The tremor shaking the rock beneath our feet intensified into a violent cadence. Large plates of accumulated ice on the mountain walls broke apart, cascading downward and projecting a thick mist of white crystals across the entire expanse of the plateau. At the exact center of the circular square, the frozen structure of the ground cracked with a dry thunderous sound, opening an immense crater from which emerged the true lord of this twenty-seventh stage of the ascent.
The Frost Guardian rose with terrifying grandeur, easily reaching more than five meters in height. Its form resembled that of a great quadrupedal golem molded from blocks of bluish glacial rock, wrapped in an impenetrable armor of pure ice spikes that reflected the gray light of the tower's sky. On the entity's chest, a gleaming core emitted continuous pulses of purplish light, radiating a thermal aura so cold that condensation smoke covered the ground around its massive paws.
"Immediate energy analysis!" I ordered, advancing two steps to keep the vanguard firm as the monster released a roar that made the nearby masonry columns tremble.
"The elemental core in its chest is the central source of vitality and mana for the structure!" Liriel's assistant informed, maintaining a firm posture behind the defensive dome and pointing the arcane reading compass toward the giant. "The outer rock is merely a heavy protective shell. Conventional strikes against the extremities will be completely absorbed by the density of the ice!"
"Understood!" Scarlet replied, positioning her longsword in a high guard and adjusting the position of her legs on the slippery terrain. "Takumi, we need to clear a path through the chest armor so the rear guard can hit the core without interference from the plates!"
"Exactly. Keep the combat plan dynamic," I declared calmly, concentrating my energy into the runic blade until the sacred metal emitted a vivid and cutting silver aura. "Rai'kanna, use your speed to flank from behind and draw the attention of its rear legs. Elara and Vespera, focus on the upper joints as soon as the armor gives way!"
The Frost Guardian delivered the first strike, raising one of its front paws and driving it forcefully into the basalt ground. A wave of sharp ice stalactites shot straight toward us, tearing across the ground with impressive speed.
"Dodge and flank!" I commanded.
Scarlet and I leaped to opposite sides in perfect synchronization, allowing the line of spikes to cut through the empty air between us. Without losing the momentum of my evasion, I propelled my body forward, sliding across the layer of frost and delivering a highly precise horizontal slash against the giant's right knee. The impact of my runic sword tore away a shower of frozen shards, making the creature howl and shift its weight to the side.
Scarlet took advantage of the moment of imbalance and leaped onto the monster's fallen arm, running along the length of its stone-and-ice limb until she reached the chest plate. With a determined cry, she drove her longsword with all her strength into the gap in the giant's armor, opening a deep fissure that exposed the purplish light of the internal core.
"Opening confirmed in the core!" Scarlet shouted, propelling herself backward through the air and landing lightly beside me.
"Elara, now!" I ordered without hesitation.
Two luminous and piercing shots cut through the plateau's mist with a sharp whistle. Elara's arrows passed through the fissure created by Scarlet with surgical precision, striking the purplish sphere in the Frost Guardian's chest. The core trembled from the magical impact, causing whitish fracture lines to spread throughout the giant's entire structure.
Vespera completed the support attack by launching a concentrated gust of cutting wind that amplified the internal pressure in the monster's chest. The ice giant released one final muffled roar as its frozen structure collapsed from the inside out, crumbling into a harmless mountain of frozen rock blocks and glittering dust.
Absolute silence returned to the circular square at the top of the mountain. The dense mist began to dissipate gently, revealing the clear path toward the black iron monument.
I sheathed my runic sword, feeling my breathing return to its normal rhythm as I inspected the condition of each of my companions. None showed signs of injuries or extreme exhaustion.
A brief and serene reflection passed through my mind as I watched the Guardian's arcane dust dissolve into the cold air. The structure of the tower's intermediate bosses followed an impeccable logic: they did not exist merely to impose a barrier of brute strength, but to test the explorers' level of synchronization and tactical maturity. Facing an entity of that size without a cold assessment of its weaknesses would result in a colossal drain on resources. True mastery on a journey like ours lies in the ability to dismantle the enemy's complexity through coordinated and efficient actions, transforming a potentially devastating confrontation into a clean and predictable victory.
"The path to the gate is completely clear," Lyannis announced, approaching the large black iron structure and running her gloved hand over the runic inscriptions covering the surface of the metal. "The energy that was sealing the chains completely diminished after the Guardian fell."
I walked toward the center of the monument accompanied by Liriel and her assistant. The large central lock consisted of a stone disk engraved with ancient symbols that corresponded to the mana flow of the floor itself.
"How should we proceed with releasing the mechanism, Takumi?" Liriel asked, positioning the tip of her sacred staff near the grooves of the disk.
"The lock now responds to the frequency of pure mana," I analyzed, placing my right hand over the center of the runic seal. "It is not necessary to raise the chains with physical force. We only need to channel a stable charge of energy to synchronize the internal gears."
I channeled a smooth and constant flow of my own combat mana into the gate's structure. The symbols carved into the stone began to light up one by one with a crystalline bluish glow, resonating with a deep and harmonious hum. The thick magical chains holding the metal doors in place came loose noisily, falling heavily onto the snow-covered plateau.
With a majestic crack, the two large black iron doors slowly opened inward into the mountain, revealing a wide corridor illuminated by magical fire torches that led to a monumental spiral staircase ascending upward.
"Access to the eighteenth floor has been officially cleared," Liriel's assistant declared, recording the time and confirmation of the opening in her final report on the seventeenth level.
"Excellent work from all of you at every stage of this stage," I declared, turning toward my group and seeing the satisfaction and focus displayed on each of their faces. "We overcame the severe cold, the ambush in the snow, and the Guardian without suffering a single scratch. By maintaining this standard of excellence, our ascent will remain unwavering."
With the formation regrouped and our determination renewed, we took our first steps into the stone corridor, leaving the snowstorm of the seventeenth floor behind and beginning our march toward the depths of the next level.