Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 604: A way to the core

"Treasure map."

That was the first thought that passed through the minds of the small yellow cat and the young man, though it did not bring them an overwhelming sense of excitement.

After all, if it really was a treasure map, it might be utterly useless at this point. While the city remained the same after hundreds or possibly thousands of years—thanks to the absence of external influence—the same could not be said about the rest of Jurassic World.

People had long forgotten the true name of this realm, replacing it with the moniker "The Land of the Three Calamities." Moreover, the landscape and geography had been twisted beyond recognition after centuries of conflict between Greacia’s soldiers and the Vorometallicae Race. ƒгeewebnovёl_com

If the map pointed to a location out in the wilds beyond the secret plane, they would have a difficult time pinpointing its exact whereabouts. Even if they managed to find the place, the odds were high that someone else would have already discovered and seized whatever treasures it once held.

Luckily for the duo, as they focused on the map’s markings and interpreted the strange symbols, they realized it was not really a typical treasure map at all. Instead, it appeared to be a detailed layout of the ancient city itself. That in itself was somewhat useful, but the true value lay in the hidden subterranean passage it revealed—a corridor stretching from the city’s inner ring all the way into the core ring!

Jormungandr and Vlad instantly recognized the significance of this secret passage. Broad, excited smiles lit up their faces. Upon reaching the inner ring, everybody had already noticed a deeper ring within the mountain. Yet crossing from the outer ring to the inner ring alone had been daunting. Moving onward seemed nearly impossible without the assistance of a Legendary Runci Master, but no such individual was in their group. Now, however, this hidden route offered a direct solution.

Having already unearthed some impressive treasures in the inner ring, the duo’s eyes glowed with greed and anticipation at the thought of what they might discover in the core.

Legends must have once resided there, so who knew what ancient relics or powerful items lay waiting? For a moment, Vlad and Jormugnadr considered charging straight to the underground entrance. But they quickly realized it wasn’t that simple.

First and foremost, the passage was not beneath the Mayor’s Mansion, where they currently stood. According to the map, the entrance was located under an entirely different building: the Hunter’s Guild perched higher on the mountain slope.

There was also the issue of their companions. Vlad and Jormugnadr had not come here alone but as part of a group, and Vlad was not its leader. He was their Rune Master, which meant he had to be on hand whenever his abilities were required. Vanishing without a reasonable explanation would arouse immediate suspicion, and neither he nor Jormugnadr wanted any extra complications.

Of course, Vlad could reveal the hidden passage to Agamenon, but that would require sharing the loot they expected to find. Despite his gratitude to Agamenon for bringing him into this secret plane, Vlad had never lost sight of his main reason for coming to such a dangerous Doomsday World.

The Depravita of Wrath needed power—enough power to defend Terra when it finally ascended to the Higher Dimension. That determination had only grown more intense after he witnessed the fate of the Dino People.

The Dine People had once been a mighty civilization, possessed a remarkable cultivation inheritance, and even had Legendary masters among their ranks. Yet, for all their greatness, they had fallen so completely that their world was no more than a deserted battlefield for two rival powers. Vlad would do anything to spare Terra from a similar end, and that included seizing every opportunity for himself.

"We’ll figure out how to use this map later," Vlad said at last, glancing at Jormungandr. "It’s time to head back to the others."

He wanted to devise a solid plan before making a rash move. For the moment, they had a prearranged meeting with Agamenon and the rest of the expedition. Everyone was supposed to regroup after an hour, which was nearly up.

Jormungandr nodded, returning the ancient map and gem to the chest and carefully stowing it inside his spatial ring. With their newfound treasure hidden away, Vlad left the Mayor’s Mansion.

In less than ten minutes, they arrived at the crossroads where they had previously split from Ouroburs and Fafnir. As they came into view, Vlad’s eyes immediately narrowed. He spotted a deep cut on Ouroburs’ neck and bruises along Fafnir’s left arm.

Ouroburs’s speed was the highest of the group. If something had managed to slice his neck, it meant a slower fighter might have lost their head altogether. And Fafnir was nearly invulnerable so bruises suggested a force capable of destroying an average Sage Warrior in one blow.

"It seems you two faced some difficulties," Jormugnadr remarked, concern flickering in his golden eyes.

Ouroburs forced a weary smile. "More traps in the City Hall than we ever expected," he said, raising a hand to gingerly touch the wound on his neck. "They were hidden so cleverly that we only realized we had triggered them after it was too late. Still, the loot was worthwhile."

"You both look like you had a rough time as well," Fafnir observed, his reptilian gaze sweeping over Vlad’s scuffed armor and Jormugnadr’s unsteady aura.

Vlad grinned broadly. "We certainly did. But we stumbled upon something extremely valuable—beyond anything we hoped for."

"What is it?" Ouroburs asked, curiosity evident in his voice and the slight tilt of his head.

Vlad only smiled more widely, glancing from Ouroburs to Fafnir. "I’ll explain on our way back," he replied, turning to survey the sky overhead. "We should regroup with the others before the hour is up. I promise I won’t keep you in the dark for too long, but we need to keep moving as we are already late."

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢