Chapter 970 Idle Conversation Melisandre burst apart like an overripe tomato, scattering her flesh, bones, and clothing in all directions. The Hero's Party stood dumbfounded, their shock quickly giving way to action. Rolakan and Speki conjured defensive barriers and formations, while the rest adapted to their roles, all the while adorned in the gruesome splatter. In the midst of this surreal scene, the once-red sky turned a foreboding black, and among the swirling clouds, two ginormous and pitch-black eyes materialized. "Don't delude yourselves into thinking you can escape," a sinister and grave voice resonated. "While you might have managed to eliminate the others, your luck will run dry if our paths cross. And I eagerly anticipate that moment, for I wish to end all of you with my own hands." The words hung heavily in the air, carrying a chilling promise of impending danger. Blip! The eerie eyes dissolved from the sky, vanishing as if they had never been part of this realm of floating islands. "Who was that? The voice and presence didn't match what the vampire woman mentioned." Atreus voiced the confusion that gripped the group. "I share your sentiment." Maximus affirmed. "Guess we'll have to proceed to the next location to find out." Borat said, his voice tinged with caution. The group recognized the potency of the being who had not only silenced Melisandre when she was on the brink of divulging crucial information but had also done so from a distance. The message was clear: underestimating this formidable adversary would be a grave error. Now, the only obstacle that remained in between them and the God's Altar, was the next guardian named Kaaldrum. ---------------- 1 Hour Later… After regaining their composure and strategizing for the upcoming confrontation, the Hero of Nature's party ventured through the mystical doorway found within Melisandre's castle's throne room. Step! Step! Footsteps echoed as they transitioned into a new realm, and met with an astonishing sight. Clink! Clatter! Clang! Metallic structures of all shapes and sizes filled their vision, an entire world crafted from multicolored columns, pillars, chains, and elaborate architectural wonders that could rival mountains. In this place, there was no discernible sky or solid ground; even the surface they stood on seemed like a mere segment of a massive floating chain. "Well, well, who do we have here?" The deep voice dripped with curiosity. Suddenly, a resonating voice reverberated through the surroundings, capturing their attention. A figure clad in black ranger attire, carrying a golden bow on his back, materialized about a kilometer away on a hovering sphere. "Ah, I guess you killed Melisandre. I reckon I should thank you for it. Never liked that bitch!" spoke this person. Maximus and the party leaped a few hundred meters from these constructions and they closed off the distance between themselves and this guardian. "I guess you know why we're here." spoke Maximus as they stopped atop a flying disc-like construct. "I do. But it doesn't matter." spoke Kaaldrum whose appearance was veiled under his hood. "It ends only one way. Either you lot die, or I do." he declared fiercly and took out the bow from his back and nocked few arrows at once. "I like the second option." spoke Kahn and looked at his fellow teammates. Kahn's retort cut through the charged atmosphere, asserting their readiness. Meanwhile, Maximus issued a brief order with an air of seriousness, a signal known only to their team. "Strategy 18." spoke Maximus with a stern countenance. The members of the party were in no mood for idle conversation; their intent was solely focused on the upcoming battle. Woosh! Swoosh! The battleground was dynamic and ever-shifting as the Hero's Party split into different directions, seeking tactical advantage. Some climbed to higher ground, while others took positions lower down. Maximus positioned himself squarely in front of Kaaldrum, his shield ablaze with a golden aura. Shing! With a swift motion, Maximus summoned a hexagonal patterned shield, composed of condensed mana, as his first line of defense. Dhang! His red aura flared up, casting a mesmerizing effect with his Knight's Warcry skill, focusing Kaaldrum's attention solely on him. "Fancy. But you idiots are forgetting one thing. This is my realm. And it bends to my will." spoke Kaaldrum and in the following moments, the disc-shaped floor Maximus stood on suddenly ascended in the sky like a flying saucer. At this moment, the 5th guardian was controlling the metal inside this realm… in other words, basically everything in here. Crackle! Crackl! All the arrows Kaaldrum had crackled with golden lightning as he aimed at Maximus who was put in his range to attack from below. Shoot! Like violent lightning rods, Kaaldrum shot them in the air and as soon as those arrows came 2 meters close to Maximus… Crack! However, Kaaldrum quickly displayed his control over the realm itself. As Maximus stood on a disc-shaped platform, it unexpectedly soared into the sky and cracked apart, effectively exposing Maximus and rendering his defense ineffective and causing him to lose his footing, leaving the Hero vulnerable to the oncoming attack. Shoot! The metal elemental archer unleashed a barrage of arrows crackling with golden lightning, targeting Maximus from below. BOOM!!! The arrows hit with a resounding crack, creating a deafening shockwave that sent Maximus hurtling more than a kilometer away, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. The party members watched in shock as Maximus was forcefully flung from the impact. But exactly right then… Shoot! Shoot! Amidst the chaos of Maximus being flung away, Speki took the opportunity to launch a barrage of fiery projectiles towards Kaaldrum. Dozens of massive fireballs and spears surged through the air with fiery intent, aimed directly at the metal elemental archer. "Huh, morons." snickered the archer and the following second, a hard metallic wall, 3 meters in width alone appeared behind Kaaldrum. Bang! It acted as an impromptu shield against the fiery onslaught that Speki had unleashed. The fiery projectiles slammed into the metallic barrier with powerful impacts. Sizzle! Sizzle! The wall resisted the onslaught, exhibiting a few minor cracks and showing signs of damage from the intense heat, but it held its ground steadfastly. To the party's frustration, Kaaldrum remained unscathed behind this makeshift defense, his control over the realm's metal proving to be an exceptional safeguard. Slash! Conan seized the opportunity amidst the chaos, launching a slashing attack imbued with the power of light. His blade streaked upward from below, aimed at Kaaldrum's blind spot. Bang! However, just as the attack was about to connect, a sudden obstacle intervened... A fragment of red metal, manipulated by Kaaldrum's control over the metallic realm, materialized and blocked the incoming attack, thwarting Conan's strike. Undeterred, the Hero's Party was relentless in their assault. They continued to assail Kaaldrum from various directions, employing a coordinated effort to exploit his vulnerabilities and wear down his defenses. Each attack, however, seemed to meet an ingenious countermeasure or a wall of manipulated metal, showcasing Kaaldrum's unparalleled control over the metallic domain and making their task exceedingly difficult. "This guy is less of an archer and more like a mage or a summoner." said Borat after his attack failed. Despite their relentless efforts and strategic coordination, the Hero's Party found themselves in a frustrating deadlock against Kaaldrum. His exceptional archery skills and heightened senses allowed him to anticipate their attacks and counter them with ease. It seemed as though he was merely playing a game, effortlessly deflecting every assault they launched. As the battle continued, the Hero's Party struggled to find a way to breach Kaaldrum's defenses. His control over the metallic realm gave him an impenetrable shield against their attacks, leaving them with a daunting challenge. Frustration began to mount among the party members, but they knew that giving in to despair was not an option. They needed to find a weakness or exploit a gap in Kaaldrum's tactics if they were to have any chance of overcoming his formidable skills. There seemed no way to get rid of this guardian who was fantastic at covering all of his openings, responding quickly to sudden attacks and using the terrain to his advantage as a means of defense and also nullifying enemies by removing their footing or simply throwing them away before they even prepared their skills and abilities to harm him. As the battle raged on and Kaaldrum expertly deflected every attack thrown at him, a sudden realization struck him like a lightning bolt. "Wait a minute… Wasn't there another guy apart from these five people?" this sudden realization dawned on the metal elemental archer. Amidst the chaos, he remembered that there was supposed to be another member of the Hero's Party, someone who hadn't shown themselves yet. Crack! Crack! But before he could grasp the situation… In the midst of his confusion, the ground beneath him crackled and shattered as if responding to his unspoken thoughts. Two powerful fists of ice burst forth, gripping Kaaldrum's legs in a vice-like grip. The shock and pain from the permafrost surged through him as the ice began to freeze and weaken his limbs, leaving him immobilized and vulnerable. Shatter! Both of his legs quickly shattered and he dropped on the metallic floor. Swoosh! From the newly formed fissure, a figure emerged. It was Atreus, the blue wolfkin whose cunning strategy had caught Kaaldrum off guard. "You focused so much on your enemies attacking from a distance…" His voice was laced with a sense of authority as he taunted Kaaldrum for overlooking his surroundings in favor of focusing solely on distant threats. Kahn's presence was dominating, his eyes gleaming with fierce determination as he delivered his declaration... "That you forgot where you were standing."