The royal army reached the northern mountains before dawn.
Cold wind moved through the broken stone ruins of Velkar Temple.
Captain Leon raised his hand.
The marching knights immediately stopped.
In the distance, the dark storm above the temple ruins was clearly visible.
Black lightning flashed inside the clouds.
Leon's expression hardened.
"The ritual has already started."
Several royal mages stepped forward.
They began examining the dark mana flowing through the air.
One of them spoke nervously.
"The energy concentration is extremely high."
"The Void Guardian is absorbing power from the ritual."
Leon tightened his grip on his sword.
"Then we end this before it finishes."
He turned toward the knights behind him.
"Royal Knights!"
The soldiers straightened.
"Today we destroy the Void Cult!"
The army moved forward.
Torches lit the ancient stone pathway leading toward the ruined temple.
But as they approached—
dark figures slowly appeared on the broken walls and pillars.
Void Cult members.
Dozens of them.
Each wearing black robes and masks.
One cultist stepped forward.
"You shouldn't have come."
Leon pointed his sword.
"All units!"
"Attack!"
The battle began instantly.
Steel clashed against steel.
Magic burst through the cold morning air.
Royal knights charged forward in formation.
The cultists answered with dark spells and shadow blades.
One knight cut down a cult member.
Another blocked a blast of dark magic with a glowing shield.
But the cultists did not seem afraid.
They fought like people protecting something important.
Because behind them—
inside the temple courtyard—
the ritual circle continued glowing.
At the center of it stood the cult leader.
He watched the battle calmly.
Behind him, the massive body of the Void Guardian slowly moved.
Dark energy flowed into the monster's body.
Its armor grew thicker.
Black crystal spikes formed along its shoulders.
The cult leader raised his hand slightly.
"Awakening progress?"
A cultist beside him answered.
"Sixty-two percent, my lord."
The leader smiled.
"Excellent."
Outside the temple—
Captain Leon fought through several cultists and reached the courtyard entrance.
He finally saw the monster clearly again.
The Void Guardian.
But now it looked even stronger than before.
Leon whispered under his breath.
"It evolved…"
Inside his mind, Saksham's system message echoed far away.
SYSTEM ALERT
Void Guardian Awakening:
62%
Critical Stage Approaching
Back in the palace—
Saksham suddenly felt the surge of energy again.
He stepped back slightly.
"It's getting stronger."
Orion immediately understood.
"The army has reached the temple."
Saksham looked toward the mountains.
"If the ritual continues…"
Orion finished the sentence.
"The monster will fully awaken."
And far away at the ruins—
the Void Guardian slowly opened its glowing red eyes.
Then it stepped forward into the battlefield.
To be continued…