The corrupted guardian of Verdus let out a deafening roar that shook the ground beneath their feet. Its massive form, a twisted blend of beast and plant, loomed over the group, pulsating with dark energy. Its body was a writhing mass of vines, bark, and corrupted flesh, glowing with the sickly green light of the Nexus Stone.
Jinwoo's heart raced as he quickly assessed the situation. This creature was no ordinary monster. It was a protector of the Nexus Stone, once an ally of Verdus, now completely overtaken by the Watcher's corruption. They couldn't afford to take it lightly.
"Donghyuk, hit it with everything you've got!" Jinwoo shouted, already darting forward with his sword in hand.
Donghyuk, grinning with excitement, rushed ahead, his fists crackling with energy. "You got it, Jinwoo! Let's take this thing down!"
The massive guardian swiped its arm, a thick, vine-covered limb lashing out like a whip. Donghyuk barely dodged, rolling to the side as the ground exploded in a spray of dirt and debris where the attack landed. Without missing a beat, he launched himself into the air, bringing his electrified fist down on the creature's arm with a thunderous impact.
The guardian howled in pain as Donghyuk's energy surged through its body, but the corruption held strong. Dark vines wrapped around Donghyuk's arm, trying to pull him into the creature's mass. Jinwoo reacted quickly, dashing forward and slicing through the vines with his blade, freeing Donghyuk before he was overwhelmed.
"Thanks, man!" Donghyuk called out as he landed on his feet.
"Don't get reckless," Jinwoo warned. "This thing is strong, and we need to work together to bring it down."
Hyeri stood a few paces back, her hands glowing with radiant light. She could feel the heavy corruption seeping through the air, making it difficult to focus, but she knew she had to act. Raising her hands, she cast a wave of purifying light toward the guardian, trying to weaken the dark energy that surrounded it.
The light hit the guardian's body, and for a brief moment, its movements slowed, the corruption retreating slightly under the force of her magic. But the creature was far from defeated. It roared again, and the corruption surged back stronger than before, causing Hyeri to stumble from the sheer force of the dark energy.
"I can hold it back, but not for long!" she shouted, her voice strained. "The corruption is too deep!"
Gorath, who had been watching from the sidelines, gripped his massive sword and stepped forward, his eyes locked on the guardian. "I'll draw its attention. You focus on the Nexus Stone!"
Before Jinwoo could argue, Gorath charged directly at the beast. His sword swung through the air, cleaving through the thick vines that made up the guardian's body. The creature howled in rage, turning its attention to Gorath as he stood his ground, his blade gleaming in the dim light.
"Come at me!" Gorath roared, his voice full of determination. "I will not let you stop us!"
The guardian lashed out with its remaining arm, vines and dark energy swirling around it. Gorath met the attack head-on, his sword cutting through the vines with brutal efficiency. Though the guardian's size dwarfed him, Gorath's sheer strength and skill were enough to hold his own, even as the dark energy pulsed around him.
Jinwoo, taking advantage of the distraction, turned his attention to the Nexus Stone. It was embedded in the base of the massive tree, glowing with that sickly green light. The corruption was radiating from it, poisoning the land and the creatures around it. If they didn't cleanse it soon, Verdus would be lost.
"Hyeri, focus your magic on the Nexus Stone!" Jinwoo shouted. "We need to purify it now!"
Hyeri nodded, her hands already glowing brighter as she redirected her energy toward the stone. As her light touched it, the green glow flickered, the dark energy resisting the purification. She gritted her teeth, pushing harder, pouring more of her magic into the effort.
"Come on... just a little more..." Hyeri muttered, sweat beading on her forehead.
Meanwhile, Donghyuk and Gorath were keeping the guardian at bay. Donghyuk's fists collided with the creature's body again and again, electricity crackling with each strike. Gorath's blade was relentless, cutting through the thick, corrupted vines, but the creature's regeneration was fast, and every wound they inflicted seemed to heal within moments.
"This thing just doesn't give up!" Donghyuk yelled, frustration clear in his voice.
Jinwoo knew they were running out of time. They couldn't keep this up forever. The only way to stop the guardian for good was to purify the Nexus Stone, but the corruption was fighting back with everything it had.
With a deep breath, Jinwoo raised his sword and focused his energy. He could feel the Primal Energy within him, the raw power that had saved them time and time again. He needed to channel it, to unleash it on the Nexus Stone and cleanse it completely.
"Hyeri, I'm going to need your help!" Jinwoo called out, stepping closer to the Nexus Stone. "We'll purify it together!"
Hyeri glanced at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "You think we can do it?"
"We have to," Jinwoo replied, determination burning in his eyes.
Standing beside her, Jinwoo raised his sword, letting the Primal Energy flow through him. Hyeri focused her magic, her light combining with Jinwoo's power as they both directed it at the Nexus Stone. The dark energy pulsing from the stone recoiled, fighting against their combined might, but Jinwoo and Hyeri didn't back down.
The air around them shimmered with power as the light grew brighter, and the sickly green glow of the Nexus Stone began to fade. The corruption twisted and writhed, trying to hold on, but Jinwoo's Primal Energy was too strong.
"Almost... there..." Jinwoo grunted, pushing himself to his limit.
Suddenly, with a final burst of light, the Nexus Stone shattered, the dark energy dissipating into the air like a storm breaking apart. The oppressive weight that had been hanging over Verdus lifted, and the twisted vines and trees around them began to return to their natural state. The corruption was gone.
The guardian, now freed from the Watcher's influence, let out a final, pained roar before collapsing to the ground. Its massive form began to dissolve into the earth, the last remnants of the corruption fading away.
Donghyuk, breathing heavily, wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We did it..."
Hyeri fell to her knees, exhausted but relieved. "The Nexus Stone... it's purified."
Gorath sheathed his sword, his expression grim but satisfied. "Verdus is safe... for now."
Jinwoo lowered his sword, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. "One down," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Four more to go."
The group stood in the clearing, the once-corrupted forest now slowly healing around them. They had won this battle, but the war against the Watcher was far from over.
With renewed determination, they knew that their journey was just beginning.
End of Chapter 17