CHAPTER 52 —The unexpected encounter(2)
"Wow!" the silver-haired boy—Denin— spoke first, his lips curling slightly. "I didn't know we had guests waiting for us at the end of the passage."
"No shit," the blue-haired one holding the map replied immediately.
The brown-haired boy—Nitin— beside him tilted his head slightly. His messy dark-brown hair fell over sharp amber eyes that carried a naturally arrogant look. A scar-like black marking stretched faintly near the side of his neck disappearing beneath his collar.
"Wait…" he muttered. "Aren't those academy uniforms?"
The ash-gray-haired boy narrowed his eyes.
"…Grand Aetherion students."
The moment those words were spoken—
Ritvik almost stopped breathing.
His face had gone pale.
Rowan could literally hear the heavy breathing beside him.
Meanwhile—
The four dark mages were staring at them with equal surprise.
"…What are Grand Aetherion students doing here?" Denin muttered.
"No idea." Nitin shrugged lazily. "Maybe they got lost."
"Inside a hidden route?" the blue-haired one asked flatly.
"That somehow sounds even dumber."
The silver-haired boy —Denin's— gaze suddenly shifted.
Straight toward Rowan's hand.
The blue-haired boy—Junim—followed his gaze instantly.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
He elbowed the ash-gray-haired boy beside him.
"Hey, Seris. That's…"
"Yeah," Seris replied quietly.
For the first time—
The playful atmosphere around the four disappeared.
"The Aether Rune."
All four of them spoke in unison.
The chamber went silent.
"…?" Rowan's brows twitched.
Seris hummed softly before stepping forward.
"Hey, buddy."
He casually raised one hand.
Rowan flinched slightly at the relaxed tone.
"…Buddy?"
"Yeah." Seris nodded.
Then he pointed directly toward the strange rune in Rowan's hand.
"Looks like you're holding something that belongs to us."
His tone sounded playful.
But his eyes didn't.
"Why don't you give it back?"
Ritvik immediately glanced at Rowan.
Cold sweat slowly trickled down his forehead.
Rowan swallowed softly before tightening his grip around the rune.
"Why?" Rowan asked back.
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Why should I give it to you?"
"Oh?" Seris let out a small laugh.
"Come on. That thing is useless." He gestured toward the scattered runes around the chamber. "There are plenty of other runes here. Just take one of those and give me that useless one instead."
"If it's useless," Rowan replied immediately, "then why do you want it?"
"Hah—"
Seris' expression twisted for a second.
"Seris…"
"Because—"
"Seris."
"I like collecting useless things, alright? It's a hobby."
"Seris."
"What is it, you fu—"
He stopped mid-sentence and turned toward his companions irritably.
Denin—the Silver-haired boy—didn't say anything.
He simply tilted his chin upward slightly.
Seris followed the direction silently.
His expression wavered for the briefest moment before stabilizing again.
Meanwhile—
Rowan slowly took a step back.
Ritvik immediately tightened his grip around his staff.
Mana began gathering faintly near its tip.
But then—
A hand suddenly blocked him.
Ritvik froze.
He looked sideways.
Sarina stood calmly in front of him, her arm extended slightly to stop him from aiming.
His teeth clenched instantly.
'What the hell are you doing—'
But then Sarina glanced at him from over her shoulder.
Her eyes remained calm.
And suddenly—
Ritvik realized something.
His eyes slowly moved around the surroundings.
The narrow chamber.
The enclosed dungeon.
The unstable crystal walls.
'Right… We are still inside the dungeon.'
He looked back toward the four dark mages.
'And there are four of them.'
'Fighting here would be suicidal.'
Ritvik tightened his grip harder.
'Then what do we do…?'
Suddenly—
Seris instantly pulled out his wand.
Ritvik reacted almost immediately and raised his staff—
But then—
FWOOOSH—
Dark smoke exploded outward from Seris' wand and engulfed the entire chamber.
Everything instantly turned black.
"Cough—!"
"Khk—!"
Ritvik immediately covered his nose while Rowan shut his eyes tightly.
This is bad.
Very bad.
Visibility had completely disappeared.
Then—
A sharp gust erupted inside the smoke.
Swooosh— Fwoosh—
Sarina had already raised her wand.
Condensed wind spiraled violently around its tip, pulling the smoke toward itself like a vortex.
The black fog rapidly dispersed.
And soon—
The chamber became visible again.
Rowan slowly opened his eyes.
Ritvik looked forward immediately.
But—
The four dark mages were gone.
Completely gone.
"…?"
"Where did they go?" Rowan muttered.
Then—
His gaze dropped toward his own hand.
The strange rune he had been holding moments ago—
Was gone.
In its place—
Was an ordinary mana crystal.
Rowan's expression changed instantly.
He quickly touched his pocket.
And silently felt the second rune still hidden inside.
A small breath escaped him.
"Rowan!" Ritvik called immediately.
"I'm fine," Rowan replied quickly.
Then he looked at the Mana crystal in his hand again.
"…But it looks like they stole that rune."
Sarina glanced between both boys.
Her expression remained calm.
"Let's leave this place first."
Both Rowan and Ritvik nodded immediately.
Without wasting another second—
The trio hurried toward the passage leading out of the hidden chamber.
Behind them—
The glowing runes continued shining silently inside the forgotten dungeon.
As if nothing had happened at all.
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CHAPTER ENDS