Even after several visits, the ruins still gave him a sense of danger. Ever since his fight with the Decayed Sentinel, he checked twice before stepping anywhere that looked even slightly suspicious.
The hidden quest of the Warden's Covenant was still active with no time limit. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do; the quest description said nothing beyond its name. There was no marker on the map. He could only assume the mission continued in the same place.
A few days earlier, the clearing group had defeated the Floor 2 boss and reached the third level of the floating castle. It had been great news for everyone... but Silver felt he was falling behind. His competitive spirit was starting to outgrow his fear. He wanted to help end this nightmare.
For the third consecutive day, he wandered the ruins. He passed by the same spots where he'd fought the Sentinel. He checked corners, loose stones, cracks in the walls. Nothing pointed him toward a new enemy or chest. Frustration was creeping in. He'd even spoken with a few information brokers, including Argo, the most famous of them. But even Argo had never heard of this quest. He'd almost ended up giving information away by accident.
It wasn't that he didn't want to share—but he wanted to complete it before spreading the word. He didn't know if it was repeatable or unique. And he wasn't willing to risk being left with only half the set.
December 20, 2022. 10:52 PM – Hill Ruins, Floor 1
Rumor had it that at night different monsters appeared, stronger ones. That was why so few players ventured into Aincrad's nights.
The idea had come from Veget the day before, during a message exchange.
Veget: So? Did you find that quest you were looking for?
Silver: Nothing yet. Still searching the ruins.
Veget: If you don't do anything different, nothing different will happen.
Silver: And what am I supposed to do differently? It's not like the ruins have many options.
Veget: Have you tried going at night?
Silver: At night? Could be dangerous.
Veget: They say night monsters can be two or three levels higher, as strong as those on the next floor. You can handle it.
Silver: Then I've got nothing to lose trying.
And so he ended up exploring the ruins at night. He passed again through the same corridors as before, this time with shield in hand. He'd run into a few skeletons, oversized bats, and avoided a stone golem.
Moonlight filtered through the cracks of the old structure, giving the bare minimum of visibility in the dark. The torch he'd brought felt like a beacon for monsters, so he snuffed it out.
Suddenly, two notifications appeared:
[Quest "Warden's Resistance" initiated]
[The light of the moon awakens the forgotten souls]
—What? —Silver stared at the message like the translator had bugged out. He reread it several times before accepting it. Until now, quests always came with clear instructions. But this one... it was a riddle. One that said nothing.
He looked at the moonlight spilling through a hole in the ceiling. Squinting into the dark, he noticed a small carving of a lion on the wall—the same emblem etched onto his shield.
The Aegis was polished enough to shine like a mirror. He decided to test something. Standing in the moonbeam, he angled the shield. The light reflected sharply, as if the Aegis amplified it. After several tries, he managed to focus the light onto the carving.
The building trembled. The wall slid back, revealing a narrow passage stretching at least twenty meters.
At the other end lay a wider chamber, empty. A hole in the ceiling let the full moon spill onto one wall, revealing an inscription:
[To you, who have inherited the Guardian's vow: we beg you to free our souls, trapped in the corruption of these bodies.]
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Silver stared at the words, a weight of responsibility pressing on him. He was still thinking when a sound rumbled underground. Then, like an old horror flick, a skeletal hand burst out of the floor—followed by another, and then the full body of a Decayed Sentinel.
The fight began instantly. The Sentinel swung slow but with brutal force. Silver was far more skilled with his shield now. He absorbed the blow with the Aegis, destabilized the skeleton with a maneuver, then countered with a heavy strike followed by a Vertical Arc. He backed off before the enemy could retaliate. He'd learned from last time: the best strategy was distance and counterattacks.
Five minutes passed this way. The Sentinel's HP was already halved. Silver smirked. It was playing out just like the first fight—but now he was stronger. He'd finish this easily.
That was when the floor shook again. Another skeletal hand shot up, clutching for his right leg. Reflexes bordering on inhuman saved him—he yanked his leg free just as the first skeleton slammed his shield, knocking him off balance and dropping him hard.
He rolled three times on the ground before springing up, just like Veget had taught him. Two Sentinels now stood before him.
—When the hell am I gonna learn? —he muttered with a bitter laugh.
He steadied his breathing, widened the gap, and opened his inventory. He stowed away shield and sword, pulling out a greatsword instead. The longer this dragged out, the worse for him. He had to end it fast.
The Sentinels closed in. Silver dodged one's vertical slash and countered with Slant. The diagonal blow, backed by the greatsword's weight, shattered the skeleton's stance, leaving it wide open. Using the momentum, Silver spun on his right foot, cleaving across its waist with a critical strike. The monster staggered, but Silver chased with Sonic Leap, finishing it with a crushing downward slash.
[You have freed a guardian's soul. Obtained: Broken Plate]
Silver froze at the notification. At last, he understood the inscription. Respect for these foes flickered in him, even if they were just digital constructs. He kept the greatsword out, roaring as he charged the second Sentinel.
Same strategy: break the guard with Slant, then chain heavy swings. Repeating the rhythm, he eventually smashed it down.
[You have freed a guardian's soul. Obtained: Broken Plate]
He waited for the "Quest Complete" message. It never came. Instead, the wall with the inscription collapsed, opening another passage.
Silver checked the time: nearly 2 AM. A little over four hours of night left, and he was exhausted. He turned back toward the entrance—but a new notification stopped him cold:
[If you leave the quest area, you will not be able to resume it. Are you sure?]
He froze. Seconds ticked by before he erupted.
—YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! —he bellowed at the ceiling. —What the hell did I ever do to make you hate me?!
He didn't know if he was shouting at Akihiko Kayaba, the Cardinal system, or someone else entirely.
Grumbling, he pulled out a potion, chugged it, then sat on the ground to catch his breath. Twenty minutes later, he rose, sheathed the greatsword, and re-equipped sword and shield.
He advanced carefully through the new corridor until he hit a barrier. A notification flashed:
[Weapons cannot be used to complete this quest.]
Silver stared at the cracked ceiling, as if expecting some developer's note hidden there. Nothing but stone. With a sigh, he put away his sword and stepped into the chamber.
At its center stood a skeleton unlike the rest.
Silver scanned the chamber for anything he could use as a weapon. Nothing. Not even a rock. He edged closer until the skeleton's eyes lit crimson, chilling his blood. Unlike the Sentinels, it moved with player-like speed, launching directly at him.
Silver blocked with his shield, but the enemy unleashed relentless combos, denying him any chance to counter with fists or kicks. Every attempt to pull away was cut short.
Minutes of this stalemate wore on his nerves. Out of sheer frustration, Silver suddenly charged with his shield—just as the skeleton was mid-sword skill. The Aegis gleamed with moonlight, and a notification appeared:
[Skill unlocked: Shield Charge]
The Lieutenant's sword was knocked aside, its body shoved back. Silver blinked, stunned and exhilarated. The damage was low, but the maneuver was brilliant. Still, it didn't solve the problem of how to actually kill it. Dawn would come soon.
He pressed on, charging again and again. After the fifth push, he stomped hard, twisted his hips, and swung the shield like a fist, slamming it into the skeleton's chest.
[Skill unlocked: Shield Bash]
The fight became a rhythm. Charge, bash, repeat. He refined the combo, and at last, with a critical blow, the Lieutenant fell.
[Linked skill obtained: Shield Assault]
But still—no quest clear. Instead, moonlight poured in from a broken ceiling gap, bathing the skeleton. Its body shimmered, transforming into a man in his thirties, gray hair and a heavy mustache. He looked straight at Silver.
—Heir of the vow... we are in your debt. Seek out old Masao Horiyima in Rodglan.
The spirit scattered into countless blue shards, leaving the chamber empty.
Exhausted, Silver took a deep breath, pulled a teleport crystal, and warped back to Tolbana. Tomorrow, he'd worry about the rest.