Ash thought for a very long time, his mind overflowing with countless ideas and possibilities that collided and tangled with one another. Thousands of thoughts flashed through him all at once, each competing for his attention as he tried to make sense of the situation.

At the same time, he extended his will into the surrounding walls, letting his senses flow through the dense material like invisible waves. Even though he had already checked once, he checked again, refusing to leave even a single doubt behind.

It was then that he noticed something strange.

13 seconds.

Outside the thick wall of the vault, where the stone of the underground began, he sensed something—a familiar structure buried beneath layers of rock. It was the same barrier that had encased the vault, pulsing with power.

Wait.

He focused, scanning carefully once more.

He knew that two barriers had been raised earlier, and when he checked, they were overlapping each other at that time.

But now he realized they had moved apart.

The first barrier was positioned outside the vault. It glowed faintly white, almost transparent, like thin glass catching the light.

The second barrier, however, was only a small distance away from the vault's outer surface—and it was slowly changing color.

At first, the difference was subtle, but then Ash noticed it clearly. Only the inner barrier was turning red, while the outer one remained exactly the same.

That was when understanding struck him, sudden and sharp, like a bolt of lightning flashing in his head.

The barrier is the source of the explosion. The inner one will detonate, while the outer one is meant to contain it.

As soon as he realized that, he felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders. His body relaxed slightly, and his racing mind found clarity once again.

12 seconds.

There was still a small chance—barely even a fraction—that he was wrong. But Ash didn't care.

If I'm wrong, I'll die. If I'm right, I'll live. There's no point in fearing what hasn't happened.

Even if there was a microscopic chance of dying, it didn't bother him. Death was nothing new to him. He had already experienced it so many times that fear no longer had meaning.

He has confidence in his deduction.

Freed from the last traces of hesitation, Ash made his move.

Store the whole vault!!!

The command echoed inside his mind, and instantly, the entire vault vanished into nothingness. In the blink of an eye, only rough earth, stone, and silence remained where once the great vault had stood.

A wild urge to laugh rose inside him, almost uncontrollable, but he forced it down. Time was running short, and wasting even a single second could cost him everything.

...

...

...

....

...

2 seconds.

It's done.

A deep sense of satisfaction filled his chest. Within ten seconds, he had successfully stored all twenty vaults, and now he still had two seconds to spare.

Let's leave this place before the explosion happens…

So with everything secured, Ash vanished without a trace.

And two seconds later—

-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!

***

Meanwhile, a few moments ago.....

This place is quite small...

Serena thought to herself as her eyes wandered across the walls covered in glowing runes. Each line pulsed faintly, like veins carrying light through stone.

The soft hum of energy in the air mixed with the faint ripple of the green portal standing behind her, its light shimmering like water.

Although all the Saints had refused to let Serena enter such an unknown place just to act as a guide for the slaves, in the end, they were persuaded by the will of the World Tree itself.

The Saints were beings of immense power, their souls vast enough to influence the world around them.

And so, if something with a soul that heavy tried to enter the soul of another being, what would happen? The result was simple — the host's soul would collapse under the sheer pressure.

Even though Ash possessed a mutated soul, this matter was far beyond ordinary. His Soul Vault, along with the portal created from the leaf of the World Tree, could allow the entry of living beings inside his soul space, but only up to a certain limit.

Those with souls too powerful could never pass through. Saints also realized this, when they tried to pass through.

That was when Serena had stepped forward and volunteered to act as the guide.

The Saints were furious that their Queen herself would lower her status to act as a mere guide, but eventually, under the calm words and steady gaze of their Great Mother, they had to agree.

Half a day has passed already... where are the slaves...?

Serena frowned slightly as she turned her gaze back toward the portal. Ash had told her that time flowed differently inside this space, much faster than outside, so she might have to wait longer.

She had accepted it, thinking that the difference was only of few hours, but she was proven wrong, still curiosity burned inside her more than impatience. She wanted to understand what kind of place this truly was.

Without windows, doors, or even a visible ceiling, it was impossible to tell where she was. The faint glow of the runes was her only source of light. She tried using the location tracker given to her by the Saints, but its crystal had gone dim.

Are the symbols on the walls blocking the signal... or is this place itself isolated from the world?

Finding no answer, she sighed softly and let her thoughts drift toward Ash.

Her feelings for him hadn't faded. If anything, they grew stronger with every passing day. Everything about him drew her in — his calm voice, his piercing gaze, his stubborn resolve that stood against impossible odds. Even though he often acted cold, pretending to be emotionless, she had seen through him long ago.

He was kind.

He cared, even if he tried not to show it.

How did she know that?

It was a woman's intuition, something deeper than reason, something her heart just understood.

A small smile formed on her lips, but before she could think further, the entire room began to tremble. The space stretched outward at a speed that made her alarmed. The runes on the walls flared with bright light as countless figures began appearing all around her.

One, two, three, four... ten... hundreds...

In a continuous surge, people materialized out of thin air, some trapped in chains, others locked inside metallic cages. The faint clinking of metal mixed with gasps and murmurs as more and more filled the space. Even some beasts appeared, their eyes dim with exhaustion, yet filled with wild fear.

Serena blinked, momentarily stunned, before a laugh escaped her lips.

"Well, that's... a lot at the same time," she muttered, shaking her head lightly.

As the endless stream of slaves and creatures continued to appear, Serena began guiding them one after another, her calm voice echoing in the vast room that had grown from nothing.

While she managed the chaos unfolding inside, something was happening elsewhere.

****

Fifth Layer, Black Market.

Outside the Grand Auction.

"The young master is inside. Let's not cause a large scene here," a man with a slightly muscular build spoke firmly, his calm but commanding tone silencing the group behind him.

He stood at the front of ten figures, all dressed in identical black uniforms, their faces hidden behind masks that reflected faint glimmers from the dim lights above.

"Yes, sir!" all ten replied in perfect unison, their voices steady and sharp.

Without hesitation, several among them dissolved into the shadows, their forms melting into the darkness until nothing remained. The rest faded from sight, their presence blending seamlessly with the surroundings.

The man leading them, clearly their captain, wore a mask slightly different from the others — darker in shade, marked with thin silver lines that formed a sigil at its center. His aura was calm but heavy, the kind that made others instinctively step aside.

He began walking toward the Grand Auction House, the others trailing behind like ghosts that followed his will.

The guards stationed at the entrance straightened immediately the moment they saw him. Without a word, they bowed and gestured him inside. Once his identity was confirmed, they personally guided him toward Room "1."

-Knock!!

-Knock!!

Inside, the same attendant girl who had previously been instructed by Ash not to disturb him until the auction ended stood before the door, trembling slightly. She hesitated, but when the silence stretched too long, she gathered courage and knocked again.

-Knock!!

-Knock!!

Still, there was no answer.

The muscular man spoke from behind her, his tone low but firm. "Open it. You will not be punished, even if the young master gets angry."

His words brought little comfort, but enough for her to move. The girl swallowed hard, nodded faintly, and reached into her apron, pulling out a silver card that shook slightly in her trembling hand.

-Click.

The sound of the lock opening echoed louder than expected in the tense silence. She hesitated again, but the man gave a single nod, motioning for her to proceed.

She opened the door and quickly stepped aside.

The man entered, his sharp eyes immediately scanning every corner of the room.

Empty.

He frowned slightly, walking deeper inside. He checked behind the curtains, then pushed open the washroom door. Even that was empty.

Not a single trace of anyone.

He turned to glance at the attendant. The poor girl stood frozen at the doorway, her eyes wide and her body trembling uncontrollably.

Her confusion was genuine. Her face, her posture — everything screamed ignorance.

She doesn't know anything, he thought coldly.

It was easy for him to tell. His tracking trait wasn't limited to following scents or auras — it allowed him to sense subtle cues, the rhythm of a heartbeat, the faint shifts in energy that revealed intent. And hers showed nothing but fear and confusion.

He exhaled slowly and scanned the room once more, his mind piecing together details one by one. Then, his gaze caught something — a smartphone placed neatly on the table. Its screen glowed faintly, and there was a call still ongoing.

From the speaker in the room, the noise of the auction echoed — laughter, cheers, the auctioneer's rhythmic voice.

He picked up the phone carefully.

The instant he did, a shrill beeping began to sound from it, high-pitched and rhythmic, like a warning signal.

Before he could even react, the same alarm suddenly echoed throughout the entire auction house. Red lights flashed along the walls, sirens blared, and chaos began to ripple below as the audience stirred in confusion.

Then came the rumble.

A deep, distant explosion echoed from the phone's speaker, followed by several more, one after another — BOOM, BOOM, BOOM — the sound of destruction spreading through the underground.

The man's pupils narrowed sharply. His instincts screamed, his mind analyzing every second of what he was hearing.

The young master never came here... but the invitation was used. That means... either the thief kidnapped the young master, or...

He didn't dare complete that thought. The weight of that possibility pressed down on his chest.

Because if what he was thinking was true — if the young master was truly gone — then this wasn't just a normal matter.

It was something that would shake the entire Neutral Continent to its very core.

****

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