God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 551: Broken Dawn in Trouble

’Even Sophie, capable of handling level fifty threats, could find herself in peril under this oppressive atmosphere, facing overwhelming numbers, treacherous traps, and a more sinister presence lurking beyond.’

The fleeting thought had barely taken root when the undead ahead stirred, their ancient armor scraping discordantly against the stone, echoing through the confined passage. Members of ChaosKnight instinctively raised their weapons, but the narrow corridor, with its low ceiling, severely restricted their movements. The abysmal visibility, pierced only by the faint, eerie green glow from the monsters' eyes, offered little advantage in the oppressive darkness.

"More are advancing from behind!" a player stammered, his voice laced with fear as he glanced back, spotting several figures infiltrating from the rear passage.

ChaosCleric's demeanor shifted instantly; he clutched his staff with both hands, his gaze darting between the front and rear threats. "This is dire. We're completely surrounded."

IceQueen's face remained ashen, yet a subtle tremor in her breathing betrayed the strain as the surrounding qi pressed against her own mana. Vv sidestepped, his colossal sword poised, but the confines of the passage barely allowed clearance for his armor, let alone a sweeping swing.

Gabriel's attention, however, was not initially on the encroaching monsters.

He focused on the corridor itself.

The passage was scarcely wide enough for three individuals to stand abreast, and even then, maneuverability would be severely hampered. The low ceiling threatened to scrape against any substantial overhead strikes, while the uneven floor, riddled with cracks, shattered tiles, and ancient, dried stains, presented a treacherous footing.

Intense pressure from the front and rear, a restrictive ceiling, and abysmal visibility—a single moment of panic here would spell their doom before the undead even revealed their full strength.

His eyes traced the walls, assessing the gaps between the carved pillars and the small alcoves where one might be forced to take refuge. While the undead couldn't easily flank them unless another route presented itself, a relentless assault from both ends would crush ChaosKnight within their own formation.

The guide's expression darkened as more undead emerged in the distance. "There are at least thirty," he reported grimly.

Unconsciously, some ChaosKnight members took half a step back, but there was no viable escape route, as more horrors were already dragging themselves forward from the rear.

At that precise moment, Gabriel finally made his move.

The Twin Dragonfangs materialized in his grasp, their golden edges reflecting the dim passage light. He didn't charge, didn't issue a command, nor did he offer any explanation—by the time the others comprehended his strategy, the monsters would be upon them.

He subtly raised one blade and sliced through the air.

FWOOOSH!!!

A potent cleave ripped through the passage with a thunderous sound, compressing the air with such force that the nearest ChaosKnight members reeled backward, despite their position behind him.

The initial rank of undead disintegrated before they could even raise their crude weapons. The slash continued its deadly trajectory, bisecting the second and third ranks, and felling nearly everything in its path, leaving shattered armor, severed limbs, and cracked bones strewn across the floor.

A gruesome mixture of blood and ichor splattered against both walls.

Several bodies tumbled together, forming a grotesque pile that partially obstructed the passage. The sheer force gouged deep fissures into the stone walls, creating basin-sized craters where the impact had breached the outer layer, exposing ancient strata beneath.

Silence descended for several heart-stopping seconds.

ChaosCleric gaped at the devastation, his mouth agape, unsure whether to feel relief or despair. The guide's eyes widened, and even IceQueen lingered on Gabriel's retreating form for an extended moment. Vv's helmet remained fixed on him, as if attempting to quantify the magnitude of the event he had just witnessed.

Gabriel lowered his blade and pinched the bridge of his nose through the opening in his mask.

"I miscalculated," he stated.

ChaosCleric regarded him with incredulity. "That's what concerns you?"

Gabriel's gaze remained fixed down the passage. "The path is narrower now."

It was only after he spoke that the others grasped the implication.

While the attack had decimated the horde, the resultant debris—corpses, armor fragments, and shattered stone—had created a significant obstruction. Navigating it would be a slow process, and in a tomb like this, prolonged stillness was an invitation for another formation or horde to appear.

The remaining undead ahead no longer pressed forward with their initial, unthinking aggression.

While some still attempted to advance, those closer to the chaotic pile faltered, their glowing eyes fixing on Gabriel as if some semblance of fear had pierced the mindless instinct that governed them. The notion of fear in the undead seemed absurd, yet their hesitant retreat made it difficult to dismiss.

Gabriel exhaled and raised his sword once more, but this time, his target was not the monsters.

He aimed for the ceiling.

The guide noticed, his expression contorting. "Wait! Don't damage the tomb so recklessly!"

Gabriel paid him no mind, as the ceiling above the undead horde was ancient and cracked. It was held up by two slender stone ribs, weakened significantly by his initial assault. Left unattended, it might have succumbed to the weight of another passerby later, but by intentionally bringing it down now, he could dictate the exact location where the stones would fall.

Without a trace of hesitation, his blade sliced upwards.

BOOM!!!

The ceiling directly above the remaining undead immediately gave way. A substantial section of rock plummeted, landing squarely upon the monsters ahead. They were crushed beneath the debris and dust before they could even contemplate a retreat. The sheer force of the impact sent tremors through the passage, yet the collapse halted precisely where Gabriel had anticipated, entombing the monsters and leaving behind a more manageable, inclined slope of shattered stone.

Dust billowed throughout the corridor.

The members of ChaosKnight instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces. A few couldn't help but cough as the air became thick with the scent of aged stone and decay. Once the dust settled, the path forward, though still uneven, was no longer obstructed by a mass of fallen foes.

Gabriel continued his advance without pause.

A brief moment of observation passed over IceQueen's face as she looked at his retreating back, then she gestured to the others. "Follow him."

The group followed, their initial steps hesitant. They navigated over fragments of stone and the pulped remains of the undead, their eyes darting towards the ceiling as if anticipating another imminent collapse. From behind, ChaosCleric's gaze remained fixed on Gabriel, his expression a clear indicator that he was torn between feeling more secure and more apprehensive because of the mysterious cultivator.

'I wonder how the others are holding up.'

As they journeyed deeper into the tomb, Gabriel quietly extended his senses, weaving his perception through the stone, into adjacent passages, and through the subtly shifting layers of Qi. The tomb offered resistance, its dense energy impeding the smoothness of his senses, but his perception, honed by years of cultivation, was still potent enough to pierce the interference.

Within his senses, the surrounding passages twisted and turned, resembling a labyrinth of interconnected paths that separated and converged at various junctures. He detected Olympus first, their progress steady and relatively unimpeded. The Holy Church was situated farther away, their presence shielded by their own palpable aura. Several Tianlan groups were spread across different routes, most of them forging ahead with a speed surpassing that of the foreign cultivators.

Finally, his senses locked onto Sophie's group.

For a fleeting instant, a subtle easing of tension marked Gabriel's expression.

Sophie was still standing, Ragnarok99 was on the move, and the rest of their companions were confirmed to be alive.

However, in the very next moment, his senses brushed against something lurking directly ahead of their position. It was an entity of immense power, resting just beyond a bend in their path, radiating a pressure that far exceeded that of the undead horde the ChaosKnight members had just confronted.

Gabriel halted his stride, a frown creasing his brow as he murmured in a low, grave tone,

"This is not good."