The moment the doors slammed shut behind them, a suffocating wave of mana pressure washed over the group. It was dense, oppressive—so powerful that even the smallest insects in the building dropped lifelessly to the floor.
But what made it worse was that Volhcard's own mana pressure amplified it, causing the entire atmosphere to feel even heavier.
"Isn't this your master's mana pressure?"
Aralia coughed, struggling to steady himself.
Volhcard nodded grimly, "Yes... but there's something else mixed with it."
Yuni rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
"For a second, I thought it was yours."
Volhcard turned toward her, unfazed by the sarcasm.
"It's amplified because of mine—but that isn't just my mana, Crossbell."
The moment her last name left his lips, Yuni snapped.
In an instant, she grabbed Volhcard by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
"Don't ever say my last name, dwarf."
Her eyes burned with fury, a visible vein throbbed on her forehead.
"Enough."
Theo's voice cut through the tension, sharp and commanding.
Yuni hesitates for only a moment before releasing Volhcard, turning to glare at Theo instead, "Don't interrupt me ever again."
"Yuni can you just get along with everyone?!" Aralia suddenly shouted, exasperated.
But Yuni simply turned away, waving her hand dismissively as she walked further into the building, "Why don't we split up? Might make things easier since we're all so tense."
It was obvious in her tone—she didn't want to split up for strategy. She just wanted to get away from everyone.
Theo let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples before turning to the group, "Fine, let's split up." he straightened, his expression serious, "Idol, you're with Volhcard. Jae, you're with me. Aralia and Sticky, follow Yuni."
And with that, they all went their separate ways.
"Do you think Yuni hates everyone for a reason?" Jae asked as she and Theo stepped into what seemed to be a long hallway.
Theo let out a tired sigh, running a hand through his hair, "Who the hell knows what that woman is thinking? Even I'm losing my patience with her temper. But we all have our reasons for being the way we are... and she probably has hers—whether it's a good one or just plain stupid."
As they walked, Theo suddenly halted, his gaze locking onto a large painting hanging on the wall.
It depicted a vast island, a breathtaking kingdom nestled within dense trees, shrouded in mist and vibrant foliage. The palace stood in serene contrast—its pristine white structure infused with the ethereal glow of mana. The civilian homes though also white, bore distinct variations, each with its own unique charm.
"What is it?" Jae asked, stepping closer. Her eyes flicked to Theo, noting the rare, gentle smile on his face—an expression she seldom saw. Beneath the smile, she could sense a deep sorrow, tinged with warmth and nostalgia.
"It's the Keseon Islands," Theo murmured, "and that... was my tribe's home island."
His fingers lightly traced the painting's surface, as if trying to hold onto something long lost.
"So many years have passed since the Umbral Incineration... I had nearly forgotten how beautiful it once was."
His voice wavered, thick with regret, as he fought back the sting of tears.
Jae, without a word, reached for his left hand, gently caressing it in a comforting gesture.
"It's okay to let go, you know."
"Not yet." Theo exhaled softly before continuing down the hallway.
Jae followed, her hands balling into fists at her sides. She couldn't help but worry about him. Over the past few weeks, he had taken the lead, making decisions for the group, and yet, he was also the one who had endured the most injuries.
Even after all the pain, he kept moving forward—head high, his usual calm composure barely holding together.
"How long can you keep this up?" she muttered under her breath, too quiet for him to hear.
As they turned a corner, two doors stood on either side of the hallway. They exchanged a glance before nodding in silent agreement—they knew what they needed to do.
Jae patted Theo's back, "Be careful and don't get yourself injured again."
Theo chuckled lightly, "Relax, I'll be fine and the same goes for you."
Click!
Both reached for their respective doorknobs, stepping into the rooms they had chosen.
Jae found herself in a large, circular office—its high ceilings and grand bookshelves hinting at importance
Theo, stepping through his own door, realized his own room was identical.
The doors slammed shut behind them, sealing the rooms in eerie silence.
Then, from the shadows, two tall, lanky skeletons emerged—one in each room.
In Jae's room, the skeletal figure was completely crimson, its left arm sharpened into the shape of a rapier.
Meanwhile, in Theo's room, the skeleton gleamed a ghostly blue, its right arm forged into a black rapier.
"The hell...?" Theo muttered, narrowing his eyes as he analyzed the creature.
Whoosh!
Before he could even react further, the skeleton lunged—its axe swinging straight down toward his skull.
Bang!
At the same instant, Theo raised his blunderbuss and fired. The explosive shot blasted through the skeleton's torso, shattering it into a heap of scattered bones.
He exhaled, lowering his gun slightly—until the bones started moving.
One by one, they reassembled, clicking back together like a puzzle reforming itself.
Theo took a step back, watching as the creature rose once more.
"Just when I thought I'd get at least an hour or two of peace." he muttered, a grim smirk tugging at his lips as he cocked his blunderbuss once more.
"Guess not."
The skeleton lunged forward, unleashing a relentless flurry of stabs aimed at Theo's chest.
But Theo was faster. He sidestepped each strike with razor-sharp precision before slamming the butt of his blunderbuss into the skeleton's ribcage. In one swift motion, he angled the barrel toward the skeleton's forehead—
Bang!
The creature's head exploded into fragments, its body staggering backwards as if it would collapse.
"Shit!" Theo cursed as he barely dodged the skeleton's sudden counterattack.
Its rapier-like arm slashed forward, grazing his cheek as it barely missed in slashing it off.
Yet despite losing its head, the skeleton remained unnervingly aware of his presence. Without hesitation, it lunged again, launching another series of rapid stabs.
Theo weaved through them, his movements fluid as he countered with another powerful slam of his blunderbuss against its chest. He used the brief opening to reload.
Swish!
The skeleton's rapier shot forward, aimed straight for Theo's forehead—
Bang!
At the last second, Theo sprang up and fired. The blunderbuss roared, obliterating the skeleton's torso into scattered, smoking bones.
Not wasting a second, he retrieved a small scroll adorned with a crimson flame symbol. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it onto the remains, murmuring an incantation in Elvish.
The scroll ignited instantly, flames hungrily consuming the shattered bones.
Theo exhaled, slinging the blunderbuss over his shoulder with a tired and grim smirk.
"Too easy."