The first appearance of a phantom

Suddenly, a thunderous clang echoed throughout the arena. The large axe flying towards Elwin's back inexplicably split in mid-air, the body of the axe neatly cleaved in two, bouncing onto the dueling ground and embedding deeply into the soil.

At this critical moment, a figure suddenly sprang out from his side, blocking the fatal blow aimed at him.

An almost suffocatingly powerful force was instantly unleashed from behind Elwin. In an instant, a cold wind rose abruptly, blowing away the dust about to settle on him. The smoke and dust gradually dissipated, revealing the silhouette of an elegant woman in Elwin's line of sight, the same mysterious woman who had been silently watching him from the stands.

When she appeared, it was as if she had stepped out from another world. The surrounding air seemed to solidify around her, accompanied by a slight tremor. Behind her, space began to distort, as if torn open, as though a tremendous power was being summoned.

It was a gigantic humanoid phantom, so massive it defied description, enveloping the woman like a towering mountain peak overhead. The phantom's rough lines, like countless flames, bestowed it a rhythm of life. Its outline was blurred, like molten metal, radiating an ever-changing brilliance yet still unveiling its terrifying might.

The phantom held a sword in its hand, not a physical entity, but a light sword woven from fire and electricity. The blade glowed intensely red, as if galaxies were falling, giving an endless sense of depth. The length of the blade seemed to pierce the sky, and every swing could raise a bright halo, illuminating the surroundings like a sunrise.

In that moment, the phantom's sword cleaved towards the ground. An unstoppable pose, a momentum sweeping thousands of troops, an unmatched power. With the sword's descent, the ground seemed to shake, the light sword sliced open the air, the sword tip causing cyclones, the surrounding air was churned by the sword's energy, as if about to be sliced open.

However, just as the sword's tip was about to touch the ground, the phantom slowly dissipated, evaporating like morning mist under the sun. The woman again became the focal point of the world, standing there as if wielding the phantom's power, the sword tip glinting with a cold light, exuding an air of solemnity and mystery.

The arena's atmosphere seemed to freeze in an instant. Brock stood rooted to the spot, dumbstruck. He evidently had not anticipated such a turn of events. His eyes widened as if he couldn't comprehend what was unfolding before him. The spectators in the arena were similarly astonished, falling silent for a moment, then erupted in awe and cheers, instantly filling the entire venue.

The crowd's cheers surged like a tidal wave, "Hero! Hero!" This brave woman, not only was Elwin's savior, but she also won the admiration of the audience. They cheered for this unexpected hero and rejoiced for Elwin's safety. At this moment, the mysterious woman was glaring at Brock, her eyes sparkling with resolve and determination.

Brock was deeply shaken by the aura of this mysterious woman. He instinctively took a step back, seemingly wary of getting closer to this unexpected savior.

Then, a "snap" was heard. The bullhead stone slab on the wall suddenly opened quickly, revealing a square opening just big enough for a person to pass through.

"Oh no, the prisoner is escaping!" The soldiers from behind regained their senses and began to rush towards Elwin in panic.

The mysterious woman blocked the soldiers rushing towards Elwin. She turned her head and said lightly, "It seems you've found your way out. You should hurry and leave."

Elwin looked at her in surprise, asking, "Why are you helping me?"

The mysterious woman swiftly swung her sword, repelling a soldier charging at them, then turned back to him, her gaze steady, "Now is not the time for questions, get in there quickly."

"But you…" Elwin hesitated for a moment. He knew that if he escaped, this mysterious woman would be in greater danger.

The mysterious woman narrowed her eyes, smiling, "Don't worry about me. I'm stronger than you think. And I have my ways. Now, go!"

After speaking, she pointed her sword towards the opening, signaling him to leave quickly. Elwin hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the mysterious woman, before quickly jumping into the opening, disappearing into the darkness. The mysterious woman, after beating back the soldiers before her, also jumped into the opening.

The soldiers stood at the opening like a group of hounds on standby, their gaze fixed intently on the dark hole, yet they didn't dare to enter lightly. The leading soldier turned around, his eyes looking for Lian on the podium. Lian's gaze was heavy, and after a brief silence, he waved his hand. The leading soldier received the order and commanded the soldiers to enter the tunnel in pursuit.

At this time, Elwin and the mysterious woman had already delved deep into this dark secret passage. As they moved forward, the light became dimmer and dimmer, with only the faint bioluminescence from the cracks between the stones flickering like fireflies. The passage was unexpectedly wide, and the internal temperature was much lower than outside, filled with a chilly and damp breath.

Elwin took a deep breath and slowed down his pace, as if he was communicating with this ancient tunnel. The mysterious woman followed closely behind him, her eyes gleaming with a cautious light.

This tunnel had obviously been forgotten for hundreds of years. The surrounding walls were covered in moss, wet, slippery, and cold. Drops of condensation fell from time to time to the rhythm of their footsteps. The air was filled with an ancient and heavy atmosphere, the unique scent of the soil and stone hidden deep underground. It felt as if this wasn't just an underground passage, but a tunnel leading back in time.

Behind them, the footsteps of the soldiers echoed faintly in the tunnel, weak yet filled with a determination to pursue. In the tense atmosphere, Elwin and the mysterious woman quickened their pace, going deeper into this ancient tunnel, towards the unknown depths.

Images of the design schematics of the secret tunnel mechanisms that Sok had described surfaced in Elwin's mind. He noticed a few stone slabs in front of him that were slightly darker than their surroundings. They were like ancient codes forgotten by time, which only those who knew their secret could decipher. Sok knew these mechanisms like the back of his hand, he had described each one to Elwin, telling him which were safe and which could trigger traps.

The gradually closing footsteps from behind made him realize that they didn't have the luxury of time to hesitate.

Elwin took a deep breath, nodded at the mysterious woman, and gently inserted his dagger into a crevice of one of the darker stone slabs, slightly rocking it left and right. With an almost imperceptible tiny noise, a cold airflow suddenly gushed out from beneath their feet, creating a faint air vortex in the tunnel. At the same time, a concealed stone door slowly closed behind them, isolating them from the pursuing soldiers.

Elwin and the mysterious woman quickly passed through the just-closed secret door, then he activated the mechanism again, firmly locking the secret door to ensure they wouldn't be caught by the pursuing soldiers. The mysterious woman silently watched his movements, her eyes revealing a trace of surprise. Evidently, she hadn't expected this young man to maintain such a cool head in the face of a life-and-death crisis and operate these ancient mechanisms skillfully.

They continued to advance in the tunnel, surrounded by nothing but the sound of their footsteps and breathing. Each echo in the tunnel was like an invisible warning, reminding them of the unknown dangers in this passage. Both of them were wanderers in this strange world, every step forward required courage to explore and wisdom to unravel.

Just then, Elwin suddenly felt a vibration beneath his feet. He furrowed his brows, focusing intently. It seemed like the mechanism they had just closed had been reactivated, and what's more...by force. Elwin's heart tightened. This meant that the pursuers had not given up, they were doing their utmost to catch up.

The mysterious woman noticed his tension and whispered, "What's wrong?" Elwin didn't answer, but quickened his pace instead. The mysterious woman understood his intention and followed suit.

They sprinted along the winding tunnel, surpassing rotating stone doors and avoiding hidden mechanisms. Each time they passed, Elwin used his dagger to alter the mechanism's setting, creating more obstacles for their pursuers. They fought against the wind and waves, striving to stay one step ahead.

During their sprint, Elwin and the mysterious woman displayed their excellent skills. They elegantly leaped over sharp spikes on the ground, nimbly dodging toxic arrows that sprung out. In the thin line between a race and life or death, they faced the challenge together.

Behind them, the tunnel shook violently from time to time, accompanied by the sound of shattered stone, presumably caused by the secret door being forcibly breached. Evidently, the pursuers were catching up at a speed they couldn't even imagine. They could hear the chaotic and frantic shouts of the pursuers, mixed with the sound of exploding traps, and the screams of pain.

Nevertheless, Elwin and the mysterious woman didn't slow down. They were lost in this unfamiliar world, but they firmly believed that as long as they had the courage to explore and the wisdom to unravel all unknowns, no matter what kind of hardships and dangers awaited them, they would overcome them. They exchanged a glance, determination gleaming in their eyes, then quickened their pace together, continuing their run on this unknown path.