No Escape

Chapter 69 — No Escape

The underground chamber shook violently.

Stone cracked beneath everyone's feet as the circular platform released another wave of Origin Energy.

Aether steadied himself.

His eyes immediately locked onto the gray-robed man standing on the platform.

So this was the person behind the entire operation.

The Blackridge Commander stood between them, spear in hand.

"You've caused enough trouble."

Aether raised his weapon.

"Then finish it."

The commander attacked.

CLANG!

Aether blocked the spear.

The impact pushed him backward.

The commander followed immediately with another strike.

Aether dodged.

A horizontal slash.

Blocked.

Second slash.

Dodged.

Downward strike.

Aether stepped forward instead of backward.

The spear struck the stone.

Aether grabbed the shaft.

The commander's eyes widened.

"You're predictable."

Aether pulled him forward.

BOOM!

His fist slammed into the commander's chest.

The armor cracked.

The commander staggered.

Aether didn't give him time to recover.

Shadow Step activated.

His body vanished.

He reappeared behind the commander.

Aether's weapon struck the back of his neck.

CRACK!

The commander fell to one knee.

Aether stepped forward.

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The commander tried to rise.

Aether drove his weapon through his chest.

Silence.

The Blackridge Commander stared at him in disbelief.

Aether pulled his weapon free.

The commander collapsed.

[Enemy defeated.]

[Origin Points gained: 50]

[Origin Points: 140 / 650]

Aether looked at the fallen commander for only a moment before turning away.

No hesitation.

No unnecessary words.

The man had chosen his path.

Aether had simply ended it.

The remaining Blackridge soldiers froze.

Their commander was dead.

Several immediately dropped their weapons.

The gray-robed man stared at Aether.

For the first time, his calm expression disappeared.

"You killed him."

Aether looked at him.

"He was my enemy."

The man tightened his grip on his staff.

"Do you understand what you've just done?"

"Yes."

Aether walked toward him.

"I removed a threat."

The gray-robed man raised his staff.

A barrier appeared.

Aether struck it.

BOOM!

Cracks spread across its surface.

The man immediately poured more Origin Energy into it.

"You can't kill me."

Aether smiled.

"Why?"

The barrier shattered.

The man's eyes widened.

Aether appeared directly in front of him.

The gray-robed man swung his staff.

Aether caught his wrist.

"You made another mistake."

"What?"

"You thought I would let you leave."

Aether twisted his arm.

The staff fell.

The man tried to retreat.

Aether grabbed his collar and slammed him into the platform.

BOOM!

The stone cracked.

The man coughed blood.

"Wait."

Aether looked down at him.

"You wanted answers."

The man forced himself to breathe.

"I can give them to you."

"Then talk."

"The fragments..."

He coughed.

"They're pieces of something called the Origin Key."

Aether's eyes narrowed.

"How many?"

"We don't know."

"What do they unlock?"

The man hesitated.

Aether tightened his grip.

"Answer."

"The Greyfall Reservoir."

Aether glanced toward the glowing platform.

"So this entire place..."

"Was built around it."

The man continued quickly.

"The fragments allow access to different sections of the reservoir."

"And Kael?"

"He carries one."

Aether's expression hardened.

"Who gave it to him?"

"I don't know."

"Who ordered Blackridge to collect them?"

The man remained silent.

Aether's grip tightened.

The man's face twisted in pain.

"I don't know!"

Aether stared into his eyes.

He could tell the man was hiding something.

"Last chance."

The man swallowed.

"The organization behind Blackridge..."

He stopped.

Aether waited.

"Their headquarters are beyond Black Hollow."

"What organization?"

The man suddenly smiled.

"You're not ready to—"

Aether's weapon moved.

The man's voice stopped forever.

His body collapsed beside the commander.

Aether looked at the two corpses.

No enemies left alive.

[Enemy defeated.]

[Origin Points gained: 40]

[Origin Points: 180 / 650]

Lyra stared at Aether.

She had seen his ruthlessness before.

But this time, there had been no hesitation whatsoever.

Aria wasn't frightened.

She understood him.

Seris simply looked at the two bodies before turning toward the unstable platform.

"There's still a problem."

Aether nodded.

The chamber continued shaking.

Seris approached the platform.

"There are energy channels beneath it."

She activated her Moonlit Life Physique.

A faint silver light surrounded her.

"I can sense something underneath."

Aether looked at her.

"What?"

"An enormous energy source."

She closed her eyes.

"And something else."

"What?"

"Life."

Aether's expression sharpened.

"How deep?"

"I can't tell."

The platform suddenly released another surge.

BOOM!

Seris staggered.

Aether caught her.

"Enough."

"I'm fine."

"You've already done enough."

Aether looked toward the platform.

"We're not staying here."

Lyra pointed toward the stone floor.

"Look."

A section of the platform had opened.

A staircase descended into darkness.

Aether approached.

The system appeared.

[Hidden Origin Passage detected.]

[Depth: Unknown.]

[Origin Energy concentration: Extremely high.]

[Life signature detected.]

Aether looked down the stairs.

The dead enemies behind him were no longer important.

The answers were below.

He turned toward the others.

"Stay close."

Lyra smiled.

"Wasn't planning on leaving."

Aria stepped beside him.

"Neither am I."

Seris nodded.

Aether descended the first step.

The others followed.

Behind them, Greyfall's underground chamber slowly disappeared into darkness.

And for the first time—

Aether was walking toward something that even Blackridge had feared to fully uncover.