Branches whipped his face. He did not look back. The trees were a green blur ahead of him as his legs pounded over a hill, past roots and rocks.
And suddenly, all at once—
The ground gave way.
He fell.
Thud.
Pain. Dirt. A shaft of pain in his ribs.
He grunted and sat up.
He had fallen through a thinned-out patch of ground and into what seemed to be—stone?
A ruin. Ancient, buried beneath time and nature.
He rose to his feet slowly and looked around. It wasn't big—more of a fallen chamber, with symbols half-buried in the walls.
System Message: Area Discovered — "Forgotten Sanctum."
Do you want to sync with the environment?
Y/N
".Yes?"
Environment Sync complete. Unlocking field data…
Mini-Dungeon Unlocked: "The Root-Tomb" (Status: Inactive)
You are not yet burdened with the curse in this land.
".What does that mean?"
No answer. Only silence.
And above—no chase in view.
But Elias was smart enough to realize he wasn't the only one.