Chapter 637: Draven’s Cave

Inside the inn’s room, Thoren lay on the wooden bed covered in beast fur, wide awake, staring at the rough stone ceiling while the faint sounds of movement outside drifted through the cave walls.

It had been a day since he arrived at Scarwind Camp, and that was enough for him to grasp the basics of how the underground settlement functioned.

He had spent most of it observing his surroundings, listening to conversations, studying the movements of the awakeners, and gathering information about the third floor without revealing much about himself.

The more he watched, the more organized the camp seemed. Yet beneath its peaceful surface lay a constant sense of danger.

Everyone here knew that the moment they stepped outside the settlement, the terrifying creatures roaming the trenches could take their lives.

’Huh.’

He let out a deep breath and sat up, the beast fur shifting beneath him. His deep blue eyes swept over the small room with no change in expression.

It held a wooden bed, a small stone table, a few wooden containers, and a simple opening that served as a window toward the corridor.

Without hesitation, he reached into his inventory and laid out a sumptuous meal on the stone table.

The smell of roasted meat filled the room, followed by the fragrance of cooked vegetables, fresh bread, and other expensive dishes he had bought through the Abyss Market.

He ate with satisfaction, a faint smile playing on his lips. Most people trapped on the third floor had to risk their lives for every meal, hunting dangerous beasts, and even scavengers could return empty-handed after a whole day of searching.

As for him, he had no such worries.

With the Abyss Market, he could eat as much as he wanted as long as he had enough silver coins, and after everything he had gained during his journey through the Abyss, food was the least of his concerns.

Once finished, he returned the empty plates to his inventory, took a mouthful of wine, and rose to his feet.

The faint warmth spread through his throat as he put the bottle away and glanced toward the door.

’If I’m going to find the exit, I need to understand the terrain of this cave system.’

That was what mattered most. He had already learned that the third floor had no simple path to the next one, and the Ash Tide made exploring the surface extremely dangerous. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

He couldn’t just wander blindly and hope to stumble upon it. He needed information, and people who had explored the surrounding areas.

He opened the stone door and stepped outside.

The atmosphere of Scarwind Camp wrapped around him at once. Even though no sun could be seen here, the settlement was still busy, and countless awakeners moved through the stone streets carrying weapons, supplies, and beast parts.

Footsteps echoed between the pillars, mixed with conversation, laughter, arguments, the clang of metal from the blacksmith caves, and the occasional cry of an injured awakener.

Thoren walked slowly, taking everything in. He had memorized several important locations on his first day, but he had yet to explore the entire camp.

After asking a few people, he quickly learned where Draven and his party lived. Draven’s party was one of the strongest scavenger groups in the camp, so most people knew their cave.

An older awakener carrying a large sack of beast materials gave him directions, and Thoren followed them through several stone corridors.

The deeper he went, the quieter it became. The caves grew larger and the crowds thinned, until he finally reached a wide cave entrance guarded by two awakeners. Weapons were propped against the stone walls nearby.

The guards stood on opposite sides of the entrance, backs straight, expressions solemn. They weren’t simply standing there.

Their hands stayed close to their weapons and their eyes constantly scanned the area, as though danger might emerge from the darkness at any moment.

Just as Thoren prepared to enter, one of them stepped forward.

"Stop."

His voice was cold and firm, carrying the authority of someone assigned to protect this place.

Thoren stopped. The guard looked him over from head to toe, his eyes lingering on Thoren’s clothing before checking his hands and waist for any sign of a threat.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

Thoren was about to answer when light footsteps echoed from deep inside the cave, growing clearer as someone approached. The guards turned toward the cave corridor.

A familiar figure emerged from the darkness. It was Rynna.

She walked with her usual aloof expression, her posture straight, carrying the confidence of someone used to being respected. But the moment her eyes landed on Thoren, she stopped.

"You..."

Surprise flickered across her face. Her expression barely changed, but to anyone who knew her, it was obvious.

"What are you doing here?"

She hadn’t forgotten him. Draven rarely took an interest in anyone, yet he had singled this young man out the moment they met.

She had also seen how calm Thoren stayed among strangers, and how little the conflict with Vaela seemed to concern him.

Now, finding him at their cave entrance only deepened her curiosity.

"I’m here to see Draven," Thoren said calmly. "Can you please lead me to him?"

There was no hesitation in his voice.

The guards were stunned. They looked at Thoren, then at Rynna, then at each other, as if silently asking whether they were seeing the same thing.

Everyone knew Rynna’s pride. She rarely wasted words on strangers, and her attitude toward most people was cold and distant.

Yet here she was, speaking to an unknown man without the slightest hostility, and she even seemed to recognize him.

Rynna studied Thoren a moment longer, then gave a small nod. "I see..."

She turned and walked deeper into the cave. "Follow me."

Thoren nodded and followed, ignoring the guards’ shocked expressions.

After the two disappeared, the guards stayed silent for several seconds.

"Who was that?" one of them finally asked.

The other shook his head. "I have no idea."

They stared into the darkness where Thoren had vanished. Neither knew who he was, but they could tell his arrival was no ordinary matter.

Meanwhile, Thoren followed Rynna through the cave tunnel, quietly observing his surroundings.