Years

Liam cursed countless times in his mind, forcing himself to calm down. Still, paranoia and dread would whisper in his ears.

His will and ambition were merely ideas compared to a Zenith ranked magical beast, and there were countless of them before his eyes.

Heaving a shaky sigh, he sat cross-legged in cultivation.

Liam noticed how even the Zeniths didn't approach the pit. If that was the case, there was bound to be an even stronger being down there.

The source of dense 'Ora' pointed him to that conclusion. Magical beasts and other creatures naturally flocked to locations where they could absorb purer world essence – increasing their numbers and strength simultaneously.

Liam grimaced, his meditation hardly one of peace.

'I'm pretty much fu—'

"Oi!"

A voice called out from outside Liam's cave, causing him to scowl.

'Someone else?'

Liam peeked over the corner, spotting a dark figure waving at him on a similar cavity to his own.

"Over here!" He whisperingly shouted, unfurling a large rope and throwing it at Liam – who instantly grabbed it.

Upon closer inspection, the rope had a sharp tip, which could firmly root itself to stone. It was even inscribed.

"Quick, before those bloody bats spot us!"

Liam hesitated, but the sounds of wings flapping made him erase any doubt.

He stabbed the tip on the ground before traversing the rope with wide strides – arriving at the figure's side, just enough to see his face.

It was a middle-aged man, with black eyes, a scarred face, and long, unkempt hair – rough skinned, as though corroded and healed repeatedly.

He wore a tight black robe, made from a similar material as Liam's own. A black ring wrapped around his index indicated his status as a cultivator.

The two stood on a hollow ledge, but behind the man, was a circular tunnel that steeped downwards.

"I knew it! The array alerted me of something other than a beast!" The man beamed, grabbing Liam by the shoulders. "Young man, you're a cultivator, right?"

Liam nodded firmly, waving aside the man's hands.

"Who are you? How'd you get here?"

The man took a step back and shook his head.

"I've been down here for so long I've forgotten my manners… the name's Kirk Hoist. And this place?" Kirk paused, his face turning dark.

"...Is despair."

Liam scowled.

"I'll explain. But first, let's get somewhere… safe," Kirk gestured for Liam to follow him down the incline. "If there's any chance of us getting out of here alive, we'll have to work together. What's your Rank?"

Liam briefly assessed the tunnel they were in. It was raw and uneven, but long – it would take years of work to build a similar tunnel by hand, that is, without the use of spells or magical abilities.

As they continued, tremors shook the tunnels, causing rubble and dust to fall over the two.

"Rank 3 body, Rank 1 core, Rank 1 sea of consciousness," Liam spoke after a short pause. "What's with the tremors?"

Kirk's eyes widened – both in joyous surprise and similar shock. "Good, good! That makes you a Rank 1 middle stage cultivator, then. Though, how you're at that stage at such a young age makes me question things."

The ranking of a cultivator depended on all three of his centers of power.

For example, a Rank 2 magus with a Rank 2 body and a peak Rank 1 core, would be a peak Rank 1 cultivator – but the rankings could vary depending on which stage each center of power was.

However, the cultivator's capabilities and strength could not be measured by ranks alone. They were more or less accurate estimations – the rest depended on spells, techniques and third party abilities.

"I myself am at the peak of Rank 1. I wish I put a little more effort into cultivation… but my noble status truly spoiled me."

Kirk's explanation caused Liam a bit of relief.

'If he tries to fight me, killing him won't be impossible. I doubt he's as proficient with the blade as I am, too.'

Liam didn't leave any possibility out. Repeating the cycle of killing, eating and training undoubtedly had him on edge.

Still, how a noble ended up in such a situation didn't really make sense.

"About the tremors, Rank 4 Devourer Moles live underneath these grounds. Cursed things have collapsed my tunnels more than I can count, making me relocate each time. They can sense the slightest vibrations, so I need to go slow each time I form a tunnel. I'm of the Earth element, by the way. You?"

Liam shrugged. "Don't know. Haven't found out yet."

Kirk looked a bit disappointed, letting out a soft sigh.

At the tunnel's end, a small circular entrance grew visible.

The pair entered with Kirk in the lead, and Liam had the chance to assess his surroundings.

Similar to a noble's manor, the space – which was roughly the size of a large living room – was furnished with tables and chairs made of rock.

It smelled absolutely rancid, but then again, there was no water to wash themselves with – Liam himself smelled like a dead dog carcass.

"It's safe. This is one of the corners of the underground." Kirk reassured.

Liam nodded and slightly untensed.

"How long have you been here?"

Kirk smiled wryly with a sigh, dragging a chair and sitting on it.

"Two years."