Tick...
Boom...
Boom...
"What kind of metal is this? It's just too hard; I can't even scratch it!"
"Hmph, let me try."
The clanging of tools against the rock echoed through the dimly lit cavern. Sweat dripped from their brows as frustration filled the air.
"Ha... ha... I'm too tired," one man groaned, leaning on his pickaxe. "I've tried too many times. For the last thousand years, our sect has done everything we can to extract something from this damn rock, but we can't even scratch it. How are we supposed to get anything out of this?"
A second man sighed deeply, his expression weary. "A thousand years ago, our sect master discovered this rock buried deep in the Forgotten Lands."
The woman among them nodded, her voice tinged with awe and exhaustion. "The Forgotten Lands... a place where no life exists. The environment is so harsh that no ordinary being can survive there. But it's also a treasure trove of rare materials."
"We've been trying to extract the unique material hidden within this core because the rock seems to have spatial properties," the first man continued. "But we can't figure it out. There's only one mark on it—a single sword strike. That happened when our sect master first tried to extract it. Even he failed. We've all tried since, but there's been no progress."
Another sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Let's rest. This is a long process. We'll come back and think of a new way to extract the rock's materials."
"Alright, let's go."
The group of five men and one woman set down their tools and left the cavern, their footsteps fading into the distance. Silence settled once more.
After they left, the rock began to glow intensely, its light filling the dark chamber. The glow pulsated, growing brighter and brighter until it dimmed. Cracks began to form across its smooth surface, spreading like a spider's web.
And then—
Boom!
"Finally, I'm out of that bloody rock!" a voice exclaimed, echoing through the cavern. The figure emerged from the crumbling rock, stretching his limbs. "Let's dismantle this damn thing first."
He pointed a finger at the remaining pieces of the rock, and they began to disintegrate into dust. The cavern filled with the faint hum of energy as the glowing fragments dissolved completely.
The man's eyes narrowed as he surveyed his surroundings. "Hmm... I can sense various auras," he muttered.
Taking a deep breath, he smirked. "Let's get out of here and figure out where the hell I am. The last thing I remember was being in the void."