Kaelen Viremont spoke calmly.Not loud. Not dramatic. Just steady… but somehow, it carried weight. The kind that makes people actually stop and listen without realizing it.There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation in his voice. No nervousness. Nothing.To most people, it would’ve sounded bold—maybe even a little reckless. But strangely, it didn’t feel arrogant. It felt… certain. Like he was saying something as natural as the sun rising in the morning.The Heir of Thornreach kept watching him.Just for a moment, his expression shifted. A small flicker of surprise passed through his eyes before he quickly hid it. Kaelen wasn’t acting like someone his age at all. There was something grounded about him. Too steady. Too controlled.And that alone made him harder to read.Still, the heir recovered quickly. He wasn’t naive enough to keep judging Kaelen by appearance anymore.“Back then,” he said slowly, choosing his words carefully, “the fall of the Seventh Prince’s residence happened without

Scarface Uncle stared at Kaelen Viremont for a second, a sharp look, almost like he was about to pick a fight. Then, out of nowhere, he burst out laughing.“Kaelen Viremont, kid, you’ve got the nerve to call me a sneak thief?” he said loudly. “You’re even worse than me!”His voice echoed a bit in the quiet space.And just like that, the mood shifted.Not tense exactly… but everyone nearby stiffened anyway.Kaelen didn’t get angry, though. No reaction like that. Instead, something strange flashed in his eyes.Interest.Because the funny part was—Scarface Uncle didn’t deny anything.Not even a little.And that alone said a lot.Kaelen stepped closer, calm as always.“Then tell me,” he said. “Why are you really here in the imperial capital of the Eldravan Empire?”Scarface Uncle scratched the back of his head like he was debating whether to run or talk. Then he leaned in, lowering his voice.“Alright,” he muttered. “I’ll tell you.”Now his tone changed. Less joking. More serious.“I got

“Just kidding. Don’t take it seriously. Kaelen Viremont, wait up!”Scarface Uncle laughed a little and immediately chased after him.The two of them moved fast through the dark streets of Sunspire City, heading straight toward the imperial palace of the Eldravan Empire.And honestly, the closer they got, the heavier everything felt.City lights slowly disappeared behind them. Big, towering walls of the inner palace came into view instead—massive structures rising like silent giants. Inside those walls were imperial gardens, ancient halls, and palaces that had seen centuries of power pass through them.This was the restricted core zone.And yeah… it felt like it.Even breathing there felt a bit heavier than normal.As Kaelen and Scarface Uncle got closer, the change in security hit immediately.No gaps. No weak points.Every road was guarded.Armored soldiers stood in tight formation, weapons gleaming under torchlight. Heavy halberds in hand, faces cold and focused. No distractions. No

Kaelen Viremont’s perception had changed—no, evolved into something far sharper than before.Every time his soul grew stronger, the world around him felt a little less “hidden.” Things that used to take effort to find now just… revealed themselves.Like pages in a book turning on their own.And this time, too, it didn’t take long.In a dark, almost forgotten corner of the first floor, Kaelen caught it. A gap—thin, subtle, perfectly blended into the structure. Most people would walk right past it without even blinking.But it was there.A concealed entrance.And from it, a faint aura leaked out.Dense. Corrupted. Familiar in the worst way.The energy of the Extraterritorial Evil Race.Kaelen’s eyes sharpened instantly.“This is it.”No hesitation. No second thought.He moved.His body blurred forward and slipped straight into the hidden passage.Behind him, Scarface Uncle clicked his tongue.“You never even hesitate, do you…”He muttered, half annoyed, half uneasy.But he still followed

“What was that sound?”The moment that ancient, crushing voice echoed through the underground space, Scarface Uncle’s entire expression flipped.Whatever easy confidence he had just a second ago? Gone. Completely.He didn’t even hesitate.His hands blurred, and in a rush, he ripped the remaining demonic stones straight off the Nine Heavens Demon Saint Diagram and shoved them into his storage ring.No hesitation, no care for precision. Just pure instinct now. Like something inside him switched from “treasure hunter” to “survival mode” in half a heartbeat.And then—Buzz!The ground started shaking.Not gently either. Deep, violent vibrations rolled through the entire plaza like something huge had just turned over beneath the earth.Kaelen’s eyes sharpened instantly.Too late.The ground cracked.Right under the plaza.And then a massive dark-brown hand shot up from below.It wasn’t human. Not even close.Twisted. Ancient. Rotten in a way that made your skin crawl just looking at it. Th