The secret pathway was pitch black, the faint echoes of their footsteps bounced off the narrow stone walls. Oshan lifted her lantern first, then Sid followed, the soft orange glow pushing back the darkness just enough for them to see ahead.The light flickered across carvings that looked like they hadn't seen daylight in centuries. It wasn't grand or elegant just rough, functional stonework but to Sid, it was perfect.

"Okay, this is officially awesome."

Sid said, his voice echoing down the narrow tunnel.

"Every game I've played has one of these— hidden escape routes used when the main character's about to get caught. Seriously, this is straight out of a stealth mission. I'm half expecting loot chests and jump scares down here. Nice work, Evelise, you finally used your Sneaking Master title for something useful.""

Evelise gave a small laugh, walking beside him with her lantern held steady.

"It wasn't just for fun, Sid. This whole place was built with defense in mind. And.. You're not wrong. This passage was made for exactly that reason. Before this mansion became what it is now, it was actually a fortress— one of the main strongholds during the old city wars. Our ancestors built this as a way to escape if the upper floors were ever overrun."

Sid turned to her, eyes wide.

"Wait, so this place really was like a castle?"

"Yes,"

Evelise said, nodding as her tone grew more thoughtful.

"This city was built around the Nexus Tree, and the mansion above used to serve as its command base. The tunnels go deep— some lead to old chambers, others to armories or storage rooms. During the war, the former ruler of this land used this passage as both a hideout and an ambush point. He'd disappear, strike the invaders from below, and vanish again before anyone realized what happened."

As they continued, the tunnel widened into branching corridors. Some led to caved in rooms where broken crates and old furniture sat covered in webbing. Others disappeared into pitch darkness. The walls bore faint markings— symbols of protection, names long eroded by time. The deeper they went, the colder it became, the silence broken only by their footsteps. Sid's eyes darted from wall to wall, the gleam of curiosity never fading.

"This is seriously next level stuff."

He said, running a hand along one of the carvings.

"If this was in a game, you'd definitely hide some legendary loot down here. Probably something glowing, or—"

He stopped mid sentence. His eyes flicked toward a narrow side path that branched off into deeper darkness. There was a faint, melodic chime— the exact sound he'd heard hundreds of times before in games whenever a rare drop appeared.

K-CHING!

Then he saw it: a flicker of rainbow-colored light shimmering faintly in the dark. Sid's pupils dilated.

"Oh… oh no way. That sound. That glow. That's loot energy. That's high tier loot energy!"

His excitement boiled over. He darted into the side path without a word.

"Move! Move! I'm sensing an UR Tier Drop!"

He turned sharply and started down the side path without hesitation.

"Sid! Where are you going?"

Evelise shouted, alarmed as she ran after him. Oshan followed silently, her heavy footsteps thudding behind. The path twisted, the walls narrowing until it opened into a hidden chamber. The light from Sid's lantern revealed something extraordinary— a massive stone tomb at the center, untouched by time. Faded murals covered the walls, depicting a great tree whose branches reached across the sky.

It was the same crest engraved on Oshan's armor— an intricate emblem depicting a man and a great bird: the guardian of the Nexus Tree, Haribon. Its wings stretched wide, majestic and powerful, while the man beneath it held something close to his chest. The feathers of Haribon's wings spread behind him, forming a radiant shape that made it seem as though the man himself bore wings.

"That's… that's the same crest Oshan has."

Sid said quietly. Oshan stepped closer, her expression solemn, her voice low and steady as it echoed through the chamber.

"Yes, sir. That's the crest of our city— our national hero and Haribon. It's said he protected this land with Haribon by his side."

Evelise added softly,

"They say Haribon never leaves the Nexus Tree and never bonds with humans. But this man… he tamed Haribon as his partner."

Sid tilted his head, eyes still fixed on the carving.

"Tamed a mythical bird god? Damn… that guy must've had some serious charisma points."

He said, half in awe, half joking. He ran a hand over the stone lines of the emblem, tracing the curve of Haribon's wings.

"To think someone actually earned the trust of something that powerful… guess heroes back then weren't just a title."

He glanced at Oshan and Evelise, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"Makes my revive trick look kinda small now, huh?"

The rainbow light flickered again, faintly reflecting off the tomb's seal as if something within was alive or waiting. Sid swallowed hard, glancing between Evelise and Oshan.

"So… if this is what I think it is, we just found something way above my streamer pay grade."

Sid hesitated for a moment, staring down at the massive stone lid. Hiis curiosity got the better of him. He gripped the edges of the tomb and, with a grunt, pushed it open. The stone screeched as it slid aside, the sound echoing like thunder in the small chamber.

"Stand back, this looks heavy!"

Sid warned, placing his hands on the massive, ancient sarcophagus lid. Evelise's eyes widened in panic.

"What the hell are you doing, Sid? Are you out of your mind?! That's— that's the tomb of our national hero! You can't just— lift the hero's resting place like it's a chest in your damn game!"

Oshan's eyes widened too, her usually calm face tightening in shock.

"Don't tell me… he's actually going to open the tomb of our national hero?!"

But Sid barely heard them. The moment the tomb cracked open, an explosion of rainbow light burst out, flooding his vision.

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