Jade and Aaron continued walking deeper into the ancient ruin.
The corridor had become narrower, darker, and far colder than before. Black flames flickered weakly along the walls, casting distorted shadows that moved unnaturally across the stone floor.
The deeper they went…
The more the fear inside the ruin intensified.
Even breathing felt heavier now.
Jade could feel the suppression pressing harder against his body. His Ice Vine moved sluggishly beneath his skin, and even circulating energy had become difficult.
Still—
They continued forward.
Then suddenly—
A cry echoed through the ruin.
A woman's cry.
Filled with pain.
Filled with despair.
Aaron's eyes widened instantly.
"Sarah!"
Boom!
Without hesitation, Aaron exploded forward at unbelievable speed.
Jade's eyes widened in shock.
Their powers were suppressed inside the ruin.
So how was Aaron still moving that fast?
Aaron became a blur.
His feet barely touched the ground as he rushed through the corridor like a streak of darkness.
"Aaron—!"
Jade immediately chased after him.
The corridor ahead suddenly split into a dead end with a single right turn.
Aaron turned instantly.
Then—
BOOM!
A terrifying impact shook the entire ruin.
The walls trembled violently.
Stone cracked.
Dust exploded into the air.
And Aaron—
Was blasted backward like a cannonball.
His body smashed into the wall with horrifying force.
Crack!
The stone wall caved inward.
Jade's eyes narrowed immediately.
Anything capable of blasting Aaron away so effortlessly…
Was dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
Jade instantly activated Shadow Halo.
A dark halo appeared silently above his head, blending perfectly into the surrounding darkness. His presence weakened instantly until he almost disappeared from perception.
At the same time—
His Ice Vine silently extended into the shadows.
The crystalline vines crawled across the ground like hidden snakes, concealed completely by darkness.
No sound.
No movement.
Completely hidden.
Jade narrowed his eyes carefully.
He did not attack immediately.
Instead—
He began preparing.
Cold aura slowly flowed through the hidden vines.
Very slowly.
Very carefully.
The freezing energy accumulated silently within the darkness.
The cold became stronger.
And stronger.
Frost quietly spread across the hidden crystalline thorns.
Snow particles drifted faintly through the shadows.
Jade's hair gradually turned pale as icy particles formed around him.
Then—
Something massive emerged from the darkness.
Jade's pupils contracted.
A giant ant queen stepped forward slowly.
The creature was horrifying.
Its body was enormous, almost large enough to fill the entire corridor. Black armor covered its body like metal plates, while crimson veins pulsed beneath its shell.
Its eyes glowed dark purple.
Its massive jaws dripped steaming venom onto the floor.
And surrounding it—
Were countless tiny flying ants.
Each ant possessed sharp wings and needle-like legs.
The sound of their wings filled the ruin like endless buzzing blades.
The moment the ants appeared—
They immediately rushed toward Aaron.
Because they could not sense Jade.
Aaron slowly stood up from the shattered wall.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
But his expression remained cold.
Then—
A bright radiance exploded from his body.
Purple light covered his skin instantly.
Aaron's physique transformed.
His body became smoother and stronger, almost resembling polished diamond while still maintaining human appearance.
Purple mist spread outward from him.
The aura weakened the movements of the flying ants immediately.
Their wings slowed.
Their speed decreased.
Aaron's eyes glowed purple.
Then—
The ant queen raised one enormous leg.
And slammed it onto the ground.
BOOM!
Aaron's instincts screamed danger.
He leaped backward instantly.
At first—
He thought the creature controlled earth or stone.
But he was wrong.
The moment the leg struck the ground—
The ant queen opened its jaws.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
A horrifying scream exploded through the corridor.
The sound itself became a weapon.
The piercing scream felt like invisible needles stabbing directly into the brain.
Aaron coughed blood immediately.
His body staggered violently.
Even his purple aura flickered.
The walls cracked from the sound alone.
Further behind—
Jade barely survived.
He had already covered his ears with layers of Ice Vine before the scream reached him.
Even then—
Blood trickled from his ears.
His head pounded violently.
The scream almost shattered his consciousness.
If not for the Ice Gene strengthening his body—
He would have died instantly.
Jade gritted his teeth painfully.
"This thing…"
"…is insane."
Meanwhile—
Outside the ruin—
Ella suddenly stopped moving.
The survivors behind her froze as well.
Then the scream reached them.
Though weaker outside the ruin—
It still carried terrifying force.
Several weaker survivors collapsed instantly.
Others screamed while clutching their ears.
Blood seeped from noses and mouths.
Ella's expression darkened.
"That sound came from inside."
She immediately turned toward several elite survivors.
"You all are coming with me."
The chosen survivors nodded fearfully.
Then they rushed into the ruin behind her.
Inside the corridor—
Aaron's wings suddenly erupted behind his back.
But unlike normal wings—
These looked intangible.
Made of burning purple energy.
Fiery yet unreal.
The air around Aaron distorted violently.
His eyes glowed brighter.
Then—
He attacked.
BOOM!
Aaron shot forward like lightning.
His fist smashed into the ant queen's armored face.
A massive shockwave exploded through the corridor.
The queen staggered backward slightly.
But only slightly.
The creature was unbelievably durable.
The flying ants rushed Aaron immediately.
Thousands of them attacked together like a living storm.
Aaron moved through them mercilessly.
Purple flames erupted from his strikes.
Flying ants exploded apart continuously.
Yet—
There were too many.
The ant queen screamed again.
SCREEEEEEEEEE!!!
Another sonic wave erupted.
The corridor trembled violently.
Jade nearly collapsed this time.
Blood now seeped from cracks in his skin.
The pressure inside the ruin was becoming unbearable.
Even his Ice Gene struggled to endure it.
Still—
Jade continued building cold aura secretly.
The hidden vines beneath the darkness had become terrifyingly cold.
The temperature inside the corridor dropped rapidly.
Frost spread silently across the floor.
Even the walls began freezing.
Jade himself looked almost frozen now.
Snow particles drifted around him endlessly.
The blood flowing down his skin froze instantly before touching the ground.
His breathing became visible.
His eyes turned icy cold.
He needed more.
More cold.
More freezing energy.
Only then could he resist the suppression of the ruin.
Then—
Whistle!
Whistle!
Whistle!
Arrows suddenly rained into the corridor.
Dozens of arrows pierced through the flying ants instantly.
Several creatures crashed onto the ground.
More arrows followed immediately.
The archers had arrived.
Ella entered the corridor at the front of the survivors.
Her expression changed the moment she saw the ant queen.
"What the hell is that thing?"
She immediately raised her hand.
"Second row! Fire continuously!"
Whistle!
Whistle!
Whistle!
A storm of arrows filled the ruin.
Though suppressed by the ancient cave—
The archers were still skilled.
Flying ants dropped continuously from the sky.
But the ant queen remained standing.
Then the creature's purple eyes shifted.
Toward Ella.
The ant queen screeched furiously.
The surviving ants changed direction instantly.
They rushed toward the newly arrived survivors like a black flood.
"Shield formation!" Ella shouted.
Several survivors stepped forward immediately with summoned shields.
Boom!
The flying ants slammed into the formation violently.
Screams echoed instantly.
Some survivors were pierced through the throat immediately.
Others were dragged down by sheer numbers.
The corridor became complete chaos.
Aaron fought the ant queen head-on.
Ella commanded the battlefield.
Archers fired relentlessly.
Survivors screamed.
Blood covered the floor.
And through all of it—
Jade remained hidden in darkness.
Waiting.
Preparing.
The cold aura surrounding his hidden vines had now reached terrifying levels.
Even the air itself began freezing.
The ant queen suddenly paused.
Its instincts sensed danger.
Too late.
Jade slowly opened his icy eyes from the darkness.
Then—
His hidden vines moved.
And the entire corridor instantly froze.