Silver light erupted through the suppression chamber like a newborn star.
Ancient runes reignited across the walls, ceiling, and floor in cascading waves of energy. The gigantic crystalline pillar at the center pulsed brightly as power surged through the restored seventh core.
For the first time since entering the valley...
The corruption stopped spreading.
Above them, the prison sphere stabilized temporarily as the remaining silver chains tightened once more around the sealed entity.
But the victory lasted only a moment.
Then came the roar.
The sound was unlike anything they had ever heard before.
It was not merely loud.
It carried rage, hatred, and something ancient enough to shake the soul itself.
The entire underground structure trembled violently.
Cracks spread across pillars.
Chunks of stone collapsed from the ceiling.
And the silver light of the suppression array flickered dangerously under the pressure of the creature's fury.
Dev nearly lost his footing.
"WHY DOES IT KEEP GETTING STRONGER?!"
Krishak stared at the central crystal pillar.
The suppression array had activated successfully
But only partially.
The damage accumulated over countless years was too severe.
The ancient prison was already near collapse long before they arrived.
And now the creature inside was resisting with full force.
The voice echoed again through the chamber.
This time louder than ever.
"YOU DARE BIND ME AGAIN?"
Darkness exploded outward from the cracks between the runes.
The shadow creatures surrounding the chamber became even more aggressive instantly.
One shadow entity lunged directly toward Ishita.
Its body stretched unnaturally into a spear-like shape aimed at her chest.
Before it could strike, Lunafang intercepted it in a burst of silver moonlight.
The corrupted shadow shrieked as the wolf's claws tore through its body.
Unlike physical attacks
Moonstar energy destroyed the shadows completely.
Krishak noticed immediately.
"Moonlight energy is effective against them!"
Lunafang moved again like silver lightning across the battlefield, each strike purifying corrupted shadows into smoke.
The silver wolf had become the perfect counter to corruption.
Dev grinned fiercely.
"Good! Then let's finish these things
fast!"
He charged forward with renewed momentum, spear blazing with spiritual energy.
Raghav and Skyrend coordinated attacks from above while Ishita reinforced the suppression array continuously to prevent further collapse.
Ananya moved between everyone rapidly, healing wounds before corruption could spread through them.
Despite the chaos
The team remained stable.
But then the chamber darkened suddenly.
Krishak's eyes sharpened instantly.
The corruption was gathering.
Not randomly.
Purposefully.
All throughout the suppression chamber, black mist converged toward one location beneath the crystal pillar.
The ground cracked open.
And from within the darkness
A new figure slowly emerged.
Everyone froze.
Unlike the shadow creatures or corrupted guardians, this being still possessed a complete humanoid form.
Ancient silver robes hung from its body, though heavily stained by corruption. Long black hair drifted unnaturally around its face, and its crimson eyes radiated terrifying intelligence.
Most disturbing of all
Its aura felt stronger than the guardian above.
Far stronger.
The figure looked directly at Krishak.
Then it smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
Its voice was calm.
Clear.
Completely different from the monstrous rage echoing through the prison.
Dev immediately raised his spear.
"That one talks too normally. I don't trust it."
"No kidding," Raghav muttered.
The robed figure ignored them entirely.
Its attention remained fixed on Krishak.
"You carry the inheritance of stars."
Krishak remained calm.
"And you were once one of the seal keepers."
For the first time, surprise flickered across the figure's face.
Then it laughed softly.
"Very perceptive."
The corrupted man slowly stepped forward.
"My name has long been forgotten."
Black energy swirled around his fingertips.
"But once. I guarded this prison alongside thousands of others."
Ananya looked horrified.
"You became corrupted.."
"Yes," the figure answered calmly.
"At first, we resisted."
Its crimson eyes darkened slightly.
But eternity is cruel."
The chamber fell silent except for distant roars from the imprisoned creature above.
The corrupted keeper raised one hand toward the suppression pillar.
"The prison cannot hold forever."
Silver and black energy clashed violently around him.
"Young inheritor do you know what lies beyond the stars?"
Krishak's expression remained unreadable.
"Yes."
That answer caused genuine surprise among everyone nearby.
Even the corrupted keeper stared carefully now.
Then his smile widened faintly.
"So you truly are different."
The creature imprisoned above roared again furiously.
The keeper glanced upward briefly.
"That thing was merely a scout."
Cold silence filled the chamber.
"A scout?" Ishita whispered.
The corrupted keeper nodded slowly.
"In ancient times, the barriers between worlds weakened."
Darkness spread slowly around his feet.
"And they came.
Visions briefly flickered across the chamber walls.
Burning skies.
Falling cultivators.
Monstrous armies emerging through shattered space itself.
Entire cities consumed by corruption.
Humanity losing.
"The ancient civilizations united to resist them," the keeper continued quietly.
"But Earth was too weak."
His expression grew distant.
qu
"So the heavens were severed."
Krishak's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Great Severing.
Now he finally understood.
Earth had intentionally disconnected itself from the greater cultivation cosmos to stop the invasion.
Suddenly, the suppression pillar cracked loudly.
Everyone snapped toward it instantly.
Dark corruption spread upward across the crystal structure again.
The imprisoned creature roared triumphantly.
The keeper sighed softly.
"It is awakening faster now.
He looked toward Krishak.
"If the prison collapses completely..."
His crimson eyes darkened.
"The signal will spread."
Krishak understood immediately.
Other invaders.
Other corrupted beings.
Potentially still hidden beyond Earth.
Dev looked deeply uncomfortable.
"I really hate where this conversation is going."
The corrupted keeper raised one final warning.
"You have little time left."
Then his body began dissolving slowly into black mist.
The remaining fragments of his sanity were fading.
Before disappearing completely, he looked at Krishak one last time.
"Prepare humanity."
Then the corrupted keeper vanished.
And above them...
The prison seal cracked again.