Absolutely. Chapter 7 has several stretches that can be tightened, especially the journey through the labyrinth, the cobra battle, and the explanations surrounding Harold's betrayal. I'll aim for a much leaner version while preserving the important dialogue, character moments, revelations, and action. The ending will remain exactly where it is.
Chapter 7: The Secret Beneath the Ruins
Arceus stared at Prince Kaelan in disbelief.
"Your Highness, the official records clearly state that Emperor Aerondor Arcana was killed by Founder Andre Phoenix on the battlefield. The chronicles even describe how Andre beheaded him, ending the Arcana Dynasty and bringing peace to the southern lands."
Sienna's fan stopped moving. Lucian also looked at Kaelan, his expression serious.
"Are you saying the history recorded by House Phoenix is false?" Lucian asked.
Kaelan let out a slow breath.
"It appears that way."
The revelation left everyone speechless. If the founding story of the Phoenix Empire had been altered, how much of their history had been changed or deliberately buried?
After a moment, Arceus cleared his throat.
"So, this place holds something valuable, doesn't it? Treasure, perhaps?"
"There is something here," Kaelan replied.
He offered no further explanation and continued into the ruins.
The group followed him through the remains of the ancient settlement. Broken walls and fallen stones lay beneath thick vines, while enormous tree roots had torn through the foundations of old buildings.
Eventually, they reached a broad stone podium surrounded by towering pillars. Unlike the surrounding ruins, the pillars remained remarkably intact. Each carried an identical statue depicting a crowned human head, a lion's muscular body, and a curved scorpion tail.
A wide staircase descended from the podium into darkness. Broken stone slabs surrounded its entrance, suggesting that something had forcibly broken through a seal protecting the underground passage.
Then Arceus noticed three bodies nearby.
"Those are royal soldiers!"
Kaelan hurried forward.
"Your Highness!"
One of the fallen soldiers was still alive. He struggled to raise himself, his face pale and armor stained with blood.
"What happened here?" Kaelan asked.
"Captain Harold betrayed us, Your Highness."
The soldier explained that their squad had discovered the underground entrance. The moment they uncovered it, Harold suddenly attacked his own men. Caught off guard, several soldiers were killed before they could even draw their weapons.
"I pretended to be dead. It was the only way I could survive," he said, lowering his head. "Please forgive me, Your Highness. I failed to stop him."
"Where is Harold now?"
"He went down the stairs. He hasn't returned."
Kaelan's expression hardened.
"Stay here and guard the entrance. The rest of us will go after him."
He then turned to Lucian.
"Captain Harold is a four-star mage. The passages are narrow, and we don't know what he has prepared. You should remain here."
Lucian crossed his arms.
"I alone am more than capable of dealing with a four-star mage."
"He knows we're coming. A prepared mage is far more dangerous than one caught off guard. Even a stronger warrior can lose his life by charging blindly into a trap."
Kaelan paused before adding, "If anything happens to you under my protection, how am I supposed to face Lord Storm?"
Lucian understood his concern but had no intention of staying behind.
"Then let the soldiers bear witness to my decision. Either I go with you, or I return to the Imperial City now."
After a brief silence, Kaelan nodded.
"Very well. Come with me, brother."
Arceus, his two maids, and Sienna remained above ground. Although Sienna was a three-star cultivator, fighting a prepared mage in confined corridors would put her at a disadvantage.
Kaelan and Lucian descended with the two royal knights, while the remaining soldiers guarded the entrance.
Not long after they disappeared, a black-robed figure emerged from the shadows. The two knights immediately drew their swords.
"Who are you?"
The stranger said nothing. He simply tossed them a medallion bearing an engraved unicorn insignia.
Recognition replaced the knights' suspicion. They stepped aside, allowing the stranger to collect his medallion and descend into the passage.
Arceus frowned. Whoever that man was, the knights clearly knew better than to question him.
He decided not to pursue the matter and instead took two wooden boxes from his spatial ring.
"Betty. Esme."
He handed one to each maid.
"Be ready to defend yourselves if anything happens."
The maids opened the boxes, took out their pistols, and began loading them.
Sienna glanced at the weapons.
"When did you acquire those?"
"About a week ago. I've visited that shop several times since then." Arceus smiled faintly. "It's strangely enjoyable."
"Why? It's only an ungraded weapon."
"Perhaps. But it has its own charm."
Sienna studied him before glancing toward the underground entrance.
Is it really the weapon he likes, or the woman who sells it?
She kept the thought to herself, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Beneath the Ruins
Kaelan held a sphere of flame in his palm as the group explored the underground labyrinth. The narrow passages twisted through the earth, repeatedly dividing into smaller tunnels before joining again.
After nearly an hour, they had found nothing but empty corridors and dead ends.
Lucian was growing impatient.
"How many tunnels does this place have?"
"Too many to count," Kaelan replied. "They probably connect to one another."
After another unsuccessful turn, the prince suggested returning to the surface.
"Do you want to reconsider our route?"
"Retreat doesn't suit me."
Lucian chose another passage and continued forward.
Unlike the others, this corridor stretched in a straight line, with no visible branches. Its floor was relatively even, and marks along the walls suggested it had once been used regularly.
They continued for nearly half an hour before hearing something ahead.
The clash of metal against stone was followed by a loud hiss and the rumble of something massive moving.
Kaelan raised his hand, signaling everyone to slow down.
At the entrance to a large chamber, they finally discovered the source of the noise.
A gigantic cobra was coiled around several broken pillars. Its body was thicker than a tree trunk, and its raised hood nearly touched the ceiling. Deep wounds and blackened patches covered its scales, while dark fluid seeped from its body.
Opposite the serpent stood a familiar figure.
Captain Harold.
The beast unleashed another burst of flames, scorching the surrounding stones. Yet despite its injuries, it refused to leave the massive chest behind it, guarding the treasure with its enormous body.
Harold had been fighting the serpent for three days. Whenever his Ether ran low, he retreated to recover before returning to the battle. He had gradually weakened the guardian and believed victory was finally within reach.
Then he noticed the newcomers.
Prince Kaelan Phoenix.
Lucian Storm.
And two royal knights.
Harold's heart lurched. He had assumed the soldiers he attacked were dead. If even one had survived, his betrayal would be exposed.
Suppressing his panic, he forced an expression of desperate relief.
"Your Highness!"
He dodged another burst of flames.
"The treasure is behind this beast! I've been fighting it for days, but it's too strong for me. Please, lend me your strength!"
He turned toward the knights.
"Aron! Oswin! Assist me!"
The knights looked to Kaelan for orders.
The prince studied Harold's wounds. They seemed consistent with the damage visible across the chamber, but something about his sudden appeal for help felt wrong.
He kept his suspicions to himself.
"Help him bring down the beast."
Aron and Oswin immediately joined the battle.
Three four-star warriors against an already weakened five-star magical beast quickly turned the fight in their favor. The knights attacked from opposite sides while Harold continued striking at the cobra's wounded scales.
The serpent thrashed, smashing a pillar and sending stone fragments flying. It unleashed another burst of fire, forcing the knights to retreat before they resumed their attacks.
But its strength was nearly exhausted.
Within minutes, the combined assault overwhelmed the beast, and its enormous body crashed onto the stone floor.
Dust filled the chamber.
The cobra was badly injured, but still alive. One of the knights approached with his sword raised.
"Stop!"
Kaelan's command made him freeze.
The prince took an ancient tome from his storage ring and quickly turned to the section he wanted. Then he began chanting.
The words were unfamiliar to Lucian. As the incantation continued, Ether gathered around Kaelan in visible streams, rapidly draining his reserves.
At the final word, five crimson chains erupted from his back.
Each ended in an anchor-shaped barb. They shot across the chamber and pierced the cobra's body.
The serpent convulsed, but the chains held it firmly in place. Strange energy flowed through them, streaming from the beast into Kaelan.
The cobra's scales lost their shine. Its enormous body gradually shrank as its life force was drained away, leaving it unable to move.
The process continued for nearly half an hour.
Finally, the serpent stopped moving. Its core shattered, and the last traces of its vitality disappeared. The crimson chains dissolved into tiny motes of red light.
Kaelan slowly opened his eyes.
The exhaustion was gone, replaced by a stronger flow of Ether.
"Four-star rank at last," he murmured.
After examining his condition, he added, "I'm already halfway through this realm. With proper stabilization and enough Ether crystals, I should reach the fifth star before I turn twenty-one."
Lucian glanced at the ancient tome but said nothing. The spell had raised questions, though he decided to leave them for another time.
Harold, meanwhile, concealed his disappointment behind a strained smile. He had spent three days weakening the guardian, only for the prince to drain its remaining vitality at the last moment.
Still, the treasure was within reach.
"Your Highness, the treasure awaits."
Kaelan turned toward him.
"Yes. But first, we must address your betrayal."
Harold's smile froze.
"You understand the punishment for killing your fellow soldiers and betraying the Empire, don't you?"
Lucian stepped aside. Imperial discipline was not his concern, and he had no intention of interfering in a royal matter.
Harold's face paled.
"I don't know what you mean, Your Highness."
"One of the soldiers you attacked survived. He has already told us what happened. Your crime has been exposed, fool."
Kaelan paused.
"Surrender peacefully and return to the Imperial City. I will petition for your death sentence to be commuted to twenty years of imprisonment."
Harold glanced toward the passage. With two royal knights and Lucian nearby, escape seemed impossible. The prince had also demonstrated a power he could not understand.
Slowly, Harold lowered himself to his knees.
"I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness. I will submit to judgment."
Kaelan took a length of sturdy rope from his storage ring and bound Harold's arms behind his back.
"Remain still."
With the traitor secured, Kaelan finally approached the massive chest. Dark iron bands reinforced its structure, and ancient carvings covered its surface.
Lucian followed.
"Is this the treasure we came for?"
Kaelan ignored the question and examined the parchment again. He compared its markings with the carvings on the walls before pressing his palm against the stone behind the chest.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Lucian frowned.
"What exactly are you looking for?"
"The true entrance."
"The true entrance? I thought we came here for Emperor Aerondor's treasure. Isn't that the chest?"
"That chest is a trap," Kaelan replied. "According to this parchment, opening it will trigger a fifth-star area-wide spell capable of destroying everything in this chamber."
Lucian's eyes widened.
"You mean it would kill anyone nearby?"
"Most likely. Anyone who survived the blast would still be trapped underground."
A faint click suddenly sounded beneath Kaelan's palm.
Part of the wall shifted backward with a low rumble, revealing a hidden passage.
Warm light spilled through the opening.
Kaelan stepped aside.
Beyond the wall was a chamber filled with glowing Ether crystals. They covered the floor, walls, and ceiling, shining in shades of blue and violet.
Lucian stared in disbelief.
"A hidden crystal mine..."
Meanwhile, Above Ground
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Gunshots echoed across the ruined courtyard, startling a flock of birds from the nearby trees.
Arceus lowered his pistol, adjusting his grip before taking another shot. With the others still underground, he had decided to use the time to practice his aim.
Several meters away, a four-star royal knight stood perfectly still, a round fruit balanced on his helmet.
Arceus raised the pistol and carefully aligned its barrel with the target.
BANG!
The bullet struck the fruit, bursting it apart in a spray of juice.
The knight remained unharmed.
"That was much better," Arceus said with a satisfied smile.
Nearby, Captain Ralph, the five-star warrior guarding the staircase, watched the demonstration. His attention repeatedly returned to the strange silver weapon.
He had seen countless weapons during his years of service, but none like this. Its projectile moved incredibly fast, and it required almost no physical strength to operate. Within ten meters, even a five-star warrior might struggle to dodge a shot without warning.
Interesting.
Before Ralph could examine it further, footsteps sounded from the underground passage.
He straightened immediately.
Prince Kaelan emerged moments later, followed by Lucian and the others.
Ralph stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Highness."
Kaelan nodded.
"Captain Ralph, remain here until General Gregor arrives with reinforcements. Once they arrive, seal the entrance and destroy these pillars. The site must appear untouched."
His expression turned cold.
"If anyone attempts to enter before the area is secured, eliminate them without hesitation. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
While Ralph acknowledged the order, a faint glow appeared around Harold's bound wrists.
Heat gathered between his hands, and the rope began to smoke.
Kaelan turned sharply.
Before anyone could react, flames erupted from Harold's palms.
The rope blackened and disintegrated.
"Argh!"
Harold twisted free and lunged toward the royal knights, slamming his burning palms against their exposed forearms.
The smell of scorched flesh filled the air as Aron and Oswin cried out.
"Ralph!" Kaelan shouted.
The five-star warrior charged forward.
But Harold wasn't trying to escape into the forest.
He rushed straight toward Arceus.
Before Arceus could turn, Harold seized him from behind and locked one arm across his chest. His other hand, still burning, moved dangerously close to Arceus's throat.
"Arceus!"
"Young Master!"
"Dear!"
Sienna rushed forward, her face pale with fear. Betty and Esme raised their pistols but dared not fire while Arceus was being held hostage.
Even Lucian's composure cracked.
Harold tightened his grip and backed away.
"Take another step, and he dies!"
Kaelan stopped. His expression turned glacial.
"I gave you a chance to surrender. You chose death."
"Spare me your lies!" Harold spat. "You offered me imprisonment, not mercy. Twenty years in a cell would be worse than execution!"
He continued dragging Arceus toward the edge of the ruins.
Lucian tightened his grip on his sword but did not draw it. Harold was a desperate four-star mage, and one wrong move could cost Arceus his life.
The soldiers stood frozen, waiting for an opening.
Yet Arceus remained strangely calm.
He didn't struggle. Instead, his gaze lowered toward his left hand.
His pistol was still there.
And it was loaded.
He had only one chance. Moving too early might provoke Harold into tightening his grip or burning his throat. Waiting too long could allow the traitor to reach the forest, making a rescue far more difficult.
Arceus watched carefully.
Step by step, Harold moved toward the edge of the ruins.
Then his footing shifted, loosening his hold for the briefest moment.
That was enough.
Arceus twisted his body and raised his left arm. The silver pistol came up between them, its barrel pointing directly at Harold's eye from only a few centimeters away.
For the first time since taking his hostage, the traitor lost control of his expression.
His pupils contracted as he stared at the unfamiliar metallic barrel.
BANG!