Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra-Chapter 562: The Underworld

A dead end.

Ryzel halted and motioned toward the far wall, where a barely noticeable crack ran vertically along the surface. It was thin, but just enough for someone to see through.

"We've arrived," Ryzel murmured.

Aurelius was the first to step forward, his eyes narrowing as he peered through the gap. Adrian followed, along with a few others.

And then—they saw it.

A cavern stretched before them, vast and suffocating. The ceiling loomed high above, jagged with stalactites, while the ground was far below, carved into uneven platforms and pits. Their vantage point allowed them to see everything.

But what truly sent a chill down their spines was the sight of the people.

Hundreds—no, thousands—of figures moved below, their forms clad in tattered, blackened tunics. Humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and many other races—every one of them working in silence, their backs bent under the weight of labor.

Some carried crates filled with jagged, glimmering black minerals, their hands covered in grime and blood. Others chiseled at the cavern walls with crude, rune-inscribed tools, their movements slow and mechanical, as if drained of all spirit.

The old worked. The young worked. Even those who looked too frail to stand were being forced to continue, their bodies trembling under the strain.

Aurelius felt his stomach tighten. "What the hell is this…?"

Adrian's golden eyes darkened as he scanned the area. 'So this is the underworld...'

There were no shackles, no whips. The captives were not bound by chains—yet not a single one attempted to flee. They simply worked.

Their faces were hollow, their expressions devoid of anything resembling hope.

Adrian exhaled slowly, his grip tightening around the stone surface as he continued to watch the workers below. He had seen this before. He knew exactly what this was.

A situation-P.

A term used in intelligence circles, whispered in the underbelly of society—where the powerful discarded those they deemed unworthy, stripping them of identity, autonomy, and hope. No chains, no shackles—because none were needed.

This was beyond enslavement.

It was a systematic breaking of will.

The moment someone entered this place, they ceased to exist in the world above. No name, no past, no future—only endless labor. Those who worked had already given up. The younger ones, still clinging to some remnants of defiance, would learn soon enough. The older ones had already accepted their fate.

He had read and seen places like this. Hidden beneath cities, fortresses, and kingdoms. Mines, dungeons, hellholes where people were reduced to tools—used until they broke.

And now, he was seeing one with his own eyes.

'...It'll be hard for them to return to 'life'...'

His thoughts were interrupted by Ryzel's voice.

"This place is the Underworld," Ryzel said calmly, his voice echoing slightly against the stone. "We are thousands of meters beneath Black Star City."

The weight of his words settled over the group. Some of the students stiffened, their eyes flicking between each other.

"As you can see," Ryzel continued, his tone unreadable, "this is where the Black Scourge—or the Black Star Lord, as you may know him—sends those he deems useless. The ones who have lost their worth or failed during the 'sorting'. The people you've come to rescue must be among them too."

A heavy silence followed.

"You can also consider this place a mine, a slave pit, a prison," Ryzel gestured to the massive cavern, "or whatever suits your understanding."

Aurelius clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. His gaze flickered between the countless people below, his expression tightening.

Others, too, peeked through the crack again, as if hoping their eyes had deceived them the first time. But the sight remained the same—unforgiving, relentless.

Their breathing turned heavier.

Although they have seen deaths and monsters, this was on a whole another level.

"Damn it…" one of the students muttered. Another gritted their teeth, looking away as if the mere sight of the suffering below was unbearable.

Aurelius exhaled sharply, his frustration barely contained.

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Then Adrian spoke, his voice low but steady.

"So what's our mission here?" He didn't look away from the scene below. "Save our people… or—"

Before he could finish, Aurelius turned to Ryzel, his eyes burning with determination.

"All of them."

A quiet yet powerful statement.

He turned back toward the crack, his body tense as he scanned the endless sea of workers. "We can save all of them… right?"

For a moment, Ryzel said nothing. He simply stared at Aurelius—then at Adrian, and finally at the rest of the group.

His lips curled into a small, unreadable smile.

"Well," he exhaled, tilting his head slightly. "You can say that."

The air seemed to shift.

"Though…" he added, "it's a bit complicated."

"How?" another student asked, their voice carrying a mixture of hope and uncertainty.

Ryzel's gaze flickered toward the cavern once more. Then, with a slight smile, he turned back to the group.

"Since we've arrived at our location," he said smoothly, "let me share the details."

"...."

After a while, Ryzel finished his explanation.

The group exchanged glances, some tense, others determined. This wasn't just a rescue mission anymore—it was war in the shadows.

"Why must we wait if the war has already started above?" One of the students asked, his voice tight with urgency. "Isn't now the best time to act?"

Ryzel chuckled, shaking his head. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement, though beneath it lay something deeper—an understanding born from experience.

He, too, had asked that very question once.

"We can't be hasty," he repeated, his voice even. "Acting recklessly could cost us our lives. More importantly… we will soon have 'friends' to help us and reduce the danger."

"Friends?" Another student echoed, confused.

Ryzel smirked, his posture relaxed as he leaned against the stone wall. "Enemies of our enemy. Temporary 'friends'—though they probably don't know about this 'friendship.'" His tone carried an air of mystery, one that only deepened as he laughed softly.

He secretly observed Adrian and Aurelius, noting the sharp glint in their eyes. Neither of them spoke right away. Instead, their expressions darkened in thought, considering the possibilities.

Then—

"Are they perhaps…"

Both Adrian and Aurelius spoke at the same time, their gazes meeting briefly before they turned to Ryzel.

"The Avengers?"

A beat of silence.

Then Ryzel blinked before grinning widely. "Oh? So you already figured it out?"

His laughter echoed through the tight passage, the sound carrying a strange sense of amusement and intrigue. The others, however, remained bewildered.

"The Avengers?" one of the students murmured. "Who are they?"

Ryzel waved a hand lazily. "You'll see soon enough." His gaze flickered back to Adrian and Aurelius, clearly impressed. "Looks like you two already have an idea what is going on, though."

Adrian remained silent, his fingers absently brushing against the stone wall. 'Well, I know nearly everything.'

Aurelius exhaled, his jaw tightening. 'Tch… so we have to work with them?'

As for Ryzel, he continued smiling, while waiting for the signal...