Chapter 34: The War God of the Ancient Mural

The sound of the secret door closing echoed through the narrow passage, and Yahageshii kicked the door that could no longer be pushed open, gritting his teeth and muttering under his breath, "Damn it, there's an automatic lock here!"

Ryuosho leaned against the cold wall, panting heavily, and weakly spoke, "I told you we shouldn't have come. If I knew you were going to be this reckless…" Before he could finish, the lights on the walls suddenly dimmed, and a damp chill began to spread through the air.

"Shut up!" Yahageshii raised his hand to feel along the wall, searching for a mechanism. However, the surrounding space seemed to be completely sealed, and the only sound was the approaching footsteps growing closer.

Ryuosho swallowed nervously, lowering his voice, "They're coming… If we get caught, we might not even make it out in one piece!"

Yahageshii couldn't do anything for the moment and could only lower his voice to reassure, "Calm down, don't make noise, let's see if there's another way out." Just as he was speaking, his keen senses caught an unusual air current on the floor.

"There's something under the floor... Wait a minute!" He squatted down and began to pry at the floorboards with his tool.

As Yahageshii worked, Ryuosho suddenly noticed some blurry patterns on the wall. He was surprised and whispered, "Yahageshii, come look… These paintings don't seem like ordinary wall decorations."

Yahageshii was stunned for a moment, then leaned in closer to take a better look. In the dim light, a complex mural began to emerge on the wall: a figure clad in tattered black robes stood at the center, surrounded by an aura of black and red, with the surroundings twisting like burning blood, as if ready to devour everything. The figure's gaze was fixed forward, and even in the mural, there was a palpable sense of oppressive power, like a true god of war had descended.

Ryuosho shuddered and unconsciously took a step back, "…Why does it feel like we're being watched? Who is this person in the painting?"

Yahageshii furrowed his brow, his gaze shifting to a few lines of ancient text beneath the mural. The characters were deeply etched, seemingly meant to be remembered by future generations, but most of the text had become blurry over time, with only a few characters still legible:

God of War — KuroAka.

"KuroAka?" Yahageshii read aloud. "Who is this?"

Ryuosho shook his head, but his eyes remained fixed on the mural. He whispered, "This doesn't seem like just a decoration… These ancient texts must refer to someone from a very distant time. Could this person really have existed?"

Yahageshii didn't have time to think about it as the lights on the wall suddenly flickered. The figure in the mural seemed to shift slightly, as if it was about to break free from the painting. He instinctively clenched his fist, "Stop looking, this place is too sinister. Let's figure out how to get out of here first."

As Yahageshii and Ryuosho scrambled to find an exit, a mass of pitch-black fog appeared silently from the other end of the passage, as if growing out of the air itself, silently creeping toward the secret door. At the same time, a human-shaped shadow slowly appeared in the corner, sliding toward the door.

"Don't move," a deep voice suddenly sounded, seeming to drill directly into Yahageshii's ear. He jumped in surprise, looked up, and saw that the dark fog had gathered into a tall figure at the door, whose eyes glowed like cold stars in the night, exuding undeniable authority.

"Is… Myoun?" Yahageshii recognized the figure and was momentarily stunned, his eyes flashing with surprise and complexity.

"And me," another voice came from deeper in the shadows. Erukasu's figure emerged, seeming to blend entirely with the shadows, his form shifting unpredictably.

"Erukasu, how did you—" Ryuosho started, but Myoun coldly interrupted him, "No time for chatter. Shut up. Stand against the wall, and keep quiet."

Myoun raised his hand, and the black fog seemed to come alive, seeping through the crack in the door with a low, corrosive sound. After a faint "click," the tightly closed door lock slowly loosened. At the same time, Erukasu's figure silently slipped into the door, quietly blocking the footsteps approaching the passage.

"You handle their footsteps, I'll deal with the door," Myoun whispered. Erukasu nodded and gently raised his hand. The shadows in the passage suddenly expanded, swallowing the sound of the approaching footsteps in silent darkness.

"Hurry," Myoun urged, his cold voice prompting Yahageshii and Ryuosho to move quickly.

The two didn't have time to think, and rushed out through the secret door. Yahageshii couldn't help but glance back, only to see Erukasu's figure merge once again with the shadows, while Myoun's dark fog retreated like a tide, erasing all traces of their presence. The entire process was eerily quiet, as if no one had ever been there.

After escaping the dangerous area, Myoun turned to look at Yahageshii, his gaze tinged with impatience. "You two may be good-for-nothings, but don't drag others down."

Ryuosho recoiled slightly, not daring to retort, while Yahageshii unusually kept his mouth shut and quietly said, "…Thank you."

"Don't thank us. You'd better pray you weren't spotted, or you won't be so lucky next time." Erukasu stepped out from the shadows, a faint, cryptic smile on his face. "And remember, don't mention this incident to anyone. We won't save you a second time."

Myoun nodded, adding in a low voice, "Leave this place and never come back." With that, the two melted into the shadows once more and disappeared into the night.

Yahageshii watched them disappear into the distance, muttering under his breath, "What is this place… and what about that God of War KuroAka mural? What is it all about?"

Ryuosho furrowed his brow. "Maybe it's a conspiracy… The watchers are plotting something." The two exchanged a glance, both sensing the uncertainty and unease in each other's eyes.