Chapter 231: Resonance

The southern corridor opened into a vast chamber whose ceiling disappeared into a haze of blue light. The walls shimmered faintly, covered in runes that seemed to breathe — sliding, reforming, pulsing in slow rhythm with the mana currents that filled the air. Each step echoed softly, the ground beneath their boots humming like a living heart.Rhaldrin led the way, his small frame moving with quiet authority as a sphere of condensed mana hovered beside him, lighting the path ahead.

"Students," his rough voice began, echoing faintly across the chamber, "what you see here predates every recorded civilization. These ruins weren’t built with ordinary methods. They were forged through a process we still can’t comprehend — a fusion of mana, pressure, and time that no one alive could ever replicate."

He paused, looking around at the vast metallic walls. "Not even the Dvergar, the finest smiths of our age, have managed to recreate this alloy. And even Headmistress Selara herself failed to identify its core structure."o another. His eyes narrowed slightly. ’The air feels... heavier here.’

The hum deepened—an invisible vibration crawling through his bones. And then it struck.

A sharp surge of agony shot through his forearm, white-hot and merciless. The veins beneath his skin flared with light, tracing the shape of the tattoo like molten metal.

"Gh—" He gritted his teeth, his knees buckling before he could stop himself. His vision blurred, the floor rushing up to meet him.

"Trafalgar!" Zafira’s voice cut through the haze as she grabbed his shoulder. "What’s wrong?"

He clutched his arm, trying to hide it, the burning spreading like wildfire. ’Fuck!’

The light beneath his sleeve flickered once more, reacting violently to something ahead—a sealed doorway etched with patterns eerily similar to the lines that burned across his arm.

Before he realized it, his hand brushed against the ancient wall itself. The runes there pulsed faintly in response to his touch, sending a soft ripple of light across the stone.

"Hey!" The Myrrhvale guard’s shout cracked across the hall like a whip. He strode forward instantly, scales glinting under the rune light. "I told you not to touch anything!"

Zafira turned on him, eyes narrowing. "He didn’t—"

"Enough!" the guard barked, his voice echoing sharply. "One mistake here could destroy everything in this chamber. These ruins are unstable—one surge of mana in the wrong place and the entire southern sector could collapse. Do you want that on your name, Lord Morgain?"

Trafalgar’s expression hardened. His breathing steadied, but the fury in his chest didn’t fade.

"...Didn’t mean to," he muttered, straightening slowly. "Won’t happen again."

The guard’s gaze lingered, suspicious, before he finally stepped back to his post. Rhaldrin watched silently, concern hidden beneath his scholarly calm.

Zafira leaned closer and whispered, "What really happened?"

Trafalgar shook his head slightly. "Nothing. Bad headache." But deep inside, he knew better. ’That door reacted to me. Whatever’s behind it—it’s connected to me somehow.’

The group continued deeper into the corridor, the tension from before still faint but persistent. Rhaldrin led at the front, his tone calm and firm. "Stay close. We’ll finish mapping the southern route and regroup with the others in two hours. Be careful with your mana output—these walls are fragile."

"Yes, Professor," several students echoed obediently.

Trafalgar walked quietly beside Zafira, his pace slower now. The searing pain in his arm had dulled, leaving behind a faint, rhythmic heat that pulsed in time with his heartbeat. He flexed his fingers discreetly, keeping his sleeve low. ’It’s not stopping... whatever this place is, it’s reacting to me. I need to find a way into that chamber... somehow.’

Ahead, Bartholomew was still scribbling furiously in his notebook, his face glowing with excitement as Rhaldrin explained the structure’s mana channels and stability seals. His enthusiasm almost made Trafalgar smirk. ’The guy really is made for this.’

They reached the end of the hall — a vast circular chamber crowned by a towering crystal column that pulsed with translucent waves of light. Its glow painted the metallic floor in pale blue and silver, making the whole space feel alive.

Rhaldrin adjusted his spectacles, awe in his crimson eyes. "Even after all these years... it’s still stable. These conduits function without a core—self-sustaining, perfectly balanced. The craftsmanship here is beyond anything our era can reproduce."

Trafalgar’s eyes flickered toward the pillar. The hum in the air deepened, resonating through his bones. His arm burned faintly again, a whisper under the skin. ’It’s like it’s calling me...’

"Careful, Trafalgar," Rhaldrin said suddenly, glancing back. "I know that look. Curiosity is good—but don’t let it pull you in too far. The Primordials weren’t kind to those who trespassed."

Trafalgar gave a small, forced grin. "Don’t worry, Professor. I’m just observing."

Zafira leaned closer, her voice low. "Be careful. That guard’s already got his eye on you... and I think he remembers us. You’re the one who told me not to cause trouble, remember?"

Trafalgar exhaled through his nose, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah... guess it’s my turn to listen."

Still, as his gaze lingered on the crystal core, that faint, magnetic pull inside him refused to fade. ’I have to find a way to reach it... no matter what.’