Spark approached the smooth expanse of wall that Serenade had indicated.
"Lilith, any arcane wards?" He asked.
Lilith took out something that looked like an intricate pen-knife. The Ward Detector. Black Market device popular for thieves and assassins.
She touch its tip to the wall. The pen-knife glowed dimly. "A faint ward, Master. Nothing I can't dispel. But the wall itself… it feels quite thick."
"No need to dispel, then." Spark said. A faint smirk was playing on his lips. A friendly expression that belied the brute force he was about to unleash.
He took a deep breath. His massive body was tensing. Unseen energy crackled around him. "Stand back." He warned.
His women complied without question. Backing away several paces. Spark positioned himself before the wall.
He wound up. His immense muscles was coiling. And then , he unleashed a devastating punch. It was not just a punch. It was a focused, concussive blow that channeled his raw physical might. Coated with Elemental Coating... Metal Element.
The impact was deafening. The stone wall groaned. Then cracked. Cracks snaked across the surface. Spiderwebbing outwards from the point of impact. Dust billowed.
Spark didn't stop. He slammed. Punched. And elbowed the stone. Each blow echoing like a thunderclap in the confined space. The wall began to crumble. Pieces of rock detaching and falling to the ground.
Finally, with one last, earth-shaking straight, a large section of the wall collapsed inward. Revealing a new passage beyond. It wasn't a natural cave.
It was a perfectly carved tunnel. Smooth and unnervingly quiet. It descended steeply into the blackness.
"This is it." Spark declared. Wiping sweat from his brow. His dark-grey eyes, scanned the newly revealed path. "The energy signature from the Treasure Radar. Whatever's down there, it's significant."
"Let's go!" This tine, Spark was in front, leading the the way.
Once they were in the tunnel, the thick scent of ancient magic and dust hit them like a wave. Spark flicked his wrist. Igniting a small flashlight orb of light. One that floated beside him. Casting a pale glow into the tunnel ahead.
"Stay close!" Spark warned. Stepping cautiously through the opening.
Inside, the passage sloped sharply downward. Carved into the natural rock. But it was clearly reinforced by unknown hands.
The air was denser here. Tinged with a faint metallic scent. The sound of dripping water echoed softly. Interrupted occasionally by distant, restless murmurs.
"I'm detecting subtle magical signatures ahead." Lilith murmured. Her voice barely audible over the soft footfalls. "Possibly traps, or guardians."
Scarlett's gu-insects spread across the walls. Their antennae were twitching with otherworldly sensitivity.
"My gu-insect can detect magical anomalies and hidden mechanisms. I'll signal if anything is amiss." She said.
Spark gave a curt nod. His dark-grey eyes swept the tunnel with unyielding vigilance. Muscles were coiled like a predator's before the strike.
As they ventured deeper, the corridor opened into a bigger cavern. The air was growing warmer. And the faint glow of mysterious crystals was pulsating along the walls. The sheer ceiling lost itself in darkness. Lost beneath immense shadows.
In the center laid an ornate pedestal. Forged from black stone veined with iridescent minerals. On the pedestal, lay another treasure chest.
Spark strode directly to the ornate pedestal. His powerful frame was casting a long, shifting shadow. He wasn't one for hesitation.
"Stand clear!" He ordered. His voice was echoing slightly in the vast space.
The women immediately fanned out. Maintaining a watchful perimeter.
Lilith's crossbow was ready. Ivy's hand hovered over her satchel of alchemical concoctions. Melody and Serenade's expressions were serene but alert. And Scarlett's subtle movements indicated her gu-insects were already scouting the cavern.
The treasure chest on the pedestal this time was not locked. Merely sealed with an ancient, already crumbling mechanism.
Spark placed his large hands on the lid. The black stone of the pedestal felt cool and smooth beneath his touch.
He applied pressure. A controlled burst of his immense strength. And the aged bronze hinges groaned in protest before snapping open.
A soft hiss of trapped air escaped. Carrying the scent of old metal and something else. Something… valuable.
Inside, nestled on a bed of crimson velvet, lay a collection of items.
First... Gleaming piles of ancient gold coins. Shimmering under the crystal light. Their surfaces were bearing forgotten imperial seals.
Alongside them, there were half a dozen mana crystals. Each was the size of a pigeon's egg. They pulsed with soft, internal light.
Then... A single, dark orb. Mystical, just like a condensed swirl of night fog. Spark immediately recognized the material. It was the Black Mist Pearl.
And finally, a lute. Its wood was dark with reddish tinge. Almost black. It was imbued with a strange, shimmering quality. And its strings hummed faintly even when untouched.
Spark's dark-grey eyes swept over the contents. Sharp and assessing. His broad and powerful fingers carefully picked up the lute first. It felt unexpectedly light. Balanced.
"A musical instrument?" He muttered. More to himself than to his subordinates. He took out his [Appraisal Goggles] and checked the details.
[Object: Autumn Twilight]
[Type: Lute (Musical Instrument)]
[Quality: Enchanted]
[Characteristics: Self-Restoration]
[Characteristics: Curse Resonance]
[Characteristics: Enhanced Mana Recovery]
Spark read the prompt in his view. A fleeting nod of approval. The 'Curse Resonance' characteristic caught his attention. He immediately thought of Serenade.
Her wishart magical songs were already potent. Supported with his debuff-style crestmagic spells. They were carrying the curse capable of weakening enemies. Enhancing them with the instrument would make her even more invaluable.
"Serenade!" He said. Tossing the the lute to her. "That is for you. 'Autumn Twilight' is its name. It enhances curse magic. Your specialty."
Serenade easily caught the lute. Her elegant fingers brushed the strings as she held the instrument. A graceful soft smile appeared on her lips.
"Thank you, Master Spark. I shall make good use of it." Spark could see that her devotion was absolute. A silent promise was in her eyes.
Next, Spark scooped up the pile of ancient gold coins. They were heavy, substantial. He immediately put them in his Spatial Belt. It would be valuable liquid assets.
He then picked up the mana crystals. Their light felt cool against his skin. "Ivy!" He called. Passing them to her. "You can use these for your alchemy, can't you?"
Ivy, small and meticulous, received the crystals silently. Her nimble hands carefully took each crystal. Her eyes already calculating their potential.
"Thank you, Master. These are excellent specimens. They will significantly aid my research into new formulations." Her affection for him was evident in her quiet satisfaction. Her mind was already consumed by the possibilities of creation.
Finally, Spark's gaze settled on the Black Mist Pearl. He knew its properties. It was one of the rarest catalysts for specific elemental transformations.
His eyes flicked to Lilith. The growth of her Mist Fairy should have been maxed out now. She could definitely use it.
"Lilith!" Spark commanded. Presenting the dark, swirling orb to her. "Call your Mist Fairy. This Black Mist Pearl should be able to evolve her."
Lilith's eyes widened. A flicker of genuine surprise crossing her usually impassive features. "Evolution, Master?" She questioned.
"Yes. Fairy could use external object to guide her evolution." He briefly explained. "This match your Mist Fairy attributes."
"A guided evolution?" A touch of awe could be heard in her voice. She knew fairy could evolve. But most people thought that the evolution was just random. Under various and unpredictable conditions.
"Do it now." Spark instructed. He was direct. Seeing no reason to delay. This was an opportunity to enhance the power of his subordinate.
Lilith didn't hesitate. She took the Black Mist Pearl. Her fingers traced its cool, smooth surface.
With a whispered command, a wisp of silvery mist coalesced from her palm. Taking on the ethereal form of her Mist Fairy. The tiny, winged girl figure shimmered with anticipation. Lilith gently pressed the Black Mist Pearl into the Mist Fairy's essence.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. The silvery mist began to writhe. Convulsing as if caught in an unseen storm. The pearl dissolved into the fairy. And a low, guttural hum vibrated in the air.
The faint, pleasant scent of nature filled the cavern. And then, it was quickly replaced by something acrid and chilling. The Mist Fairy's form solidified. Into a denser, darker form of a winged woman. Just a little bigger than it was.
Its edges pulsed with an ominous, purple glow. And dark, purplish energy wings seemed to reach out from it.
The transformation was completed. The once harmless, wispy Mist Fairy was gone. In its place hovered a Hell Mist Fairy. The air around it felt colder. Heavier. More dangerous.
"Its crestmagic changed." Lilith exclaimed as innate information filled her mind. Her eyes fixed on her transformed fairy. "It has changed. From [Mist Form] to [Cursed Mist Form]."
Lilith recalled the fairy into her body. And then, she extended a hand. And concentrated hard. After several seconds, her hand turned into a small puff of dark mist. She aimed it towards a nearby rock.
Where the mist touched it, the stone immediately looked... withered.
Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface. And its color dulled. As if life had been siphoned from it.
"I can still transform into mist, Master." Lilith confirmed. A newfound edge of confidence could be heard in her voice. "But now, the mist itself is cursed. Anything within it will be significantly weakened."
Spark observed the change. A faint, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his lips. Good. Another subordinate improved her power. Another weapon was sharpened. He liked efficiency. And this was efficient.
"Excellent!" He affirmed. "Let's move. We've lingered enough."
With the new treasures claimed and Lilith's fairy empowered, Spark and his subordinates resumed their descent. Into the Labyrinth of Fortune's deeper path.