The uneven cave walls, the old mining cart, the abandoned oil lamps, the tracks winding forward through the tunnel...
The scene Rhode saw was entirely that of a mine tunnel, making it hard not to suspect that the arena was built on an old mine.
After walking along the track for a while, the sound of construction gradually faded away.
Rhode, as usual, sent the River Crab ahead to scout, and then summoned a Ghost to keep watch around him.
——Even though he considered himself quite strong, he was cautious in such an unknown environment.
The winding cave seemed endless; as Rhode kept walking, it continued to extend forward.
It was dark inside the tunnel, but it didn't affect the River Crab's vision.
Rhode sat on the back of a Stone Beetle, holding a compass in his hand and constantly checking the direction.
According to his calculations, though the tunnel was zigzagging, he was almost back to the Royal Capital by now.
Underground of the Royal Capital.
"Has the mine tunnel been turned into a secret passage leading straight to the Royal Capital?" Rhode couldn't figure out the purpose of such a modification.
Was someone planning a rebellion and intending to advance from here, or had the Royal Family reserved this as an emergency escape route?
After a few more minutes of walking, the view shared from River Crab suddenly brightened, as if transitioning from a narrow path to a spacious plaza.
Rhode even felt that although it was underground, there was natural faint light that negated the need for lamps.
Facing the sudden change in the scenery, the River Crab smartly stopped, sticking to the edge of the 'plaza' and slowly moving forward, wary of potential enemies and giving Rhode time to observe.
To blend in, it even changed its color from purple to its original green, matching the surrounding moss.
The space was so large it didn't feel like a cave, but rather intentionally constructed like a palace. It was filled with undulating boulders... no, that's not correct!
Rhode widened his eyes, barely able to believe his judgment.
Those weren't stones at all; they were actually skeletons of Dragons!
Some were crouched, some lying face up, some half-buried, and some fragmented...
This was unmistakably a Dragon's Tomb!
To put it more harshly, it was a Dragon's chaotic graveyard!
Has the Fiore Kingdom robbed the Dragon's Tomb?
Growing more cautious, Rhode sent the Shadow Wolf and Beaked Bird ahead while he stayed put.
In such a bizarre place, he constantly felt as if the dragon skeletons might move at any moment.
He remained still, quietly observing for about 10 minutes without anything unusual happening.
Only then did Rhode carefully enter that vast space.
Seeing it with his own eyes was completely different from watching through the harmonious view broadcast.
Each of those giant beasts, which should have been terrifying, lay quietly there, and Rhode carefully observed several that were exposed on the surface.
Almost every skeleton had broken bones; the fractures were of varying ages. The new ones might have been broken off for research, while the reasons for the old breaks were unclear—whether from battles when alive or other reasons after death.
Rhode pondered and performed a Void Divination to confirm no one else was around.
"Mountain Sub-Dragon!"
In such moments, it was natural to consult someone reliable.
Appearing lazily, the Mountain Sub-Dragon became solemn upon seeing the scene.
"Where is this?" he asked.
"Fiore Kingdom, underground of the Royal Capital. I followed a strange mine tunnel to get here."
The Mountain Sub-Dragon nodded, carefully observing the dragon bones before speaking moments later: "A great battle might have taken place here."
Rhode asked, "How do you know?"
"Instinct."
"..."
The Mountain Sub-Dragon explained, "I have no other methods. Judging by these remains, they died at least 300 years ago, leaving no clues."
"I see." Rhode felt a bit disappointed.
Looks like he should bring Wendy here for a visit.
Who knows if her Dragon Slayer's Secret Art could communicate with souls that perished centuries ago.
"It seems someone is patrolling. You should return." Rhode sent the Mountain Sub-Dragon and the wild creatures back, concealing himself with Alchemy Mist.
Leading the way was a squad of five, all wearing Kingdom Knight Order standard gear.
There was also a plump fellow casually carrying a bottle of wine, whose level of Magic Power seemed decent.
It was clear that this passage was indeed significant.
Understandably so, a tunnel or underground palace leading directly to the Royal Capital would naturally require patrols.
It might even lead directly to the Royal Palace.
Rhode watched quietly from his hiding spot for a while; other than the soldiers' apparent fear of the plump man, nothing important came from their conversation.
Should he directly ask Princess Jade about this place?
Rhode considered it for a moment and thought it unwise.
Despite some camaraderie, the other party might not disclose such a secret.
He proceeded cautiously for a while further, estimating he wouldn't be noticed by the patrol, then re-summoned the River Crab to continue the exploration.
A few minutes later, just as the River Crab initiated a Void Divination and before anything was visible, it suddenly vanished.
Rhode immediately stopped, sending two Stone Beetles and the Ghost to tunnel ahead, but they too disappeared suddenly.
"It doesn't seem like it was discovered, but it's not safe to stay here longer."
Rhode decisively retreated a long way, and upon nearing the previous patrol team, he burrowed into the earth, quietly returning to the hotel.
It was already late by the time he returned, but of course, his companions weren't asleep yet.
As soon as Mira saw him, she came forward to ask about the situation and whether he encountered any danger.
"It's a bit strange." Rhode recounted what he saw and heard.
"Dragon corpses hidden underground?" Gajeel was most concerned about this.
He felt a bit fearful, worried that Medalikana might be among them.
But upon calm reflection, Medalikana disappeared 7 years ago—not, 14 years ago—definitely not among them.
He didn't demand an immediate visit.
Because Rhode mentioned that his summoned beasts might have triggered the Royal Palace's Defense Magic, making it unwise to act rashly.
Gajeel, though hot-headed at times, was often calmer than Natsu. Rhode admired this about him.
Laxus was more concerned about the disappearance of Rhode's summoned beasts: "Are you suggesting secrets related to Zeref might be hidden in the Royal Palace?"
Rhode shook his head: "It's hard to say; it might just be a critical facility with strong Defense Magic.
"In any case, we can't take action tonight. Let's see if there's any unusual reaction from the Royal Palace tomorrow before deciding."
The group quietly discussed for a while before going to bed.
Tonight, the organizers didn't pull any stunts, allowing everyone to sleep soundly till dawn.
They had breakfast, got their team outfits ready, and entered the venue to prepare for the competition's second day.