The Guardian Of The Multiverse: A Hero's Burden

Cogito Ergo Sum

(Marvel, DC, images, manhuas, and every anime that will be mentioned and used in this story are not mine. They all belong to their respective owners. The main character "Karito Josue Valdez" and the story are mine)

Spider-Boy Pov

I overestimated this region's Dark. I knew it would have a post-apocalyptic theme, and I was confident I could destroy this... thing quickly. But this is what happens when you attack without knowing your enemy. Now I've endangered four other champions who somehow managed to survive in this hell.

This never-ending mechanical cavern seems to stretch infinitely. The enemy is warping reality to its will, though only within the area it occupies—it hasn't expanded far enough to infect other regions of Runeterra.

I bet you're wondering, What the hell is Spider-Boy even talking about? Well, let me take you back—
Back to when I first met the remaining champions.
Back to before Freljord was terraformed.
Right before the five of us stepped into hell...
God help us all.

...

...

...

100 years ago...

It's been only an hour and a half since I arrived here. Ace managed to defeat Cyclops with what I'd call medium difficulty. He's taking a break now—understandable after fighting 11 people without rest. Sure, the previous 10 weren't too hard for him, but even a Guardian needs a breather.

I'm at least relieved that Mr. Karito is keeping the collateral damage to a minimum. Our fights always spiral out of control, whether intentionally or not. I've accidentally destroyed a solar system during one of mine—but that's a story for another time.

Right now, I need to focus on the current predicament, which is anything but simple.

In this frozen landscape, my only companion is Braum. But this isn't the Braum I know from the League's lore. The friendly, charismatic aura he once carried has been fractured. He's still kind, but there's terror etched into his soul—like the Dark that invaded Freljord defiled him in ways no one could recover from.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Freljord I'm seeing is just an illusion—and I fell right into it without realizing. Every familiar landmark is missing. Braum and I walked right past Naljaäg, and he didn't even flinch. In fact, I can't sense a single strand of life in the entire region. That's impossible, right?

This enemy—this thing—is one of the most depraved villains I've ever faced. And that's saying a lot. I've watched stories unfold across the Nexus—some truly dark—but nothing compares to the evil radiating from this machine.

"Hey, Braum?" I called out.
"Yes, Spider?" Braum turned to face me, his once-strong voice now weary.

"I need you to be honest with me," I paused, measuring my words. "How many of you are still alive in this region?"

"I... uh..." Braum rubbed his head, struggling to remember. "Before we got separated... we were four."

Was his mind manipulated? I wondered, carefully studying his face. "How did you get separated from the others?"

"It happened the moment you crashed through the ceiling," Braum answered.

Hold on... Ceiling? That confirms it—this whole region is a fabricated illusion. But why am I seeing something different than Braum? It must be my Spider-Sense breaking through the illusion, allowing me to see reality while Braum remains trapped in the lie.