Chapter 361: Chapter 361: The Iron Juggernaut’s Fall
The tidal wave of steel tore across the chamber, spikes ripping through stone and leaving nothing but jagged ruin in their path. For a heartbeat, Noel’s body locked up. There was no dodging, no cover—just death.
Then instinct roared louder than fear.
"Shadow Step!"
Darkness swallowed him as the wall of metal surged closer. He reappeared a split second later, arms already wrapping around Selene. Her eyes widened as he pulled her against him, plunging them both back into the shadows at the last possible instant.
They emerged in a battered corner of the hall, the floor behind them shredded into a forest of twisted spikes. Noel collapsed to one knee, Revenant Fang’s edge trembling in his grip. His mana pathways screamed from the double cast, shadows still licking at his skin like smoke.
Selene steadied herself quickly, though her breathing was sharp. Her gaze flicked to him, cool but edged. "You’re burning too much mana. You won’t last if you keep forcing it."
Noel smirked weakly, lifting his head to meet her eyes. "Yeah, well... it beats being a kebab."
Selene blinked, thrown off. "...A what?"
Noel let out a short breath that might’ve been a laugh. "Never mind. Just something from... somewhere else. Forget it."
Selene lifted her wand, frost gathering at the tip. "We need to create space."
She whispered the incantation, and a veil of icy mist spread across the battlefield, dulling the Juggernaut’s vision. The monster slowed for a moment, its crimson gaze slicing through the haze.
Noel exhaled, forcing himself upright, Revenant Fang pulsing violently in his hands. ’We can’t keep this up. If we don’t break it soon, we’re finished.’
The Juggernaut didn’t wait. Its massive sword swung in a wide arc, cutting through mist and stone alike. The sheer force split the floor, shards of rock scattering like shrapnel.
Noel darted forward, Revenant Fang igniting in his grip. "Ignition Surge!" Fire crawled up the cursed steel, heat warping the air as he struck low, aiming for the gap between the creature’s greaves.
Steel screamed against steel. The Juggernaut twisted its shield down, parrying with inhuman precision. Sparks burst as Revenant Fang was deflected aside, the counter-swing grazing Noel’s chest close enough to scorch fabric.
’It reads every move... damn it, this thing fights like a veteran.’
Selene’s voice cut sharp from behind him. "Zero Point Burst!"
Gravity imploded at the Juggernaut’s feet. The air bent, pulling its massive frame downward with a crushing weight. For a heartbeat, its shield scraped against the floor, legs bending under invisible force.
Noel seized the opening. He roared and swung again, Revenant Fang blazing with fire and shadow, carving down toward its torso.
The blade bit deep, sparks and molten shards flying as the Juggernaut staggered back a step.
But it didn’t fall. The Elite’s runes flared brighter, and with a guttural snarl it forced through Selene’s gravity hold. The weight shattered with a shockwave, sending cracks racing across the floor.
Noel was thrown back, boots skidding across stone, his arms numb from the backlash.
The Juggernaut advanced, shield raised, every step pounding like a war drum. Its crimson eyes glowed brighter, tracking their movements without hesitation.
Selene raised her wand, pale frost swirling around her like a storm waiting to break. Her breathing was shallow, but her voice cut steady. "I’ll freeze it. You break it."
Noel glanced at her, then back at the iron giant. His smirk curved faintly despite the pain burning through his ribs. "Sounds like a plan."
The Juggernaut lunged. Its sword carved downward, a wall of steel and momentum. Noel blurred aside, shadows curling at his feet. "Shadow Step!" He reappeared at its flank, Revenant Fang sparking with black fire. The strike clanged against its armor, forcing it a step sideways.
Selene’s wand flared. "Frostfall Requiem!"
The air collapsed into absolute cold. A wave of glacial wind burst across the hall, burying the Juggernaut in a blizzard of snow and microscopic ice needles. Frost spread over its armor, locking joints, stiffening limbs. The creature staggered, shield trembling as the storm ate at its strength.
Noel felt the moment. Lightning burst across his arms, shadows bleeding into the arcs. "Stormpiercer... Eclipse Rend!"
His body became a streak of black lightning, Revenant Fang shrieking as it thrust forward, wrapped in shadow and flame. He slammed into the Juggernaut’s chest, cracking its shield in half with the force. Frost exploded in every direction as Selene’s storm peaked, ice constricting its body in a cage of frozen death.
The Juggernaut roared, armor splitting, sparks and shadow flaring where steel met cursed blade.
Noel pushed harder, teeth clenched.
The Juggernaut roared, its guttural cry shaking the walls as cracks spiderwebbed across its chestplate. The shield split in two, falling uselessly at its sides, and its great sword dragged limply against the floor. Frost clung to every inch of its armor, Selene’s storm tearing through the gaps as Noel drove Revenant Fang deeper into its core.
Lightning and shadow erupted in violent harmony, black arcs sparking as the cursed blade carved past steel and into whatever essence kept the creature alive.
With a final, shuddering roar, the Juggernaut collapsed to its knees. Its massive frame crashed to the ground, sending a tremor through the hall. Runes flickered once... then died. The crimson light in its helm dimmed to nothing.
Noel staggered back, chest heaving, Revenant Fang dripping sparks as the storm around him dissipated. His arms shook, every muscle screaming from the strain. ’Finally... it’s over.’
The system’s voice rang in his head:
[You have slain Iron Juggernaut (Elite – Ascendant). You received 1.50%.]
[Current Core Progress: 19.23% – Mana Core: Ascendant]
Selene lowered her wand slowly, the frost veil fading into silence. Her lips parted as she exhaled, eyes fixed on the fallen colossus.
For a moment, only the sound of dripping water echoed through the ruined hall. Then, from within the Juggernaut’s chest cavity, a faint glow began to shine.
The armored shell cracked open, revealing an object resting where its core should have been: a shard of blackened metal, jagged and pulsing faintly with mana. The air around it vibrated, heavy with power.
Noel’s gaze locked on it, his expression unreadable. "It dropped something?"
Selene stepped closer, her voice low. "What is that?"