The Amazon Jungle. Some refer to it as the lungs of the Earth. Not only is it the largest generator of oxygen on the planet, but it also holds countless secrets hidden beneath its sea of green.
Over the years, many have ventured into its depths—some in search of forgotten civilizations, others simply to study its teeming wildlife, hoping to discover a new species.
Everyone comes with different motives.
Among them is a world-famous explorer: Asvaran Orrakos.
A Japanese orphan by birth, he named himself—because the name sounded cool and, in his own words, "farmed aura on its own." A college dropout turned global sensation, Asvaran is also a social influencer with more than 41.3 million followers across platforms.
He's just an average Japanese guy. Average height. Average looks. A young man in his early twenties. But it's not his appearance that grabs people—it's his content.
Unlike most explorers who stick to one field, Asvaran is versatile. If something has history, mystery, or even a hint of the supernatural—he's on it.
And he has undeniable talent.
He ventures into haunted places to try and talk to ghosts. He follows strange signals despite trembling with fear. He dives into the unknown and, more often than not, finds answers.
Where others stop, he digs deeper. Where others are satisfied with rumors, he finds the truth. That's why people follow him.
Most mysteries remain unsolved. Not his. He tracks them to the root—and delivers closure.
This time, Asvaran came to the Amazon hoping to uncover new insight into the life of the ancient Casarabe ruins. But instead, he found something else entirely.
An uncharted part of the jungle.
Not literally uncharted—there are satellite images on Google Earth—but the view from above misses it entirely. A shadow, a gap. Something you'd dismiss as unremarkable.
And honestly, he almost did too. He was nearby and thought, Why not check it out?
What he discovered wasn't just surprising—it was electrifying. His pulse quickened as he stared at the hidden marvel right in front of him. Not from fear, but from something deeper:
The thrill of discovery.
He sat still, catching his breath, sweat trailing down his cheeks. His eyes wide with focus. A small, irrepressible smile crept across his face. The kind of smile that only true explorers wear—the moment they realize they've stumbled upon the unknown.
'Ah~ This is why I love exploring. This feeling… this awe of uncovering something ancient… and sharing it with the world. Just amazing.'
The sunlight, filtered through dense trees, was still high in the sky. He checked his surroundings.
"Good,"
He muttered.
"Let's get down and see what this place has to offer. Man, I'm so nervous."
He pulled out his climbing gear and tied a strong rope to a sturdy tree. Everything was top-notch. He never compromised on equipment.
'I don't want to die down here. Not like this. Not alone. And not where no one will find me. That would be too tragic. But still… I can't stop either.'
He approached a perfectly circular formation on the ground. Too precise to be natural. The vines made it hard to see, but when he circled around it earlier, he was stunned. A perfect ring.
He had then gone to the nearby chasm to get a clearer view.
That's when he saw it.
And his heart skipped a beat—not from fear, but pure awe.
'A temple... I found an ancient temple!!'
Excitement surged through him, washing away the fatigue. The structure below was clearly ancient—its stone overrun with moss, its design assaulted by time. But it stood tall. Pillars still holding. Proud. Defiant.
This was just the entrance. The rest of the temple was carved into the chasm wall. A small turquoise lake pooled at the bottom, and a stone staircase led up from the water to the temple gate.
'What kind of civilization had the skill to do this? How long would it have taken to carve a perfect circle above the temple to let light in? How much time… how much effort...?'
He climbed down slowly, halfway into the chasm, and glanced upward. Light barely trickled through—but it was just enough. The purpose of the circle was clear now.
'They even decorated it? How?'
He switched on the light on his helmet, and what he saw froze him midair.
There were carvings inside the ring. Ornate, complex, ancient. Weathered by time, but unmistakably deliberate. The art was mostly unrecognizable—but his camera captured everything.
He didn't comment. Not yet. He wanted to do a proper intro once he reached the bottom.
After a few more seconds of silent admiration, he continued down.
The rope was long enough, and he had backups. Safety first. Always.
Finally, his feet touched solid stone—a staircase leading to the temple. He exhaled and looked around, mouth slightly open in awe. Removing his helmet and gear for better mobility, he pulled out a handheld camera and flashlight, tucking the latter into his side pocket.
He turned the camera on.
"Welcome back, guys, to another exciting adventure. I'm your host, Asvaran Orrakos. And I might be the first person in modern history to set foot in this place."
He turned the camera to the cavern around him.
"Look at that."
He gestured wide.
"This was hiding in plain sight—and we missed it. Even with satellites. But it makes sense. Look at the vines."
He pointed the camera upward.
"I originally came here to follow traces of the Casarabe ruins, but… this doesn't match their layout. It's something else. Maybe even older."
He now spoke directly to the lens as he descended the stone steps. His English was fluent, almost native-like. He'd learned it to connect with a global audience—because English, as he put it, was "the language everyone knows a little of."
"Honestly,"
He said, catching his breath,
"I wouldn't have found it either if I hadn't marked this chasm last time. It's near my previous site—just a few kilometers away. I came here on a hunch. Didn't expect this."
He chuckled softly.
"When I first saw the circle, I thought, 'Wait… this isn't natural, is it?' Then I checked the satellite view again—and yeah. It's nearly impossible to spot from the sky."
He reached the bottom of the stairs. There was a small platform, possibly used for disembarking from boats. Everything was being recorded.
He crouched by the lake. The water was cold, but crystal clear. It didn't feel stagnant—in fact, it smelled sweet.
His brows furrowed in surprise. He dipped his fingers in, raised a handful, and sniffed.
His eyes widened.
It smelled like sugar water. Pure and raw. Almost too pure.
He dipped his tongue.
!!!
"Guys…"
He whispered, stunned.
"I think I just found the largest sweet water source in the Amazon. This water is literally sweet. How… how is this even possible?"
He looked toward the sunlit patch of water. The colour was brilliant turquoise. It looked dirty from above. But down here? It glowed.
His heart pounded in his chest. Mouth slightly open.
*HUFF~*
He took a breath, unscrewed his water bottle, and poured out the contents into the lake.
*Splash~*
He watched the clean water resist merging—then dissolve instantly into the turquoise glow.
He filled his bottle again and drank deeply.
*Gulp~ Gulp~ Ahh~*
"This is insane. It's like drinking sugar water—but without the artificial taste. It's just… perfect. Mmmhm~ be jealous, guys. Hehe~."
He grinned teasingly at the camera.
He sat there for a while, soaking it all in. Above, the blue sky shone—but none of the warmth reached this hidden pocket. It felt like looking out from a sealed, forgotten world.
His chest felt heavy. Like something ancient was watching.
*HOOH~*
He exhaled softly. Then stood, eyes fixed on the temple.
"Alright. Get ready, guys… It's time for the real deal."
He turned the camera toward the ancient gate.
And walked forward.
-To Be Continued