Drake finally turned his back on Oakhaven City, the bustling sounds fading behind him as he passed through the northern gate. The road towards Silverhaven stretched before him, a long journey through regions unknown. He had his primary objective – find Elder Jian – and now possessed not only overwhelming combat potential for his level but also the means to uncover secrets hidden from ordinary eyes.
He toggled [Relic Hunter] on. His perception subtly shifted. The textures of ancient stonework seemed sharper, revealing minute variations in weathering or construction. A low, almost subliminal hum resonated from leyline concentrations beneath the earth. It required active focus to interpret, draining stamina slowly (Stamina: 148/150... 147/150...), but the potential information gain felt worth it.
His initial travel route took him north through the Oakhaven Woods outskirts, familiar territory he'd cleared for quests just hours before. He kept [Relic Hunter] active, scanning his surroundings constantly as he walked. He passed near the area with the Standing Stones, but the skill revealed nothing new there beyond the faint ambient energy he already knew existed.
His path eventually led him towards a region marked on his map simply as 'Old Foundations'. Visually, it was unimpressive – just scattered, heavily overgrown stone remnants suggesting a small estate or minor outpost from long before Oakhaven's founding, swallowed by the forest. Most players would likely pass it by without a second glance, offering no quests or obvious loot. Drake, however, guided by his desire to test [Relic Hunter] thoroughly, decided to make a detour and investigate.
He stepped off the main path, pushing through ferns and undergrowth into the ruined area. With [Relic Hunter] active, the crumbling stones immediately seemed more… informative. Faint energy traces clung to some sections, suggesting prior magical wards now long decayed. He noted differences in stonework erosion that hinted at multiple construction periods.
As he moved towards what looked like the central structure's remnants – perhaps a main hall or keep – the skill highlighted several specific anomalies concentrated near one particular section of a surprisingly intact interior wall:
Magical Residue: A faint, almost invisible shimmer clung to the stonework around a collapsed archway near the wall, pulsing with a weak, discordant energy.
Odd Scratches: On the flat surface of the wall itself, a series of deliberate-looking scratches formed a complex geometric pattern – clearly non-random, unlike weathering or animal marks. They glowed very faintly under [Relic Hunter]'s effect.
Acoustic Dampening: As he got closer to that wall section, the ambient sounds of the forest – the wind, distant creature calls – seemed to become strangely muffled, deadened, hinting at unusual density or perhaps hollow space behind it.
"Okay, this is interesting. Residue, specific pattern, sound anomaly... all concentrated here. Time for cross-referencing."
He focused his [Perfect Recall]. First, the residue. Recall Triggered: Archivist Hemlock's voice during the Relic Hunter training: "...pay attention to lingering energies, especially near potential conduits or thresholds. Alvari tech often left residual chaotic Mana signatures, particularly near concealed mechanisms...""Hemlock mentioned residue near Alvari mechanisms..."
Next, the scratches. He focused on the intricate geometric pattern. Recall Triggered: Visual memory - flipping through a dusty tome, 'Basics of Alvari Artifice', in the Oakhaven library. An illustration flashed by, depicting common locking mechanism interfaces. One diagram showed a sequence pattern remarkably similar to these scratches."That pattern... looked just like the diagram for an Alvari sequence lock in that library book!"
Finally, the muffled sound. Recall Triggered: Memory of NPC dialogue - a random stonemason encountered back in Veridian Rise, talking about construction techniques: "...aye, sometimes builders left hollow spaces for insulation, or secret passages... ya can sometimes tell by how the sound carries, feels dead right near the hidden wall...""Stonemason mentioned sound dampening near hidden chambers..."
The pieces clicked together instantly, forming a clear picture only available through the combination of his active sensory skill and his perfect memory archive. Lingering Alvari residue near a wall with markings matching an Alvari lock mechanism diagram, coupled with an acoustic anomaly suggesting hollow space.
"Hidden Alvari doorway. Right here. Activated by pressing points in that scratch pattern, based on the tome illustration."
He accessed the specific memory of the tome illustration again via [Perfect Recall], noting the sequence indicated – perhaps pressing the center point, then the top left node, then bottom right, then top right. He approached the wall, tracing the glowing scratches revealed by [Relic Hunter]. He found the corresponding points within the pattern – small indentations barely visible without the skill's enhancement.
Taking a breath, he pressed the points in the recalled sequence: Center... Top Left... Bottom Right... Top Right.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a low grinding sound echoed from within the stone, surprisingly loud. Dust trickled down as the section of wall containing the scratches shuddered, then slid smoothly inwards and to the side, revealing a dark opening and steep stone stairs descending into shadow.
<< Discovered Hidden Area: Decrepit Archive! +5000 EXP! >>
The substantial experience reward instantly filled the remainder of his level bar. Ding! LEVEL UP! You are now Level 11! << Base Attributes Increased! HP/MP/Stamina Increased! +2 Attribute Points Available! >>
"Level 11! And a hidden dungeon! Called it!" A wide grin spread across Drake's face. This was exactly the kind of discovery he hoped his unique skill combination would enable. He quickly allocated his attribute points and felt the familiar surge of power.
He peered down the descending passageway. The air was thick with the smell of dust, decay, and something else… dry parchment and stagnant magic. Faint scuttling sounds echoed from the darkness below, hinting at occupants. The stairs looked ancient, potentially treacherous. It promised both danger and the potential for lost knowledge or valuable artifacts – exactly the kind of adventure he craved, far more engaging than grinding low-level mobs.
His journey to Silverhaven was momentarily forgotten. This hidden archive demanded exploration. Thrilled by the successful application of his synergistic talents, Drake readied his Weapon, activated his torch and took the first careful step down into the waiting darkness of the Decrepit Archive.