Ancient Ruins

[ Kai's POV ]

Tap... Tap...

Walking through the forest, I couldn't help but sigh at my own fate. It was currently the fourth night in a row that I found myself following the stars.

Their twinkling lights guided my weary feet through the dense undergrowth.

At this point, I was beginning to question my sanity.

"How long do I need to walk?"

Muttering under my breath, I placed my feet one in front of the other, fully aware of the soreness that had settled into my muscles.

I had slept only a few hours during this trip, and exhaustion was clawing at the edges of my mind.

Even if I was a Demon, the fatigue was slowly building up and I couldn't deny the weariness that seeped into my bones.

Sometimes, I even forgot what I was doing out here in the middle of the night.

There were even a couple of times when my mind wandered so far that I nearly lost my way among the tangled vines and towering trees.

I really needed to sleep soon or I might end up stumbling into a tree and knocking myself unconscious.

"Ughhh..."

Observing the glow of the stars above me, I kept walking, walking, and walking, the moonlight casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.

The lines I had drawn inside my head were slowly starting to connect, my every footstep bringing me closer to the goal I sought.

Tap... Tap...

I didn't even realize that I was approaching an old rundown structure until I was standing right in front of it.

'Huh?'

Taking a few steps back, I raised an eyebrow as I examined the dilapidated building before me. Its walls, once standing proud, were now covered in ivy and moss, and time had etched deep wrinkles into its weathered surface. The roof sagged in places, as if weary from holding up the weight of countless years. A sense of ancientness exuded from every crack and crevice as if the very essence of time had taken root here.

As I ventured closer, the creaking of the wooden boards underfoot added to the eerie atmosphere. Moonlight filtered through broken windows, casting elongated shadows that danced across the walls. The air was heavy with the scent of dampness and forgotten memories.

"I finally found it..."

Intrigued, despite my exhaustion, I gingerly pushed open the half-rotten door. The hinges protested with a rusty groan, echoing through the silence like a mournful lament. I stepped inside cautiously, my eyes adjusting to the dimness within.

The interior was a symphony of decay and antiquity. Dust motes floated lazily in the moonbeam shafts that pierced the darkness. Broken furniture lay strewn about, remnants of a time long past. In the center of the room, a peculiar altar stood, its surface marred by time and neglect. Symbols, worn with age, adorned its edges, hinting at rituals and stories lost to history.

As I took it all in, a shiver ran down my spine. It was as if the very essence of the place whispered secrets of forgotten times into my ears, urging me to unravel its mysteries. The weariness that had gripped me moments ago seemed to ebb away, replaced by a surge of curiosity and anticipation.

My steps echoed softly in the chamber as I ventured further, drawn inexplicably to the heart of the ruin.

Without hesitation, I began to explore the ruins with steady and careful steps.

My feet led me through the labyrinthine corridors, each corner revealing new layers of history.

However, I already knew every corner of this structure, due to the Author of the novel who had meticulously described every detail of the ruin in his work.

Tap... Tap...

Walking through the ruin, I quickly entered a room with a single bed in the corner and quickly threw the old sheets off it before moving the bed to the side.

"Bingo..."

Beneath the bed, hidden away from prying eyes, was a metal trapdoor that led to a secret chamber.

It was time to retrieve the Ancient Dark Mana training technique...