Screech…!
"Did you hear that?" Wang Xiao's voice broke through the peaceful silence as the unsettling sound echoed around them.
He had been showing i around when a small, eyeless creature resembling a rabbit hopped toward them.
i had been gently petting it when the ground beneath them began to tremble, a deep rumble that sent ripples of unease through the air.
"What?" i straightened, her hand falling away as the rabbit-like creature scurried off, its instincts warning it of the upcoming danger.
She glanced at Wang Xiao, who was already scanning their surroundings, his gaze sharp and alert.
"It's harpies," Eveline muttered, her tone carrying an edge of disdain as she turned her attention toward the entrance where Yue and Anran had disappeared.
The air charged with an ominous energy, as if the very atmosphere was bracing for sothing terrible.
"Stay here. I'll go and get them," Eveline ordered, her voice firm.
She hadn't forgotten the reason for her release, and now was the ti to fulfill her role.
Without hesitation, she began to move.
Wang Xiao nodded, a spark of anticipation in his eyes.
He had long wondered how Eveline fought—now he would see for himself.
Screech… Screech…
The harpies' cries grew louder, their voices rging into a cry of bloodlust.
The ground beneath the ruins shook violently as shadows began to pour out from the underground passage.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Out of the darkness, a horde of harpies erged—monstrous creatures with the bodies of eagles and the heads of savage won.
SCRECCHHHHHHHH!
Their talons glead like razors, and their eyes, filled with murderous intent, locked onto their prey.
"Those are—" i gasped, her voice trembling as she witnessed the terrifying horrendous sight.
More than fifteen harpies had already burst from the stairway, their numbers multiplying with each heartbeat, like a swarm from the depths of hell.
Wang Xiao turned to Eveline, half-expecting her to spring into action.
But she stood still, her golden hair gleaming like threads of sunlight woven into a crown.
Her eyes narrowed, a fierce light kindling within them.
Then, in one smooth, graceful motion, Eveline extended her hand.
Tremble…
The very air around them seed to ripple as a golden bow materialized in her grasp, shimring with an ethereal glow.
As she drew the string back, an arrow of pure azure energy took form, crackling with an intense, barely-contained power.
The atmosphere buzzed with electricity, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
SCREECH!
The harpies, sensing the imnse danger, screeched in fury and lunged forward, a chaotic, bloodthirsty swarm.
i instinctively clung to Wang Xiao, her heart pounding in her chest.
"A single bow and arrow?" Wang Xiao muttered, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity. "How could that possibly be enough…?"
But Eveline remained composed, her expression serene, almost divine, as she released the arrow.
Swoooooosh!
The mont it left the bowstring, the arrow transford into a streak of blinding light, a cot of searing blue energy that ripped through the air with a sound like a roaring inferno.
CRACK!
BOOM!
The first harpy's head was obliterated in a violent explosion of blood and brain matter, the sheer impact sending shockwaves that shook the ground.
The creature's body disintegrated into a spray of blood, its remains scattering across the grass field, painting it red.
But the arrow didn't stop.
Siwhs!
It tore through the horde with the speed and precision of a lightning bolt, changing direction in an instant, targeting harpy after harpy with deadly accuracy.
Screech—!
Screech—!
Screech—!
Each harpy was struck down in the sa brutal fashion, their heads exploding in a shower of blood and flesh.
The arrow blazed through them, leaving nothing but dismbered limbs and splatters of dark red staining the ancient ground.
The air was filled instantly filled with the sickening stench of burning flesh and the tallic tang of blood.
Wang Xiao's eyes were wide with awe and sothing akin to understanding.
Eveline wasn't just fighting—she was annihilating.
The arrow was a deadly weapon like spear, but rather than hand she using the bow to launch it.
The ease with which she unleashed such devastating power, the grace in her movents as she wielded the bow, was nothing short of divine.
As the last harpy was torn apart, its body reduced to a sar of blood on the ground, the arrow finally dissipated with a thunderous boom, echoing through the ruins like a final, triumphant note.
The once-crowded passage was now eerily silent, the harpies gone as if they had never existed.
Eveline didn't pause to admire her handiwork.
Her golden hair flowed behind her like a river of molten gold as she rushed toward the entrance where Yue and Anran had gone, her figure a blur of speed and precision.
Within seconds, she was gone, swallowed by the darkness beyond.
Wang Xiao and i stood silent, still processing what they had just witnessed.
i's hands trembled, the intensity of the scene leaving her shaken, while Wang Xiao's thoughts raced, trying to grasp the full extent of Eveline's power.
She wasn't just great—she was a force of nature, a living embodint of divine wrath.
Compared to the Deviants he had clashed with in the past, these techniques were on an entirely different level—polished and honed to near perfection.
Each movent flowed like a masterful brushstroke on a canvas, executed with an almost divine precision.
This wasn't just combat; it was an art form, an art of hunting where not a drop of strength was wasted.
Every strike was deliberate, calculated, and efficient. No energy was expended in vain; every ounce of power was harnessed with ruthless intent.
"Cough… Cough… Why is it so dark down there?" a sudden voice from behind them broke the silence, frustration evident in her tone.
Crash!
Then, there was a loud crack as the pillar behind them collapsed.
From within the rubble, Anran erged, her breath ragged.
She wiped soot from her brow and forced a smile. "It's not as bad as it looks," she said, though her voice wavered slightly.
Behind her, Yue stumbled out, her once pristine cheeks now marred by streaks of charcoal, giving her a surprisingly bashful appearance.
"Oh, you're back," Wang Xiao muttered absentmindedly, barely glancing their way. His eyes were focused on sothing else entirely.
He wasn't really worried about thier safety, afterall, the exit is in the opposite direction.
"Look at this!" Anran exclaid, pulling a thick rope taut as she heaved sothing into view.
With a heavy thud, a large stone rolled onto the ground, its surface covered in intricate patterns that seed to shimr in the dim light.
Yue peered over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. "This… what is it? So sort of ancient device?"
Wang Xiao, who had been silently observing the stone until now, stepped closer. "I can't decipher these patterns. But there's no doubt—it's not just any stone. It's a chanism of so sort."
Anran nodded. "That's what I thought too. It's circular, like that artifact we saw at the auction. But look here—these patterns are different. They're… more complex."
Wang Xiao finally turned his gaze towards the stone, his brow furrowing in contemplation.
He reached out, tracing a finger over the intricate lines.
They were cold to the touch, yet there was a faint hum of energy beneath the surface, like a heartbeat waiting to be awakened.
But the stone remained silent, as if sothing crucial was missing?
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