Sai groaned as he pushed himself off the ground, his body aching from the unexpected collapse. Above him, the vampire floated, laughing like a deranged specter. Her crimson eyes glowed with amusement, but Sai barely spared her a glance.

  He had more important things to do.

  Ignoring the creepy laughter, he dusted himself off and turned his attention toward the ruins. The ancient stone structures, covered in moss and cracked with age, called to him. He had almost forgotten about the other adventurers—who cared what they were doing? Right now, his curiosity burned brighter than anything else.

  Without a word, Sai strode forward, stepping over the broken remains of statues and shattered pillars. The air was thick with the scent of dust and history, and every step echoed in the hollow silence of the forgotten place. His mind raced with possibilities—what secrets lay buried here? What treasures or dangers awaited in the depths of the ruins?

  As Sai stepped away from the ancient chamber, the vampire's laughter abruptly stopped. Her eerie amusement faded, replaced by silence. She floated in place, her crimson eyes fixed on his retreating figure. She struggled again, testing the limits of her restraints, but the rusted chains binding her weren’t ordinary—they suppressed her very existence.

  Her body, or rather, the illusion of her, flickered for a brief moment. It was just a projection, a fragment of her will given form, while her true body lay somewhere deeper in slumber. She had been trapped here for a long time, unable to act, unable to break free. Yet now…

  Now, something had changed.

  Sai had entered this place, unknowingly stepping into a forgotten past, and now he was leaving with pieces of a mystery even she did not fully understand.

  Sai exhaled as he walked through the ruins, his body still tingling with residual energy. The battle with the vampiric beast had been tough, but he had come out stronger. He could feel the surge of power running through him, subtle yet unmistakable.

  Name: Sai

  Race: ???

  Physique: ??? (Incomplete)

  Abilities: ???, Calm Mind, Fury, Enhanced Regeneration

  Power Level: Awakened

  Level: 23

  Mana: 360 units

  Body Strength: 90 unitsHis strength and magic had increased, though not by much. But every bit mattered. Every victory pushed him forward.

  Yet, despite his gains, he couldn't shake the feeling that this place held more than just a sealed vampire and forgotten ruins. The murals, the chains, the secrets buried here—it all pointed to something bigger.

  The vampire, still trapped within her illusionary form, watched him with unreadable eyes. She should have ignored him, dismissed him as another adventurer who stumbled upon things he shouldn’t have. But there was something about him.

  She had seen the way he moved, the way he fought. And more importantly—she had seen what he had used.

  That ritual.

  Her expression darkened. Only two vampires in history had ever known about that ritual. Herself—and another, long gone, lost to time, vanished alongside the dragons.

  Selena.... She muttered after a long pause and looked at sai

  Sai moved cautiously through the ruins, his sharp senses scanning every inch of his surroundings. The air was thick with dust, the faint scent of decay lingering in the shadows. Small monsters skittered in the darkness—he could hear their claws scratching against the stone, their faint breathing just beyond his sight. But they remained hidden, watching him from a distance, too weak to pose a real threat.

  As he pressed forward, he noticed the remnants of ancient traps. Pressure plates were buried beneath layers of dust, their mechanisms worn yet still active. Faint glows of magical wards shimmered along the walls, their power unstable but deadly. A single misstep could trigger a cascade of danger, but Sai moved with practiced ease, avoiding them all. His heightened senses allowed him to navigate the ruins like a shadow, slipping past obstacles that would have crippled an ordinary adventurer.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Then, he saw it.

  A pair of massive gates loomed at the end of the corridor, their towering presence undeniable. Crafted from a dark, unknown metal, the doors were adorned with intricate, twisting patterns that seemed almost alive. The passage of time had not weakened them—if anything, they radiated a quiet, oppressive power, an unspoken warning to any who dared approach.

  Strange glyphs lined the edges of the doors, flickering faintly with traces of forgotten magic. Sai could feel the weight of something ancient pressing against his mind, a presence watching him, testing him.

  This wasn’t just any door. It was a barrier—a guardian standing between him and whatever lay beyond.

  The vampires who had targeted Sai didn't know that every step he took was making them lose their minds.

  Sai stepped forward, and the guardian opened his eyes and spoke.

  "Challenger, step forward. If you wish to continue, defeat me."

  Sai tightened his grip on his sword, his body tensed as he faced the towering guardian. The air around them crackled with energy, and the ancient being’s golden eyes burned with silent authority. It was clear—this was no ordinary foe. This was a test of strength, skill, and survival.

  The guardian moved first, its sheer size belying its monstrous speed. A massive fist, reinforced with raw magical energy, came crashing down toward Sai like a falling meteor. Sai’s eyes sharpened, his Calm Mind ability helped him greatly. The world around him slowed, and he could see the attack’s trajectory with perfect clarity.

  Instead of dodging outright, Sai pivoted his body, letting the fist graze past him. The force of the blow shattered the stone beneath his feet, sending shockwaves rippling through the chamber. Dust exploded outward, clouding the battlefield.

  Sai didn’t waste the opening. With a flicker of mana, he activated Fury , boosting his speed and power in an instant. His sword hummed with raw energy as he lunged forward, slashing at the guardian’s exposed side.

  The blade clashed against the guardian’s stone-like skin, sparks flying upon impact. A deep gash formed, cracks spreading outward, but it wasn’t enough to bring the behemoth down. The guardian reacted immediately, swinging its massive arm toward him in a counterattack.

  Sai raised his free hand, channeling mana into his Barrier spell. A shimmering, translucent shield formed just in time to intercept the blow. The impact sent a jolt through Sai’s body, but the barrier held—barely. He gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn’t afford to take too many direct hits.

  Jumping back, he channeled mana into his sword, the blade beginning to glow with a deep azure hue. Enhanced Regeneration kicked in, numbing the pain from the previous impact as he steadied himself.

  The guardian roared, its glowing eyes intensifying. The air around it shimmered as golden glyphs formed, signaling an attack. Magic circles appeared, gathering immense power before launching spears of energy toward Sai.

  Sai reacted instantly. He raised his sword and channeled his mana into Mana Blade, extending the reach of his weapon. With precise, controlled swings, he cut through the incoming projectiles, dispersing them mid-air. But the moment he deflected the last attack, the guardian was already upon him, fist raised for a devastating punch.

  Sai had no time to dodge. Instead, he met power with power.

  He poured all his mana into his sword, its glow intensifying as he activated Overdrive Slash. The instant the guardian’s fist came down, Sai swung with all his might, his blade colliding against the behemoth’s strike.

  A deafening shockwave erupted, shaking the ruins to their core. The sheer force of the impact cracked the guardian’s arm, sending golden energy surging through its body. It staggered, its movements faltering for the first time.

  Sai saw his opening.

  Using the last remnants of his Fury-boosted speed, he dashed forward, sword gleaming with concentrated mana. The cracks along the guardian’s body pulsed, its weakened core exposed for just a moment.

  Sai took aim.

  With a final, decisive strike, he drove his sword straight into the guardian’s core, unleashing every last drop of energy left in him.

  A burst of light engulfed the chamber. The guardian let out a deep ssound as its body crumbled, golden energy dissipating into the air. Its massive frame collapsed into dust, leaving only silence behind.

  Sai stood there, panting, his body aching from the intensity of the battle. His mana reserves were nearly depleted, and his limbs felt heavy. If he had made even a single mistake, he would’ve lost.

  But he had won. His Fury skill deactivated, leaving him weakened, and his body suffered from internal damage. As the dust settled, the massive gates behind the guardian creaked open, revealing the secrets that lay beyond.