Chapter 161: The Marked Prey

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: The Marked Prey

The five masked figures attacked simultaneously.

The one closest to Ronan thrust a black spear toward his chest, while another raised a hand and released a wave of gray energy that swept across the chamber.

Ronan moved instantly.

Burst Acceleration propelled him sideways, allowing him to evade the spear by a narrow margin. He followed with Wind Step, crossing several meters before the wave of energy could reach him.

His fist struck the attacker’s ribs.

BOOM!

The masked figure flew backward, crashing into a stone table.

Ronan didn’t wait to see the result.

A second attacker appeared behind him, swinging a curved blade toward his neck. He ducked, caught the attacker’s wrist, and twisted violently.

The bones beneath the armor cracked.

Ronan drove his elbow into the figure’s face, sending it stumbling backward.

Two down.

However, the remaining three had already adjusted their formation.

One positioned himself between Ronan and the crystal, while the other two spread out, forcing him to divide his attention.

Their coordination was impressive.

These weren’t ordinary warriors who relied entirely on strength. They understood how to fight together, covering one another’s weaknesses while creating openings for their companions.

Ronan appreciated the skill.

He would appreciate it even more if they weren’t trying to kill him.

The figure holding the spear recovered and charged again.

This time, Ronan didn’t attempt to evade the attack directly. He activated Gravity Affinity, shifting his movement just as the spear approached.

The weapon passed beside his torso.

Ronan seized the shaft and pulled.

The masked figure’s forward momentum carried him off balance, allowing Ronan to drive a knee into his abdomen.

Before he could follow up, a wave of pressure struck him from the side.

He was thrown into a pillar.

Stone shattered against his back.

Ronan landed on one knee, his injuries reopening.

The figure controlling the pressure lowered his hand.

"His physical strength exceeds the estimates."

Another masked warrior replied, "Then stop testing him. The extraction chamber is ready."

Ronan slowly stood.

Extraction?

He glanced toward the crystal.

The formation beneath it had begun glowing more brightly. Streams of energy flowed from the surrounding channels, gathering around the pedestal.

Whatever these people were preparing, it wasn’t simply an execution.

They wanted something from him.

Ronan’s eyes narrowed.

"You’re making a mistake."

The masked figure tilted his head.

"Everyone says that before they understand their circumstances."

He raised both hands.

The formation activated.

A circular field spread across the chamber, and the pressure surrounding Ronan increased dramatically.

His body grew heavier.

His movements slowed.

At the same time, the crystal began releasing thin strands of gray energy that reached toward the dark mark beneath his sleeve.

Ronan felt the mark respond.

The sensation was unmistakable.

Something was trying to draw the energy out of his body.

He immediately activated Gravitational Resistance and fought against the pressure.

The strands continued approaching.

Ronan extended his hand and released Annihilation Force.

The attack struck the formation’s outer boundary.

The entire chamber trembled, but the barrier held.

A masked figure laughed.

"Your strength is irrelevant. The formation was designed to restrain beings far more powerful than you."

Ronan examined the glowing lines across the floor.

Formation Sense revealed the structure beneath the visible markings. The energy entered through the outer channels, passed through several junctions, and converged around the crystal.

The formation wasn’t powered by the crystal alone.

It was drawing energy from the surrounding ruins.

Destroying the crystal might not be enough to disable it.

He needed to interrupt the flow.

Ronan shifted his attention toward the nearest junction.

A narrow line of energy passed beneath the feet of the warrior controlling the pressure.

He smiled faintly.

"There you are."

The masked figure frowned.

"What—"

Ronan activated Burst Acceleration.

His body surged forward.

The warrior attempted to increase the pressure, but Ronan used Gravity Affinity to redirect his movement, slipping through the strongest part of the field.

He reached the junction and slammed his fist into the floor.

CRACK!

The stone broke apart.

The energy channel flickered.

The pressure around Ronan weakened.

The masked figures reacted immediately.

"Stop him!"

The spear-wielding warrior lunged.

Ronan turned and struck him across the jaw, sending him crashing into the formation’s outer boundary.

The second attacker approached from the left.

Ronan caught the incoming blade with his forearm, twisted his body, and drove a punch into the attacker’s chest.

His fist penetrated the armor.

The figure staggered backward.

Ronan followed with a second strike, knocking him to the ground.

The formation’s light flickered again.

The masked leader finally abandoned his position beside the crystal.

He moved with terrifying speed, appearing in front of Ronan before he could attack the next junction.

A black blade emerged from beneath his sleeve.

Ronan barely blocked it.

The impact sent him sliding backward.

Pain shot through his arms.

The leader was stronger than the other four.

Much stronger.

Ronan studied him carefully.

He couldn’t determine the figure’s exact realm, but the difference in physical strength was obvious. If the leader had been fighting seriously from the beginning, the battle might already have ended.

The man raised his blade.

"Your resistance is becoming inconvenient."

Ronan wiped blood from his mouth.

"Then stop giving me opportunities."

He activated Limit Break.

His body surged forward, and he combined Burst Acceleration with Wind Step.

The sudden change in speed caught the leader off guard.

Ronan’s fist struck his shoulder.

The armor cracked.

The leader retreated several steps, clearly surprised by the impact.

Ronan pursued him, launching a series of attacks aimed at the damaged section.

The leader blocked two strikes before the third forced him to raise his blade defensively.

CLANG!

The black weapon bent beneath the impact.

Ronan’s expression sharpened.

The leader wasn’t invulnerable.

But before he could exploit the opening, the crystal released a powerful pulse.

The formation flared.

The pressure returned with greater intensity, forcing Ronan to his knees.

His vision blurred momentarily.

The mark beneath his sleeve burned.

The gray strands wrapped around his wrist.

For a moment, Ronan felt something tugging at the energy within his body.

His expression turned murderous.

He had endured the formation’s pressure, but he would not allow anyone to take something from him without a fight.

He grabbed one of the strands.

Then he pulled.

The energy snapped taut.

The crystal trembled.

The masked leader froze.

"Impossible!"

Ronan looked up.

"What’s impossible?"

He tightened his grip.

The strand broke.

A violent pulse spread across the formation, and several markings on the floor went dark.

Ronan immediately understood.

The energy strands weren’t merely trying to restrain him. They were attempting to establish a connection with the mark on his palm.

And that connection was part of the extraction process.

He didn’t understand how the mark worked, but he could interfere with the strands before they completed their connection.

That was enough.

Ronan ripped another strand apart.

The crystal released a shrill vibration.

The leader shouted, "Disconnect the formation!"

One of the masked figures rushed toward the pedestal.

Ronan moved first.

Burst Acceleration carried him across the chamber, and he struck the figure before he could reach the controls.

The attack sent the man sprawling across the floor.

Ronan then drove his fist into the next energy junction.

BOOM!

The channel shattered.

The formation collapsed.

The crushing pressure vanished.

The crystal’s glow dimmed.

For a moment, the chamber fell silent.

Then the masked leader attacked.

He abandoned all restraint, unleashing a series of rapid blade strikes. Ronan evaded the first two, blocked the third, and narrowly avoided the fourth.

The leader’s blade cut across his side.

Blood spilled onto the floor.

Ronan retaliated with a punch that struck the leader’s chest, forcing him backward.

The two separated.

Both were injured.

However, Ronan knew he couldn’t afford to prolong the battle. His body was already damaged, and the strange energy continued interfering with his recovery.

He needed to end the fight quickly.

The leader raised his remaining hand.

Gray energy gathered around his fingers.

Ronan recognized the technique from the guardian beneath the first ruins. The energy compressed before releasing, creating a sudden burst of force.

But the leader’s control was more refined.

He wasn’t merely increasing his speed.

He was manipulating the energy around his body to accelerate and redirect his movements.

The leader vanished.

Ronan activated Predator’s Perception.

A disturbance appeared behind him.

He turned, using Burst Acceleration to move out of the attack’s path.

The blade missed.

Ronan caught the leader’s arm and twisted, pulling him forward.

Then he drove his forehead into the man’s mask.

CRACK!

The mask shattered.

For the first time, Ronan saw the face beneath it.

The man had pale skin, dark veins running along his neck, and eyes that glowed with the same gray light as the crystal.

He didn’t look like a vampire.

Nor did he resemble the demons Ronan had encountered in the Abyss.

His appearance was almost human, but something about his expression felt deeply unnatural.

The leader stumbled backward.

Ronan didn’t give him time to recover.

He seized the man’s throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Now we’re going to talk."

The remaining masked figures hesitated.

One reached toward a small object hanging from his belt.

Ronan noticed the movement.

"Don’t."

The figure froze.

Ronan tightened his grip on the leader’s throat.

"Tell your companions to drop their weapons."

The leader’s eyes flickered.

"You’re making a grave mistake."

"That’s the second time someone has said that to me today. I’m beginning to think your organization has a serious problem with originality."

The leader’s expression darkened.

Ronan struck him across the face.

"Try again."

The man coughed blood.

Then, reluctantly, he raised his hand.

"Lower your weapons."

The remaining figures obeyed.

Ronan dragged the leader away from the wall and forced him to his knees.

"Who are you?"

The man remained silent.

Ronan placed his hand against the leader’s shoulder.

Annihilation Force gathered around his fingers.

The man’s armor began cracking.

"I won’t ask twice."

The leader’s composure finally broke.

"We are the Ashen Covenant."

Ronan’s eyes narrowed.

"What’s your purpose here?"

"To maintain the seals and recover what has been lost."

"What seals?"

The leader glanced toward the crystal.

"The ancient structures beneath this region contain fragments of a power that predates the current civilizations of the Abyss. Our order was established to prevent those fragments from falling into the wrong hands."

Ronan considered his words.

"Then why attack the settlements?"

"We didn’t."

Ronan stared at him.

The leader continued quickly.

"The disappearances are not our work. We came here because the disturbances have increased, and the broken seals suggest someone has been interfering with the ruins."

"Someone like me?"

"Yes."

"How did you know I had entered the ruins?"

The leader looked at Ronan’s palm.

"The mark."

Ronan’s expression remained unchanged.

"What about it?"

"It reacts to the seals. When you entered the underground complex and disturbed the guardian, the mark awakened. We detected the reaction."

Ronan absorbed the information without revealing his thoughts.

So the mark was connected to the ruins, and the Covenant possessed a way to detect its activity.

That explained how they had tracked him.

It didn’t explain where the mark had come from or why it had responded to him.

Those questions would have to wait.

"Why did you want to extract it?"

The leader hesitated.

"Because the mark allows its bearer to interact with the sealed structures. We believed we could remove it and use it to stabilize the failing network."

"Believed?"

"The extraction process has never been attempted on a living bearer."

Ronan stared at him.

"So you intended to experiment on me without knowing whether it would kill me."

The leader said nothing.

Ronan smiled coldly.

"I see."

He struck the man across the face again.

The leader collapsed.

Ronan turned toward the other four figures.

"Anyone else want to explain why I shouldn’t kill you?"

Nobody answered.

"Good. Then we’ll do this the easy way."

He ordered them to kneel and collected their weapons. Their armor contained several small crystals that stored energy, while their belts carried potions and tools used to maintain the formations.

Ronan examined the items quickly.

Most were unfamiliar, but the energy crystals were valuable. They contained concentrated power, and he could potentially use them to strengthen himself after recovering from his injuries.

He placed the useful items into his storage space.

Then he turned toward the central pedestal.

The black crystal had cracked during the battle.

A piece had broken away and fallen onto the floor.

Ronan picked it up.

The mark on his palm pulsed.

This time, however, the reaction was weaker than before.

He examined the fragment carefully.

It contained a small amount of the same strange energy, but its structure was more stable than the fragment he had recovered from the creature in the first ruins.

He stored it.

He would investigate its properties later, somewhere safer.

For now, he had more important questions.

Ronan returned to the leader and crouched beside him.

"Where are the other members of your organization?"

The man hesitated.

"Our main sanctuary lies beyond the eastern ridge. There are other outposts throughout the Ashen Reach."

"How many?"

"I don’t know the exact number."

Ronan studied his face.

The answer appeared genuine.

"Who commands your organization?"

The leader looked away.

"I’ve never met the founder. Our regional commander is called the Keeper."

"Where can I find him?"

"I can’t tell you."

Ronan’s expression turned cold.

The leader swallowed.

"Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. The Keeper moves between sanctuaries, and only senior members know his routes."

Ronan considered killing him.

The man had attacked him, attempted to extract the mark, and nearly caused his death.

There was little reason to feel merciful.

But killing all five members would waste a valuable source of information.

He could use them to locate other ruins, learn how the seals worked, and discover who was responsible for the missing settlements.

For now, they were more useful alive.

Ronan stood.

"Kharven!"

The vampire and the two scouts emerged from behind a broken wall. They had remained near the entrance during the battle, avoiding the formation’s pressure.

Kharven looked at the shattered chamber.

"My lord, are they defeated?"

"Yes. Bind them and collect anything useful."

Kharven glanced at the masked figures.

"What should we do with them?"

"Take them back to Bloodfall City. Lord Varkos will want to question them."

Ronan paused.

"Keep the leader alive. If the others try anything, kill them."

The vampires immediately began securing the prisoners.

Ronan returned to the pedestal and examined the broken formation one last time.

The Ashen Covenant had confirmed that the mark allowed him to interact with the sealed structures. It had also confirmed that the network beneath the Ashen Reach was failing.

But the disappearances remained unexplained.

If the Covenant was telling the truth, another force was responsible.

And that force had been taking people from the settlements while the ancient seals continued to deteriorate.

Ronan glanced toward the passage leading deeper into the complex.

He could feel more energy beneath the floor.

There were other structures to explore, more creatures to hunt, and potentially more traits to acquire.

Yet his immediate priorities had changed.

He needed to understand the mark, discover how to control the strange energy, and find the force responsible for the disappearances before it became powerful enough to threaten him directly.

As he turned away from the pedestal, a notification appeared in his vision.

[New trait interaction detected.]

[Formation Sense and Gravity Affinity have developed a temporary resonance.]

[Further development requires additional exposure to compatible energy structures.]

Ronan stopped.

A slow smile spread across his face.

He hadn’t gained a new trait or advanced to another realm, but his existing abilities had begun interacting in a way he hadn’t anticipated.

That was promising.

He would investigate it after recovering.

For now, he had prisoners to deliver, resources to secure, and an organization to learn about.

The hunt had taken an unexpected turn.

And Ronan intended to make the most of it.