CHAPTER 63: END OF VOLUME 1

Ezra exhaled slowly, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.

"Settle it later. Right now, we keep moving."

Without another word, he stepped deeper into the cave.

Xavier glanced once at Renji and Dravis, his tone flat but firm. "Let’s go." He followed after Ezra.

Renji and Dravis lingered, the tension between them still sharp. Finally, Dravis sighed, rubbing his neck.

"I’m sorry... I let my temper get the better of me. We got angry at each other for nothing."

Renji lowered his gaze, guilt flickering across his eyes. His voice came soft, heavy with remorse.

"I know... and I regret it. But please... try to understand me. I need this."

Dravis didn’t answer immediately. He only gave a small nod, then turned to walk forward. Renji followed, and the two of them caught up to the others.

As they pressed deeper into the cave, the air grew heavier, thick with condensed mana that clung to their skin like mist. The walls shimmered faintly, veins of light snaking across the stone.

Then, the narrow passage suddenly opened.

The group halted in unison.

Before them stretched an enormous underground cavern, vast and breathtaking. Beneath their feet yawned a massive chasm, its walls glittering with crystalline veins that pulsed with radiant glow.

Mana crystals. Countless of them.

Blue, violet, even streaks of gold—raw and unrefined, yet brimming with power. They lit the cavern like a buried night sky, jagged shards glowing like stars beneath the earth.

It wasn’t just a cave. It was a mana crystal mine.

The sight stole their breath.

Ezra gazed at the glittering abyss of crystals, and for the first time since entering the dungeon, a genuine smile tugged at his lips.

"All those struggles... worth it. Hah."

Dravis blinked, stunned. "Woah... so you were right all along. I thought you were—"

"Lying?" Ezra cut him off, raising a brow. "Why would I waste time lying? This—" he gestured at the radiant cavern, "—is a mana crystal mine. And not just any mine. These crystals are unnaturally pure." His smile widened faintly. "So... what do you think? How rich do you imagine we’ve just become?"

Xavier’s expression didn’t shift. He shook his head lightly. "I don’t know. And honestly... I don’t want a share."

Dravis whipped toward him in disbelief. "What the hell do you mean you don’t want a share? Do you realize this could make us richer than millionaire?"

Xavier’s voice remained steady. "It’s my choice. And besides... I already receive my salary from Ezra."

Ezra’s crimson eyes flickered with amusement. "Is that so? Fine. Then I’ll increase your salary. From five thousand gold a month... to ten thousand."

For the first time, Xavier allowed a small smile to crease his lips, though he said nothing.

Ezra then turned toward Dravis. "Hey, Dravis. Interested in hearing a business plan?"

Dravis folded his arms, intrigued despite himself. "Why not? Go ahead."

Ezra’s tone sharpened, slipping into a calculating rhythm. "Look, this mine is beyond anything we can handle. Even if we’ve found it, we don’t have the manpower or the equipment to extract these crystals properly. Do you know how delicate this process is? One wrong move, and the purity drops by half. Then comes supply—breaking into the market, building networks, dealing with guilds and regulations. It’s a nightmare for people like us."

He paused, letting that sink in before his gaze shifted toward Renji. "But Renji here... is the son of the Fujimoto conglomerate. A billionaire family with deep connections, existing supply chains, and endless resources. If we leverage that..."

Ezra tapped his temple, his smile turning razor-sharp. "We let Renji’s family handle the extraction and logistics. He’ll obviously keep his family’s share, but in return, we secure a partnership. The operating costs—the manpower, the tools, the merchants—all come out of their side. After expenses, the remaining profit will be split between us three."

Dravis frowned, trying to follow. "Us three?"

"Of course." Ezra’s eyes gleamed. "Think. Renji handles the family side, Xavier remains on salary but is vital for management and security, and you, Dravis, will ensure our influence expands in the martial circle. As for me... I’ll negotiate the contracts, oversee the numbers, and keep this entire operation airtight. No leaks. No betrayal."

For a moment, silence reigned in the cavern. The glow of the crystals reflected in their eyes, but none of them were looking at the mine anymore. They were looking at Ezra.

Dravis whistled low. "Woah... good business plan."

Xavier’s smile deepened ever so slightly, though his silence carried a subtle acknowledgment.

Renji clenched his fists at his sides, torn between awe and guilt. He had never imagined Ezra would so effortlessly take charge of something this massive.

Ezra’s smirk didn’t waver. "Business isn’t about greed. It’s about control. And after today..." His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the crystal light. "We control this."

As they stepped out through the other end of the cave, the dense silver mist still clung to the valley like a living veil. At a distance, a squad of dungeon guards spotted them emerging.

One guard rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "What the... no way. The Silver Mist Valley? Cleared?!" His voice cracked with shock. Another immediately fumbled for his communication crystal. "Quick! Report this—someone’s actually survived inside!"

Before they could act further, Ezra walked up calmly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Gentlemen, could you not?" he said lightly, flashing a silver-trimmed card. "I’m a student of Ethelight Academy. Technically, anything that happens here, I have to report to the school myself. So... how about you leave this matter alone?"

The guards froze. One of them narrowed his eyes, scoffing. "What the hell are you talking about, kid?"

Ezra’s expression didn’t change. He simply let his aura surge, a heavy pressure washing over the group. Mid-Stage Rank 4 mana swirled around him like a crushing tide. The guards staggered back—the strongest among them was barely Rank 3.

One senior guard immediately bowed his head. "M-my apologies! I think there’s been a misunderstanding. My junior doesn’t know how to speak properly." He grabbed the younger guard’s arm. "We’ll be on our way. You can... report however you like."

Without waiting for Ezra’s reply, the guards scrambled back into their armored vehicles and drove off, leaving a trail of dust behind.

Ezra exhaled slowly, then turned to Renji, Dravis, and Xavier. His tone sharpened. "This has to stay quiet. No one outside must know about the mine. Renji, contact your family—tell them to send people here to inspect. Meanwhile, I’ll set up a protective formation."

His gaze shifted to Dravis and Xavier. "You two, head to the registering guild. Use your father’s name—or my master’s, whichever works. I’ll call my master myself. The mine will be officially recorded under our three names: Renji, Dravis, and me. Understood?"

Everyone nodded firmly. Without wasting another second, they split up, each moving with a sense of urgency and purpose.

_____________________

Meanwhile, on Daelen’s side—

Daelen and Marcus emerged from their dungeon gate, weapons still dripping with monster blood. Marcus stretched his arms with a laugh.

"Haha! First rank, baby! No one’s beating us this time!"

Daelen, who for once wasn’t gloomy, actually smiled. The system no longer flashing death warnings had lifted his mood. "Yeah... feels good not having disaster breathing down our necks for once."

Evlyne stomped her boots, waving her hands dramatically. "Ugh! Forget rankings—why the hell do all these monsters smell like rotting toilets mixed with dead fish?"

Lyria gagged, covering her nose. "Seriously. If I puke one more time in a dungeon, I’m retiring and opening a flower shop."

Marcus smirked. "Haha, weak ladies. Can’t even handle a little monster odor?"

Evlyne’s eyes flared. "Little? Marcus, that thing literally farted poison gas when it died. You almost fainted too, don’t act tough!"

Lyria joined in, deadpan. "Yeah, I clearly remember you rolling on the ground like a dying beetle. Very heroic."

Marcus blinked, then puffed his chest. "T-that was a tactical roll. Part of my strategy."

Daelen finally let out a rare chuckle. "Sure. Strategy. Next time, try not to scream ’MY LUNGS’ while doing it."

Marcus froze, then scowled as the three of them burst into laughter at his expense.

"Not funny!" Marcus barked, but his ears had gone red.

Evlyne leaned closer with a sly grin. "Oh, it’s hilarious. Don’t worry, Marcus—we’ll carve it onto your tombstone. Here lies Marcus. Died bravely fighting... bad smells."

"Shut up!" Marcus snapped, stomping off, but his teammates’ laughter only grew louder, echoing through the valley.

______________

Elsewhere, in a place untouched by light...

A lone figure emerged from the shadows, kneeling before a man seated casually on an obsidian chair. His voice was hushed, reverent.

"Master... why did we withdraw from abducting that boy, Daelen Voncrest? We had prepared everything."

The man leaned back, his face veiled by darkness, music faintly echoing from a gramophone beside him. His voice was low, deliberate.

"Hmm... we will strike again. But not yet. For now, make Daelen lonely. Separate him from his companions. Break his mind first—his body will follow."

The kneeling figure raised his head slightly. "Who shall I use, master?"

The man’s lips curled into something between a smile and a sneer.

"Use anyone you wish. I care only for results."

The shadow bowed deeply, then dissolved into the darkness like smoke.

The chamber fell silent, until a pale shaft of moonlight pierced through a high window, casting its glow on the man’s face. Black hair shimmered in silver light, eyes deeper than the abyss, skin pale as bone.

He was none other than Vorthas Vel Azriel—a name whispered like a curse.

A man who should not have existed... yet here he was, in this world.

Suddenly, another figure appeared beside him without sound—the very man Vorthas had once saved from death. His name: Kaelen Duskbane.

Kaelen’s tone was doubtful, yet curious.

"So... are we truly recruiting Daelen Voncrest as the Tenth Captain? He’s weak—barely Rank 3. Potential, yes... but potential alone cannot fight wars."

Vorthas chuckled, his voice smooth as poison.

"Exactly. Potential. That is what we are recruiting. We are still growing, Kaelen. Years will pass before we ascend to Rank 9 and unleash our grand design. Until then, we will gather every spark of talent this world offers."

Kaelen frowned. "And if Daelen refuses?"

Vorthas’s smile widened, eyes glimmering with unsettling certainty.

"He won’t refuse. He can’t. Because... he and I share the same origin. The same planet."

The room chilled instantly, as if the moonlight itself recoiled.