After a long and exhausting journey— as the sun was setting, the four of them finally entered the borders of the Chintamani Empire. The fatigue of travel was clearly visible on their faces, but heavier than that was— an unspoken unease. Before them stood a massive palace.
The very next moment— The palace's main gate began to open slowly, without a single touch. No guards. No announcement. No voice of welcome. Only— a resounding silence. A stillness spread in every direction. A kind of silence that does not reach the ears— but sinks straight into the heart.
The palace walls were drenched in a faint red glow. It was not the color of warmth— But one that reminded them of congealed blood. No ripple of laughter. No sign of life. It felt as if this palace— though standing tall— was lifeless.
A colossal structure— As though someone had squeezed the very soul out of it.
Snehwal took a deep breath and stepped forward first.
But at that very moment— Liora's eyes wavered slightly. As if she had seen something. Or felt something. For a brief instant— her gaze changed.
Then— everything returned to normal.
She said nothing. But the seriousness on her face deepened further.
After that— They moved forward one by one.
First— Snehwal. There was caution in his steps, but no hesitation.
Behind him— Lily. Calm, steady… yet power simmered within her.
Then— Liora. Eyes alert, senses stretched taut— as if she had already perceived an invisible danger.
And at the very back— slow, composed, yet in complete control— Master Jins.
His presence felt heavy even within the silence. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the empty corridors of the palace.
And with that echo, one thing became clear— The quieter this palace appeared… more dangerous it was going to be.
And the Chintamani Empire— Had not called them here without a reason.
Just then— a voice echoed through the empty corridors.
"So you've arrived already?" "The night is still not over— and the invitation was for tomorrow."
The voice was heavy. So heavy that it shook Snehwal's mind— a sharp tremor ran through his thoughts.
Before Snehwal could make sense of anything— Lily stepped forward and stood in front of him, as if shielding him and easing the pressure.
"Senior, please forgive us," She said in a calm voice. A moment of silence followed.
"Very well. Go and rest." The voice vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.
At that same moment— a maid appeared without saying a word. With a gesture of her hand, she signaled them to follow. She led them through winding corridors until they reached a residential chamber.
Stopping at the doorway— She gestured with her hand for them to go inside. And then— she quickly disappeared.
Everything had happened very fast. Too smoothly. It felt as if— they had been judged in a single instant, weighed, and then ignored.
As if someone had looked at them
with the eyes of an ant— assessed their worth without the slightest concern or care.
Inside the room, Liora's anger finally burst out and exploded.
"Who does that senior think he is?" she snapped in irritation.
"So what if his stage is Seven?"
"Sooner or later, I'll definitely obtain power equal to his."
Seeing this, Snehwal smiled and said,
"Yes, that's true. He completely froze my body and even caused a shock to my mind."
"He has far too much arrogance."
Master Jins laughed lightly and said,
"There's nothing special about it."
"He's simply on the same level as me."
Lily remained quiet. Without saying a word, she headed toward the other room. Seeing this, Snehwal followed after her.
"What happened?" he asked gently.
Lily gave no reply. She walked over to the bed and flopped down heavily onto it.
"Get some rest first," she finally said.
"Only then will your mind start working properly."
Snehwal said nothing more. He simply nodded silently in agreement. The night had grown deep. Inside the room, there was no light at all, and the palace itself seemed like a dagger wrapped in emptiness. All around, no one could be seen moving about— nor was there any lamp or flame burning as a source of light.
Suddenly, Lily's eyes opened. She looked toward the window. For a moment, she felt as if someone had come to watch her. But then— seeing Snehwal lying beside her, she felt a sense of relief and courage. And yet, just like the darkness spread all around, her mind slowly sank into deep thought.