While Alex continued fighting the A-Rank leader, the expedition team was making its way toward the entrance of the ancient ruins.
The situation had changed considerably since the ruins began shutting down. The sentinels had stopped moving, and the formations that once distorted the space around them had ceased functioning. What had previously seemed like an endless maze was now little more than a series of connected passages.
The first section of the ruins had never been particularly large to begin with. It was only because of the spatial and illusion formations that crossing it had taken so long. With those formations now inactive, the journey back to the entrance had become considerably shorter.
The expedition members hurried forward, following the route they had taken when they first entered the ruins. They were exhausted, and the occasional tremors shaking the ancient structure only made them more anxious to get outside.
Fortunately, they were almost there.
The familiar cave-like entrance finally came into view at the end of the passage. Several members of the group visibly relaxed, while others quickened their pace, eager to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the collapsing ruins.
They were finally going to make it out.
However, just as the group was about to reach the entrance, something unexpected happened. Suddenly, one of the expedition members made his move.
Before anyone could react, the man slipped behind Sherry and grabbed her, pulling her firmly against himself. He then raised his other hand toward her neck, making it clear that he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her if anyone tried anything.
Everything happened in an instant.
Sherry barely had time to register what was happening before she found herself in the man's grasp. Her eyes widened, and her body stiffened in shock.
"Don't move!"
The man's sudden shout brought the entire group to a halt.
Emma and Fredrick immediately turned around. Their expressions changed the moment they saw their daughter in the man's grasp.
"Sherry!"
Fredrick instinctively took a step forward, but the man tightened his hold on her.
"Stay where you are!"
The warning was enough to make Fredrick stop.
The other expedition members stared at the scene in disbelief. None of them had expected such a betrayal, especially after everything they had endured inside the ruins.
"What are you doing?" Marie demanded, her voice filled with disbelief.
The man didn't answer. His gaze moved across the group, carefully watching their reactions as he maintained his grip on Sherry.
For a moment, nobody dared to move.
They were too close to the exit to risk another confrontation, yet the situation had suddenly become even more dangerous than before.
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Meanwhile, Alex was still engaged in battle with the A-Rank leader.
The difference in their strength was considerable. Despite the spells he had thrown at his opponent, the leader remained standing, his protective artifact repeatedly neutralizing Alex's attacks.
Alex had expected as much. He wasn't under any illusion that he could defeat an A-Rank opponent through ordinary means.
He was simply buying time while looking for an opportunity to escape.
However, just as he was preparing to use his hidden trump card, Aurora's voice suddenly reached him through their soul connection.
"Alex!"
Her tone was unusually urgent.
Alex glanced toward Aurora. She was no longer watching the battle in front of them. Instead, her attention was fixed on the distant group of expedition members.
"What's wrong?"
"Sherry..." Aurora's expression grew serious. "One of the expedition members has taken her hostage."
Alex's movements faltered. For a brief moment, the sounds of the ongoing battle seemed to fade into the background.
"What?"
He immediately looked in the direction Aurora was watching. Even from a distance, he could make out the figures gathered near the entrance, with Sherry among them.
Alex's expression darkened.
He immediately abandoned the idea of using the hidden trump card he had been preparing. With Sherry in the hands of the traitor, he couldn't afford to act without first understanding the situation.
The A-Rank leader noticed the sudden change in Alex's behavior. He narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly sensing that something had happened.
But Alex's thoughts were already racing. 'What the hell is going on over there?'
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Aurora had already suspected that there was a mole among the expedition team.
In fact, the signs had been there for quite some time. Anyone who paid even a little attention to the situation could have noticed that something was wrong. The appearance of the five intruders, their knowledge of the treasure, and the suspicious timing of their arrival all pointed toward the possibility that someone had leaked information to them.
It wasn't particularly difficult to connect the dots.
The expedition members had also begun to realize that something was amiss. However, they were in no position to investigate the matter, let alone openly accuse one of their companions.
With the five intruders standing in their way and the ancient ruin crumbling, falling apart and shutting down, they had far more immediate concerns. Even so, they had little opportunity to act on their suspicions.
Alex, on the other hand, hadn't given it much thought.
It wasn't that he was incapable of noticing the clues. If he had taken a moment to consider everything that had happened, he might have reached the same conclusion Aurora had.
Unfortunately, his attention had been almost entirely occupied by the A-Rank leader standing before him.
Against an opponent of that caliber, even a brief lapse in concentration could prove costly. Alex had been forced to focus on every movement, carefully choosing when to attack and when to defend while searching for an opportunity to escape.
Stalling for time and getting everyone out safely had been his best option from the beginning.
He simply hadn't had the time to think about anything else.
And now, with Sherry being held hostage, the situation had become considerably more complicated.
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To understand how things had come to this, we need to go back in time.
Far away from the ancient ruins, on the other side of the world, a man sat behind a large desk in a luxurious study.
The room was spacious and elegantly furnished, with expensive decorations and shelves filled with books lining the walls. Yet, despite the warm lighting, the atmosphere remained strangely quiet. The man's flaxen hair was the only clearly visible feature of his appearance, while his face remained hidden from view.
A knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Without waiting for permission, another man opened the door and stepped inside. He didn't announce his arrival or show the slightest hesitation. Instead, he walked forward and stopped a short distance from the desk.
His presence was so faint that he seemed to blend into the surrounding shadows. Even after entering the room, he was difficult to notice unless someone deliberately looked toward him.
The man behind the desk continued with whatever he had been doing for a few moments before finally raising his head.
"Sir, we've re-established contact with the lost operative. We've also received a message." He paused briefly before continuing. "It's about the key. The one we believed had been lost three years ago."
The man's previously nonchalant expression shifted slightly.
The shift was subtle. There was no obvious display of excitement, but his eyes sharpened as he leaned back slightly in his chair.
"You should understand how important that thing is." he said. "The others were already alerted the last time we received information about it. We can't afford another mistake."
"I understand your concerns, sir. That's precisely why I took personal responsibility for handling this matter and came to report to you immediately."
The man behind the desk remained silent for a moment, seemingly considering the situation.
"Tell me what's happening. Has he obtained the key?"
"Unfortunately, no, sir. After three years without contact, we only just received what appears to be an old message. However, when I tried contacting him afterward, the connection went through."
The subordinate paused before explaining further.
"According to the information we received, the expedition team is still inside the ruins. There are also several obstacles preventing him from completing his objective."
The flaxen-haired man tapped his fingers against the desk.
"Send a proper team this time."
"Sir, even with teleportation, it may take some time for a team to reach the location. There's also a chance the others might learn about the situation before we can act."
"Then find a suitable team nearby." The man's tone remained calm, but there was an unmistakable firmness to his words.
"Arrange everything yourself. For this task, I don't want anyone else to have even the slightest hint of what's happening."
The subordinate lowered his head. "Understood, sir."
He didn't ask any further questions. Having received his instructions, he turned and quietly left the study, closing the door behind him.
The flaxen-haired man remained seated, his gaze fixed on the empty space in front of his desk.
Three years. He had nearly given up hope, but now a message had finally arrived. Whatever happened next, he couldn't afford to let this opportunity slip away.