Leo slumped against the earthen wall of the deep pit, his ragged breathing a testament to his exhaustion. Dirt and debris coated his sweat-drenched skin, and his disheveled hair framed his dust-stained face. A faint, weary smile twisted his lips as he gazed out at the tunnel. "Hours of digging...Have I been misled?" he wondered, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Did Shaw's words prove false? The possibility gnaws at my resolve."
With a scowl, Leo's gaze fell upon the pit, his eyes burning with frustration. Mana energy crackled to life in his palms as he summoned his inner power. Instead of digging, he unleashed a mighty blow, striking the earth with a resounding crash that sent tremors rippling through the ground.
I've lost too much of my mana reserves many times, just to recover it after having a rest and circulating my surge breath technique this is becoming tiresome but I must absorb those earth crystals I must. He muttered to himself
He lept out of the pit and stood before the towering pile of dirt, a thoughtful look on his face. "If digging won't work, maybe brute force will," he thought. "Yes, force is the way." His eyes shone with determination, but soon he frowned, wondering if he had the strength needed.
Deciding to test his limits, Leo lay down on the dirt and activated his Surge Breath technique to recover his mana. After recovering, he knew using brute force would attract attention from the guards underground, putting him in danger. But he didn't care.
Undeterred, Leo stood up, channeled mana into his hands, and let out a mighty roar. He jumped into the pit, creating a thunderous boom. Without pause, he jumped back out and then back in again... Boom... boom... boom... The sound echoed through the earth as it trembled beneath his feet.
Deep beneath the earth, the miners were startled by a thunderous boom that shook the cavernous depths. The tremor sent a ripple of unease through the assembly, their faces darkening in unison. Yet, no one dared to speak, their gazes converging on the middle-aged man, who stood like a statue, his eyes piercing the shadows.
In the middle-aged man's hands, hidden from prying eyes, grasped a crimson pill imbued with mystical properties. Without warning, he asked the question again, his finger pointing accusingly at a trembling miner. "Who led him to the mine?" The miner's voice barely escaped his lips, a timid whisper that faltered beneath the elder's scrutiny. "I don't know."
The pill in the middle-aged man's hand pulsed with a golden glow, illuminating the dark recesses of the cavern before returning to its crimson hue. The middle-aged man's gaze swept across the assembly, his finger pointing at random, each accusation met with the same fearful denial. The pill's golden glow recurred with each response, casting an eerie light on the proceedings.
As the interrogation dragged on for hours, Shaw's countenance grew increasingly paler, his anxiety festering like an open wound. Then, the middle-aged man's gaze swept past him, a fleeting moment of respite that left Shaw feeling grateful. The middle-aged gaze was a cold, calculating thing, more terrifying than witnessing Leo's fearsome display of power.
But the reprieve was short-lived, as the middle-aged man's eyes snapped back to Shaw, his voice low and menacing, like the growl of a predator sensing its prey. "You... Who led him to the mines?" The question hung in the air, heavy with foreboding, as the elder's gaze bore into Shaw's very soul.
As relief washed over him, Shaw's gaze drifted back to the elder, only to be met with an unyielding scrutiny. The question hung in the air once more, and Shaw's eyes widened as he realized the attention of the entire crowd had shifted to him. His heart constricted, and a cold sweat broke out on his brow. Despite his efforts to remain composed, his pulse quickened, pounding in his chest like a blacksmith's hammer.
When his gaze locked onto the middle-aged man, however, his heart seemed to freeze in terror. "I...I don't know," he stammered, the words barely escaping his lips.
The pill in the middle-aged man's hand transformed into a dark, foreboding orb, its surface reflecting the turmoil brewing within. The elder's countenance darkened with a gloomy look, his eyes flashing with an icy intensity that sent shivers coursing through Shaw's very being. A palpable aura of death emanated from the middle-aged man, a killing intent born of countless battles and unspeakable horrors.
You dare lie to me! ! He roared.When suddenly a deafening rumble shook the caves depths as the earth above trembled, as if the very foundations of it had been rent asunder. A faint beam of luminescent light pierced the darkness, illuminating the awestruck faces of the miners. The sudden influx of radiance sent them scrambling toward the source, their countenances set in determined lines. Frosty resolve etched their features as they steeled themselves to demonstrate their loyalty to king Clay.
Outside the cave, Leo's lips curled into a calculated smile as he pondered the trials ahead. He settled into a meditative pose, activating his Surge Breath technique to amplify his strength. "I must reach the pinnacle of my power before descending into the depths," he thought, his mind racing with anticipation. "They should be converging on this location, their presence a mere heartbeat away."
Yet, as he contemplated the darkness that lay beneath, a shadow fell across his thoughts. Would he emerge unscathed, or would the shadows consume him? The uncertainty sent a chill coursing through his veins, and his expression turned cold once more.
Perhaps, he mused, today would be the day he would cross the threshold into darkness, forsaking his former self to become a force of unyielding malevolence. The prospect of taking a life hung like a specter on the horizon, its presence both thrilling and terrifying.
With a deep breath, Leo's eyes snapped open, his determination ignited like a wildfire. He tied his hair back into a resolute knot, his movements economical and precise. Without hesitation, he plunged into the abyss, the sound of his descent echoing through the caverns like a harbinger of fate.
The earth shuddered as Leo's descent caused a thunderous impact, the sound of his arrival echoing through the caverns like a primal declaration of war. Yet, his face remained set in a stern mask, devoid of joy or elation. Only an unyielding determination burned in his eyes, a testament to the unrelenting drive that had propelled him to this moment.