Chapter 295: Demonic Predator’s Dominion

The group moved in silence through the fortress’s new corridors. Every footstep echoed faintly against smooth stone, each of them acutely aware of the sound they were making. Unlike the old fortress, there were no alarms or mechanical triggers, just a dense hush and the electric weight of an ambush waiting to happen. Torches flickered on the walls, their flames casting restless shadows that warped the depth of the passageways.

“You’re sure this plan will work?” Ronan’s voice carried a taut edge.

They stopped at a crossroad. The air here felt colder, tinged with rust and damp, as if the walls themselves were swallowing every word. Evangeline studied each hall and archway before answering.

“I’m sure. Even without alarms, these things like to slaughter anything that gets near the mechanism. That makes Luke and me the most obvious targets.” She allowed a thin smile. “So we’ll use that against them.”

“But you said these bastards turn invisible. We won’t even know if they’re right next to us,” Ronan muttered, tightening his grip on his weapon.

The seven of them formed a tight ring, backs together, covering every angle. It was the most defensible spot they’d found in the fortress’s labyrinthine layout, but still a choke point. Eyes swept each corridor. Muscles stayed wired, waiting for the first flash of movement.

Charlie drew her blade from the inventory. The black metal seemed to drink in the surrounding light as she activated its enchantment.

[Midnight Sword (Ultra-Rare)
Description: A blade as black as the night itself, forged from the same shadowed steel used by the Midnight Wardens. It once belonged to a Captain, whose strength and discipline still echo within the blade. The steel is hard and unyielding, making it not only a deadly weapon but also a symbol of authority and fear.

[Shield Form (Ultra-Rare): The blade can transform into a round shield of black steel, equally resilient, providing unshakable defense in critical moments.

Requirement: Level 35+ in any Fighter class.]

“Don’t forget about the spear. They could throw it at us,” Jack said, eyes darting between passageways.

“The Warden Captain we’ve seen only carries a sword. But even if it does have a spear, the instant it throws, it loses invisibility. That’s our window,” Luke replied, voice steady.

Jack swallowed hard. “I just don’t know if I can dodge in time. I’m not agile, I’m not built to take a hit. I’m wearing a robe, not armor.”

“Then hope it sticks to the sword,” Luke said, half serious, half teasing.

“That’s not exactly reassuring,” Jack muttered, clenching his wand.

The formation stayed tight. The silence thickened, broken only by the faint clink of steel when someone shifted their stance. The cold stone walls turned every sound into an echo, like whispers from unseen mouths. Even breathing felt too loud.

Then came the sound of heavy metal footsteps, slow, measured, coming from more than one direction.

“It’s in front of me!” Mason raised his shield.

Another sound snapped from the left corridor.

“Got one on my side!” Allison crouched slightly, ready to strike.

Eleanor held her bowstring tight but didn’t fire. Too early and she’d give up her shot. The seven of them traded quick glances, no one sure where the first strike would land. The creatures were there, invisible, stalking them like predators in their own den.

More footsteps now, fast and sure, heading straight toward Luke’s position.

“Third one’s on me!” he called out.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the noise stopped. Silence reclaimed the hall. The Wardens were in position, waiting to spring. The moment they had anticipated and dreaded had arrived.

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Charlie raised her shield and the spectral barrier shimmered into existence in front of Luke, a translucent veil quivering like liquid glass. The air grew heavy, vibrating with energy. Eleanor used the moment to draw stamina into her arrow, while Ronan lifted his massive shield, bracing for impact.

The hush lasted only a heartbeat. A sharp crack snapped to the right and the first Warden appeared out of nowhere, a ripple in the air, like heat above stone, before slamming into the barrier. Eleanor released her arrow, the shaft roaring through the distortion. Ronan intercepted a strike with his shield, sparks skidding off the stone where an invisible blade had missed him by inches.