Gardener of Eden

Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Vael’thor, the Maelstrom Sovereign

Vael’thor let out a deafening, metallic screech as its health bar plunged past the critical 30% threshold, triggering its Abyssal Overcharge. The submerged cathedral vibrated violently as the leviathan siphoned raw elemental power straight from the floor’s aquatic core.

Crackling arcs of aqua-lightning burst through the flooded hall, electrifying the water while a barrage of razor-sharp, homing hydro-blades sliced through the spray toward the squad.

”Barney, Lyra, absorb the shock!” Rowan shouted, stepping straight into the churning tide.

Barney slammed his shield down to ground the electrical shockwaves, while Lyra’s golden aura deflected the incoming hydro-blades.

With the leviathan thrashing violently to charge another storm, Rowan raised the Hoe of the World-Tiller and struck the submerged marble floor with full force, expending 30 Mana to unleash [Vines of the Thorns].

A 5-meter radius beneath Vael’thor detonated into a frenzy of rapid-growth brambles and mutated sea flora. The thorny vines lashed out like living barbed wire, binding the monarch instantly in a 3-second Root while dealing continuous nature damage.

The aquatic vegetation turned viciously against the boss, its thorn-covered stalks digging deep into the cracks of Vael’thor’s scale armor and tearing mercilessly into its flesh.

The pristine, cerulean waters of the cathedral floor rapidly stained deep red as crimson blood billowed outward from the entangled leviathan. The sheer, ruthless force of the flora shredded the monster’s remaining physical armor, completely exposing the brilliant, pulsing Water Core embedded within its chest.

”Mirei, take the core!” Rowan ordered, adjusting his Enchanted Straw Hat.

Mirei drew her string back to her ear in a single, fluid motion. Straining her bowstring, she released a rapid triplet of arrows straight through the crimson mist. The shafts struck the exposed core with pinpoint precision, detonating the boss’s internal mana pool.

Vael’thor gave one final, shuddering gasp before its titanic frame dissolved into a cascade of glowing particles, leaving the condensed Water Core floating peacefully above the calming red-tinted tide.

”Let’s head back to the central nexus,” Rowan said, stepping out of the crimson-tinted water as the ripples from Vael’thor’s defeat began to settle. ”Time to dry off, eat a warm meal, and rest up for the day.”

Carefully securing the glowing Water Core alongside their Fire Core, Squad 07 turned back, retracing their steps down the flooded marble causeway. Leaving behind the thunderous waterfalls and submerged ruins of the East Quadrant, they crossed back onto the dry, temperate stone platform at the very center of The Four-Fold Crucible.

***

The transition was an immediate relief. The damp air and heavy atmospheric water pressure dissipated, replaced by the neutral, stable mana of the central hub.

The squad lost no time setting up camp:

Drying & Gear Maintenance: Barney activated a set of localized heating runes from his forge kit, circulating warm air to thoroughly dry their clothes and thermal suits. He then applied anti-corrosive oil across their weapons, carefully wiping down the massive steel length of Caelen’s Edge of the First Warden and Lyra’s longsword.

Alchemical Check: Seraphina inventoried their remaining supplies, stashing the unused Gills-and-Current Elixirs and preparing restorative salves to treat any minor scrapes from the battle.

Domain Banquet: Rowan adjusted his Enchanted Straw Hat and accessed his domain storage, pulling out fresh A-grade domain produce. He served bowls of hot, savory tuber stew paired with crisp spirit apples and steaming herbal tea.

The high-purity domain food worked rapidly, washing away the physical fatigue of two back-to-back boss battles and fully restoring their mana circuits.

”Two down, two to go,” Caelen said, taking a sip of the warm herbal tea as he looked out across the central floor.

To the south, massive crags of shifting stone and dense earth hummed with tectonic power. To the north, howling gales and floating landmasses marked the volatile sky of the Wind Quadrant.

”We’ll tackle the Earth Quadrant next at dawn,” Rowan decided, resting the Hoe of the World-Tiller beside his bedroll. ”Get some sleep, everyone. We’re halfway to clearing Floor 8.”

***

The crackle of the campfire was the only sound echoing across the central nexus until soft, rushing footsteps broke the silence from the north archway. Rowan, seated on an overturned crate with the Hoe of the World-Tiller resting across his knees, nudged the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat up just enough to eye the shadows.

Emerging from the misty entryway of the Wind Quadrant was a six-person adventuring party, their cloaks whipped ragged by gale-force winds and their light armor showing signs of recent high-tier combat.

”Oh wow,” the man at the front murmured, halting as he spotted Squad 07’s organized campsite. He held up his hands in a non-threatening gesture and offered an easy, polite smile. ”Didn’t expect to see anyone else set up in the nexus tonight.”

The leader introduced himself as Harvey, an alumnus from the martial academies of the Empire’s southern cities. He explained that his team was composed entirely of his former classmates who had formed an official adventuring group right after graduation. They were still flushed with excitement, having just conquered the northern domain and secured the Wind Core after a brutal fight through the sky-islands.

Noticing the faint lingering traces of heat and brine surrounding Squad 07, Harvey’s eyes widened slightly in realization. He stepped forward, speaking in a low, respectful tone to avoid disturbing Caelen, who lay nearby with the Edge of the First Warden resting within arm’s reach.

”Look, friend,” Harvey said, his eyes glittering with ambition. ”We’re aiming to break the southern record for clearing The Four-Fold Crucible. Name your price—gold, high-tier mana stones, custom southern gear. Sell us your Fire and Water cores, and we can hand you a massive payout while saving both our teams days of grueling grinding. We can all move straight to the ninth floor.”

Rowan offered a quiet, relaxed smile, though his gaze remained calm and immovable. He patted the wooden shaft of his hoe and shook his head gently. ”Appreciate the generous offer, Harvey. But my squad isn’t just climbing for floor numbers. We’re here for the experience, the coordination, and the challenge of mastering every quadrant ourselves. We’ll be keeping our cores.”

Harvey blinked, clearly surprised by the immediate rejection, but he recognized the quiet conviction in Rowan’s eyes. With a good-natured sigh, he gave a polite nod of respect. ”Fair enough. Can’t fault a leader for taking the true path.”

With the boundary set, Harvey rejoined his classmates to set up camp on the far northern edge of the nexus platform. Rowan gave a faint nod, adjusting his hat back down to shade his face, and quietly resumed his solitary watch over his slumbering teammates beneath the starry elemental sky.