God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 553: A Worthy One

Not a single step had been taken since their arrival, yet the palpable pressure emanating from it rendered the entire chamber seemingly sealed. The ancient armor offered no gleam, the weapon remained lowered, and the figure resembled a statue placed solely to intimidate any who dared intrude.

Sophie’s party remained frozen; none felt inclined to advance further. Even Ragnarok99, who typically favored swift action over passive waiting, stood with feet firmly planted, his gaze fixed upon the knight-like entity ahead.

Sniperbowlegend, who had been notably silent since entering the tomb, finally broke the quiet.

"We should not proceed any further."

Cassie tilted her head slightly. "Did you perceive something?"

Sniperbowlegend kept his bow unstrung, yet his fingers hovered near the string. "No. That's precisely the issue. It shows no reaction, and I have an unsettling premonition about it."

The guide scowled at his words and re-examined the figure. After a brief hesitation, his shoulders eased somewhat, as if he had settled upon a more comforting explanation.

"It could merely be an ancient knight effigy," he suggested. "Numerous old relics are found within this tomb. Some served as markers, while others were strategically positioned to deceive unwelcome visitors."

Ragnarok99 regarded him with evident skepticism. "Are you proposing we simply walk past it?"

"I am suggesting we ought not to be delayed by every single statue we encounter," the guide responded, though his voice lacked its earlier conviction. "This remains the optimal route for your group."

Ragnarok99 clicked his tongue and took a small step forward. "Very well. Let’s ascertain its nature."

Sophie’s eyes flickered towards him. "Do not approach too closely."

"I am aware," Ragnarok99 retorted, raising a hand. "I'm not so foolish as to test it with my sword."

He launched a preliminary assault, flinging a piece of rock he had retrieved earlier.

The projectile sailed across the chamber, impacting the knight-like figure directly in the chest. The strike produced a dull thud, yet the figure remained utterly motionless.

The weathered armor sustained no damage.

The weapon did not stir.

A measure of relief washed over several members of Broken Dawn upon witnessing this lack of response, and even the guide appeared somewhat more reassured. Ragnarok99 initiated another projectile, this time directed towards the shoulder area, but the outcome was identically uneventful.

Absolutely nothing occurred.

Bunny released a soft sigh. "Perhaps it truly is just a statue."

Sophie remained reticent. Her gaze stayed fixed on the figure, and for an ephemeral instant, she thought she detected a faint crimson luminescence within the helmet. The flicker was so swift that she couldn't be certain if it was genuine or merely a trick of the dim lighting.

Her fingers tightened their grip as she murmured, "We ought to withdraw."

The guide immediately turned his attention to her. "Lady Sophie, this passage represents the most secure path available to your party. The adjacent routes are fraught with greater peril, and some are not adequately charted."

Sophie offered no immediate reply. She recognized the inherent risks of retreating, yet the oppressive aura emanating from ahead made her instincts scream caution.

From her uncle, she had learned on more than one occasion that the most insidious dangers within a dungeon were not always those that launched the initial assault.

Before she could finalize her decision, her attention was abruptly drawn to the left-hand wall.

A presence was rapidly approaching.

It lacked any overt hostility, but its density was such that her body reacted instinctively before her mind could fully process the sensation. Sophie’s head swiveled towards a fissure between two fractured sections of the wall, and a few others instantly mirrored her movement.

Ragnarok99 knitted his brows. "What is it?"

Before she could vocalize a response, a portion of the narrow side passage vibrated subtly.

A figure emerged from the seemingly impossible gap in the stone.

Several Broken Dawn operatives instinctively raised their weapons. Cassie’s eyes widened, Bunny took a hesitant step backward, and Ragnarok99’s sword was already drawn before he could fully comprehend who had materialized.

Gabriel stood there, his face obscured by the White Phantom mask, his attire dusted, and the faint residue of dead Qi still clinging to him. The passage behind him was so constricted that most individuals would dismiss it as impassable, yet he emerged as if he had simply traversed a mundane corridor.

The guide’s expression shifted dramatically. "How did you emerge from there?"

Gabriel surveyed the assembled group for a moment. Although his expression was concealed, his posture conveyed an unmistakable sense of mild surprise. He shifted his gaze from Sophie to Ragnarok99, then towards the imposing knight-like figure at the chamber's far end.

"Ah, I did not anticipate encountering anyone here."

"White Phantom?"

Ragnarok99’s knuckles whitened around his sword hilt.

Cassie maintained her weapon's raised position, though a flicker of uncertainty crossed her features. "What business do you have here?"

Gabriel regarded them with an unruffled demeanor. "This is my designated passage."

The members of Broken Dawn were already on edge due to the enigmatic statue, but White Phantom’s pronouncement served only to amplify their unease. To their perception, he had appeared without warning, obstructed their progress, and claimed dominion over the route with an air of proprietary right.

The guide’s face darkened. "This path was allocated to us."

Gabriel turned his head slightly towards the newcomer. "Take another path."

Bunny's brows furrowed. "We discovered this route first."

Several individuals behind her voiced their agreement, and Ragnarok99's expression grew sterner.

The guide stepped forward. "You cannot simply lay claim to a path just because you emerged from a wall."

"If you wish to utilize it," Gabriel stated, his tone remaining placid, "you must get past me."

The chamber fell into a profound silence.

Ragnarok99's eyes narrowed; for a fleeting moment, his visage contorted with anger. He recalled the display White Phantom had exhibited earlier, the effortless manner in which he had subdued the Tianlan fighter, and the palpable pressure he emanated even now, without any overt hostility.

His jaw tightened. 'Curse it. If Sir Broken were present, he would have dealt with this situation with ease.'

A few members of Broken Dawn glanced at him, anticipating his next move, but he slowly retreated, clearly against his will. His ego chafed at the decision, yet his assessment of the situation was too shrewd to instigate a conflict here.

Sophie finally broke the silence, her voice possessing an elegant and steady cadence.

"We shall seek an alternative route."

The guide regarded her with surprise. "Lady Sophie, are you certain?"

Sophie's gaze remained fixed on Gabriel. "Yes."

Ragnarok99 let out a sigh through his nose, his irritation still evident, but he turned and rejoined his companions. Cassie cast one last wary glance at Gabriel before following suit, while Bunny grumbled under her breath but offered no further objection.

Gabriel observed their departure without a word.

It was only after the Broken Dawn contingent had retreated back into the passageway that he turned his attention to the knight-like sentinel. His eyes, concealed behind the mask, narrowed.

With the need to feign nonchalance before them dispensed with, his demeanor shifted subtly.

At this proximity, the pressure emanating from the motionless figure intensified, becoming even more distinct. His judgment had been swift, formed in less than a single breath, and his conclusion was unequivocal.

Broken Dawn would not have emerged unscathed from confronting it.

The entity possessed a power far exceeding their comprehension and would have undoubtedly overwhelmed them.

Abruptly, at that precise moment, a faint metallic clinking sound resonated from the far end of the chamber.

For the first time since the group's arrival, the figure stirred. A subtle crimson light flickered within the confines of its helmet, and the elongated weapon resting beside it scraped lightly against the floor as an aged voice echoed through the cavernous space.

"Finally... a worthy adversary."