It almost looked as if the curtain of fog itself was surging upward on both sides.

Screech!

The wraiths pouring down were swept away as if caught in a raging current, their shrieks echoing wildly as a path carved through the fog along the valley ridge.

So this is how it works.

Ian kept his left hand extended as the light gradually dimmed, a faint smile tugging at one corner of his lips.

It wasn’t just because the hidden path had appeared.

Swoosh—

As his Third Eye, parietal eye, opened, a new layer of reality unfolded before him.

Through his Third Eye, he saw what ordinary sight could not: the magic woven into the fog and the true forms of countless wraiths being swept away.

Moro continued forward. Ian narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the winding path ahead along the ridge.

—Overly flashy and inefficient, but interesting, I suppose...

Yog’s mocking whisper slipped into his mind.

However, that wasn’t what made Ian’s gaze sharpen.

"O light..."

"Demigod of the North!"

Before Yog could finish, quiet gasps of awe spread from behind.

Ian glanced back, his eyes narrowing further.

"Huh..."

"Glory be!"

As expected, awe was etched onto every face, as though they were witnessing a miracle. Even Thesaya, standing atop the crates in the wagon, stared up at the towering walls of fog rising like a massive tide, her mouth ajar.

Well. Even knowing it’s magic, it’s still impressive.

"Stay sharp and follow me. Don’t stop," said Ian.

The group blinked rapidly, jolted by the current of magic in his voice.

The Mantra circuit in his palm amplified his power.

As their attention snapped back to him, he added, "Don’t fall behind. This works like a torch. If my magic doesn’t reach you, the path will disappear."

He gave a slight motion with his left hand, now glowing faintly. He reached this conclusion after observing the path beyond the fog.

The farther it stretched, the more the magic converged, until it surged and twisted violently.

—I was going to tell you that, but you beat me to it.

Yog chuckled.

Blinking, Thesaya turned back toward the group. "You heard him! Don’t stop and stay right behind! Once Ian passes, the path disappears!"

"Understood," Nasser answered calmly.

"W-We’ll remember, Demigod!" Hallig nodded so hard it looked like his head might fall off, gripping the reins tightly.

Confirming that Mev and Nila were following steadily, Ian turned forward again. By now, just a few meters to either side, walls of fog churned like reversed waterfalls.

Screech!

Faces twisted in pain and rage flickered endlessly across their surface, only to crumble and vanish.

To Ian’s eyes, the wraiths being flung away by the flow of magic were vividly clear, and so were those that refused to give up, surging forward again and again.

So they can’t break through, after all.

Ian gave a faint nod.

If things held like this, they might reach the nest without even needing to fight. Of course, to everyone else, this alone was already more than enough to be terrifying.

Snort...

Moro moved calmly through it all as if none of it even existed. It almost seemed to understand that if it panicked, the frightened horses behind would follow suit.

—Pathetic things... unable to endure even this much time.

Yog’s voice drifted lazily.

—Most of what they once were is gone. Only their base instincts remain. They’ve lingered here so long they’ve practically melted into the fog. If they leave it, they probably won’t even be able to maintain their existence.

So it wasn’t just the flow of magic keeping them from breaking through.

Even as he nodded at the unexpected bit of good news, Ian didn’t let his guard down. He glanced back once more.

Clack—clack—

The wagons followed in a single line, climbing diagonally along the valley ridge.

The horses trudged forward with their heads lowered in fear, the group moving with them.

At the very rear, Nila and Mev followed steadily. Ian’s gaze lingered on her briefly, her face hidden behind a visor.

Swoosh—

Behind Mev, the fog wall collapsed like a falling curtain. The wraiths that had been flung away swarmed back in like a school of piranhas.

Hopefully, the path opens on the way out too.

—Don’t worry about running out of magic, my friend. Just don’t lower that hand.

Yog whispered, misreading his concern.

Ian didn’t bother correcting it. He simply gave a small nod and turned forward again.

The Mantra circuit in his palm continued to draw in the surrounding magic. Even if something unexpected happened, he could likely maintain this for quite some time.

Guided by the key, Ian and the group pressed deeper into the valley.

Screech!

The wraiths still surged and shrieked, dragged along by the fog. As Yog had said, having been reduced to pure desire, they no longer even knew how to give up.

"Truly... the Demigod is magnificent."

Eventually, a voice rose quietly from behind. Even the most horrific sights became familiar when seen long enough.

"To walk so calmly through the heart of these wraiths alone..."

"Of course, he isn’t afraid. Compared to everything we’ve faced, these are nothing," said Thesaya, her voice low.

With nerves stretched tight, Ian couldn’t help but hear every word, even if he didn’t want to.

They never stop, do they...

He let out an inward scoff, but his focus never wavered. It wasn’t just because he didn’t know when things might suddenly change.

Beyond the ridge to the right, on the highest peak, a dark, murky green light flickered.

It looked as if it were seeping out from within a cave.

—Ah, yes, as expected.

Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the ominous glow.

—Even worthless things, if they gather and accumulate long enough, something usable is bound to mix in...

Yog’s low whisper followed a beat later, as if it had only just realized.

—But I don’t think you need to worry too much, my friend. It seems afraid. Well, that’s only natural.

Chuckling, Yog slithered slowly around Ian’s neck as it continued.

—It’s something it’s never encountered before, and it can probably sense draconic magic from you. Why not reveal a bit of chaos as well? It might panic and hide completely.

Talking about stirring up a hornet’s nest so casually.

Ian scoffed under his breath. "No need to take that kind of risk right now. Just keep watching, Yog. Let me know the moment anything changes."

Though I’ll probably notice it first anyway.

Yog let out a quiet laugh.

—Understood, my friend. A shame, though...

It was obvious it had been tempted by that chaos.

Suppressing a snort, Ian turned his gaze forward again. Assigning Yog to watch had been, more than anything, a way to distract it.

Swoosh—

The light in his palm pulsed faintly, as if resonating.

The entrance to the nest had to be near. However, confirming it was still impossible.

Screech! Screech!

The path twisted and bent, and the wraiths still swarmed like a pack of piranhas. The magic churning within the fog grew denser, more violent.

As Ian focused his senses, trying to pierce through it, his eyes twitched. It wasn’t just because of the low hum spreading from his Mantra circuit.

The Platinum Barrier on his hand and the Platinum Avatar mark on his back began to resonate.

A viscous, cold draconic magic surged through the circuits like a rising tide.

What is this all of a sudden?

Ian’s brows shot up. However, he couldn’t lower his outstretched arm, nor could he stop the flow of magic.

Before anything else, blinding light swallowed his vision, melting his senses away.

Swoosh—

A radiant Mantra circuit appeared at the center of his vision, identical to the one in his palm but surrounded by smaller patterns forming a perfect circle.

However, that wasn’t what startled Ian.

As the light dimmed, a hand extended before him came into view.

Each finger was adorned with gold rings set with gemstones, and delicate golden chains wrapped around the hand and wrist.

Yet the pale, flawless skin and the long, elegant fingers felt unmistakably familiar.

"Hmm."

A low murmur followed as the hand slowly lowered, the voice strangely familiar.

As if deep in thought, the gaze lingered on the Mantra circuit carved into the stone wall ahead.

Archeas?

Only then did Ian murmur inwardly.

He had finally become certain that what he was seeing was the Platinum Dragon itself. More precisely, he was glimpsing its old memories.

How this had happened, he couldn’t tell. Perhaps a remnant of memory lingered within the key in his hand. Or perhaps a fragment of will had lingered within the Mantra circuit carved into his back at the very end.

"Yes. I suppose I should extend mercy to those dwarves as well. I’ve already worked them enough."

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.

What mattered was that he was now witnessing Archeas—before it had cast aside its innate greed.

As the dragon muttered under its breath, it extended its hand once more. Golden magic shimmered around the jewel-laden fingers.

Swoosh—

A new golden line began to etch itself into the slanted stone wall where the Mantra circuit lay. It formed the outline of a doorway large enough for a person to pass through. Along its edges, tiny, indecipherable symbols were carved in dense succession.

Then, with a casual flick of its hand, Archeas scattered the magic like drifting sparks, leaving only faint traces on the tilted stone wall.

Letting out another low murmur, Archeas turned sharply, as if casting aside any lingering dissatisfaction, and began to walk.

Smooth golden hair swayed, briefly obscuring the view before settling again.

Under a clear blue sky, a lush valley and mountain ridges stretched out, heavy shadows from the mountains lying over the green forest below.

Archeas took a few leisurely steps, taking in the scenery.

"No matter how I think about it..." muttering, it turned back.

Only then did Ian realize the wall with the carved doorway was actually a massive stone, jutting up at an angle like a misplaced monument.

"It’s far too plain."

Though the voice was familiar, the tone carried a distinct arrogance.

Raising both arms, Archeas summoned golden magic once more into its ornament-laden hands.

With a light motion, the magic spread across the ground, carving glowing golden lines.

Ian quickly realized the energy was forming a vast circle around the stone, shimmering instantly with radiant gold.

From Archeas’ outstretched fingers, a liquid-like golden essence dripped down.

Seems like the source...

The sight stirred a memory.

Golden liquid dripped from Archeas’ ten fingertips, seeping into the countless tiny symbols etched along the circle.

Soon after, Archeas slowly lowered both arms. At the same time, the brilliant circular circuit sank into the earth and vanished.

Whoosh—

Moments later, vapor began to rise from the ground. Centered around the stone, it spread outward in a widening circle, swirling and crawling along the surface.

"Then, at the very least..." said Archeas.

It glanced over the area as the fog began to blanket everything.

"It should be mysterious."

With that, it turned again, a faint, satisfied smile resting on its lips.

The view was soon swallowed by the surging fog.

Screech! Scree—

And with the echoing wails, Ian’s senses snapped back into place.

Moro’s saddle shifted as it continued forward, and Yog’s voice followed.

—Looks like you were seeing something again... what was it this time, my friend?

Ian didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

Beyond the undulating path of fog, a massive, slanted stone had come into view.