Champion Of Lust: Gods Conquer's Harem Paradise!

Chapter 262 The Guardian's Sudden Ascension

Pyris adjusted his stance as he sized up the towering guardian before him. Its massive frame radiated ominous energy, the black aura around it pulsating like a living force.

The battle thus far had been a sobering experience. Even with his lightning speed and raw power, every attack Pyris had thrown at the creature felt like striking an immovable mountain.

This time, he was determined to make an impact—something that would crack its defenses, no matter how slight. If he could create even the smallest opening, he could exploit it later in the death challenge.

With a deep breath, Pyris gathered his elemental forces. He summoned the raw power of the Light Element, letting radiant energy surround his fists like golden flames. From his left hand, Darkness slithered and coiled, a stark contrast to the brilliance in his right.

Finally, he infused the spatial distortions of mana into his feet, warping the ground beneath him.

He vanished in a blink, reappearing above the guardian with light-infused fists. The impact of his strike sent a blinding shockwave cascading through the room, but the guardian only staggered, taking two steps back.

Pyris' feet hit the ground, and he wasted no time. Using Darkness Energy, he plunged his hand into the shadows beneath the guardian's feet, pulling a void-like eruption that coiled upwards, trapping the beast momentarily.

The second strike came quickly—space itself fractured around the guardian as Pyris struck it with a compressed wave of warped reality. The ground shook violently as an explosion of displaced air and magic rippled through the chamber.

The guardian was pushed back three more steps, its clawed feet dragging against the stone floor.

Finally, Pyris darted forward with Light Energy glowing fiercely around his body, becoming a streak of golden light. He slammed his fist directly into the creature's chest with all his strength. The impact sent a thunderous boom echoing through the labyrinth, and the guardian was forced back two more steps.

Seven steps.

That was all!

Pyris took a step back, breathing heavily. His brow furrowed as he observed the towering monstrosity before him. It stood motionless, as if his attacks had barely fazed it. Its massive chest heaved once, releasing a sound that was somewhere between a snarl and a growl.

"So that's all I managed," Pyris muttered to himself. The guardian had taken his assault like a sponge absorbing water. No cracks. No visible signs of weakness.

For a fleeting moment, he clenched his fists tighter, frustration threatening to bubble to the surface. But then, reality sank in—a reality he had known from the beginning.

The guardian's defenses were unparalleled almost insurmountable if you say that. This was no ordinary fight. This was a calculated dance against an opponent designed to endure the impossible.

Pyris exhaled sharply, regaining his composure. He couldn't afford to let frustration cloud his mind. He had tested its limits and learned what he needed: the guardian was far more resilient than even he had anticipated.

And then, the thought struck him like a bolt of clarity, a reminder. This wasn't the time to defeat the guardian, not here, not now.

Killing the guardian would mean closing off access to the labyrinth's inner zones for seven days. Seven days was a luxury they didn't have. The Blood Chalice awaited them beyond this floor, and every second wasted here was a second closer to failure.

"Fight it now to kill? That would be the height of foolishness," Pyris muttered under his breath. His mind raced as he pieced together the strategy. This fight wasn't about total victory—it was about survival mostly. Surviving the guardian's challenge.

Nysa's earlier warnings echoed in his mind. The guardian was a test, not just of strength but of will and resourcefulness. They needed to bypass it, secure the chalice, and return later for the true battle.

That final confrontation could wait until the labyrinth's inner sanctum had given up its secrets.

But even as Pyris steadied himself, something shifted. The guardian's posture changed subtly.

It tilted its head back, as if gazing at the unseen heavens. The hood that had cloaked its face fell away, revealing its grotesque visage. Its features were monstrous—twisted and unnatural, a face born of ancient nightmares.

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For a moment, there was silence as the group processed the sight before them. Then, without warning, the crimson glow of the guardian's eyes faded.

In its place, a golden radiance burned. The light was blinding, divine, and terrifying. It wasn't merely energy—it was the essence of something far greater.

The room fell deathly silent.

"Young nobles! By the Ancients! That glow… That is the energy of the Divinitarch!" Nysa's voice broke the silence, her words trembling with urgency.

Her tone carried the weight of ancient wisdom, but even she sounded shaken. Pyris turned slightly, catching the alarm in her expression. Her usual regal composure cracked under the revelation.

"I know!"

"Divine Mana," Zara whispered, her voice sharp with panic. She took a step forward, her eyes wide as she called out, "Pyris, retreat! That's Divine Mana! You can't fight that!"

But Pyris didn't move.

Instead, a grin spread across his face. A grin that spoke of defiance, madness, and perhaps just a hint of arrogance. He wasn't the kind of man to run, even when faced with a power far beyond his own.

Then, a sound broke through the heavy tension—a familiar, digital tone that only Pyris could hear.

[Ding! Mission Generated!

1. Survive the divine attacks of a labyrinth first-layer guardian!

Reward: Anti-Divine Mana Information!

2. Engage the guardian in a death match.

Reward: ???

3. Survive and Kill the guardian.

Reward 1: Information on the Unknown Orb from the Goddess

Reward 2: Information about the Elemental Deity's Spawns!]

The options hung in his mind, each one laced with its own risks and promises. He couldn't focus on the details now—not with the guardian stirring once more.

Golden light cascaded from the creature's body, flooding the chamber with its oppressive presence. The very air seemed to shift under the weight of its divine energy. Pyris felt it, a pressure unlike anything he had encountered before.

The guardian's golden eyes locked onto him, and its massive frame moved with purpose.

"Here we go," Pyris muttered, his grin never faltering. He tightened his fists, summoning his elemental powers once more.

Before he could strategize further, the guardian struck.

The sheer speed of its movement was unlike anything it had shown before. One moment it stood still, and the next, it was upon him. The first blow shattered the ground where he had been standing just a second prior, sending shards of stone flying in all directions.

Pyris dodged by the narrowest of margins, his body a blur of motion.

He didn't have time to think—only to survive.