Chapter 597: Into the inner ring
The battle outside the outer walls grew so intense that even Janus and Agamenon’s teams felt it from where they stood, far within the city. Although the runic formation on the outer gates had not been simple, the Runic Masters on Valeria, Scipius, and Cato’s side should have managed to overcome it fairly easily—especially considering it had already been opened once.
However, as the men and women of Janus and Agamenon’s squads took in the sounds of distant combat, a knowing light appeared in their eyes. They turned in unison to look at Vlad and Tyron, remembering how these two Runic Masters had tampered with the formation just before sealing the gates behind them. At the time, everyone assumed it was a waste of time, but now, they realized how cleverly Vlad and Tyron had rigged the formation. Awe and admiration flashed across their faces.
Janus and Agamenon could not suppress broad smiles of pride, silently congratulating themselves for choosing such capable Runic Masters. Even though they had not explicitly asked the pair to sabotage the gates for their pursuers, Vlad and Tyron had taken it upon themselves to ensure Valeria, Scipius, and Cato would face a nasty surprise, delaying them even further.
Oblivious to the attention and praise, Vlad and Tyron were in the final stages of unraveling the inner gate’s runic formation. Their entire focus lay in the intricate webs of glowing lines pulsing with ancient power. Sweat beaded on both of their foreheads, and their eyes had grown bloodshot from the intense concentration.
At last, the runic lines flared with one final burst of brilliance. A collective smile spread across the faces of the onlookers as the massive gates began to slide apart, revealing the entrance to the inner ring.
The moment the gates opened, everyone was greeted by a scene that defied their expectations. Where the outer ring had shown clear signs of decay—crumbling buildings and shattered streets—the inner ring still gleamed with a vestige of its former glory.
Tall, pristine structures rose on either side of broad avenues, each building constructed from a material that resembled white marble infused with a faint, otherworldly glow. Even from a distance, the energy in this area felt remarkably dense, pooling in the atmosphere like shimmering fog.
A single breath in this place made them feel slightly stronger—their internal power stirred as though responding to the energy saturating the air. One could easily imagine that spending just a few years cultivating here would push a Sage’s energy reserves to unfathomable limits.
But they all knew they had little time. The entire expedition was constrained by the portal that would close in less than two days, cutting them off from the outside world.