Maybe it was another property of his magic—or just instinct—but he was sure that even though it was very small, there was aura coming from one side of the cave that felt very similar to his own.He could definitely feel it. The same cold aura—full of death and authority.
But worst of all, if his calculations were correct, that side of the cave led to where his family's mansion was located.
He was already considering which direction he should go first.
If he were to head toward the mountain range, there was no guarantee he'd survive the journey. He was already so hungry and exhausted that walking itself was difficult—and the trip would take at least a full day. Traveling that far in his current condition would be a death wish.
On the other hand, if he went toward the direction of his family manor, he could find emergency food supplies—but he would also be at risk of being detected by one of the family warriors.
"Shit," Damion barked.
He knew better than anyone not to underestimate his family. They were among those who sat at the very top of the world's hierarchy, playing with innocent lives as though they were mere toys.And as much as he hated it, he also knew he wasn't some righteous man who could speak out against it—he had committed countless atrocities himself, including the torture and killing of unarmed civilians.
In the end, he decided to head toward the manor side of the cave after considering everything.
Yes, there was demonic aura there. And though he had a special connection to it and could sense it easily, his family had many warriors with unique abilities who could detect something like this from miles away.
However, this cave was designed for emergencies, so it was likely protected by magical barriers that made it harder for anyone outside to sense those inside.
And even if he managed to escape through the mountain-side cave, it wouldn't guarantee his safety. There were likely monsters lurking in that area—and his family's influence stretched far and wide. If he really wanted to escape, he'd have to leave the entire continent.
Having made his decision, he started walking toward the manor side of the cave without a second thought.Sure, a lot could go wrong—but the thought of finally eating after all these days washed away every worry in his mind.
And within just an hour, he was there. As he looked at the cave entrance, it was nothing grand. In fact, there wasn't even a gate.He figured it was probably hidden behind some kind of illusion.
But he didn't care about that right now.His eyes fell on a few crates—each filled with honey in small mud cups, their tops covered with some kind of strange leather.
He lunged at them like a starving animal, his survival instincts far surpassing his noble manners.He tore through the leather with his bare hands and began scooping out the honey with his fingers.There was also a small jar of water nearby. He started drinking from it while still shoveling honey into his mouth.
After a while, once he was done eating, he finally regained his composure.
"Well… that was a disaster," he muttered as he looked at the mess he had made.He tore off a small piece of cloth and began wiping his hands.
Then he sat down and began concentrating on the aura he had sensed earlier.
"There," he said, looking to his right.
There was nothing but solid rock and mud in that direction—but he was certain something was there, and not too far away.
His monster ant was beside him, but the worm monster was still behind, as it moved much slower than a human.Surprisingly, it could dig faster than it could move through open space.
As Damiond was thinking, the worm came into view.After a few moments, it was directly in front of him.
He ordered the worm to start digging in the direction of the aura.
Yes, there was some risk involved—but he had already taken many risks, and there were far too many unanswered questions for him to turn back now.
After a while, the worm cleared the way—and he could finally see what was in front of him.
A small, round room with no entrance or exit.
All around it—on the ground and ceiling—were strange symbols drawn out of...
"Blood."
Thanks to his aura, he was somehow sure it was human blood.
In the middle of the room stood a perfectly round red crystal.As Damiond approached it, he could feel its aura.This was definitely the source of what he had sensed.
He walked around it, observing it from all sides, and came to a conclusion—it was some kind of artifact.Artifacts were equipment that could greatly enhance one's power—if the user was compatible with it.
But the bigger question was: what rank was it?
He sat down and began pouring his aura onto the artifact, assessing its quality.
"Advanced... Rare..."
As Damiond's eyes narrowed, his body began trembling.
"Legendary."