Morrison and the other members of the security forces did not act rashly after emerging from the sandstorm.
Instead of wandering aimlessly, they released numerous scouting devices and allowed them to fly in every direction around the massive sand castle. Read full story at nοvelfire.net
Through the scouting devices, within just a few minutes, the security forces had surveyed most of the surrounding area and even detected traces of human activity.
They also discovered the collapsed entrance to the sand castle and even tried to send one of the scouting devices inside the castle.
However, to their surprise, the moment the device passed through the entrance, all connection with it was severed as though it had been destroyed.
At first, Morrison and the others assumed that someone inside the castle had destroyed the device the instant it crossed the threshold.
However, when Morrison sent a level-43 epic-rank assassin, an expert in concealment to investigate, the man reported back that the device had not been destroyed.
Instead, for some unknown reason, all its functions had simply ceased to operate the moment it entered the castle.
Concerned that there might be some kind of trap, Morrison immediately ordered the assassin not to enter deeper and to return at once.
Meanwhile, the other scouting devices that continued to explore the outer perimeter of the sand castle without venturing inside kept functioning normally. Gradually, the security forces were able to draw a detailed map of the castle’s outer area.
As the devices continued their reconnaissance, one of the security force members who was monitoring the live feed suddenly froze. His attention locked on one of the screens displaying an area a few kilometers from the entrance, and his eyes widened.
"Sir, there is something here," He called out quickly to Morrison.
Morrison and a few other epic-level warriors rushed to the monitor and when they looked at the screen he was pointing to, all of them saw three men lying unconscious on the sandy ground.
Two of the men appeared completely unharmed, but the third was in a horrific state: both of his arms were missing, his feet looked as though they had been roasted inside a furnace, and his entire body was covered in deep wounds.
"Go and bring them here," Morrison thought for a moment before he ordered several of his subordinates.
"Be careful. It might be a trap," He also warned in a low, serious voice.
Morrison watched as part of his team departed, then turned his gaze back toward the three unconscious men, Hiroshi, Ron, and Ming.
’Are they members of the Transcendent Organization? If so, who could have injured them?’ He wondered, his eyes narrowing as his mind worked rapidly.
About twenty minutes later, the team that had gone out returned, carrying Hiroshi and the others. The moment Morrison sensed the unmistakable aura of an epic-level warrior radiating from Hiroshi, his expression hardened in shock.
Just like Azrael and his companions earlier, the security forces’ intelligence had reported that the Transcendent Organization possessed only three epic-level warriors. Two of them had already been killed by Azrael, and the third had been captured by the security forces back in New Port City.
Before entering the ruins, they had assumed that if there were any remaining members of the Transcendent Organization inside, none would be stronger than a class-level warrior.
But looking at Hiroshi, all of them realized they were completely wrong.
"Wake him up," Morrison ordered coldly.
One of the epic-level warriors on the team, a healer, stepped forward and began mending some of Hiroshi’s injuries to rouse him back to consciousness.
Far away, deep within the sand castle, a vast open space stretched out like a forgotten temple. Towering pillars of hardened sand, shimmering faintly as though they were made of gold rose hundreds of meters high. Each pillar connected seamlessly to the ceiling, as if they were the very supports holding the immense castle together.
The floor of the open hall was covered in a dusty crimson carpet. Though slightly faded with age, the fabric bore no tears or damage, giving the chamber an unsettling air of timeless preservation.
The rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed through the cavernous hall as a strikingly beautiful woman with long lavender-colored hair strode toward its deepest recesses.
She stood nearly 180 centimeters tall, her ember-colored eyes glowing faintly beneath the soft light, and her curvaceous, hourglass figure was the kind that could make onlookers forget to breathe. She wore a tight-fitting battle armor that clung perfectly to her form, and as she passed between the towering golden pillars, her gaze occasionally lingered on the faint images carved upon their surfaces.
Some of the images depicted people battling colossal entities so immense they seemed to blot out the sky. Others portrayed mortals either tearing those titanic beings apart or fleeing in terror from their overwhelming presence.
After several minutes of walking past hundreds of such pillars, the woman finally reached the far end of the vast chamber.
There, a high platform of hardened sand loomed, and atop it rested a throne forged from a strange, black metal.
The throne was riddled with countless cracks, looking as though it might collapse at any moment. Yet, despite its tattered and unstable appearance, when the woman approached and gently brushed her fingers along its surface, nothing happened.
For a fleeting instant, the thought of sitting on the throne crossed her mind. But just as quickly, an intense, instinctive dread gripped her heart, a palpitating warning that something terrible would happen if she dared to sit.
She stared at the throne for a few seconds, her eyes narrowing slightly, before turning away and walking behind it.
There, hidden at the very end of the platform stood an unassuming door crafted from polished black wood.
Looking at the door, the woman’s expression shifted to one of unmasked fanaticism, and a smile slowly curved her lips.
"Just a little bit more..." She whispered, running her palm across the smooth wooden surface. "Once it opens, I will finally see what lies behind these closed doors."