Crimson Overlord
Chapter 401: Conquering Another Ruin 1

Chapter 401: Conquering Another Ruin 1

The dense forest gradually gave way to an eerie, open landscape. The ground beneath them became cracked stone, remnants of an ancient civilization long lost to time. Faint carvings, nearly erased by centuries of erosion, lined the ruins ahead. A massive stone archway stood before them, half-collapsed but still holding firm, leading into a darkened corridor.

Luna stepped forward, her fingers trailing along the worn stone. "This place... it feels different from the last ruin."

Orpheus nodded. "This one is older. Stronger."

His crimson eyes scanned the entrance, taking in the faint traces of magic still pulsing through the stone. "The guardian here won’t be like the ones you faced before."

Luna inhaled deeply, excitement and tension warring within her. "So... no hints?"

Orpheus smirked. "You figure it out."

She rolled her eyes but stepped through the archway, determination in her every movement. The moment she crossed the threshold, a pulse of magic swept through the ruin. Dust swirled in the air as torches lining the corridor suddenly ignited, casting long shadows against the cracked walls.

Orpheus leaned against the outer wall, arms crossed. "I’ll be watching from here. Good luck."

Luna exhaled, stepping forward alone. The corridor stretched ahead, leading to an open chamber where a towering statue stood at its center. The figure, carved from dark stone, depicted a warrior holding a greatsword. It radiated an ancient power, as though it had stood guard for centuries, waiting.

The moment Luna stepped onto the chamber floor, the torches flared brighter. The ground trembled beneath her feet as a deep, rumbling sound echoed through the space.

The statue moved.

With an earth-shaking crack, the stone figure’s eyes glowed a brilliant blue, its form shifting as the greatsword in its hands lifted. Dust and debris crumbled from its body as it took its first step toward her.

Luna swallowed hard, adrenaline surging through her veins. "Right. Here we go."

The guardian moved with unnatural speed for something so massive. Its greatsword cleaved downward with terrifying force, and Luna barely rolled aside in time. The impact shattered the stone floor where she had stood just seconds ago.

"Fast."

She didn’t have time to think. The statue was already moving again, swinging its weapon in a wide arc. Luna ducked, feeling the wind of the blade as it passed just above her.

She countered. Gathering energy into her palms, she released a rapid volley of fire-enhanced strikes against its chest. The blasts exploded against the stone, but when the dust cleared, the guardian remained unscathed.

"Damn it. Too tough."

The statue retaliated, swinging again. Luna backflipped away, landing on a broken pillar. The guardian wasn’t just powerful—it was relentless.

She needed a new strategy.

She scanned the room, looking for anything she could use to her advantage. The chamber was filled with rubble, pillars, and faded carvings on the walls. Then, she noticed something—the faint glow of symbols on the floor, almost completely buried under dust.

"A seal?"

Dodging another attack, she sprinted toward the markings, brushing away the debris with her foot. The instant the seal was revealed, a pulse of energy ran through her body. The magic here wasn’t gone—it was dormant.

"Maybe... I don’t have to break the guardian. Maybe I have to break its connection."

She focused her energy, channeling it into the ancient seal. The markings glowed brighter, responding to her presence.

The guardian hesitated.

"It’s working!"

But the pause was brief. The warrior statue surged forward, sword raised high.

"Not fast enough!"

Luna poured more energy into the seal, sweat beading on her forehead. The guardian was almost upon her. At the last second, she threw herself to the side as the greatsword crashed down—directly onto the seal.

A blinding light erupted from the floor. The guardian staggered as if struck by an invisible force. Cracks spread across its body, and with a final, echoing groan, it collapsed into a heap of rubble.

Silence fell.

Luna remained still, panting, waiting to see if the guardian would rise again. When nothing moved, she let out a shaky laugh.

"I actually did it..."

From the entrance, Orpheus’s voice cut through the quiet. "Took you long enough."

Luna whipped around to glare at him. "You knew about the seal, didn’t you?"

He shrugged. "Figuring it out was part of the test."

Luna groaned. "You are so annoying, master."

Orpheus smirked but nodded approvingly.

"But you did well."

She blinked before grinning. "Damn right I did."

As she stood victorious in the ruins of the ancient trial, Luna knew—she was stronger than she had been yesterday. But the path ahead was still long, however she would never stop going forward, no matter what the hardship would be she would keep up.

The dust from the fallen guardian still lingered in the air, tiny specks drifting in the light of the flickering torches. Luna stood amidst the debris, her chest rising and falling with each deep breath. Sweat clung to her skin, her muscles ached, but despite the exhaustion, a triumphant grin spread across her face.

She had won.

Orpheus approached with his usual composed demeanor, stepping over the rubble as if the battle had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience. His crimson eyes scanned the chamber, lingering on the now-cracked seal where Luna had made her stand.

"Well," he mused, tilting his head slightly. "That took longer than expected."

Luna shot him a glare. "You could say ’Good job, Luna! That was impressive!’" She crossed her arms, mockingly imitating his deep voice. "But no, of course not. I get That took longer than expected."

Orpheus smirked. "Praise means little if it isn’t earned."

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t deny the flicker of warmth in her chest. Coming from him, those words were praise.

He extended a hand toward her. "Come on. We need to check the rest of the ruin before we leave."

Luna accepted his help, wincing slightly as her sore muscles protested. "Yeah, yeah. Let’s see if this place has anything worth looting."

Together, they moved deeper into the chamber, past the broken guardian.