Kael took a sharp turn, his bike leaning dangerously close to the ground as he sped along the winding, mountainous road.
The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a pale glow over the rugged landscape.
'Looks like I drove the whole night,' he thought, slightly surprised at how time had slipped.
Finally, he brought the bike to a stop, gravel crunching beneath his tires as he looked up at the looming entrance of a Cave, nestled into the side of the mountain.
"This must be it," he muttered, looking at the yawning mouth of a well just within the cave entrance.
He peered down into the darkness, unable to see the bottom.
Without hesitation, he leapt into the well, descending rapidly through the black void.
As he approached the ground, he instinctively used his newfound memories and powers to cushion his landing, his feet touching down gracefully, without a sound.
Kael took a deep breath, gazing around the cavernous hall illuminated by faint shafts of early morning light filtering through cracks in the stone.
The air was still, heavy with an ancient, almost ominous energy.
He looked at the four passages before him, each marked by intricate engravings above the entrances, each one hinting at a different trial or puzzle.
'It's same as it was in novel' kael thought.
As he read inscription written at the top of each path.
1. "Seek the Truth Where Shadows Hide"
2. "Strength Lies Not in Force, But in Balance"
3. "Only the Brave Pass Through Fire"
4. "Patience is the Key to Great Power"
..
Without a second thought, Kael chose the third path, stepping into its shadowy passage.
The air was thick with silence, only interrupted by the soft echoes of his footsteps as he ventured deeper into the unknown.
.....
"Where does this even end?" Kael muttered, feeling a hint of weariness settle in.
It had been nearly six hours since he entered the path.
As kael took out a water bottle from his void space.
(A/N: Void space — A small space where you can fit larger object . Small space means ring, necklace etc.)
"Gulp"
"Gulp"
As he gulped down water from his bottle, the coolness a momentary relief against the lingering fatigue.
Then, finally, a glimmer caught his eye at the far end of the tunnel—a gate, illuminated by a faint, otherworldly glow that spilled through its cracks and edges.
A surge of hope rushed through Kael as he broke into a run, each step carrying him closer to what he believed might be the goal.
"This is it," he thought, heart pounding with anticipation.
"The Gate of Astral Holy Waters."
As Kael looked up at the massive stone slab covering the entrance.
"Well, let's solve the puzzle first." he muttered to himself
He knew this was the very reason the Villainess Vampire Queen had not been able to acquire the waters—this one intricate, unyielding puzzle.
As Kael gazed up at the massive stone slab, he could see an inscription carved intricately into its surface.
"To those who seek the Waters of Astral power"
In silence, it grows louder, yet has no sound;
In darkness, it is seen, though it holds no light.
With every step forward, it lies behind you.
It lives within all, yet touches none.
To pass, name it, but if spoken wrong,
The way is sealed and lost for long."
As Kael took a deep breath, he carefully examined the puzzle etched into the stone.
The riddle was clear in his mind, and he muttered the answer he knew so well:
"Time."
With that single word, the great stone began to tremble, shifting and lifting as if recognizing the truth in his answer.
In utter disbelief, Kael's face broke into a wide grin as he started to laugh, excitement bubbling up inside him.
He ran forward with abandon, stripping off his clothes until he was left in only his underwear.
Without a second thought, he leaped into the water with a splash that echoed through the cavern.
As he submerged, a powerful surge of energy coursed through him, like nothing he had ever felt before.
"Oh yes, this is it!" he shouted, feeling the intense warmth seeping into every inch of his body.
He could feel the power around this water come alive—this was no ordinary spring.
This was the Astral Water, the source of divine power, known for bestowing its users with immunity to all poisons ,a regenerative ability twenty times stronger than normal, and the rare, divine blessing of the Astral God, the mightiest of the gods.
Calling up the status window, Kael watched as it appeared before him, shimmering in the air.
_______________________
Astral Water Absorption: 1%
_______________________
it read. He nodded, knowing the process would take time, but it would be worth every second.
Sighing in satisfaction, he leaned back, letting the warmth of the water cradle him.
Exhausted from the journey, with adrenaline fading and his body finally at rest, Kael's eyes grew heavy.
Within moments, sleep claimed him, the divine water rippling gently around him as he drifted into peaceful slumber.
"Slap
A sharp, stinging slap echoed through the cavern as Kael's eyes shot open, pain flaring across his face.
Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, he found himself airborne, flung out of the sacred Astral Water with blood dripping from his mouth.
Hitting the ground with a thud, he staggered to his feet, fury and shock mixing in his gaze as he scanned for
the source of the brutal blow.
"Who the fuck is it.." kael shouted
As he saw standing before him was none other than
Celestara Ruinous famous Villainess Vampire queen.
one of the few beings in existence to hold the rank of Celestial God, her dark, gleaming eyes alight with cold amusement.
The air around her seemed to crackle with raw power, her imposing figure draped in obsidian and silver that radiated a dangerous, unholy beauty.
'I know she was after Astral water'
But the answers to open the gate. she would learn about it almost a year later from now on .
As per novel.
So why is she here
'Why is my luck so fucked up'