The forest grew denser as Yuki moved deeper, the light of day bleeding into an ever-present twilight. Spirit-infused mist drifted between ancient trunks, and the air shimmered with invisible tension. Every step he took resonated with the remnants of a once-holy domain, now fractured and shrouded in decay. The faint pulse of Sylvaeria's sealed presence acted like a beacon to him, growing stronger with each heartbeat.
But something else was coming.
A deep rumble echoed through the ground—low and resonant like the groan of mountains shifting in sleep. The trees bent slightly inward, as if shrinking away from something too terrible to witness.
Yuki paused atop a stone ridge, narrowing his eyes.
Then he saw it.
A clearing lay ahead, bathed in a pale, emerald glow. Floating above it was a massive structure of intertwined roots and silver vines—a **Spirit Altar**, cracked and bleeding corrupted energy. At its center stood a towering figure.
It was unlike the previous guardians.
This one still bore the unmistakable grace of a true spirit beast, but its form was twisted, elongated. Horns like white branches grew from its brow, and plates of jade-colored bark covered its body like armor. Ethereal chains of runes were wrapped tightly around its limbs and throat, glowing faintly.
Its eyes opened—glowing with the sorrow of eons.
**"I am Velgryn, Oathkeeper of the Sylvan Covenant…"** the voice echoed, shaking the branches around them. **"…I was her shield. Her friend. Now I am her jailor."**
Yuki's body tensed. This was no ordinary beast. The corruption that tainted the other guardians merely skimmed the surface. Here, it had rooted itself **into the soul**.
*"He's still conscious… he remembers her,"* Yuki thought, lowering his stance. *"But he can't resist the curse."*
Velgryn raised a paw, and the air warped. Ethereal vines surged from the ground, aiming to restrain Yuki.
**Aether Drift!**
Yuki blurred to the side, but the vines followed with unnatural speed. With a roar, he invoked **Wind Echo Slash**, severing the first wave mid-air and flipping backward to avoid the rest.
Velgryn leapt down, crashing into the earth like a falling comet. The impact shattered the ground, sending shards of soul-infused stone flying. Yuki's **Solar Aegis** snapped up in time, absorbing the brunt, but the sheer pressure forced him back.
**"You carry her scent… yet you burn with Sovereign Flame,"** Velgryn growled. **"Your presence… threatens the balance."**
"Then let me restore it!" Yuki shouted, launching forward.
He activated **Phantom Ripper – Twin Soul Slash**, his claws infused with dual layers of flame and spiritual force. Velgryn blocked with a branch-like arm, but the strike carved deep into his bark, releasing blackened sap and motes of corrupted spirit light.
Velgryn responded with **Warden's Judgment**, a shockwave of pure will that blasted through the clearing. Yuki took the hit, gritting his teeth as the force rattled his very soul.
But the **Soulforge Core** hummed to life inside him, stabilizing his energy.
He focused. This wasn't just a physical battle—it was one of intent and spirit.
**"You're not gone yet,"** Yuki said quietly, eyes narrowing. "There's still hope."
He roared, and his aura surged. From within, something stirred.
> **Ultimate Skill: Soul Sovereign – Daemonis Nexum**
> *Evolved from Phantom Ripper and Soulforge Core*
> A manifestation of mastery over offensive soul magic and spirit-bound force.
**Sub-skills:**
1. **Soulrend Fang** – A deadly strike that tears into a target's soul and spiritual defenses.
2. **Phantom Rift Cloak** – Temporarily shrouds the user in phantom energy, granting phase-shifting evasion.
3. **Mind Pierce** – A psychic assault that stuns or disorients targets with soul-aligned minds.
4. **Echo Consumption** – Absorbs fragmented spirit energy from slain or defeated foes to regenerate mana and stabilize soul structure.
5. **Soulbrand Seal** – Marks a target's corrupted core and weakens any barriers or curses tied to their essence.
Yuki activated **Soulbrand Seal**, marking Velgryn's chest where a black crystal glowed, pulsing with Sylvaeria's suppressed energy. The guardian roared, staggering as the curse began unraveling under Yuki's assault.
**"Velgryn, hold on just a little longer!"**
The corrupted guardian reared up, shadows boiling off his form as he unleashed one final, desperate attack: **Covenant's Ruin**—a blast of corrupted spirit chains seeking to bind Yuki's very essence.
Yuki countered with **Phantom Rift Cloak**, phasing between dimensions for a moment. He emerged mid-air behind Velgryn and launched **Soulrend Fang**, embedding his claw into the corrupted crystal at Velgryn's core.
A flash of light erupted as the curse shattered.
Velgryn collapsed, breathing heavily. The corruption melted away like ash in the wind. His form began to shrink, returning to something more spirit-like, translucent and serene.
**"You… freed me."** His voice was calm now. **"Then she was right to call to you."**
The vines at the altar snapped, and a faint hum echoed outward. The seal was weakening.
In the distance, the great tree at the heart of the forest pulsed with radiant green light.
Yuki looked up, eyes filled with awe and something deeper. A bond had begun to form—even before the true meeting.
*"Sylvaeria… I'm coming."*
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