The journey to the surface was slow and arduous. The tunnels, though stabilized, were still treacherous, with jagged rocks and uneven terrain. Adam walked at the front of the group, his senses heightened, his connection to the Earth still pulsing within him. Every step he took felt deliberate, as if the ground itself was guiding him, whispering its secrets into his mind. He could feel the weight of the mountain above him, the ancient layers of rock and soil that had stood for millennia. It was a humbling reminder of the power he now wielded—and the responsibility that came with it.