The minutes trickled by, a heavy and monotonous rhythm, like grains of sand pouring from an hourglass of eternity.

The sound of the trio's footsteps echoed in the eerie silence of the ancient corridors, the only thing reminding them of their own existence.

Each hall they passed through was like a more disturbing art gallery than the last.

Grotesque statues, sculpted by time and perhaps a maddened god, seemed to watch them from within the shadows.

The paintings and nonsensical inscriptions carved into the walls displayed not the rise and fall of a cult, but a chronology of madness itself.

With every step, the despair and pain that had seeped into these stones became more palpable.

They were constantly on edge.

Their eyes scanned every corner, every dark alcove, and their ears were strained to catch the faintest whisper of sound.

Yet, there was still no sign of the "sole guardian" Cassian had mentioned.

This silence was far more unnerving than an anticipated attack; it stretched the tension taut like a bowstring with each passing second.

Finally, at the end of a long corridor, their march came to an abrupt halt.

The sight before them stood in stark contrast to the general texture of the ruin.

A colossal, double-winged door.

But this door, unlike the mossy, cracked, and carved stonework around it, was made of pure white marble—smooth, veinless, and of an almost modern simplicity.

Not a single scratch, symbol, or inscription marred its surface.

It was as if it didn't belong to this ruin, as if it had been brought from another world and placed here.

In the midst of all this magnificent decay, this perfect simplicity was a disturbing anomaly.

Rose swallowed involuntarily against the ominous aura that radiated from the door, an aura so potent it felt like a physical presence.

She could feel even the dust motes in the air dancing differently around it, as if repelled by an invisible force.

It wasn't like a cold wind; it was more a sense of vacuum that squeezed her soul, draining the life energy from within.

Fredrinn, however, recognized this feeling.

It was the scent of death.

The aura of loss, of helplessness, and of an endless night.

The memories he kept locked away in the dark corridors of his mind surged to the surface with this familiar sensation.

He did not allow his shoulders to slump once more, nor his heart to ache with that old, familiar pain.

Instead, he clenched his jaw.

His fingers gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Never again. He would not lose anyone ever again.

The promise he made to himself to find Julian at the end of this path stood like an unshakeable fortress against this ominous aura. He would let no power tear that fortress down.

Without taking his eyes off the door, he turned to Cassian.

His voice was thick with the weight of the emotions he was trying to suppress.

"So, I take it we've reached the boss room?"

For a moment, Cassian's infuriating smirk was gone. His eyes were locked on the door, a rare seriousness on his face.

After studying the marble's surface as if he could see beyond it, he nodded.

"Yes," he said crisply. "I believe so."

In that brief moment, Cassian's mind was a whirlwind.

His thoughts darted between the reality of this world and the "game" mechanics he knew.

'Normally, according to the game's story, Fredrinn had another three years before he was supposed to come here. Even then, the Black Knight was a tough opponent at the peak of the 6-Star level. Fredrinn has only just stepped into the 6-Star level now.'

'On top of that, because we've come so early, the ruin is still almost completely intact. That means the entity inside hasn't been weakened by time. On the contrary, it might be at the peak of its power. Perhaps even stronger than I thought…'

He considered what to do if they were cornered.

'I might have to use my Sovereign form. But if I do, that damned Obsidian Dawn cult could detect my energy instantly. Drawing their attention this early is suicide. I can't take that risk.'

He sighed internally. He had no choice.

'I have to hope Rose and Fredrinn can defeat it. And to do that, I need to give them the most powerful weapon in their arsenal: Information.'

He delved into the depths of his game memory. Every detail about the Black Knight materialized in his mind.

Its two-and-a-half-meter height, the jet-black armor that covered every inch of its body, without a single scratch.

The armor's incredible trait: it negated 50% of physical damage and 80% of magical damage.

'In that case, Rose's spells will barely tickle it. She won't be much use.'

Then its second ability came to mind. It absorbed damage like a sponge, storing all the kinetic energy to unleash it in a single, devastating counterattack.

'It needs to take a fair amount of damage to use that, but once triggered, not even Fredrinn's shield could withstand that blow. That puts us in a very risky position.'

And finally, the most dangerous of all... the "Realm of Shadows."

'In the game, it only used this when it felt truly cornered. His own personal hell, made of absolute darkness. It traps its chosen opponents in that dimension, and that's where the real fight begins. Within that realm, its physical strength doubles, and since it becomes one with the darkness, seeing, hearing, or even locating it becomes nearly impossible. It's like fighting blind.'

Cassian knew his own abilities weren't what they used to be since he'd returned from the dead. The System told him most of his skills were "under maintenance," damaged and flawed.

He couldn't rely on his full potential in a fight like this.

Still, a selfish, predatory thought sprouted in the corner of his mind.

'If... if I somehow manage to land the final blow, there's a small chance I could steal one of its skills. Imagine having the 'Realm of Shadows'…'

The thought alone was enough to make his mouth water.

He quelled the storm in his mind and returned to reality. Turning to Fredrinn and Rose, he began to speak.

His voice was calm but sharp.

"You have the right to know what's waiting for us behind that door. Listen, and burn every word I say into your minds."

Cassian explained everything he knew about the Black Knight, down to the last detail. He spoke of its armor's resistance, its damage absorption ability, and most importantly, its deadly ace: the "Realm of Shadows."

Fredrinn absorbed his every word like a sponge.

After all they had been through, it would be foolish not to trust Cassian's incredible source of knowledge. But as the information was processed, the questions in his mind grew.

When Cassian finished, he asked with a slightly troubled expression, "You told us this was the easiest ruin. But from what you've described, this sounds like the kind of enemy we'd never want to face."

That all-knowing smile had returned to Cassian's face.

"And so it is. This ruin is the easiest, compared to the others. Now think, Fredrinn. If you can't manage to defeat an enemy like this, how do you ever expect to save your friend Julian one day, or to keep that grand promise you made to me?"

The words were like a slap to Fredrinn's face. He couldn't answer, because he knew Cassian was right.

Far more difficult, seemingly impossible battles awaited him in the future.

He had no right to show fear or to back down now, at this first serious test. The crumbs of doubt inside him gave way to a steel-like resolve.

He brought his right hand to the sword at his hip and felt the cold of the metal. He fixed his gaze on Cassian and gave a slight nod. He had collected himself; he was ready.

Rose, on the other hand, was sinking into the cold waters of despair as she listened to Cassian.

As a 4-Star mage, she knew that even her most powerful fireballs would extinguish like candle flames against that armor. She would be almost completely useless in this fight.

Her gaze first turned to Cassian, angry and accusing, as if he were to blame for this whole situation. Then her eyes shifted to Fredrinn, this time with a look of shame. She was here to help him, to lighten his burden, but now she would only be in the way.

Fredrinn immediately noticed the collapse in Rose's expression. He placed a reassuring hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"It's alright, Rose," he said, his voice warm and calm. "Just cover my blind spots, watch our surroundings. As long as I know you have my back, I can handle it. As long as you support me, I can bring that pile of iron down."

Fredrinn's comfort momentarily scattered Rose's dark thoughts. She forced a smile. Now was not the time to bring down the team's morale.

"I'll do my best," she murmured, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

"Well then," Cassian said, a devilish amusement in his expression. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "If everyone's ready, shall we let the fun begin?"

Fredrinn and Rose nodded in unison, their faces set with determination.

The words were over. The plan was made, the roles assigned. All that was left was the confrontation.

Fredrinn stepped forward and placed both hands on the cold surface of the massive marble door.

He pushed with all his might.

With a bone-shuddering groan, the door that had been sealed for hundreds of years began to slowly, irresistibly, swing open.

The first things to seep out from within were a pitch-black darkness and a grave-like cold.

Without hesitation, the trio stepped into the dark chamber, towards their life-or-death battle with the Black Knight.

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