A different world game? A different world game!

"Legend...The Soul Guardian..."

The nightingale leaned against the wall, weak but with an astonishingly bright gaze as she looked at the shadow, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

"Boss! You've reached Legendary rank! Does that mean our team... can we apply to advance to the 'Soul Guardian' rank as well?"

Her words instantly ignited the expectations of the other team members.

Pan Shi grinned, his honest smile dispelling the fatigue on his face.

Although Ke Shui still looked like he was about to fall asleep at any moment, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

Even the claws, which had just broken free from the whispers of the abyss and were listless, regained their wild light in their amber vertical pupils. They licked their dry lips and echoed in a hoarse voice.

“That’s right! Soul Keepers! What’s ‘Demon Slayer’? We need a more impressive title. ‘Abyss Hunter’? ‘Cursed Fang’? ...And our own banner. Embroider our emblem on it.”

Imagining the scene of having their own unique name, uniform battle robes, and a flag representing the team's glory fluttering in the raging winds of the abyss, an indescribable sense of excitement and pride surged in the hearts of the team members.

This is the recognition and belonging they, as witchers, have longed for after struggling and fighting through the curse and glory of the Eternal Abyss bloodline.

As Shadow listened to his teammates' excited discussion and felt their heartfelt joy and sincere congratulations on his breakthrough, a warm current quietly flowed through his heart, dispelling the coldness of the abyss and the cruelty of the battle.

This is what he would risk his life to protect—the bond forged in blood and fire, the pride and future of the "team".

At that very moment, the newly born "Guardian Oath" power within him, like a seed, seemed to be infused with the spring of life, trembling slightly, and a barely perceptible sense of progress arose spontaneously.

The will to protect is strengthened and intensified by the smiles of their companions.

In this scorching front line filled with the roars of death and the thunder of divine battle, during a brief respite from treatment, several wounded warriors sat together, their faces beaming with smiles for a shared expectation.

This warmth of surviving a disaster and standing shoulder to shoulder with comrades was like a faint but real ray of sunlight piercing through the thick sulfurous clouds. It not only illuminated their tired faces, but also allowed the tense nerves of the other soldiers around them, who were also resting and bandaging their wounds, to relax for a moment.

The lingering smell of gunpowder and blood in the air seemed to be somewhat diluted by this moment of warmth and hope.

The bloody battle in the abyss is endless, but at this moment, the light of order shines especially precious amidst the resilience and camaraderie of humanity.

…………

A month later, on the left flank of the Pan Shi defense line, a bloody battle raged deep within the smoke of war.

The sulfur storm, carrying the lingering smell of burning, licked at the newly reinforced obsidian battlements.

A month of tempering in the hellish furnace has completely forged the Shadow Squad into a poisoned dagger on the battlefield of the abyss.

"Three o'clock! The 'Giant Jaw' has appeared! Its target is the 'Heart of the Furnace' turret base!"

The nightingale's clear, cool voice pierced through the battlefield's clamor and resounded in the helmet's built-in channel.

With a slight adjustment of her "Silent Messenger" gun, a bullet wreathed in demon-slaying silver flames precisely pierced the eyeball of a winged demon that was trying to lunge at the turret's energy pipeline.

Before the words were even finished, a tidal wave of demons and berserkers below the city wall was smashed apart by a brute force.

A colossal creature appeared, roaring as it trod through lava and corpses.

Standing nearly five meters tall, its humanoid form was covered by a thick, dark red layer of keratin, scarred by war, resembling a moving lava fortress.

Most striking is its enormous mouth, which occupies half of its head and is covered with spiraling sharp teeth, spewing out sulfur sparks and scorching heat with each opening and closing.

Its arms end not in hands, but in two enormous, twisted bone blades burning with hellfire—the legendary battle-hardened demon, "Citybreaker" Balzac, who struck fear into the hearts of soldiers on the front lines.

It lacks sophisticated tactics, possessing only a ferocious impact and destructive power, making it the most troublesome "battering ram" in the Demon Tide.

"Lock it!"

Shadow's voice was as steady as iron, and the pressure of a legendary expert enveloped the team like a rock.

He no longer needed to shout out orders; a mere thought was enough to clearly convey tactical intentions.

His eerie green eyes locked onto the battle-hardened demon, the cursed blade in his hand emitting a deep hum, the invisible power of the "Guardian Oath" quietly connecting each team member, sharing the whispers of the abyss and the will to fight.

Balzac let out a roar that shook the city bricks, raising his massive bone blade high, wreathed in blazing demonic flames, aiming directly at the alloy base supporting the turret.

If successful, the firepower of the entire defensive line will be greatly reduced.

"Do it!"

The rock roared thunderously, like a living fortress crashing forward.

Without dodging, he brazenly rammed his heavily armored body into the flank of Balzac's charge.

Runes on the "rock-solid" heavy armor flashed, forcefully withstanding the scorching gale brought by the bone blade and the few inferior demons swept by the aftershocks. The huge impact sounded like muffled thunder.

The Tempered Demon's charge was abruptly deflected by this brutal interception, its bone blade grazing the edge of the turret base and slamming into the ground, sending lava flying and leaving a deep crater.

Just as Balzac lost his balance in a fit of rage after his attack missed—

A shadow, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, shot out from the enormous shadow cast by the rock.

Claws!

His movements were so fast that he was reduced to a twisted black line, his Shadow Demon bloodline thriving in the abyss environment.

Instead of attacking the tough keratin layer, he precisely stabbed the poisoned claw blade into the relatively vulnerable inner crevice of the tempered demon's right elbow joint.

The "Order Burn" rune was instantly activated, and holy flames mixed with deadly poison erupted inside the joints.

"Ow—!"

Balzac let out a painful roar, and the swing of the bone blade on his right arm suddenly became sluggish.

At the same time, several bullets with strong "dizziness" and "magic interference" effects accurately struck the tempered demon's jaw joint and around its only remaining left eye—Nightingale's support had arrived.

Although it could not cause any real harm, it successfully interfered with its senses and spellcasting.

The Tempered Demon raged and swung its still-functioning left arm, its bone blade sweeping across, forcing back the rock that tried to get close.

But a barely perceptible shadow clung to its massive ankle like a leech.

It was drowsiness! His shadow dagger moved silently, not to kill, but to precisely sever several shadow energy lines connecting his ankle tendons—an instinctive connection unique to abyssal creatures that enhances explosive power.

Balzac's massive body staggered, his lower body momentarily losing its balance.

flaw!

The shadow moved.

He was like a ghost that blended into space, the dark blade of his cursed sword drawing an enigmatic trajectory as it devoured light.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, only extreme precision and the destructive power concentrated at a single point, containing the power of the "oath of protection".

That is, the power of collective strength.

The target was deep within Balzac's jaws, slightly agape from the pain and imbalance—the relatively soft throat that led directly to his brain.

puff!

The darkness of the cursed blade pierced precisely into the depths of that burning maw, straight to the back of its head.

Balzac's frenzied movements suddenly froze, his burning giant eyes filled with unbelievable rage and frozen astonishment.

Its massive body convulsed violently, and the demonic flames flowing across its surface dimmed and went out instantly, like a candle being extinguished.

Then, like a giant beast whose spine had been removed, it crashed forward with a roar, its heavy body slamming against the city wall and sending down a shower of rubble.

From locking onto the target to the legendary demon's demise, only a dozen or so breaths passed.

"Great job! Well done, Captain Shadows!" On the nearby gun emplacement, a dwarf gunner with a face covered in soot and half of his beard singed off excitedly pounded the cannon barrel and roared.

"This 'City Crusher' has destroyed at least three firing positions today! You demon hunters are getting better and better at taking down these tough nuts! Faster than my cannons!"

Claw flicked the sticky demon blood off its claws, its amber vertical pupils flashing with wild pride and a hint of weariness, and raised its chin toward the turret.

"Ha! Old Graum, next time just treat us to the strongest 'Lava Ale' from Bloodpit Fortress."

A month of intense combat had elevated his familiarity with the abyss and his confidence in hunting demons to new heights.

Pan Shi, panting heavily, examined the deep dents and charred marks on his heavy armor caused by the bone blade's gale, and smiled憨厚ly: "Its strength is truly immense."

The demon's attack left marks on him, but his strong resistance and heavy armor protected him from serious injury.

Nightingale calmly changed the magazine, glancing at the fallen behemoth.

"Its movement was a bit slower than the data recorded, and the interference took effect."

She had a scorch mark on her shoulder armor from being burned by splashing lava.

A drowsy figure slowly emerged from the shadow of the fallen Elder Demon and let out an exaggerated yawn.

"Are you done? Can you go back to sleep now?"

He appeared languid, but deep in his eyes there was a hint of relaxation after tension, and on his arm was a burn mark from chaotic energy.

Shadow slowly drew out the cursed blade; the blade remained as black as ink, untouched by any filth.

He checked on the team members' condition and confirmed through the "Guardian Oath" that although they had minor injuries, they were all fine.

"Clear the surrounding area and prepare for evacuation."

His voice remained steady, but the continuous high-intensity battles and the power to maintain the rules had left a subtle trace of weariness between his brows.

He could sense that the pollution accumulated within the team members from the whispers of the abyss was converging on him and spreading through an invisible connection.

The squad swiftly and efficiently eliminated the remaining demons who had fallen into chaos due to the commander's death.

Just as they were about to catch their breath and treat their minor injuries in a makeshift shelter behind the city wall, a messenger with the Night's Watch logistics and rotation management insignia embroidered on his armband rushed over, slightly out of breath.

"Shadow Stalker Captain! All members of the 'Demon Slayer' squad!"

The messenger saluted and spoke quickly.

"Rotation order, command from the fortress headquarters. Your squad's mission on the Abyss front has reached its time limit. Return to Blood Pit Fortress immediately for mandatory rest and contamination purification. The replacement squad is on its way."

Claw was treating a cut on his arm caused by a demonic claw with purifying powder when he heard this, and he was taken aback, then subconsciously said something.

"So fast? I feel fine. Ever since the boss became a legend, carrying that ghostly whisper doesn't seem so difficult anymore."

He did feel that the mental burden brought on by this abyss erosion was much lighter than before the previous rotations.

The messenger shrugged and gave a helpless smile.

“I don’t know the specific reason either, Captain. But the rotation time is strictly calculated by the system, and the data is correct. An order is an order. Please follow me to the teleportation point immediately.”

Yingzong nodded without asking any further questions: "Understood. Execute the order, all personnel evacuate."

Blood Pit Fortress, an abyss-specialized medical and purification center.

A soft yet powerful light of order enveloped the entire purification hall, and the air was filled with the refreshing scent of purification potions and holy light energy, a stark contrast to the sulfurous hell outside.

The five members of the Shadow Squad each lay down in their own individual purification chambers.

Complex alchemical instruments were connected to the meditation stone rings on their foreheads, fine probes gently pierced their skin to extract blood and tissue samples, and intricate arrays of runes scanned their soul fluctuations.

On the huge holographic screen, five beams of light representing the degree of pollution and erosion in the abyss are displayed side by side.

The data stream was moving at breakneck speed.

"strangeness……"

An alchemical analyst wearing data goggles stared at the screen, muttering in confusion, "Pollution concentration readings: Shadow, 17.8%; Nightingale, 17.5%; Rock, 17.6%; Drowsiness, 17.7%; Claw, 17.9%... These numbers..."

The senior pastor next to him also came over, his brows furrowed.

"The average is around 17.7%, all below the safe threshold (20%). The overall data is very healthy, much better than most Witcher squads that have experienced the same amount of combat time..."

"But the question is, how could their pollution concentrations be so similar? Almost perfectly average?"

He pulled up historical data for comparison.

“Look, during the first battle, Claw’s contamination level was as high as 24.5%, far exceeding the average of 19.8%. Captain Shadow was the lowest at that time, at only 15.3%. Individual differences are very obvious.”

"This time... it's almost like the score was forcibly leveled out?"

Just then, a cool, insightful voice rang out behind the analyst.

"It's not 'similar,' it's just been flattened."

Everyone turned around and saw that Apis had quietly appeared in the observation room at some point.

Her silver-gray eyes were fixed on the five almost overlapping pollution curves on the screen, and then through the one-way glass, she looked at the Shadow Squad, who had just come out of the purification chamber and were receiving basic recovery treatment.

Their gazes were particularly drawn to Yingzong, who was meditating with his eyes closed and exuding a calm and legendary aura.

"The legendary rule of the Shadowwalkers—'Guardian'."

Apis's voice was calm and even, yet carried a convincing authority.

"This is not only a barrier of will, but also a way to share the impact on the spirit. The application of the rules varies from person to person, and it seems to be a dynamic balancer. It has invisibly 'shared' the abyssal pollution that the team members have suffered at the spiritual level of the contract connection."

She approached the screen and gently tapped the five almost parallel beams of light with her fingertips.

"Individuals with high bloodline concentration, like Claw, are naturally more prone to accumulating contamination in their bodies. However, the 'Guardian Oath' will guide and distribute the 'overflow' load that they cannot bear to other team members, especially the Shadow Walker himself, as the core member, through rule links."

"Conversely, team members with lower blood concentration and relatively stronger resistance will also be passively burdened with more responsibilities."

"The final result is what you see—the level of pollution erosion on the five people was forcibly maintained at a relatively average and controllable level."

The analyst and the pastor suddenly realized what was happening, their eyes filled with amazement.

"I see! That's why Claw felt so relaxed this time. Captain Shadpan and the entire squad were sharing the burden with him. But these rules...aren't they a huge burden on Captain Shadpan himself..."

Apis's gaze fell on Yingzong's slightly tired but still upright back. She nodded slightly, a deep light flashing in her silver eyes.

"The price of 'protection' is naturally borne by the guardian. He can extend the team's 'shelf life' in the abyss, but the price is that the total burden he bears is far greater than that of others."

"This power... is both a gift and a shackle. His journey has only just begun."

He believed that the other side would find a balance, and that his teammates would awaken to legendary status, which would mean not only accepting pressure but also receiving benefits in return.

Under the soft light of the purification hall, Yingzong seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes.

His deep green pupils seemed to hold a responsibility and power deeper than the abyss.

The team members gathered around, their breaths mingling and becoming one through an invisible "oath".

They had just completed an efficient hunt, and now they were sharing the burden of the abyss's encroachment.

The bloody battle ahead continues endlessly, but their bonds and protection have forged a new legendary foundation in this infernal realm. (End of Chapter)