The forest didn't go back to normal.
Even after the Dire Fang fell…Even after the noise of battle faded…
Something was off.
The air felt heavier.
Quieter.
Like the Emerald Verge itself was listening.
Tok…
No one spoke this time.
All eyes were on the ruins.
Tok… Tok…
It came again.
Clear.
Measured.
Not random.
Not the shifting of stone or roots.
It was deliberate.
Takemi slowly stood, brushing dirt off his clothes.
"…That's definitely not just in my head."
Rauk crossed his arms, staring toward the broken platform.
"…Something's hitting it from below."
Lira shook her head slightly.
"No."
They both looked at her.
"It's not hitting randomly," she said.
Her voice was calm—but tighter than usual.
"It's patterned."
Takemi frowned.
"…Patterned how?"
She listened.
Carefully.
The forest went quiet again.
Then—
Tok… Tok… Tok…
A pause.
Then—
Tok.
Lira's expression shifted slightly.
"…It's trying to communicate."
A few students immediately stiffened.
"Communicate?" one of them whispered.
"With what?" another asked.
No one answered.
Because the answer was obvious.
With them.
The instructor stepped forward, his expression serious now.
"Everyone, stay back from the ruins."
No one argued this time.
Even the more curious students kept their distance.
Takemi didn't move though.
His eyes were still locked on the stone platform.
"…It started after the fight."
The instructor nodded.
"Yes."
Takemi tightened his grip on the handle.
"…After I pulled this out."
That made the instructor look at him.
"Explain."
Takemi hesitated.
Then exhaled.
"…There was a chamber under the platform."
Rauk blinked.
"You went down there?!"
"Yeah, didn't really have time to ask permission."
"…You're insane."
"Yeah, I heard that already."
Lira stepped closer.
"What did you find?"
Takemi held up the handle.
"This."
Silence.
The group stared at it again.
The same question hanging in everyone's mind.
What is that thing?
Takemi looked back at the ruins.
"…And now something down there is knocking like it wants attention."
"We should leave."
The voice came from one of the students.
Firm.
Nervous.
"But loud enough.
"That thing killed a Dire Fang. That's already beyond a normal expedition."
Another nodded quickly.
"And now there's something underground? That's—no. That's not part of the mission."
Rauk didn't disagree.
"…They're not wrong."
Lira looked toward the ruins again.
"But if this place is undocumented—"
"That's exactly why we shouldn't mess with it," Rauk cut in.
The argument started building.
Quiet at first.
Then louder.
Curiosity.
Fear.
Responsibility.
Takemi didn't join in.
He just listened.
And watched the ruins.
Tok.
Louder this time.
Closer.
Dust shifted slightly along the cracked platform.
Takemi's eyes narrowed.
"…It's getting stronger."
The instructor raised his hand.
"Enough."
Silence fell instantly.
He looked at the group.
"We are not opening anything tonight."
A few students visibly relaxed.
"We will secure the area and report this to the academy."
No one argued.
That was the safest call.
The logical one.
The right one.
But—
Tok.
Takemi's grip tightened again.
Because whatever was down there…
Wasn't going to wait forever.
Later that night, the group reestablished camp—this time farther from the ruins.
No one complained.
Even the fire felt smaller.
Quieter.
Like no one wanted to draw attention.
Takemi sat a little apart from the others.
The handle rested across his lap.
He stared at it.
"…What are you?"
No answer.
Of course.
He exhaled.
Then leaned back slightly, looking up at the sky.
"…That guy said I was weak."
He let out a small laugh.
"…Not wrong."
He lifted the handle slightly.
"…But you're not exactly easy to use either."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
A faint flicker.
Just for a split second.
A thin line of light extended from the handle—
Then disappeared.
Takemi blinked.
"…Huh."
Footsteps approached.
Lira sat down beside him.
"…You're not sleeping either."
Takemi shook his head.
"Nah."
She looked at the handle.
"Can I see it?"
Takemi hesitated.
Then handed it over.
Lira held it carefully.
Studied it.
"…There's no mana flow."
Takemi blinked.
"What?"
"It's not like normal weapons," she explained. "No enchantment. No active energy."
She turned it slightly.
"…But it reacted to you."
Takemi took it back.
"…Yeah."
Silence settled between them.
Then Lira spoke again.
"…When you fought…"
She paused.
"…It didn't feel like you were just swinging randomly."
Takemi looked at his hand.
"…Didn't feel random either."
More like—
Something guiding him.
Not controlling.
Just… nudging.
He shook his head.
"…Still almost died though."
Lira didn't smile.
"…But you didn't."
Far from the fire.
Far from the students.
The ruins stood silent once more.
The cracked stone platform sat unmoving.
Still.
Quiet.
Then—
A thin line formed across one of the cracks.
Barely visible.
Like something inside was pushing upward.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Waiting.
Back at camp, Takemi finally lay down.
The handle rested beside him.
Within reach.
His body ached.
Every muscle heavy.
But his mind—
Still turning.
The ruins.
The weapon.
The thing below.
Tok…
He closed his eyes.
"…Tomorrow's gonna be worse."
And deep beneath the stone—
Something agreed.