The Ashen Lands themselves were half a paradise for dungeon lords and subterranean creatures.
As a result, beneath the *Ramor Tower Citadel*, an intricate network of underground tunnels stretched out, a labyrinth of cold, silent darkness.
Deep within one of these shadowy passages, Tucker cautiously advanced, holding a lantern that emitted a soft orange glow, dispelling the darkness around him.
On the "Ashen Days," the tunnels might be teeming with kobolds, goblins, and other dark creatures, foraging for carrion rats.
But now it was the "Ashen Night," a time when the cold had enveloped the entire world, including the tunnels near the surface.
These subterranean creatures had retreated deeper into the earth to escape the biting chill.
This spared Tucker from unnecessary confrontations.
After all, creatures like kobolds and goblins were typically a threat because of their numbers. Alone, Tucker was the "weaker" party.
Soon, at the end of the tunnel, a flickering campfire caught his eye.
Carlos was already waiting by the fire.
With his [Climbing] ability, Carlos had avoided the long detours Tucker had taken.
"If you hadn't shown up soon, I would've thought those kobolds had caught you!" Carlos teased, roasting something over the fire.
Tucker didn't reply. Instead, he moved closer to the fire, allowing its warmth to chase away the biting cold.
Although Tucker wore a *Crimson Flame Ring*—which granted him greater resistance to cold than the average extraordinary being—he couldn't afford to ignore the freezing temperature for long.
The firelight danced across his face, and the *Crimson Flame Ring* absorbed the warmth, gradually dispelling the chill that had settled in his bones.
Tucker raised his gaze.
His eyes passed over the campfire, over Carlos, and focused on the massive magical seal gate behind him.
The gate was a towering structure, about five meters high and three meters wide, built entirely from magical obsidian. Its surface was covered in dense, intricate runes of the sealing arts.
This formidable "Demon Lord's Seal Gate" was the very reason Tucker had come.
Previously, Tucker had used the *Steady Development System* to anchor himself to various regions:
An abandoned mine.
A kobold tribe that had been eradicated deep within the tunnels.
Ancient ruins in the wild, hidden away in desolate corners.
And a warm underground passage near the *Ramor Steam Tower*, rich with abundant energy.
But—
These were all "ordinary zones" that only produced "energy experience."
What lay beyond this dangerous, energy-rich magical seal gate was the true treasure.
The kind of treasure that could catalyze Tucker's transformation.
"Tucker, this magical seal gate is the portal where powerful wizards once joined forces to seal the Dungeon Lord."
"It's said that the slain Dungeon Lord is trapped within."
"Every year, countless adventurers come here to try their luck, but none have ever succeeded."
"Given our level and strength..."
"Do you think we can open it with the [Spirit Bridge Rune Stone]?"
Carlos turned his head, eyeing the ancient seal gate, his expression devoid of hope that Tucker could actually open it.
After shaking off most of the cold and ensuring his body was no longer hindered by the chill, Tucker stood up.
"Give me the item."
At that moment, Carlos finally wore a more serious expression.
It wasn't that he feared Tucker couldn't open the gate; rather, he was concerned about what might go wrong.
After all, this was the *Demon Lord's Seal Gate*. Even if the demon lord had perished, the dungeon that once housed it was still extremely dangerous.
Carlos retrieved the [Spirit Bridge Rune Stone] from his *extraordinary storage ring*.
*Hummm…*
A powerful aura of "runes" and "sequences" filled the air, enveloping both of them and the world around them.
The cold was instantly pushed back.
The roaring campfire flickered weakly, its flames almost suppressed to extinction.
Darkness seemed to close in from all sides.
As the rune power surged, Tucker felt the weight of an immense force pressing down on him, as though he were carrying a tank on his shoulders. His legs trembled involuntarily.
The *Rune Stone*.
It was the crystallized essence of natural extraordinary power in this world.
Expensive, yet immensely powerful.
*Spirit Bridge Rune Stone*.
This item could create a passage between barriers, seals, and different layers of existence.
Carlos had the *extraordinary storage ring*, which allowed him to channel the power of the Rune Stone. Tucker, however, did not possess such an item.
This was why Tucker had sought Carlos's cooperation.
Enduring the strain, Tucker took the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone* and pressed it firmly against the Demon Lord's Seal Gate.
The moment they touched—
*Hummm…*
*Hummm…*
Massive runic marks lit up across the surface of the gate.
The Demon Lord's Seal Gate, a relic over three hundred years old, had long been abandoned and neglected.
Even though the runes lit up, less than a third of them were actually active, and most of the glowing symbols flickered weakly, many showing signs of cracking.
Despite this, Tucker knew that trying to use the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone* to unlock the powerful seal was futile.
In truth, Tucker's goal was never to open the Demon Lord's Seal Gate.
His real aim was to use the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone* to make brief contact with the area beyond the gate.
Even if it was only for an instant, it would be enough for the *System* to take effect.
Tucker had come here several times before, studying the gate and collecting data from other adventurers who had tried exploring it. He knew that certain areas of the seal had cracks.
With the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone*, the chance of fully opening the seal was slim, but making contact with the area beyond the gate was plausible.
Once the connection was made, the *System* would spring into action.
Guiding the power of the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone*, Tucker quickly began to search for the cracks in the gate.
Soon, he identified a particularly fragile, shattered section of the seal.
"Go!"
Tucker focused the energy of the Rune Stone, directing it to slip through the crack.
Perhaps the seal had grown weak with age, like a candle flickering in the wind. Or perhaps the crack Tucker had found was particularly devious.
Or maybe the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone* was simply too powerful.
As Tucker constructed the *Spirit Bridge* through the crack, a loud *crackling* sound echoed from the gate.
The entire Demon Lord's Seal Gate trembled slightly.
At the same time, the entire tunnel shook, and bits of rubble and dust rained down.
"No way…" Carlos widened his eyes in disbelief, his face filled with astonishment. He was already mentally preparing to flee if the tunnel began to collapse.
Tucker's heart skipped a beat as well, his eyes twitching slightly.
"I only wanted to make contact with the other side, not destroy the gate."
As the *Spirit Bridge Rune Stone* formed a small arc of light—
*Crash!*
A large chunk of debris fell away.
Then, on the otherwise impenetrable black obsidian surface of the Demon Lord's Seal Gate, a fist-sized hole suddenly appeared right before their eyes.
"Holy crap!"
"Holy crap!"
Both Tucker and Carlos stared wide-eyed at the hole in the gate, their faces filled with stunned disbelief.
What had been an immovable seal for centuries had now been breached, a gaping hole torn open by Tucker.