't let all the energy and sweat you've expended go to waste because you can't restrain your desires," she commanded, releasing her grip and then approaching the creature, feeling its surface moving as soon as Celine's finger touched it.
The three of them quickly moved aside, gripping their weapons, ready in case the golem made a move to attack.
However, the golem merely observed them, focusing particularly on Celine with its now brightly glowing green line. Its peculiar eyes then moved to observe the two individuals on the left and right before returning to the figure in the middle, emitting a golden aura.
Following an ancient command given to it, the golem knelt down, paying homage to Celine as a knight would to their queen.
The three individuals didn't know what to do, witnessing the towering 20-meter creature kneeling before them.
But Celine, following her instincts, placed her palm on its head. The golem fell silent for a moment before rising to its feet and uttered, "The time has come. We must return immediately, Your Highness."
Hearing that, the three individuals fell silent, puzzled by the reason the golem addressed Celine as "Your Highness," considering that Celine was merely a knight under the Anderson family's jurisdiction.
However, before they could inquire about it, they heard a loud sound of energy explosion.
Celine and her two companions exchanged glances, curious about who or what could have caused such a powerful energy outburst since they were supposed to be alone in the forest, and there were no creatures in this forest capable of...
"Zent!" They shouted simultaneously.
"Please climb onto my shoulders, Your Highness, along with your two knights. I will transport you closer to the origin of the energy," requested the golem, lowering its right arm to touch the ground, making it easier for them to climb up and stand on its shoulders.
Once they were settled, the golem instructed them to use their mana to prevent themselves from falling. Within seconds, the golem ran back into the previous chamber, leaped high, landed outside, and swiftly headed towards the source of the energy.