Just as the hall fell into heavy silence, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed through the chamber.
"Master!" Elira burst in, breathless and wide-eyed.
"Something's happened!"
Ethan shot to his feet.
If Elira was this shaken, it wasn't something minor.
"What is it?" he asked, voice low and sharp.
"It's the Bloodvein Mine…" Elira took a gulp of air. "The golden liquid between the mountain ridges—it's mutated!"
"What?!" Ethan's pupils contracted hard.
That golden liquid was Emerald Castle's most critical trump card right now.
If it went out of control, the consequences would be catastrophic.
He didn't waste time asking more questions. He turned and led the others straight toward the mine's depths.
…
But when Ethan arrived at the site, he froze.
There were no signs of instability.
On the contrary—
A powerful, yet incredibly stable energy was steadily rising from deep underground.
The moment he got close—
His body jolted.
