Chapter 16 – Judgment Descends
The colossal sword crashed into the plaza.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact split the ground apart.
Concrete exploded into the air as a shockwave swept across the entire district.
Cars were tossed like toys.
Streetlights bent in half.
Dozens of Awakened were thrown backwards before they even understood what had happened.
Azrael planted his sword into the ground to stop himself from sliding.
The Guardian of Judgment stood motionless in the center of the plaza.
Its six-meter-long sword radiated golden light.
Its eyes glowed with an emotionless blue flame.
The System’s warning echoed once again.
Guardian of Judgment
Level: 25
Type: Event Guardian
HP: ??????
Objective: Eliminate Hostile Participants
Victor stared at the towering knight.
"...Impossible."
"No one can defeat that."
Before anyone could react—
The Guardian lifted one hand.
Several golden circles appeared in the sky.
Azrael’s instincts screamed.
"Everyone down!"
Thousands of golden spears rained from above.
WHOOSH!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The plaza became a sea of explosions.
Several Awakened who failed to react were instantly eliminated.
Others barely escaped with severe injuries.
Marcus tackled one of his companions behind a destroyed bus.
"You idiot!"
"Move!"
The young man nodded, his face pale.
Azrael pulled Seraphina behind a collapsed pillar just as three golden spears struck where they had been standing.
The concrete behind them disappeared.
Not shattered.
Disappeared.
Azrael swallowed.
"Those spears erase whatever they hit..."
Elena appeared beside them.
"Good news."
"I found the reward chest."
Azrael blinked.
"...Already?"
She pointed toward the center of the plaza.
The golden chest floated behind the Guardian.
"So we have to defeat—or somehow get past—that thing."
Elena nodded.
"Exactly."
The Guardian slowly turned its head.
Its gaze locked onto Victor.
The System spoke.
Primary Hostility Detected
Target:
Victor Kane
Victor’s face changed.
"Why me?!"
The Guardian answered in a deep metallic voice.
"You initiated conflict."
"You sought blood before cooperation."
"Judgment has been passed."
The giant knight disappeared.
A twenty-meter-tall armored giant...
Had vanished.
Victor barely had time to widen his eyes before—
BOOM!
The Guardian appeared directly in front of him.
Its fist slammed downward.
Victor rolled aside.
Half of the plaza exploded.
Even at Level 7, Victor barely survived.
He shouted desperately.
"Help me!"
None of his followers moved.
They fled in every direction.
Victor cursed loudly.
"Cowards!"
The Guardian continued chasing him.
Azrael noticed something.
"...Wait."
"It isn’t attacking everyone."
Elena frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"It said..."
"’Hostile participants.’"
Seraphina immediately understood.
"It only attacks people with hostile intentions."
Azrael looked toward the terrified survivors.
"Then don’t attack."
The three immediately sheathed their weapons.
Victor laughed from across the plaza.
"You think surrendering will save you?"
The Guardian suddenly stopped.
It looked toward the twins.
Blue light scanned over them.
Hostility Assessment
Targets:
Azrael
Seraphina
Elena
Result:
Defensive Intent Confirmed.
Judgment Deferred.
The Guardian ignored them completely.
Azrael smiled.
"I was right."
Victor’s expression darkened.
"So..."
"You figured out the rules."
He suddenly grabbed one of his own injured subordinates.
The man looked horrified.
"B-Boss?"
Victor shoved him toward the Guardian.
"Buy me time."
"What?!"
"No!"
The Guardian’s sword flashed.
The man vanished in a beam of golden light.
Several Awakened stared at Victor in disbelief.
"You..."
"You sacrificed him?"
Victor’s smile twisted.
"Better him than me."
Marcus clenched his fists.
"He’s insane."
One after another...
Victor began pushing his own followers toward the Guardian.
The plaza descended into panic.
People abandoned him.
His organization fell apart within seconds.
Azrael shook his head.
"A leader who abandons his people..."
"...was never a leader."
Seraphina nodded quietly.
"He was only using them."
Suddenly...
A little girl cried out.
"Help!"
Azrael turned.
The child was trapped beneath a collapsed bus while two golden spears slowly formed above her.
Without thinking—
He sprinted.
"Azrael!"
Seraphina chased after him.
The Guardian noticed.
Its eyes followed Azrael’s movement.
The spears descended.
Azrael reached the girl.
He lifted the bus with all his strength.
His muscles screamed.
The bus slowly rose.
"Run!"
The little girl crawled out just as the golden spears struck.
BOOM!
Azrael barely escaped with Shadow Step.
The Guardian watched silently.
Then...
Something unexpected happened.
The giant knight lowered its sword.
The System chimed.
Guardian Evaluation
Protective Actions Detected.
Judgment Favor Increased.
Current Favor:
10
Azrael blinked.
"...Favor?"
The Guardian looked directly at him.
"One who protects..."
"...shall be protected."
A beam of golden light descended from the sky.
It enveloped Azrael completely.
Blessing Received
Guardian’s Protection
Damage Received -20%
Duration:
30 Minutes
Victor roared in anger.
"Why does he get a blessing?!"
The Guardian answered without emotion.
"Your heart seeks domination."
"His heart seeks preservation."
"The System rewards intent."
Victor’s eyes became bloodshot.
"I’ll kill him myself!"
He ignored the Guardian and rushed toward Azrael.
The instant murderous intent appeared—
The Guardian moved.
Its giant sword intercepted Victor before he had taken five steps.
Victor barely blocked with his axe.
CRACK!
The weapon shattered.
Victor was launched across the plaza, crashing through the wall of a nearby bank.
He coughed blood.
His HP dropped into the red.
The Guardian pointed its massive sword at him.
"Final Judgment."
Golden energy gathered around the blade.
Victor’s eyes widened in terror.
"No..."
"Wait..."
"I surrender!"
The Guardian remained silent.
The System displayed one final message.
Hostility Cannot Be Revoked Through Words Alone.
Judgment Confirmed.
The sword descended.
A pillar of golden light erupted into the heavens.
When the light faded...
Victor Kane was gone.
Not even ashes remained.
Silence filled the plaza.
Every surviving Awakened stared at the Guardian.
Then at Azrael.
For the first time...
They understood.
Power alone wasn’t enough to survive in this new world.
The choices they made...
Would shape the path the System allowed them to walk.
The Guardian slowly turned toward Azrael.
Its enormous sword disappeared into particles of light.
Then, in a voice only the twins could hear, it spoke.
"The First Trial has ended."
"The Second Trial awaits."
"You must become stronger..."
"...before the gates between worlds begin to open."
Before Azrael could ask what it meant, the Guardian dissolved into countless golden feathers that drifted across the plaza.
Only one thing remained where it had stood.
The unopened Golden Supply Chest.
At the same moment, the Celestial Evolution System echoed across the world.
World Announcement
The Guardian of Judgment Event has been completed.
First Clear Reward has been claimed by the Awakened of Elysia City.
The Era of Guilds has officially begun.
Across Earth, hidden Guild Registration Halls awakened one after another, and in distant cities, countless powerful Awakened looked toward the sky.
A new Chapter in humanity’s evolution had begun.