1 Awakened

A dull sound rang out, in the emptiness...

Clang! Clang! Clang!

It continued, passing by everything it could pass.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

'What was that...?'

An irritated voice came from within the nothingness.

'I thought I said not to disturb me unless a great calamity comes!'

The voice rang out and disappeared, as though it never existed.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As if responding to the voice, the lifeless clanging increased in intensity, the earthen walls surrounding the darkness soon started to crumble.

Chunks of rocks started to fall to the ground.

"Looks like we are near the objective! Faster! We are all going to be rich!" An excited voice said behind the crumbling wall.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The striking sound intensified as the walls started to crumble at a much faster rate.

'They dare...!' A voice filled with anger wriggled in the air, sending chills down the spines of those who heard it, but sadly, no one was there to listen to the angered cries of the unknown being.

'They dare disturb me from my sleep! Unforgivable!' The indignant cry echoed out as the final layers of the wall fell apart.

"Yeah! We got it, boys! We finally made it!"

"Yeah!" Rejoicing voices shouted in unison, as all of them sighed in relief.

"Turn on yer flashlights! Let's search the area! And remember! Finders, keepers!" An excited voice filled the area as bright lights dispelled the darkness, followed by joyful cries, the crowd dispersed to find treasures.

"Woah! There's a sword here boss! And it's not rusted!"

"Not rusted? This place is buried underground for god knows how many years already, it would already be a miracle for any piece of metal to be in shape here, how could it not be ruste-..." As if he choked on his words, the man who looked like the leader stared dumbfounded at the sword on his subordinate's hand.

The sword's blade still showed its refined edge, and an indescribable aura surrounded the sword, making it mysterious.

"Th-This is an Artifact! and what's more a sword! " The leader screamed in delight eyeing the sword with greed, he looked intently towards the subordinate who carried the sword, his eyes carrying a hint of killing intent.

If he doesn't offer the sword to him, the outcome could be predicted.

"Th-This is sword is my offering to you, Sir!" The man hurriedly offered the sword to his leader, amidst the envious gazes of the other workers around, the leader took the sword with a smile and tapped the man's shoulder.

"Yer a good friend!" He smiled and casually walked away.

A good friend my ass! I hope you step on a Lego and die! The man could only blame his luck for revealing the sword and could only curse in his mind.

These group of treasure hunters continued on with their exploration. The darkness around the area was actively dispelled by the light coming from their rings.

"Man, magic sure is useful for times like this." A man who looked like he was on his 30's commented.

"Yeah, and you know what's more useful for magic?" The leader smiled and asked.

The man gave a puzzled look, in response. "For killing" The leader whispered, fortunately, no one had heard his voice. He gave a slight smile and didn't continue to bother with the small fry anymore.

"Hey, what is that?!" The same middle-aged man screamed, pointing towards the distance.

"Luminos!" The leader shouted and a swishing sound echoed from his ring as an incomparably bright light exploded towards the distance. The emptiness created by the lack of light was immediately dissipated, revealing the glamor of the area ahead.

If the place could be described in words, it would be 'unsettling'.

Stacks of bright red rocks were stacked above a coffin. Runic carvings surrounded the coffin like a seal, combined with the ancient aura of the area, the place exuded an aura of creepiness.

"A coffin! Boss! It seems like this is a burial ground for some big shots in the ancient times! We struck it good this time!" The middle-aged man revealed a smile, the surrounding hunters also smiled, their eyes shone an avaricious greed.

"Hehehe... Same rule! Finders, keepers!" In response to his words, the hunters around disappeared like a puff of smoke, one of the workers approached the coffin in a speed barely visible to the naked eye.

However, just as he was about to touch the coffin, a bloody light exploded, turning his body into a mist of blood. At the same time, a blood red pillar of light rocketed from coffin to the ceiling above, sending chunks of rocks downward, towards the hunters.

"Fuck! A cave in! Activate your barriers!" The leader screamed in fright.

"Borg!" Numerous voices sounded out, the rocks above crashed to the ground, sending a mist of dust towards the sky, reducing visibility for all of the hunters.

The leader turned his head around, huge rocks encompassed the area, he looked behind and found out that the exit was blocked by the rocks.

"Shit!" The leader couldn't help but curse.

"All of you dared to disturb this one's rest! Die!" The runic carvings around the coffin exuded a crimson light as a bloodied Asura manifested, it cried in anger as its eyes scoured the area.

"Wh-what is that?!"

"Lo-Lord Gaben!"

The treasure hunters turned pale from fright, the indistinctive aura from the bloodied Asura made their knees weak, and their nerves shaky. All of them couldn't help but uncontrollably tremble from their innate fear.

"S-s-Sir! We're sorry to disturb your rest! W-w-We didn't expect that your highness was sleeping here... Pl-please fo-forgive u-us!" The leader kneeled down in fright and begged for forgiveness, the slaughter aura from the Asura alone made him submit.

Looking at their leader, they followed him in pursuit and asked for forgiveness, they cursed their leader in their hearts for he was the one who enlisted them to help dig up some ancient treasure trove.

"No excuses! This place is something that you can enter, but you cannot exit!" The bloodied Asura laughed as a wave of crimson light flew towards the treasure hunters.

Although he was scared by the Asura's slaughter aura, his years of experience enabled him to regain his state of clarity as he decisively shouted. "Activate your borg!" The treasure hunters shouted in unison. "Borg!"

A pale blue light covered their bodies as they braced for impact.

"Heh! merely a slight trick!" The Asura scoffed in disdain, as the crimson light struck the pale blue light, the light started to dissipate into the air like paper turning to ashes. The treasure hunters shouted in fright, some of them started running to the blocked entrance. But their fate was already sealed, how could they escape the Asura's attack?

All of them turned into pools of blood, not even their skeletons remained. The leader who was covered in a much-reinforced barrier saw all of this happening as his eyes became filled with despair. Was he going to die here just like that? He still wasn't even able to enjoy the riches he obtained! He was unwilling, He was unwilling to die just like that!

His barrier started to crack as the crimson light furiously attacked his defenses. He closed his eyes for he already knew that he was going to die...

"Wait!" The crimson light upon hearing the voice immediately retracted. The manifestation of the bloodied Asura also dissipated to nothingness upon hearing the voice. The leader looked puzzled. He sighed in relief as he saw the Asura disappearing.

A creaking sound echoed as resounding echoes of locks being unlocked rang. The leader turned towards the coffin and found that a youth stood up, thanks to the light coming from his ring, he was able to discern the appearance of the youth.

'The being sealed in that coffin is a youth! Impossible!' As much as how the leader would like to think that all of this was impossible, everything that happened here was the reality. He steeled his mind and asked.

"Who are you?" The leader asked in shock.

The youth gave a small smile, his eyes reflected a luster of coldness.

"You ask that question to the one who you disturbed?" The youth spoke, his voice carrying an iciness that could freeze everything in this world.