Don dipped his thumb near the edge. He sniffed it. And then, he placed a tiny drop on his tongue. His eyes widened immediately.
"By the Kitchen God..." He gasped. His voice was trembling with professional excitement. "The taste on this spirit is unbelievable! The natural sugars from the banyan sap have fermented perfectly with the ambient ether."
He looked at Jack. "Captain, if I use this liquid to braise high-grade beast meat or use it as an ingredient for reduction sauce, I can definitely improve the taste, and probably enhance the attribute gains of my dishes by at least twenty percent!"
"Then we aren't leaving it behind." Jack said simply.
"Do you have a container that can hold ether-infused liquid without leaking its potency?" Don asked anxiously. "Normal wood or canteen glass will degrade the magic in hours."
"Give me a few minutes." Jack replied.
He immediately pulled out his hand mirror. After activating his [Mythical Mirror Realm] power, he directly stepped inside his Mirror Dimension.
There, he walked straight into his workshop room. A place where rows of refined metals, steamrune forge tools, and rare woods were neatly stored.
Moving with practiced speed, Jack grabbed a sheet of high-density mystic copper and a core of null-ether lead lining. He used his steamrune shaping tools to quickly weld and forge a heavy, airtight liquid barrel.
And then, he coated the inner surface with arcane clay and used his steamrune tools to instantly dry it. Afterward, he carved containment runes into the outer metal shell. Using a set of runes aimed to preserve the liquid's temperature and magical potency.
He completed everything within less than five minutes. After it was done, he picked up the newly forged barrel, stepped back out of the hand mirror, and reappeared beside Don.
"Here." Jack said. Dropping the metal barrel onto the wooden edge with a dull thud.
Jack uncapped the barrel, took a brass siphon from his belt, and began pumping the shimmering amber-red liquid into the container.
He didn't drain the spring completely. He only filled the barrel until the spring was about half empty. Leaving enough for the local jungle ecosystem to replenish itself over time.
"Half for us, half for the forest. No need to completely drain a natural resource." He said. Sealing the heavy brass cap with a firm twist.
He ordered Don to open his assigned [Spatial Backpack] and lifted the barrel. Sending the latter straight into the backpack.
"Done. Now you can use it as you like for cooking."
Don grinned broadly. "Captain! Dinner tonight is going to be extraordinary."
"Good! We'll depend on you for that." Jack replied calmly.
Before they could descend the giant banyan tree, the brass steamrune communicator clipped to their ears crackled with static. A sharp, clear voice rang through the earpiece.
"Captain, do you hear me?" It was Leon's voice. His tone was heavy. Laced with uncharacteristic seriousness.
Jack pressed the brass button on his earpiece. "I hear you, Leon. Report."
"We've reached the coordinates on the southern ridge." Leon replied over the static. "Chloe sensed a heavy spatial disturbance, and Argust found ancient Myraden stone markers carved into the cliff face. We are looking right at it. A massive ravine swallowed by colossal banyan roots. It matches the map's 'X' precisely."
"We'll head there right away." Jack replied. "We have a way to find your position. Baroness?"
"We heard you, Captain." Baroness Artheim's voice appeared over the same channel. "I also have a spell to track Leon's position. We are probably about twenty minutes away from his location. We will alter our course and head there immediately."
"Alright. Leon, hold your position." Jack gave his order. "Do not enter the ravine until everyone arrives."
"Understood." Leon answered.
Jack turned to his fairy companion. "Rune. Guide us to Leon's location."
Rune hummed softly. Her glowing body flashing a vivid indigo color. She immediately moved. Leading to a direction through the thick forest canopy.
Jack turned to the rest of his team. "You've heard it. Leon's group has found the entrance. Let's move."
They immediately dropped down to the ground. Moving to their target destination. Following the guidance of the glowing fairy.
Rune flew ahead like an indigo spark. Weaving through the thick greenery of Bigbanyan Island. The canopy above was dense enough to blot out most of the sunlight. Leaving the forest floor in a humid shade.
Jack walked at a steady pace. Next to him, Reina kept her mist hawk perched on her shoulder. Both of them never ceased using their sharp eyes to scan the surrounding foliage.
Aella trailed closely behind. Her small hand was resting on the holster of her voidfire handgun.
Behind her, Don Donson grunted softly under the weight of the massive wok he insisted to carry on his back rather than placed in his [Spatial Bag].
Autumn Meadow brought up the rear. Her movements were fluid and silent. She looked more like an adventurer than a surgeon, her real occupation.
"We are close." Jack said some time later.
Up ahead, the dense jungle gave way to a sudden drop in the terrain. A colossal ravine scarred the land. Flanked by towering cliffs completely smothered in tangled, petrified-looking banyan roots.
Standing near the edge were five figures... Leon, Argust, Bell, Serene, and Chloe. The last one was with her kirin cub, Sparkle, trotting restlessly at her heels.
"Captain!" Leon said. Nodding as Jack's group emerged from the brush. "Glad you made it quickly."
"So, this is the mark?" Jack asked. Walking right to the edge.
"It should be right down there." Argust said. Pointing his weather-worn finger toward a massive root formation clinging to the cliff face.
"True." Reina commented. "I could feel the spatial distortion in that direction."
Chloe added. "And the Old Myraden markers are carved right into the rock behind these roots." She pointed to a closer place.
Before Jack could respond, a rustle came from the western side of the ravine. Baroness Artheim stepped out from behind a thick trunk. Followed by Moby, Barnaby, Mirella, and Ned.
"So, we are the last?" Baroness Artheim remarked. Smoothing her traveler outfit. "I assume we are all here."
"Everyone is here." Jack nodded. "Let's head down."
Without waiting for the others' agreement, Jack stepped off the edge of the ravine. Plummeting downward instantly.
He trusted that his body's toughness and resilience could completely nullified the fall damage. And even if he did get hurt, his [Hyper Recovery] would be enough to restore himself back quickly.
The rest of the team followed using their respective mobility skills. Reina blinked down in a cloud of grey mist. Leon activated his draconic wings and flew down with faint blue lightning cracking around them. Moby simply tied a rope to a tree and slid down very quickly.
Every single one of the team had their own way to go to the bottom of the ravine. Some were fancy. Some were mundane enough.
...
At the bottom of the ravine, the humidity dropped drastically. The air grew stale, cold, and heavy with a strange herbal scent.
They tore away the thick veil of hanging roots in the direction of the spatial disturbance. Revealing a circular stone arch embedded deep inside the rock face.
It was roughly seven meters high. Built from smooth, dark granite that showed no signs of weathering despite centuries of neglect. Inscribed glyphs ran along its inner rim. Dead and unlit.
"An inactive spatial gate." Baroness Artheim said. Stepping up to examine the carvings. "Myraden architecture. Very likely, possessing a high-tier spatial mechanics. It seems to require a specific energy frequency to trigger the correct sequence."
"Well, it's lucky for you all that I am here." Jack said dryly.
He stepped forward and activated his [Eyes of Judgement]. He examined the primary node at the center of the arch base. And then, he carefully scanned the underlying structure of the gate's rune array for several long seconds.
"Interesting." Jack muttered after appraising the stone arch. "Three element activation, huh?"
"Let's try this, then." He decided. "Baroness! Later, on my mark, give the central node... that one... a targeted jolt of lightning."
"Argust!" He continued. "At the same time, you need to direct a stream of condensed water power into the left node to balance the spatial pressure. That one."
He then turned to Barnaby. "Barnie! Use your lute to channel your flame into the right node to stabilize the anchor. That one. Do it at the same time."
"Are you sure about this combination, Captain?" Baroness Artheim asked. Her hand was already sparking with blue electricity though.
"We'll know it works or not later, after we try this." Jack said. "Get ready... Now!"
The three stepped up and executed the instructions precisely.
The moment the three elements hit the targeted nodes, the dark granite groaned. The glyphs along the inner rim flared with a brilliant sapphire and emerald light.
Colorful sparks and raw spatial energy whirled around the archway. Forming a roaring, liquid-like mirror in the center of the stone structure. The spatial gate was open.