Chapter 61 — The Enemy’s Resonance
The silver light surrounding Astraeus grew brighter.
Azrael stared at the masked leader across the battlefield.
For the first time, he wasn’t looking at the man’s weapon.
He wasn’t looking at his armor.
He wasn’t even looking at his movements.
He was listening.
The masked leader raised his hand.
The black formation above him pulsed.
BOOM.
Azrael felt it.
A second pulse followed.
BOOM.
Then a third.
BOOM.
His eyes narrowed.
There was a rhythm.
But it wasn’t coming from the formation.
It was coming from the man himself.
"Interesting..."
The masked leader noticed Azrael’s expression.
"What are you looking at?"
Azrael didn’t answer.
He simply listened.
The man’s heartbeat was steady.
His breathing was controlled.
His aura appeared perfectly balanced.
Too balanced.
Azrael suddenly realized something.
He’s suppressing his real power.
The masked leader smiled.
"You’ve learned something."
Azrael raised Astraeus.
"I’m still figuring it out."
"Then allow me to help."
The man disappeared.
Azrael’s instincts screamed.
He immediately shifted his stance.
CLANG!
A black blade struck Astraeus.
The impact pushed Azrael backward several meters.
His boots carved lines through the white ground.
The masked leader followed instantly.
Another slash.
Azrael blocked.
A third.
He parried.
The fourth came from below.
Azrael jumped.
The blade passed beneath his feet.
He twisted in the air and swung Astraeus downward.
The masked leader raised his weapon.
CLANG!
Their swords collided.
Both were forced backward.
Azrael landed.
The masked leader landed almost perfectly.
No wasted movement.
No unnecessary energy.
Azrael’s eyes sharpened.
He’s not just strong.
He’s experienced.
The masked leader attacked again.
This time, Azrael didn’t immediately counter.
He watched.
Shoulder.
Hip.
Foot.
Breathing.
Sword.
Everything moved together.
The first slash came toward his neck.
Azrael ducked.
The second targeted his ribs.
He stepped backward.
The third was a thrust.
He moved to the side.
The fourth—
Azrael froze.
The attack didn’t come.
A feint.
The masked leader’s foot shifted.
Azrael saw it.
He stepped forward instead of backward.
CLANG!
Astraeus struck the man’s wrist.
The black sword dropped slightly.
Azrael followed with a knee.
The masked leader blocked with his free arm.
BOOM!
Both separated.
A small cut appeared across the man’s sleeve.
The masked leader looked at it.
Then smiled.
"Good."
Azrael breathed slowly.
"I found the first layer."
The man’s smile faded.
"First layer?"
Azrael nodded.
"Your body doesn’t match your aura."
Silence.
The old master, standing near the white tree, smiled faintly.
The masked leader’s eyes narrowed.
Azrael continued.
"Your heartbeat stays calm even when you’re attacking."
"Your breathing barely changes."
"Your aura moves exactly when you want it to."
He raised Astraeus.
"You’re deliberately creating a false rhythm."
The masked leader said nothing.
Azrael smiled.
"Why?"
The man’s eyes became cold.
"Because people who understand rhythm..."
He raised his sword.
"...are dangerous."
His aura suddenly changed.
BOOM!
The entire battlefield shook.
Azrael’s pupils contracted.
The man’s pressure had increased dramatically.
His previous aura had been an illusion.
Now the true pressure emerged.
The surrounding warriors were forced backward.
Even the black formation trembled.
Azrael’s wings instinctively unfolded.
One Eclipse Wing.
Then another.
The silver-black feathers spread behind him.
The old master glanced over.
"Don’t rely on them."
Azrael nodded.
"I won’t."
The masked leader vanished.
This time...
Azrael couldn’t see him.
BOOM!
Something struck his chest.
Azrael flew backward.
He twisted before hitting the ground.
His boots slammed into the white soil.
Blood rose into his throat.
He swallowed it.
The masked leader appeared several meters away.
"Too slow."
Azrael wiped the blood from his mouth.
"You’re faster."
"No."
The man raised his sword.
"You simply haven’t understood me yet."
Azrael’s eyes narrowed.
He closed them.
The battlefield disappeared.
He stopped looking.
Stopped analyzing.
He listened.
The wind.
The tree.
The lake.
The formation.
The enemy.
His own heartbeat.
Everything became sound.
Then he heard it.
A strange pulse.
Not from the man’s body.
From his sword.
Azrael opened his eyes.
"The weapon..."
The masked leader’s expression changed.
Azrael smiled.
"That’s where you’re hiding it."
The black sword vibrated.
Every attack.
Every movement.
Every burst of power.
The sword was creating the false rhythm.
The man wasn’t suppressing his power.
He was transferring its rhythm into the weapon.
That was why his body remained so calm.
The masked leader’s expression finally changed.
"You learned that quickly."
Azrael raised Astraeus.
"Let’s test it."
The two charged.
CLANG!
Their swords collided.
The masked leader attacked.
Azrael parried.
Again.
CLANG!
Again.
CLANG!
Their movements became faster.
Azrael no longer chased the blade.
He followed its rhythm.
Low strike.
High strike.
Reverse cut.
Thrust.
Azrael predicted each one.
But the masked leader adapted.
He changed his rhythm.
Azrael’s sword missed.
The black blade grazed his cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared.
Azrael stepped back.
The masked leader attacked again.
This time, Azrael waited.
The black sword came toward his chest.
At the final moment—
Azrael activated Stone Resonance.
Silver energy spread across Astraeus.
He didn’t attempt to overpower the weapon.
He matched its vibration.
For one brief moment...
The two swords became synchronized.
The black blade trembled.
The masked leader’s eyes widened.
Azrael twisted his wrist.
CRACK!
The black sword shattered.
The battlefield fell silent.
The masked leader stared at the broken weapon in disbelief.
Azrael stood before him, breathing heavily.
A notification appeared.
"Stone Resonance"
Resonance successfully established.
Target: Enemy Weapon
Understanding increased.
Skill proficiency greatly increased.
Stone Resonance has reached Lv. 2.
Azrael looked at the message for only a moment.
Then his attention returned to the enemy.
The masked leader slowly looked at the broken sword.
Then at Azrael.
A strange smile appeared.
"You’ve passed."
Azrael frowned.
"What?"
The man suddenly stepped backward.
The black formation above the battlefield began glowing.
The old master’s expression changed.
"Azrael!"
Too late.
The masked leader slammed his palm against his chest.
A black symbol erupted from his body.
The formation responded.
The entire battlefield began shaking violently.
Azrael’s external mark burned.
He fell to one knee.
"ARGH!"
His hand clutched his chest.
The System appeared immediately.
"CRITICAL WARNING"
External Origin Mark activating.
Attempting forced resonance with host.
Resistance detected.
Genesis Authority: Locked.
Oblivion Authority: Locked.
Unknown resonance attempting synchronization.
Azrael gritted his teeth.
"So that’s the real purpose..."
The masked leader smiled.
"Yes."
The old master immediately moved toward him.
But dozens of black-armored warriors blocked his path.
The old master’s eyes turned cold.
"You planned everything."
The masked leader nodded.
"The battle."
"The formation."
"The Guardian."
"Even the attack."
His gaze returned to Azrael.
"We needed your resonance to mature."
Azrael struggled to stand.
"And now?"
The man’s smile widened.
"Now..."
The black symbol on Azrael’s chest expanded.
"...we use it to open the door."
The Root Guardian suddenly turned toward Azrael.
Its enormous body began trembling.
The white tree responded.
Branches twisted.
Roots moved.
A massive silver door began forming behind the tree.
Azrael stared.
The old master went pale.
"No..."
The masked leader laughed.
"The Forgotten Path’s true entrance."
The silver door continued opening.
Beyond it was nothing.
No light.
No darkness.
Just endless space.
The old master shouted:
"AZRAEL!"
Azrael looked back.
"Yes?"
"Whatever happens..."
The old master’s expression became deadly serious.
"Do not let that door recognize you."
Azrael stared at him.
"Why?"
The old master didn’t answer.
Because the moment the door opened completely—
A voice came from beyond it.
Ancient.
Cold.
And impossibly familiar.
"Welcome back..."
Azrael’s blood ran cold.
The voice continued.
"...my successor."
The world went silent.
And Azrael realized with horror that the voice...
Wasn’t coming from outside the door.
It was coming from inside him.