Chapter 25 - 25: The Cave

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The Cave

As the tension between Mark and Jev began to rise, a middle-aged lady stepped forward from the third group and spoke up.

"Why are you two fighting like children? Let the youngsters enter and have the opportunity to gain something, perhaps even the inheritance of the Runemaster," she said.

The lady was Tapori, a high-ranking member of the royal family of the Blossom Kingdom. This kingdom bordered both the Coralhelm Kingdom and the Kela Kingdom. Tapori herself was a Sixth Grade Heaven Profound Stage Artist.

Mark, hailing from the Coralhelm Kingdom, was also a high-ranking individual within his own kingdom. Like Tapori, he too was a Sixth Grade Heaven Profound Stage martial Artist.

On the other hand, Jev's cultivation level was previously at the Sixth Grade Profound Stage, making the competition between them intense. They had known each other since a young age.

All three of them were present to protect the young men and women who represented the future of their respective kingdoms.

Jev nodded in agreement with Tapori's words and gestured for everyone to gather in front of the rectangular hole. Mark and Tapori followed suit.

Soon, fifty young men and women stood in front of the rectangular hole. There were fifteen from both the Kela and Coralhelm Kingdoms, while the Blossom Kingdom had sixteen representatives. The remaining four were disciples of rogue Profound Artists. These rogue Martial artists possessed great power and even a single one joining a kingdom could disrupt the balance. Hence, the kingdoms allowed a limited quota for them.

Anticipation and nervousness were etched on the faces of the youngsters as they stood under the watchful eyes of the three elders. They entered one by one through the thin membrane.

As soon as they passed through, they found themselves in a vast cave. Considering they were in a mountain, they didn't think too much of it and began running further inside.

The young individuals from the Kela Kingdom also desired to rush in, but they noticed Aurora, who was looking at the thin membrane with a furrowed brow. Shihab, noticing this, asked, "Is something wrong, Aurora?"

Aurora continued to gaze at the barrier and just as Shihab was about to inquire further, she finally spoke. "Try attacking the membrane with all your power," she suggested. n.(o--v--e.)l-(b/-I.-n

Shihab looked confused for a moment, but after contemplating it, he decided to follow her advice. He raised his hands and began condensing water elements, shaping them into an arrow. The arrow became dense and focused, resembling a powerful projectile.

"Water Arrow," Shihab muttered, before launching the condensed arrow towards the thin membrane. The arrow traveled swiftly and struck the membrane, causing an explosion upon impact. Surprisingly, the thin membrane remained intact, showing only minor ripples. It had sustained no damage.

Shihab was utterly shocked to the core when his strongest attack, which concentrated water elements and possessed incredible speed, failed to cause any damage to the thin membrane. This arrow could easily pierce through the defenses of a Third Grade Earth Profound Stage, yet it had no effect on the barrier.

"Just as I thought, we're trapped here. We can't go back outside, so our only option is to move forward. Let's proceed with caution," Aurora calmly stated, her composure unwavering. She had anticipated this situation and seemed prepared for it. With that, she began walking deeper into the cave.

Shihab snapped back to reality and asked, "But what if the elders outside can break through this membrane? Wouldn't we be saved then?"

His thoughts were logical, assuming a normal Heaven Profound Stage Artist's tomb. They could have likely forced their way in with brute force. However, they didn't want to take any risks in this particular tomb, knowing it belonged to a Runemaster. There was a high possibility of traps being present that would activate if the tomb was destroyed.

Aurora stopped in her tracks, turning back to face Shihab. "I don't believe so. This membrane was likely designed to trap us, and the creator of this tomb would have anticipated the arrival of high-level Profound Stage Artists. They would have made preparations. In any case, moving forward is our only choice," she explained.

Aurora didn't give any regard to the others, seemingly considering them as mere cannon fodder, especially given the current circumstances.

"Sounds reasonable enough," Shihab nodded, signaling for everyone to proceed. They all started rushing forward.

After a short while, they reached a point where the cave split into three paths, presenting them with a choice. Aurora paused, her gaze fixed on the three caves. She sensed a dangerous aura emanating from the second cave, while the other two caves had visible footprints. It appeared that the other two teams had chosen alternate routes, likely sensing the danger present in the second cave.

Although the second cave emitted a dangerous aura, Aurora had a gut feeling that it was the correct path. Trusting her instincts, she confidently walked towards the second cave.

The rest of the group, initially confused by Aurora's choice, had witnessed her astute observation skills and decided to place their trust in her once again. They followed her lead and ventured into the second cave.

The cave stretched out before them, seemingly endless, and it took nearly an hour for them to reach its end. Fortunately, they encountered no traps along the way, leaving them in optimal condition. By now, they had complete faith in Aurora's abilities. Shihab even felt a tinge of embarrassment as the supposed leader, but he didn't mind, knowing that Aurora's leadership had kept the entire team safe.

Upon exiting the cave, they came across the other team, who were resting there. It was evident that they had just engaged in a battle, as some of them sported minor injuries. It became apparent that they had fallen into the false paths within the other two caves.

'What in the world were these guys thinking? It was the most straightforward trap, and yet they failed even in that,' Aurora exclaimed, her disbelief evident. She couldn't comprehend how they had managed to fall for such a simple ruse. 'And as for the creator of this tomb, were they inebriated or something when they designed this? Well, I suppose I can't say much, given that there were those who actually fell for it.'

Aurora was left utterly speechless by their fellow adventurers' actions. Their lack of foresight and intelligence meant that their names were not even worth mentioning.