The Molten Warden roared, a sound like a collapsing building. It swung a fist the size of a carriage, trailing liquid fire.

Alvian didn't dodge. He activated [Runic Aegis +2], concentrating all seven runes into a single shield in front of him.

"Block."

"BOOM!"

The fist slammed into the runes. The impact shook the entire foundry. The catwalk groaned and twisted.

[Damage Absorbed.]

[Reflecting 50% Damage.]

A shockwave of kinetic force blasted back into the Warden's arm. The molten metal splashed and rippled, but as Seraphina predicted, it simply flowed back together.

"Reforming," Alvian noted. "High regeneration."

The Warden raised its other hand, summoning a rain of magma blobs.

Alvian sprinted forward. He needed to hit the core. The chest cavity.

"[Shadow Step]."

He teleported to the shadow cast by the Warden's torso. He was mid-air, face-to-face with the burning heart of the giant.

He thrust the [Lance of the Void Winter].

"[Glacial Void Pierce]!"

The beam of black ice shot directly into the Warden's chest.

"HSSSSS!"

The reaction was violent. The magma didn't just cool; it turned grey and necrotic. The [Void Frost] effect took hold.

[Target Afflicted: Void Frost.]

[Healing Disabled.]

[Damage Taken Increased by 30%.]

The Warden screamed as the wound refused to close. The liquid metal tried to flow over the hole, but the void energy ate it away.

"IT... BURNS... COLD..."

The Warden swiped at Alvian.

Alvian pushed off the giant's chest, backflipping to the catwalk.

"Now you're mortal," Alvian said.

The Warden, realizing it couldn't heal, went berserk. It slammed both fists into the magma pit, drawing up a tidal wave of lava.

"[Magma Tsunami]!"

The wave rose, threatening to engulf the entire platform.

Alvian had nowhere to run.

"System. Divert all Energy to Strength. Maximize [Terra-Form]."

[Warning! Mana Shielding compromised.]

"Do it."

Alvian sheathed his lance. He crouched.

He was going to punch the wave.

With 135 Strength doubled by his own mana reinforcement techniques, he launched a punch that broke the sound barrier.

"Shockwave Impact!"

"KABOOM!"

The air pressure from his punch hit the wall of lava. The force was so great it blew a hole through the tsunami, creating a tunnel of air.

Alvian dived through the tunnel of lava, emerging unscathed on the other side.

He landed on the Warden's shoulder.

"End of the line."

He gripped the lance with both hands. He activated [Frost Heart]—not the full Avatar state, but a partial transformation. His arms turned into ice-blue scales.

He drove the lance down into the Warden's neck.

"FREEZE!"

He unloaded his entire mana pool into the monster.

The Warden stiffened. The bright orange of its body began to darken. From the neck down, the red turned to grey, then to black. The heat was sucked out, replaced by the vacuum of the void.

The Colossus turned into a statue of cold iron.

[Target Frozen.]

Alvian twisted the lance.

"CRACK!"

The statue shattered. Thousands of tons of iron fell into the magma pit below, sinking like stones.

[You have slain The Molten Warden!]

[Experience Gained: 250,000.]

[Level Up!]

[Level 32.]

Alvian hovered for a moment using the last dregs of his flight ability, then landed on the central platform.

The [Essence of the Molten Star] floated there, untouched. It was a swirling orb of pure, condensed plasma.

Alvian reached out. His [Wolf Tamer's Gauntlets] sizzled, but he grabbed it.

[Item Acquired: Essence of the Molten Star (Legendary Material).]

"Got it," Alvian breathed, stowing it in a stasis box.

He looked around the ruined foundry. The siphon was dead. The boss was dead. The Syndicate's plan to accelerate Subject Zero had been slowed down.

His comms buzzed.

"Alvian?" Seraphina's voice. "I'm at the extraction point. I have the data. And... I found something else."

"What?"

"A list," Seraphina said, her voice shaking slightly. "A list of the students marked for 'Possession'. Alvian... Valeria is on it."

Alvian's eyes narrowed. The Syndicate wanted to turn the strongest Knight into a puppet.

"They won't touch her," Alvian said coldly. "Get out of there. I'm heading back to the Lab."

He looked at the molten pit one last time.

"I have the fire. I have the ice. Time to forge a suit that can kill a demon."

He activated the teleport pad.

----

Back in Rogge's lab, the air felt freezing compared to the Sunken City. Alvian didn't waste time resting. The Tournament was days away, and the Syndicate's plot was advancing.

He stood before the Remote Interface of the Genesis Forge.

"System. Initiate Crafting Sequence."

The spatial rift opened, the sound of the cosmic anvil filling the room.

Alvian stripped off his [Robes of the Void Walker]. He placed the Epic armor into the rift.

"Base Material," Alvian stated.

Next, he threw in the [Essence of the Molten Star]. The room lit up with blinding orange light.

"Stabilizer."

Finally, he pulled out the [Shard of the Avatar's Mask]—the remnant of Engels he had saved—and a vial of his own blood, infused with [Frost Heart] mana.

"Catalyst."

[Materials Detected.]

[Calculating Fusion Possibility...]

[Success Rate: 12%.]

[Warning! Failure will destroy all items.]

Alvian scoffed. "I don't roll dice."

He placed his hand on the [Key to the Genesis Forge +1].

"System. Activate SSS-Rank Talent: [Super Upgrade System]."

[Target: Genesis Forge Process.]

[Authority Invoked.]

[Forcing Success Outcome...]

[Consuming Two (2) Daily Charges.]

The Forge roared. The rift expanded, threatening to consume the lab. Inside, the hammer struck with a fury that shook the foundations of the Academy.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

Fire met Ice. Void met Matter.

The [Robes of the Void Walker] were torn apart and rewoven. The Molten Star was drawn into thread, creating a lattice of thermal regulation. The Frost essence hardened the cloth into plates lighter than silk but stronger than dragon scale.

A vortex of black and white energy swirled out of the rift.

[Ding!]

[Crafting Complete.]

[Item Evolved: Legendary Artifact.]

A suit of armor floated out. It wasn't bulky plate. It was a segmented, form-fitting bodysuit made of a material that looked like frozen smoke. It had a long, tattered coat attached to the shoulders, drifting as if underwater. Runes of absolute zero glowed faintly blue on the chest, while runes of solar heat glowed faintly orange on the lining.

Alvian grabbed it.

[Item: Vestments of the Void Monarch]

[Grade: Orange (Legendary - Growth)]

[Type: Light Armor]

[Attributes: +80 Speed, +60 Physique, +100 Energy]

[Passive: [Thermal Nullification] - Wearer is immune to all environmental temperature effects. Can withstand the strain of [Avatar State] indefinitely.]

[Active: [Void Shroud] - Become intangible for 3 seconds. Cooldown: 60s.]

[Set Bonus (1/3): [King of the Empty Throne] - Increases all Void and Ice damage by 50%.]

"Beautiful," Alvian whispered.

He equipped it. The armor molded to his body instantly. He felt lighter, faster. The strain of his dense physiology vanished. He felt like he could fly without magic.

He checked his status one last time.

[Name: Alvian]

[Level: 32]

[HP: 28,000]

[MP: 45,000]

[Equipment: Lance of the Void Winter (L), Vestments of the Void Monarch (L), Klaus's Upgrade (E), Shadow-Stride Boots (U)]

He was ready.

The door to the lab opened. George walked in, holding a data slate.

"Alvian," George said, looking at the new armor with awe. "The brackets are final. The Tournament starts tomorrow."

"Who is my first opponent?" Alvian asked, turning. The coat of his new armor flared dramatically.

George swallowed. "Lysander. He's back. And… he's different. The reports say his mana signature has changed. It's… wrong."

"The Syndicate got to him," Alvian deduced. "They juiced him up. Subject Zero prototype?"

"Likely," George nodded. "Alvian, be careful. This isn't a duel anymore. It's a testing ground."

Alvian walked to the door, the [Lance of the Void Winter] materializing in his hand.

"Good," Alvian said, a cold, ruthless smile spreading across his face.

"I need to test the durability of my new suit."

He stepped out into the hallway.

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