After his mana had recovered, Ash teleported above a large stone slab that rested right on top of the massive stone door.
He appeared without making a single sound, completely silent, as if he were a ghost.
Absolute Concealment was already active, cloaking his body so well that even the air didn't seem to notice him.
There was a small gap between the two sections of the enormous stone door. It was narrow, but just enough for him to peek through, like a tiny window, revealing a limited view of what was on the other side.
It reminded him of the size of a keyhole, offering only a partial glimpse into the mysterious chamber within.
Carefully observing the darkness behind the door through the gap, Ash locked onto what he could see and teleported inside.
As soon as he arrived inside the room, his instincts kicked in.
Without wasting a second, he moved behind a nearby pillar and kept himself completely hidden.
No one noticed his presence. He remained undetected and, for now at least, he was safe.
Ash slowly turned his gaze around the chamber, taking in the sight before him—and what he saw filled his heart with a quiet awe and a deep, almost sacred reverence.
The floor beneath him was made of deep black obsidian, polished so well it reflected faint glimmers of golden light from the carvings engraved into it.
Each golden line formed symbols and patterns that pulsed faintly with forgotten magic.
The ceiling above arched high in a grand, curved shape that reminded him of a dragon's ribcage—its bones holding the very weight of this massive space, giving off the feeling of being inside a sleeping beast.
This has to be space magic…
Ash thought silently to himself. From the outside, this place hadn't looked so huge, but now that he was standing within it, the interior was far too vast to fit the structure's outward size.
It was a space far larger than it should've been, clearly expanded with powerful spatial enchantments.
Statues of dragons stood all around the grand hall. Each one was tall and imposing, captured in heroic poses that celebrated their strength and pride.
These weren't ordinary dragons; these were the legends of their kind, carved in stone with intricate detail that told stories of wars, victories, and dominance.
They were clearly the strongest warriors of their race.
Ash moved ahead, step by step, slow and careful.
His clothing shifted its color and pattern with the surroundings, adjusting in real time to help him blend into the environment even better.
It was like he wasn't walking at all, but gliding as a shadow over ancient ground.
There's no one here…
He thought while scanning the area.
His eyes kept looking left and right, searching for something valuable—anything hidden that might have been worth the effort of this trip.
Eventually, he reached the far end of the huge hall, and there at the center of it all, his eyes landed on a throne.
It was no ordinary seat of power.
The throne was made of pure gold, gleaming with a brilliance that almost felt alive. It stood high above the ground, its structure shaped like rising dragon wings, with sharp lines and curling designs that resembled fire and scales.
Mysterious symbols glowed faintly across its armrests and back, giving the feeling that the throne wasn't just meant for sitting—but for ruling over all who dared enter this sacred place.
It looked like it belonged to a king among dragons.
At the base of the stairs leading up to the throne, something massive lay resting.
It was a dragon.
The creature had shimmering silver scales that glowed softly in the dim light. Its body was as long as a two-story building, stretched out across the polished floor.
Thick silver horns curved backward from its head, sharp and clean like forged blades.
Its wings were folded gently against its sides, but even in that resting position, they seemed heavy with power.
Its tail coiled loosely around the platform, and the air around its sleeping form trembled with magical pressure.
Looks strong… Ash thought to himself,
Yet despite the size and mystery of the chamber, there was nothing else visible—no piles of treasure, no glowing artifacts.
Just a majestic golden throne.
And a dragon guarding it.
There has to be something more hidden here, Ash thought, narrowing his eyes.
It doesn't make sense for a space this large, and guarded by such a powerful dragon, to exist for no reason.
He teleported back to the starting point and began to carefully examine every detail of his surroundings with the help of Omni Thought.
Two hours passed as he methodically searched the area, but despite his efforts, he found nothing unusual.
Ash's mental strength had grown tremendously by now. After spending so much time in deep silence and solitude, he no longer struggled with maintaining focus for extended periods.
Using Omni Thought for such a long time was no longer a challenge, and he felt calm and steady throughout, as if his mental fortitude was too high now.
Once again, he made his way toward the stairs that led up to the throne.
It looks like the only thing of value here is that throne itself, or maybe it hides some kind of secret passage. Either way, I'll have to be very careful.
As he glanced at the sleeping dragon with his emotionless, dead eyes, a strange thought crossed his mind.
Dragon meat… would it taste good?
He quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.
What am I even thinking right now? I guess it's because I haven't eaten in a long time. I really need to find something to eat later.
Focusing back on the throne, he willed himself to teleport a short distance away to a pillar near the throne.
In an instant, he vanished from his previous spot and reappeared next to the pillar.
I thought there would be some kind of magical barrier here, but it seems the dragon is too confident in its strength, or maybe there really isn't anything valuable here.
Just then, he noticed something behind the throne and moved slightly to get a clearer look.
Is that a gap?
There was a small space behind the throne. The stone wall behind it appeared ordinary at first, nothing special to see. But Ash's instincts told him otherwise.
He sent out a thin wisp of his willpower to explore the space behind the throne.
He had practiced this while inheriting the memories of Dark Ash, learning to extend his will as a subtle probe to detect things.
Though still developing, this new skill was already helping him uncover secrets.
There's definitely a passage back here, and the throne itself is the door.
So that's how it was hidden all along.
It was clever—no one would expect the throne to be anything other than a symbol of power. Anyone who wanted to enter would have to turn the throne, no matter what.
And the moment that happened…
The dragon would wake up.
But, a great thief has come, and I don't think it will stop me, Ash thought with a dark, creepy smile that looked like the shadowy version of himself.
His mental state was something to worry about—he might be able to show some emotions, or maybe he just didn't feel like showing them. Sometimes, when he did, it was like a girl caught in mood swings, unpredictable and wild.
What he gained from inheriting those memories was control over his emotions.
Many would think this is a good thing, but it was mostly control over the negative emotions, not the positive ones.
And the emotions he did show were bound to be amplified to their highest degree. and somewhat twisted. He will need time and warmth of others to return back as he was previously.
He pulled a small rock from his pocket and moved slowly toward the throne. Thanks to Absolute Concealment, every trace of him—his footsteps, breathing, life force, everything from A to Z—was perfectly hidden. He reached the throne without making a sound.
Carefully, he slipped the rock into the narrow gap behind the throne, pushing it inside the hidden passage. But the gap was small, barely wide enough for a finger, so the rock clattered down the stairs inside.
Clank!!
The noise was soft but enough.
The moment the sound echoed, Ash vanished instantly. The dragon's eyes snapped open, glowing with fierce golden light as it stared toward the throne.
Intruder...? the ancient dragon wondered, his gaze piercing into the throne, searching the hidden passage.
Hmm...? No one...?
Then, a small snake slithered over the stones, knocking a few loose rocks down.
Snakes. Looks like I'll have to tell the childrens to clean this place. The snakes are coming back...
And this place is filled with detection magic and space-blocking magic. No one can come here unannounced…
With that, the elder dragon slowly closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
It was the true superiority of the Runes that allowed Ash to come here undetected—after all, how could space-restricting magic actually bind the very essence of SPACE itself? That would be like asking a one-year-old child to earn money and support their parents.
Meanwhile, hidden behind a rock along the stairway leading downward, Ash let out a slow breath, relief flooding him.
At the same time, in his mind, something dark and twisted stirred.
This thrill of dodging life-or-death situations is fun, but since I can't actually die, it makes things less exciting... Life is getting boring. I need to seek more thrill.
Whatever it was, at least he was happier than before—finding joy in things that might seem creepy to others.
And somewhere far beyond the story, the Author looked sideways, bracing for impact.....knowing full well the readers were about to throw their phones.
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