Arceus stared at Kaelan in open disbelief, the faint evening breeze tugging at his hair. "Your Highness… the official records clearly state that Emperor Aerondor was slain by Founder Andre Phoenix on the battlefield. The chronicles describe his beheading as the moment peace finally returned."
Sienna's fan stopped mid-motion, her usual composure cracking for the first time.
Lucian's gaze sharpened, cold and analytical. "Are you implying," he asked evenly, "that the history written by House Phoenix has been altered?"
The question landed heavily.
Prince Kaelan exhaled slowly, the weight of his words settling over them. "It appears so."
The admission hung heavier than any beast's roar
If one cornerstone of history had been reshaped, how many others had been conveniently rewritten?
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant rustling of leaves.
Arceus cleared his throat gently, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. "So… this place holds something?" he asked. "Treasure, perhaps?"
Prince Kaelan nodded, though some of his earlier enthusiasm had faded.
"There is something here," he said simply, offering no further explanation.
They moved deeper into the ruins, carefully navigating collapsed walls and vine-choked courtyards. After several minutes, the trees parted to reveal a large stone podium ringed by towering pillars. Unlike the surrounding wreckage, these columns stood remarkably intact, their surfaces barely touched by time.
Atop each pillar loomed an identical statue: a creature with the crowned head of a man, the powerful body of a lion, and a curved scorpion tail raised in eternal threat. Moss clung to their forms, but the craftsmanship was disturbingly precise.
At the center of the podium, a wide staircase descended into perfect darkness.
Around the entrance lay shattered slabs of stone, scattered as if some powerful explosion had once broken a seal.
Before anyone could examine the architecture more closely, their attention snapped to three bodies sprawled near the stairway.
Royal soldiers.
Arceus drew in a sharp breath.
Prince Kaelan rushed forward. "Your Highness…"
One of the fallen soldiers stirred weakly, pushing himself up with obvious effort. His face was pale with pain.
"What happened?" Kaelan demanded, his expression hardening.
The soldier bowed his head despite his injuries. "Captain Harold… betrayed us."
His voice trembled as he recounted the events. After discovering the sealed entrance to the underground labyrinth, Captain Harold had suddenly turned on his own squad, striking them down without warning.
"I feigned death," the soldier continued. "It was the only thing that saved me."
He knelt, apologizing bitterly for failing to stop the betrayal.
Kaelan's jaw tightened. "Where is he now?"
"He went down below, Your Highness. He hasn't returned."
Anger flashed in Kaelan's eyes. He turned to the two remaining royal soldiers. "Guard the entrance. The rest of us will follow."
He then looked at his companions. "Captain Harold is a four-star mage. You should stay here."
Lucian crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "I alone am—"
"He knows we're here," Kaelan interrupted sharply. "A prepared mage is the most dangerous kind of opponent. Even a stronger warrior can't afford to rush blindly into a trap."
His gaze locked onto Lucian's. "If something happened to you under my watch, I could never face Lord Storm again."
The sincerity in his voice gave Lucian pause.
Still, pride wouldn't let him retreat.
Lucian stepped toward the stairway. "Then let these two soldiers bear witness," he said firmly. "I choose for myself. Either I go in, or I return to the Imperial City right now."
His eyes challenged Kaelan directly.
Kaelan hesitated only for a moment before nodding. "Come, then. Let's go, brother."
Arceus and his maids remained above ground, along with Sienna Vale, who had little way to defend herself against a prepared mage in tight corridors.
A few moments after Kaelan and Lucian disappeared down the stairs, a figure in black robes materialized silently near the entrance, as if stitched from the shadows themselves.
The two royal knights drew their swords instantly.
"Who are you—"
Arceus moved instinctively in front of Sienna.
The hooded figure tossed a medallion toward the knights. The engraved unicorn insignia gleamed faintly in the dim light. Recognition flashed across their faces. They stepped aside without another word.
The robed man vanished again, reappearing at the top of the stairs before descending into darkness.
Arceus frowned but said nothing. Instead, he reached into his spatial ring and pulled out two wooden boxes.
"Betty, Esme," he said calmly, handing each maid a pistol. "Be prepared."
The maids took the weapons with nervous determination and began loading bullets exactly as they had practiced.
Sienna glanced sideways at him. "When did you acquire those?"
Arceus smiled faintly, his fingers brushing over the grip of his own pistol. "A week ago. I've returned to that store several times since. It's… strangely enjoyable."
Sienna raised an eyebrow. "Why? It's only an ungraded weapon."
"Even so," Arceus replied lightly, "it has its charm."
Sienna's eyes narrowed slightly. *Is it really the weapon… or that woman?*
---
Deep beneath the ruins'
Prince Kaelan conjured a steady sphere of flame that lit the narrow passage. The stone walls pressed close on both sides, and the air felt cool, stale, and heavy with the scent of age and forgotten secrets.
After several minutes, they reached a fork in the tunnels.
"Which path?" Lucian asked, frowning.
"We stay together," Kaelan answered. "No splitting up."
Nearly an hour passed as they navigated the winding corridors. Frustration slowly crept in.
"Another dead end?" Lucian muttered, lightly striking the wall. "How many of these are there?"
"There are too many tunnels," Kaelan said cautiously. "They probably interconnect."
"I'm aware of that, Your Highness," Lucian snapped, his patience wearing thin.
Silence followed.
"Do you wish to turn back?" Kaelan asked after a pause.
Lucian's reply was immediate. "Retreat doesn't suit me."
He chose another passage at random.
This corridor was different—straight and long.
They advanced carefully for nearly half an hour before faint sounds echoed ahead.
Metal clashing.
A loud hiss reverberating through stone.
They reached the chamber entrance and stopped.
Inside, a gigantic cobra coiled around broken pillars, its scales glistening under the dim light. Opposite the beast stood a familiar figure locked in fierce combat.
Prince Kaelan's eyes narrowed.
The gigantic cobra, its body thicker than a tree trunk, had its hood flared wide in defiance. Scorch marks blackened the surrounding stone from the flames it had been spitting. Deep gashes covered its body, several scales shattered and leaking dark fluid.
Despite its injuries, it fiercely guarded a massive chest in the corner of the chamber, its coiled form acting as a living barricade.
For three straight days, Captain Harold had returned to this chamber. Each time the fight turned against him, he would retreat upstairs to recover his Ether before descending again. Each visit weakened the guardian a little more.
Today, he believed victory was finally within reach.
Then he saw them.
Prince Kaelan Phoenix stood at the entrance with Lucian Storm beside him, flanked by two four-star royal knights.
Harold's heart clenched violently.
He had assumed the soldiers he attacked were dead.
Suppressing the tremor in his chest, he forced his face into an expression of strained relief.
"Your Highness!" he called out, narrowly dodging another surge of flames from the serpent. "The treasure lies behind this beast! Please, lend me your strength. Aron, Oswin—assist me!"
The two royal knights glanced toward Prince Kaelan for instruction.
The prince's eyes lingered on Harold for a fraction longer than necessary before he gave a slight nod.
The knights entered the fray without hesitation.
Three four-star warriors against a heavily wounded five-star beast quickly turned the tide. Blades flashed with coordinated precision, slicing into already fractured scales. The cobra thrashed wildly, spitting frantic bursts of flame, but exhaustion had dulled its once-terrifying ferocity.
Within minutes, the gigantic cobra collapsed heavily onto the stone floor.
It was still breathing. Still alive.
One of the knights stepped forward to deliver the finishing blow.
"Stop."
Prince Kaelan's voice cut sharply through the chamber. All eyes turned to him, including Lucian's.
The prince withdrew an ancient tome from his storage ring. Its cover looked impossibly old, etched with faded symbols that pulsed faintly in the firelight.
He flipped through several pages before stopping at a marked section. Then he began to chant.
The words flowed in harsh, unfamiliar syllables that none of them recognized. Ether swirled visibly around him, draining rapidly from his reserves as the incantation grew more intense.
Lucian watched in silence, his eyes narrowing slightly.
At the final word, five crimson chains erupted from Kaelan's back, each tipped with a wicked, anchor-shaped barb. They shot forward and pierced the fallen cobra one after another.
The beast convulsed violently.
Energy streamed through the chains, surging back into Kaelan's body in steady waves. The cobra's massive frame began to shrink as its life force was drained away. Its scales lost their luster. Its movements grew weaker. Over the next half hour, its vitality faded to nothing.
Its core shattered.
Silence returned to the cavern.
The red chains dissolved into motes of light.
Prince Kaelan opened his eyes slowly. The exhaustion that had weighed him down moments earlier had vanished. Instead, a new, steady power radiated from him.
Fe said quietly, satisfaction clear in his voice. "4-star Rank at last."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the denser flow of Ether within his meridians. "I'm already halfway through this realm. With proper stabilization and enough crystals, I can reach the fifth star before I turn twenty-one."
Lucian glanced briefly at the ancient tome but said nothing.
Harold masked his disappointment behind a strained smile. "Your Highness," he said quickly, gesturing toward the chest. "The treasure awaits."
Kaelan's gaze shifted to him. "Yes," he replied mildly. "But first, we must address your betrayal."
The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop several degrees.
"You understand the punishment for killing fellow soldiers and betraying the Empire, don't you?"
Lucian felt the shift in tension immediately and stepped back, unwilling to involve himself in imperial discipline.
Harold's face drained of color. "I don't know what you mean, Your Highness."
Kaelan's expression hardened completely. "One of the soldiers you struck down survived. Your crime is exposed, you fool. Surrender peacefully and return to the Imperial City. I will petition to commute your death sentence to twenty years of imprisonment."
Harold's eyes darted desperately toward the exit.
Escape was impossible.
Slowly, he dropped to his knees. "I beg your forgiveness. I will submit to judgment."
Kaelan withdrew a length of sturdy rope and bound Harold's arms tightly behind his back. "Remain still."
With the traitor secured, Kaelan turned his attention to the chest.
Lucian followed quietly, curiosity winning over his usual caution.
The chest was massive, reinforced with dark iron bands and covered in ancient carvings. Yet Kaelan didn't touch it.
Instead, he retrieved the aged parchment again and studied it carefully. He pressed his palm against the stone wall behind the chest.
Nothing happened.
He shifted his hand slightly.
Still nothing.
Lucian's patience was wearing thin. "What exactly are you searching for?"
"The true entrance," Kaelan replied vaguely.
"Entrance?" Lucian frowned. "I thought we came for Emperor Aerondor's treasure. Isn't that the chest?"
"That chest is a trap," Kaelan said without hesitation. "According to this parchment, opening it triggers an area-wide fifth-star spell."
Lucian's eyes flickered with surprise.
Before he could respond, a faint *click* echoed beneath Kaelan's palm. A section of the wall slid backward slowly, revealing a hidden passage.
Warm light spilled outward.
Embedded within the newly revealed chamber were countless Ether crystals, glowing softly from floor to ceiling.
Lucian stepped forward involuntarily. "A hidden crystal mine…" he breathed, eyes widening at the breathtaking sight.
***
Meanwhile, above ground…
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The sharp cracks echoed across the ruined courtyard, startling a flock of birds into flight.
Arceus exhaled slowly after each shot, adjusting his stance with growing confidence. Hours of waiting had worn down his patience, so he had turned to practice to pass the time.
A four-star royal knight stood several meters away with a round fruit balanced carefully on his helmet. His posture remained steady, confidence unshaken. An ungraded weapon posed little real threat to someone of his cultivation, especially with reinforced armor protecting his vital points.
Still, he didn't blink.
Arceus raised the pistol, took careful aim, and squeezed the trigger.
The fruit burst apart mid-air, juice spraying across the stone.
The five-star captain guarding the stairway, Ralph, kept his face neutral, but his gaze kept drifting toward the weapon. He quietly calculated the projectile's speed. Within ten meters, even a five-star warrior would struggle to dodge without prior warning.
*Interesting.*
Before he could think further, faint sounds rose from the underground passage.
Ralph straightened immediately.
Moments later, Prince Kaelan emerged with Lucian and the others following behind him.
"Your Highness," Ralph greeted with a respectful bow, relief visible in his eyes.
Kaelan nodded curtly. "Captain Ralph, remain here until General Gregor arrives with reinforcements. Seal the entrance once we leave and destroy these pillars. It must look untouched. If anyone tries to enter, eliminate them without hesitation. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
While orders were being given, a faint glow suddenly flickered near Harold's bound wrists.
In an instant, his palms ignited with searing heat.
The rope blackened and disintegrated into ash.
"Argh—!"
Before anyone could fully react, Harold slammed his burning hands against Aron and Oswin's unprotected forearms. The sickening smell of scorched flesh filled the air as the two soldiers cried out in pain.
"Ralph!" Kaelan barked.
The five-star warrior launched forward, boots cracking stone beneath him.
But Harold didn't flee toward the forest.
Instead, he lunged straight at Arceus.
Everything happened in a single heartbeat.
He seized Arceus from behind, locking one arm across his chest while pressing the other dangerously close to his neck, palm blazing with heat.
"Arceus!"
"Young Master!"
"Dear!"
Voices overlapped in panic.
Even Lucian's usual composure cracked for a split second.
Harold's burning hand hovered at Arceus's throat. "Take another step and he dies!" he hissed, slowly backing away.
Sienna stepped forward instinctively. "Release him!"
Kaelan's face turned glacial. "I offered you mercy," he said coldly. "You chose death."
"Spare me your lies, Prince," Harold spat. "Prison is worse than execution."
He edged backward, keeping distance while holding Arceus firmly.
Lucian's hand tightened on his sword hilt, but he didn't draw it. A desperate mage was far too dangerous, especially with his best friend's life on the line.
Seconds stretched unbearably.
Harold's attention stayed locked on Prince Kaelan and the advancing soldiers.
But Arceus didn't struggle. He remained strangely calm, almost limp in the man's grip.
His gaze lowered subtly to his left hand.
The pistol was still there.
And loaded.
He knew he would only get one chance.
Step by step, Harold inched toward the edge of the ruins, preparing to escape into the forest.
Kaelan's jaw tightened. Just a few more meters and pursuit would become chaotic.
Then, Harold's grip loosened slightly as he adjusted his stance for a better escape.
That single shift was all Arceus needed.
In one fluid motion, he twisted just enough to raise his arm. The pistol appeared directly in front of Harold's eye—mere centimeters away.
The traitor's pupils contracted in shock at the sight of the unfamiliar metallic barrel.
Bang!