The Invincible Young Master

As they walked in the dim pathway, Leon couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The intricate carvings on the walls depicted scenes of battles and rituals, hinting at a long-forgotten civilization.

Now and then, the path would widen into a small chamber before narrowing again, each space filled with more enigmatic symbols.

"Do you think this is the ruins we were looking for?" one of the recruits asked, his voice hushed as if afraid of disturbing the silence.

Hearing that, chills went down their spines. An intermediate class ruin was no trifling matter. Many geniuses had perished trying to explore such places. They were only ordinary mercenaries with some experience. For them, who had never encountered an intermediate ruin and had only joined this expedition for the large sum of reward, this was a potential disaster.

"As if it could be easy to find it," said another, trying to dissuade the thought.

"Master," Leon called through voice transmission. "Can you sense where we are currently?"

"No. My senses cannot penetrate beyond the walls of this place," Merlin replied. "There are formations laid around these walls, blocking them."

Merlin added, "But at the instance you were brought here, I sensed a minor teleportation rune underneath you."

"Does that mean..."

"Yes," Merlin replied. "This is likely the inside of the intermediate class ruin you people were looking for."

Hearing his master's confirmation, Leon's expression turned slightly grim. The higher the class of the ruin, the stronger the beings protecting it. He was the only ascendant in this group. If they came across danger, he wasn't sure if he could protect the others.

"What about you, Sir Leon?" asked a man.

"What? I didn't get the question." Leon scratched his head and asked.

"We were asking if Sir Leon also thinks this is the ruin we were looking for?" repeated the man.

"That... I can't say for sure." Leon shook his head.

After his master's words, Leon was certain they were inside the intermediate class ruin, but he didn't tell them as it would only cause panic.

"See, even an ascendant like Sir Leon is unsure of this place. How can you say we landed inside the ruin?" the man scowled at another who had suggested it first.

"We need to stay focused," Leon said firmly, trying to instill some confidence in the group. "Our priority is to stay safe and find a way out of here. I'm sure the others are searching for us."

The recruits nodded, their faces regaining a light. They continued forward, the path winding deeper into the labyrinthine ruin. Every sound seemed amplified in the silence—the drip of water and the occasional faint rustle of sand set their nerves on edge.

Leon led the way, his senses on high alert. He had to find a way to navigate this place and keep them safe until the city lord's group arrived. The carvings on the walls seemed to watch them, the eyes of long-dead warriors and priests holding scepters, judging their every move.

"Why is the ceiling so high?" one recruit muttered, his eyes darting around in caution.

Everyone had noticed; that the ceiling above was more than a hundred meters high. In comparison, they felt like ants.

"And what are these carvings?" another wondered.

"Does sir Leon know what these carvings are?" asked the injured man.

Leon shook his head. "No. This is the time I came across them."

"Master, do you see those carvings on the walls?" Leon called his master. "They are kneeling before something."

"Yes, I've noticed it," replied Merlin.

On the walls, there were many carvings of the same entity every few tens of meters. In the carvings, a giant entity with four arms was seated on a throne, and in front of that entity, countless smaller figures kneeled as if worshiping the four-armed being.

"Master, do you know what kind of entity that is?" Leon asked, curious if his wise master knew.

"A little," Merlin added. "This entity belongs to a race called Asura. However, in the immortal kingdom, they no longer exist."

"Asura?" Leon had never heard of such a race before and wondered. "Do they all possess four arms and have sizes this big?"

"I won't bother explaining it to you," replied Merlin. "Here, I'll directly pass the details to you."

"Master can do that?"

"Hmph!" Merlin sneered.

Information about the Asura race flowed into Leon's head one by one. His eyes widened in amazement with each passing moment.

The Asuras were formidable beings, known for their immense strength and ferocity. Each had four arms, and they were revered and feared in ancient times. Their size and power were legendary, some of them even reached the height of tall mountains. However, their kind was believed to have been wiped out during the great wars of the immortal kingdom.

"Do you see his size? This large space must be his pathway," Merlin said. "This could be a tomb of an Asura."

"What?"

"Pray, that entity is long dead," Merlin said. "Otherwise, none of you will survive, at least not these three."

Just thinking of the sheer size of that four-armed being made Leon's head buzz. If what his master said was true, then in front of that titan-like being, they would appear like ants to be crushed.

As they rounded a corner, the path opened up into a larger chamber. This one was more elaborate, with a high ceiling and columns that looked like they had been carved from a single piece of stone.

They entered the chamber cautiously, observing their surroundings. Upon entering, their eyes reflected glimmering lights.

On each side of the room, large piles of treasure were laid. Their light reflected the greed in each of their eyes. Leon, however, was focused on an entirely different thing in front of him.

In the center of the room was an altar, covered in dust and cobwebs but still exuding an air of ancient power. Atop the altar lay a large rectangular stone.

"Everyone, halt your steps," Leon warned, sensing something.

"You noticed it?" His master asked.

"Yes."

"Why? What happened?" one of the recruits asked hastily, salivating at the riches before them.

"Something's wrong. Do not touch anything in this place," Leon warned. His eyes fixated on the giant stone ahead, not blinking. "That giant stone is giving off an ominous aura."