Chapter 25: The Resonance That Should Not Be Blocked

The only thing Daemon had that belonged to Kassia was the ring.

It was the ring he had given her when they were together—the ring that Kassia had once promised she would never remove.

Now it rested between Lucien’s fingers.

Lucien examined it carefully before closing his hand around it.

"This should be more than enough," he said calmly. I should be able to trace the resonance."

Daemon nodded.

"Just find her. That’s all I need."

Lucien looked at him seriously.

"There is one thing you need to understand. Astral Resonance isn’t ordinary tracking. Once I begin, I have to concentrate completely. Don’t interrupt me, no matter what happens."

Daemon’s expression became serious.

"Understood."

Lucien walked toward the center of the room.

He picked up a long piece of bright-red cloth and wrapped it around his eyes until they were completely covered.

Daemon raised an eyebrow.

"You always do that?"

"It helps me disconnect from my physical senses."

Lucien took a slow breath.

Then he whispered,

"Astral Resonance."

The atmosphere changed.

A strange pressure spread through the room.

Lucien’s perception suddenly plunged into darkness.

Then the darkness exploded into countless stars.

His entire vision transformed into something resembling a gigantic galaxy. Thousands upon thousands of points of light appeared around him, moving in every direction like three-dimensional objects floating through space.

Every star represented a living presence.

People.

Monsters.

Awakeners.

Creatures hidden beneath the earth.

Even those who were concealing their energy appeared as faint distortions within the enormous astral field.

Lucien focused on the ring.

A pale-white glow appeared around it.

"Locking onto the signature..."

His consciousness moved forward.

The countless stars rushed past him.

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

He searched through cities, roads, buildings and unfamiliar locations, following the faint resonance attached to the ring.

Then—

He saw something.

A familiar presence.

Lucien immediately focused.

"Kassia..."

The astral field shifted.

The image became clearer.

For a moment, he could see countless people moving through what appeared to be a crowded area.

Then the image changed.

Another location.

Another group of people.

Another flash.

Lucien continued searching.

But suddenly—

BOOM!

An invisible force slammed into his perception.

Lucien’s entire body stiffened.

"What...?"

The astral field trembled.

Something was blocking him.

Not naturally.

Someone was deliberately interfering with his ability.

Lucien gritted his teeth.

"Who are you?"

There was no answer.

He pushed his Astral Resonance harder.

The white glow surrounding Kassia’s ring intensified.

The barrier pushed back.

Lucien’s forehead became covered in sweat.

His breathing grew heavier.

"I’m not letting you hide her..."

He forced more power into the resonance.

The stars around him began collapsing one after another.

The mysterious barrier cracked slightly.

For an instant, Lucien saw Kassia’s presence again.

Then—

CRACK!

A violent surge of energy exploded through his perception.

Lucien screamed.

"ARGHHH!"

His entire body convulsed.

Electric-like energy raced across his skin.

The ring fell from his hand.

Daemon immediately stepped forward.

"Lucien!"

But Lucien’s voice came out weakly.

"Don’t... interfere..."

Daemon stopped.

Lucien’s body suddenly began producing dark smoke.

His muscles trembled violently.

Then an invisible force threw him backward.

BANG!

Lucien crashed into the floor.

"Lucien!"

Daemon rushed toward him.

He knelt down and grabbed his shoulder.

"Wake up! Are you alright?"

Lucien didn’t respond.

His body was covered with small burns, and his breathing was extremely faint.

Daemon’s expression darkened.

"This isn’t normal."

He immediately called for assistance.

Within minutes, a healer arrived and Lucien was transferred to a private room.

Daemon remained beside the bed.

He stared at Lucien’s unconscious face.

Someone had blocked Astral Resonance.

That alone was disturbing.

But what frightened Daemon more was the force behind the blockage.

And they had enough power to fight against it.

Daemon slowly clenched his fist.

"Kassia... what exactly happened to you?"

The A-Rank Dungeon

At the same time, several kilometers away, Victoria and the elite team entered another dungeon.

The moment they crossed the gate, everyone became serious.

The dungeon’s energy had originally appeared abnormal on the WHA’s radar, leading them to suspect that it might be an S-Rank dungeon.

But after entering, the team quickly confirmed the truth.

It was an A-Rank dungeon.

Still dangerous.

Still capable of killing an inexperienced Awakener.

Victoria walked at the front of the formation.

Kael moved beside her, while Cole and the other elite members maintained their positions.

Sana stayed near Victoria, constantly watching her condition.

Elira brought up the rear.

The environment changed drastically as they moved deeper.

A thick gray fog covered the ground.

It wasn’t ordinary fog.

Small droplets that landed on the surrounding rocks caused them to hiss and slowly dissolve.

"Corrosive fog," Elira muttered.

Victoria narrowed her eyes.

"Stay alert. Don’t breathe too deeply."

Kael closed his eyes.

His perception spread throughout the area.

"I can sense movement."

Everyone immediately prepared themselves.

Several monstrous figures suddenly emerged from the fog.

Brute-type goblins.

Their bodies were larger than normal goblins, covered in rough black armor.

Kael raised his hand.

"They’re coming from the left."

Victoria moved instantly.

BOOM!

Her Crimson Resonance exploded outward.

One goblin was thrown against the dungeon wall.

Cole followed with a powerful strike that crushed another monster’s armor.

Elira released a concentrated attack from the rear.

The remaining goblins fell within seconds.

But nobody celebrated.

The deeper they went, the stronger the dungeon became.

Suddenly—

The ground trembled.

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

Something enormous was approaching.

A giant figure emerged through the fog.

Its body was made from blackened stone and compacted ash.

Ashen Colossus.

The monster raised one enormous arm.

Victoria shouted,

"Spread out!"

BOOOOM!

Its fist slammed into the ground.

The shockwave ripped across the floor.

Everyone jumped away.

Cole grinned.

"Now that’s more like an A-Rank dungeon."

The Colossus swung again.

Its movements were slow—but every strike carried terrifying power.

Kael shouted,

"Left shoulder! Its movement starts from there!"

Victoria understood immediately.

The monster raised its arm.

Victoria dashed underneath it.

Her Crimson Resonance concentrated around her fist.

BOOM!

Her strike shattered a section of its chest.

Cole attacked from the opposite side.

Elira followed with another powerful attack.

Sana provided support, reinforcing the injured members whenever the Colossus managed to land a hit.

The Colossus staggered.

Kael noticed something.

"Again! The cracks are spreading!"

Victoria nodded.

"Everyone, attack together!"

Their combined assault finally destroyed the Ashen Colossus.

Its enormous body collapsed into a pile of ash and stone.

But before anyone could rest—

A strange hissing sound came from beneath them.

Kael’s eyes widened.

"MOVE!"

The ground exploded.

A massive serpentine creature erupted from below.

Embercoil Wyrm.

Its scales glowed like burning coal.

It disappeared into the ground before anyone could attack.

"Where did it go?" Cole shouted.

Kael closed his eyes.

"Underground!"

BOOM!

The Wyrm erupted behind Elira.

She barely escaped its jaws.

Victoria rushed forward.

"Don’t attack its scales!"

The Wyrm struck again.

Cole attempted to block it, but the impact sent him sliding backward.

Kael watched carefully.

"Wait for it!"

The Wyrm burrowed underground again.

Silence.

Then—

BOOM!

It erupted toward Victoria.

She waited until the last possible second.

The creature opened its jaws.

Victoria stepped aside.

The Wyrm’s body twisted.

Its pale underbelly became exposed.

"Now!"

Cole attacked first.

Elira followed.

Kael unleashed his attack.

Victoria delivered the finishing blow directly into the exposed underside.

BOOOOOOM!

The Wyrm screamed before collapsing.

Everyone breathed heavily.

Sana looked toward Victoria.

"You alright?"

Victoria nodded.

"I’m fine."

But her complexion had already become slightly paler.

Nobody noticed.

They continued deeper.

Eventually, they reached the final chamber.

The entire cavern shook.

A gigantic quadrupedal beast emerged from the darkness.

Its body was enormous.

Its footsteps distorted the ground.

Kael’s expression became serious.

"Voldmae Behemoth."

The final boss.

The Behemoth opened its mouth.

The air around its jaws suddenly warped.

Cole felt his body move forward involuntarily.

"What the—?!"

Victoria shouted,

"BACK!"

Everyone immediately retreated.

The Behemoth’s bite radius created a terrifying gravitational pull.

Anything that came too close was dragged toward its jaws.

A direct melee attack was nearly impossible.

"Ranged formation!" Victoria ordered.

Elira immediately attacked from the distance.

Kael focused on detecting its movements.

Cole waited for an opening.

Sana strengthened everyone’s defenses.

The Behemoth charged.

Victoria moved sideways instead of backward.

The creature turned.

Its jaws opened.

The gravitational pull activated.

Victoria’s feet slid across the ground.

She drove her weapon into the dungeon floor and stopped herself.

"Now!"

Cole attacked its flank.

Elira struck its legs.

Kael targeted its eyes.

The Behemoth roared.

It turned toward Kael.

Kael smiled.

"Got you."

He dodged at the last second.

The Behemoth’s jaws snapped shut.

Victoria unleashed her strongest attack directly into its exposed side.

BOOOOOOM!

Cracks spread across the monster’s body.

Everyone attacked simultaneously.

One final combined strike hit the Behemoth’s core.

The monster froze.

Then its enormous body collapsed.

The dungeon became silent.

The A-Rank dungeon had been cleared.

WHA staff members entered shortly afterward with specialized equipment.

They collected the monster cores, valuable materials, and the remains of the creatures.

The team began returning toward the dungeon entrance.

Victoria walked quietly.

Then—

She stumbled.

Sana immediately caught her.

"Victoria!"

Victoria’s vision blurred.

Her body suddenly became extremely heavy.

She fell to her knees.

Everyone froze.

Blood trickled from her nose.

Sana’s face changed.

"Not again..."

She remembered what happened in the interrogation room.

Victoria’s body was burning with heat.

Her corruption was getting worse.

"We need a healer!"

Before anyone could move—

Kael stepped forward.

"I’ll carry her."

He lifted Victoria into his arms.

"Take her to the healer," Sana said.

Kael nodded.

"Of course."

He turned away from the group.

Nobody noticed the subtle smile forming on his face.

Victoria was unconscious.

Vulnerable.

And completely unaware of what was happening.

Kael lowered his head slightly.

His eyes became cold.

"So this is my chance..."

A faint vibration traveled through his blood.

Something tiny moved beneath his skin.

Kael’s smile widened.

"Let’s see how powerful the Hale bloodline really is when its owner can’t fight back."

His fingers tightened around Victoria.

No one noticed the faint movement of something almost invisible beneath his sleeve.

And Kael quietly whispered—

"Thrall Wasp."

The creature began crawling toward his hand.

To be continued...