With a loud grinding sound, the ancient gate finally opened halfway.
A cold wind drifted out from the darkness beyond.
The air felt different.
Older.
Heavier.
Avdhoot slowly stepped closer, raising his small fire sphere again.
The light illuminated the chamber beyond.
What they saw made everyone freeze.
It wasn't another cave.
It was a ruin.
A massive underground hall carved from perfectly cut black stone.
Broken pillars lined the chamber.
Ancient statues stood along the walls, though most had collapsed with age.
Strange glowing crystals hung from the ceiling, casting faint blue light across the room.
Manaswini whispered softly.
"…This is impossible."
Raivan walked forward cautiously.
"This place looks like an ancient research hall."
Priya scratched her head.
"You mean like… a wizard lab?"
"Something like that."
Avdhoot stepped inside slowly.
His footsteps echoed across the ancient floor.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The chamber was enormous.
At least fifty meters wide.
In the center stood a large circular platform covered in intricate mana inscriptions.
But the inscriptions were damaged.
Broken.
As if something had violently destroyed the formation long ago.
Manaswini walked around the platform carefully.
"These inscriptions… they're not modern spell structures."
Raivan examined the nearby wall carvings.
"They're older."
"Much older."
Priya crossed her arms.
"So… ancient secret dungeon lab."
"Cool."
Then she pointed at something.
"Also creepy."
Everyone looked.
At the far end of the chamber stood something strange.
A stone throne.
Carved directly from the wall.
But the throne wasn't empty.
Something sat on it.
Avdhoot slowly approached.
His fire sphere brightened.
Revealing the figure clearly.
It was a skeleton.
But not an ordinary one.
The bones were covered with ancient armour fragments.
A cracked crown rested on the skull.
In its skeletal hand was a long, black staff.
Manaswini whispered.
"…A mage."
Raivan nodded.
"Possibly the creator of this place."
Priya looked around nervously.
"Okay, but… why do I feel like we just walked into the boss room of a nightmare?"
Avdhoot studied the skeleton carefully.
Something about it felt… wrong.
Too intact.
Too preserved.
As if time had forgotten it.
Then suddenly—
The runes across the chamber floor began glowing again.
Brighter than before.
Manaswini's voice trembled.
"…That's not good."
The skeleton's staff slowly lifted.
Dust fell from its bones.
The skull tilted slightly.
Then two faint blue lights ignited inside its empty eye sockets.
Priya groaned.
"Oh, come on."
The skeleton stood up.
Ancient armour clattered as it moved.
Its voice echoed through the chamber.
Dry.
Ancient.
"…Intruders."
The temperature in the room dropped instantly.
Cold mana filled the air.
Raivan tightened his grip on his sword.
"…An undead mage."
Manaswini's face turned pale.
"No."
"…Something worse."
The skeletal figure slowly raised its staff.
"Those who enter the sealed hall…"
"…shall not leave alive."
Priya cracked her knuckles again despite exhaustion.
"Well."
"That's unfortunate."
Avdhoot stepped forward slightly.
His dagger lowered into combat stance.
His body was already tired.
His mana reserves were nearly drained.
But his eyes remained steady.
Because he knew one thing clearly.
This battle—
Would be far more dangerous than the Behemoth.
And they had almost no strength left.
The undead mage's staff glowed with ancient power.
Then it spoke again.
"Let us test…"
"…whether this era still produces warriors worthy of survival."
Mana erupted across the chamber.
The true trial had begun.
[End of Chapter 31]