The barrier cracked again.
CRACK!
This time, Noah felt it.
Not through the ground.
Not through the air.
Through his soul.
A pressure unlike anything before descended upon the sanctuary.
It wasn’t wild like the Executioner’s rage.
It was calm.
Controlled.
Patient.
As though whoever approached had already decided the outcome.
The System blared relentlessly.
[WARNING!]
High-Risk Entity Approaching.
Do Not Engage.
Do Not Make Eye Contact.
Survival Probability: 0.008%
"...You’ve got to be kidding me."
The stone warrior slowly unsheathed its massive sword.
Stone crumbled from the blade as it moved.
Beneath the rock was polished black steel.
Ancient runes ignited one after another.
For the first time, Noah understood.
The "statue" had never been stone.
It had simply slept for so long that the world mistook it for one.
The guardian spoke without looking at him.
"Stay behind me."
Noah frowned.
"I can fi—"
"You cannot."
The words carried absolute certainty.
"If you step outside this barrier, you will die before your heart beats a second time."
Noah hated hearing it.
But he knew the guardian wasn’t exaggerating.
Outside...
The Executioner had already lowered its head.
Not to attack.
To submit.
Its enormous body trembled.
A creature that ruled this forest...
Was terrified.
The mist parted.
Footsteps echoed.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Unlike the Executioner’s thunderous strides...
These were quiet.
Almost elegant.
A lone figure emerged.
A man.
At least he looked like one.
He wore a perfectly tailored black coat that somehow remained spotless despite the blood-soaked forest.
His silver hair reached his shoulders.
A pair of black gloves covered his hands.
His face was impossibly handsome.
Too perfect.
Like a sculpture carved by a god.
But his eyes...
His eyes were completely black.
No pupils.
No whites.
Only endless darkness.
He stopped before the barrier.
His gaze drifted lazily across the sanctuary.
Then...
He smiled.
"So..."
His voice was smooth.
Cultured.
"...this is where you’ve been hiding."
The guardian tightened its grip on the sword.
"You should not have come."
The man sighed dramatically.
"I was hoping we’d skip the formalities."
His eyes shifted.
Landing on Noah.
Everything inside Noah froze.
For a single heartbeat...
He forgot how to breathe.
The man’s smile widened.
"So..."
"You’re the Seventh."
The words struck like lightning.
He knew.
He knew about the Successors.
He knew Noah.
The guardian stepped sideways.
Blocking Noah completely.
"You will not touch him."
The man laughed.
"Oh?"
He raised one eyebrow.
"And how exactly do you intend to stop me?"
Silence.
The guardian answered by raising its sword.
The ancient runes along the blade erupted into crimson flames.
The atmosphere exploded.
The forest shook violently.
Even the Executioner retreated another step.
The silver-haired man merely sighed.
"I really did want to avoid this."
He removed one glove.
His bare hand was completely black.
Not skin.
Something else.
As though his arm had been carved from living shadow.
The System flashed again.
[Entity Identified]
Name: Azrael
Title: Apostle of the Devourer
Threat Level: Catastrophic
Noah’s eyes widened.
A name.
For the first time, the System had identified an enemy.
Azrael smiled politely.
"I see the System is functioning."
His gaze never left Noah.
"Good."
"I’d hate for this to be boring."
Noah’s blood turned cold.
"He can read the notifications...?"
The guardian answered quietly.
"No."
"He can hear the System."
Noah’s expression froze.
That shouldn’t have been possible.
The System was supposed to belong only to him.
Azrael chuckled.
"You’ve taught him well."
"I’ve taught him nothing."
"Not yet."
The apostle slowly extended one finger toward Noah.
"Come with me."
"I’ll make your death painless."
Noah barked a laugh.
"Yeah..."
He raised Shadowfang.
"...I’m gonna have to decline."
Azrael blinked.
Then...
He laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"I like this one."
His smile disappeared instantly.
"But I’m still going to kill him."
The words hadn’t even finished leaving his mouth—
He vanished.
Noah never saw him move.
One moment Azrael stood outside the barrier.
The next—
He was already inside.
Standing directly in front of Noah.
The barrier hadn’t stopped him.
It hadn’t even slowed him down.
The guardian’s eyes widened.
"Impossible—!"
Azrael’s black hand reached toward Noah’s chest.
Too fast.
Far too fast.
Noah couldn’t react.
Predator’s Instinct screamed.
Shadow Step couldn’t activate.
His body refused to move.
Then—
CLANG!
Steel collided with shadow.
The guardian appeared between them.
Its sword intercepted Azrael’s hand.
The impact split the sanctuary in half.
A shockwave blasted Noah backward.
He crashed into a pillar.
Stone exploded around him.
Dust filled the air.
The guardian gritted its teeth.
"You’ve become stronger."
Azrael smiled.
"No."
His black eyes gleamed.
"You’ve simply become weaker."
With one effortless push...
The guardian was thrown hundreds of meters across the sanctuary.
It smashed through three ancient pillars before finally stopping.
Noah stared in disbelief.
The First Successor...
Had just been overpowered with a single hand.
Azrael turned back toward Noah.
His smile returned.
Now there was nothing standing between them.