The embers of battle still clung stubbornly to Karl's fists, a faint, lingering warmth that whispered of fire recently unleashed. Around him, crushed comm-tags lay scattered, flickering weakly like dying fireflies struggling against the dark. The Vault chamber was eerily silent—save for the faint hum that vibrated through the crystalline walls and the distant, unsettling echo of stone tumbling somewhere deep within the island's core.
But Karl wasn't fooled by the quiet.
His instincts screamed in his gut. The mercenaries weren't done. They wouldn't be sending scouts next time—they were coming for blood.
His eyes darted upward, catching the stone seal high above—still intact, its ancient runes glowing faintly in the dim light. He could feel the relic pulsing inside his inventory like a heartbeat, faint but insistent. Whatever secrets the Vault guarded, they weren't going to surrender themselves willingly.
A soft chime sounded in his mind.
System Notification:
Trail Detected—Secondary Vault Signal Identified
Objective: Follow the residual flame trail into the underground tunnel network
Reward: 2 Rare Tickets + ???
Difficulty: Unknown
The prompt blinked insistently before him.
Accept the mission?
[Yes] [No]
Karl didn't hesitate. His gut told him this was no mere side quest—this was the true heart of the island's mystery. He turned to the archway behind the stone seal. The battle had cracked the ancient masonry, splitting open a narrow passageway and revealing a staircase plunging into shadowed depths below.
Before stepping forward, he summoned his inventory.
Legendary Tickets: 3
➤ Combine 3 Legendary Tickets → 1 Mystical Ticket?
[Yes] [No]
The offer glittered before him. For a fraction of a second, he hesitated. But the stakes were high, and the unknown waiting below was no place for half-measures. He tapped yes.
A sudden surge of violet-gold light erupted from the menu, coalescing into a single ticket that shimmered and danced like a flame alive with purpose.
Mystical Ticket Created
Use now?
[Yes] [No]
Karl paused—just a heartbeat—but then nodded with a grin.
"Let's gamble big."
Mystical Ticket Used
Rolling…
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■]
Result:
— Passive Ability Acquired —
Phoenix Pulse (Mystical Passive)
Description: Life and flame intertwine. Upon dropping below 10% HP, the user ignites in a self-sustaining healing fire once per day. Regenerates 35% HP over 10 seconds.
Bonus: Fire-based abilities gain enhanced regeneration synergy.
Synergy Detected: Ironblood Will + Unyielding Ember + Phoenix Pulse
Trait Evolution Path: Unlocked
Passive Buff: "Ash Rebirth" (Locked)
A subtle warmth blossomed beneath Karl's sternum—less a fire, more a promise etched into his very being. He felt the pulse settle, intertwining with his core like a slow-burning ember.
He smirked. "I'm starting to feel unstoppable."
With that, he stepped into the yawning tunnel.
Underground Tunnels — Thirty Minutes Later
The passage wound downward like a serpent's coil beneath the island, narrow and oppressive. Veins of glowing emberstone traced intricate patterns along the walls, their faint pulses synchronizing eerily with Karl's measured footsteps.
His gauntlets caught the low firelight, casting flickering shadows against the rough stone. How deep did these tunnels stretch? He didn't know, but the Vault's power throbbed stronger with every step. It was alive, breathing beneath the earth.
Then the air shifted.
A sharp sulfur tang invaded his nostrils.
Heat flickered against his skin.
And then—
BOOM.
A violent tremor rocked the tunnel, sending dust and small stones cascading from the ceiling. Karl dropped instinctively into a crouch, eyes narrowing. The explosion had been close.
Ahead, a red glow pulsed around a bend.
He moved cautiously forward.
He was not alone.
Aboveground — Jungle Edge
Robin's breath came ragged as she doubled back through ancient ruins, narrowly evading a mercenary patrol. The enemy forces were regrouping—setting up ambushes, tightening their noose. She had to warn Karl.
Hiding behind a crumbling stone outcrop, she pulled a half-burnt map from her satchel. Based on the vault's depth and the secondary signal, she estimated the tunnels led toward the island's volcanic fault line.
She risked a glance at the smoke curling skyward.
No time to waste.
She broke into a run.
Below — Lava Cleft Chamber
Karl emerged into a cavernous chasm carved deep beneath the island, where rivers of molten rock flowed like veins of liquid fire beneath shattered stone walkways and crumbling bridges. Suspended above the lava, chained like a beating heart, hung a massive stone vault—a secondary core.
But the mercenaries were already here.
At least six of them.
They were placing shaped charges along the cavern's edges, hands steady despite the heat. One barked orders.
"Set the fuse. Shuzo wants this vault cracked open now. If the Vault Guardian shows, we drop him."
Karl's jaw clenched.
Too late for stealth.
He surged forward like wildfire unleashed.
[BOOM!]
A mercenary spun too slowly and caught Karl's blazing right hook, which sent him sailing into the molten river below with a scream.
The rest scrambled, shouting, "Contact! Target's here!"
Karl's body moved on instinct, faster than thought. A stun blade swung at his head—he ducked, countered with a sweeping leg sweep, and elbowed the attacker into a crumbling support pillar.
Behind the others, the charges sparked ominously.
System Alert:
Explosives Detected—Detonation Imminent
Optional Objective: Prevent Detonation
Reward: 1 Rare Ticket + ???
Timer: 00:00:27
No hesitation.
Karl dove to the chamber's center, between the vault heart and the three blinking charges. His hands moved with practiced precision, yanking the first trigger loose.
[20 seconds]
The mercs regrouped. One raised a launcher.
Karl ducked, flung the disarmed trigger into the man's chest, then summoned his Green Fire Dragon's Claw, slicing two wires at once with sizzling precision.
[10 seconds]
The last mercenary charged, blade poised—but Karl met him head-on, slamming a headbutt and hurling the final trigger into the lava below.
[0 seconds]—Detonation prevented.
Objective Complete
Reward: +1 Rare Ticket
EXP Gained: 210
Trait Synergy Boost: Flame Mastery—Tier 1 Unlocked
Flame-based attacks now stagger armoured foes.
Passive regeneration increased near the lava.
Karl stood, chest heaving, victorious.
He turned to the Vault Heart. It pulsed once—a deep, ancient thrum—then the chains holding it slowly unlatched.
A glowing orb drifted down into his palm, warm and vibrant like trapped sunlight.
Vault Fragment Acquired
Heart of Emberfall
Trait Integration in Progress…
Warning: Trait pool nearing evolution threshold.
New Trait Incoming…
Karl blinked. "Wait—evolution?"
Aboveground — Jungle Canopy
Robin spotted smoke curling from a ruptured section of earth, orange light flickering faintly below.
Her heart hammered.
She pushed forward, praying she wouldn't arrive too late.
Below — Vault Chamber Exit
Karl retraced his steps toward the tunnel entrance. The walls trembled, ancient mechanisms stirring. The Vault was sealing itself.
Stone shifted, grinding closed behind him. The orb in his palm cooled—its warmth dimming but not dying.
Ahead, a new stone archway yawned open, revealing a passage toward the surface.
Time to move.