Chapter 48: Cultivation and Exploration
The next three days in the abandoned city became a period of transformation for Elton, Zoro, and Ramiro. Far from idle, they threw themselves into a relentless cycle of hunting, exploration, and cultivation. The haunting stillness of the ruins, paired with the unnaturally dense aura of magical and ki essence, created the perfect storm for rapid growth.
With sharpened senses, they tracked beasts prowling the outskirts. Each one fought savagely, their strength rivaling Silver Tier 2 cultivators, yet the rewards were undeniable. The meat they harvested glowed faintly with essence, and the power within it seemed almost unnatural.
"This meat… it's like swallowing liquid fire!" Ramiro exclaimed between gulps, wiping sweat and blood from his brow.
Zoro grunted approval. "It's drilling into my bones, strengthening them. My blood feels like it's flowing faster."
Elton chewed slowly, sensing the concentrated essence coursing through his veins. "Whatever this place is, even the beasts are shaped by it."
Between hunts and heavy meals, the trio trained with ruthless discipline. They sparred, tested techniques, and studied the strange aura of the city. By the end of the third day, Zoro and Ramiro both touched new thresholds.
Zoro's breakthrough came without noise. One moment he stood motionless, eyes closed, and then the air around him shifted. A chilling aura erupted as his eyes snapped open, dark light flickering like dying embers.
Ramiro's was anything but quiet. In the middle of a spar, his movements sharpened until his spear carved the air with newfound precision. He let out a roar of exhilaration as the surge of power burst outward.
"I—I actually broke through! Silver Tier 4!" he shouted, twirling his weapon with pride.
Their sparring sessions quickly became ritual. Yet Ramiro often found himself overwhelmed.
"Why are you both monsters?" he complained during one exchange, panting hard. "Elton's a storm, Zoro's a damned shadow, and I'm stuck as the training dummy!"
Elton laughed, brushing sweat from his brow. "You're better than you think. You just don't see it yet."
Zoro smirked, leaning on one katana. "No, he's weak. Prove me wrong, Ramiro."
Provoked, Ramiro snarled. "Fine! Don't cry when I take your head, shadow freak!"
Their spar turned into a blur of steel and sparks. Elton stepped back with a wry smile, choosing instead to sit cross-legged and focus inward.
He gathered the energy from the beast meat, his remaining resources, and the very air around him. His intent was clear: break open the Fourth White Star Meridian.
Minutes turned to hours as he endured the pressure building inside. Sweat poured down his face until—
BOOM.
A wave of force pulsed through him, and the meridian burst. His eyes flew open as a radiant light flickered within them.
"I… did it…" he whispered.
His inner voice stirred at last, chuckling. "Took you long enough. Now get ready for the fifth meridian. Silver Tier 5 isn't far."
Elton groaned. "Can't I enjoy this for once?"
"Not in this life."
Moments later, Zoro returned from his own training. His presence carried a heavier weight, sharp enough that Elton instinctively tensed.
"You broke through again?" Elton asked.
Zoro's grin said everything. "Naturally."
Ramiro arrived next, his cheek bloodied but his smile wide. "I swear you two cheat, but damn if it doesn't push me harder."
Elton stood and dusted himself off. "Then we move forward. We've grown enough."
The three turned toward the staircase they had uncovered. Its descent promised danger, but also treasures and answers. After checking their gear, they nodded to each other and began the long walk down.
The air was thick with mold and dust, each step echoing in the narrow spiral. Their weapons were ready, their eyes sharp.
"Feels like breathing in an old bookshelf," Ramiro muttered, waving a hand before his face.
Zoro's eyes swept the walls. "Something's wrong here."
Elton chuckled lightly. "Keep sharp. We'll find out soon enough."
Ten minutes later, the staircase opened into a cavern swathed in rolling grey mist. The ceiling was lost in shadow, and strange growths clung to the stone like a disease.
"This place looks like a graveyard," Zoro murmured.
Ramiro shivered. "Creepy as hell. I don't like it."
Elton crouched, running his fingers over cracked bones and rusted trinkets scattered across the ground. "Plenty of death here. Whatever this place was, it hasn't known peace for a long time."
Their wandering led them to a massive stone door at the cavern's far end. Jagged runes marked its surface, worn nearly illegible by time. The three of them stood before it in silence.
"What's behind it?" Ramiro asked, knuckles white around his spear.
"No idea," Zoro replied flatly, testing the edge with his blade.
"It might be our only lead," Elton said, planting his hands on the ancient stone. "Let's open it."
The door resisted at first, groaning like an old beast before finally giving way. Beyond lay a vast underground expanse. Strange forests and cultivated gardens stretched into the mist, illuminated by crystals embedded high above.
Ramiro's jaw dropped. "What the hell…?"
But their shock only deepened as shadows began to move. Dozens—no, hundreds—of humanoid figures shuffled through the haze. Shackles bound their limbs and necks, but their steps were steady, their auras faint yet sharp.
One figure approached. Tall, thin, with hollow cheeks but eyes that still carried fire. His voice was rough, laced with an ancient dialect.
"Why are outsiders here… in this forsaken place?"
Elton stepped forward slowly. "We came by accident, during a battle. We're explorers, nothing more."
The man studied him carefully, then sighed. "The gate still works, then? We thought it lost."
Ramiro nodded. "It was sealed. We forced it open."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The man turned, then faced them again. "This is the Whispering Expanse. A prison without walls. A graveyard for men and monsters alike."
He sat on a broken pillar, his chains clinking faintly. "We were once the Vatu, people of the forests of Ronica. We lived with the wind, the rivers, the sun. Then came the Ironclad. They razed our homes and threw survivors down here. The mist has been eating us ever since. It steals memory, it corrodes the soul. Some of us… are no longer what we once were."
The cavern fell silent, the mist rolling like a living thing.
Elton's gaze hardened. "We'll keep going."
Zoro opened his eyes, voice low. "Agreed."
Ramiro groaned but smirked through his nerves. "Figures. Of course we are."
The three turned toward the path ahead, swallowed by grey haze.
Unaware of the horrors waiting within.