Three Keys Remain

Chapter 76 — Three Keys Remain

The golden map hovered above the temple.

Three blue points.

Three red points.

Aether studied every location.

One was deep within a mountain range.

One was beneath an enormous forest.

The final one was in a region marked only by a black symbol.

The fourth point—the one currently activating—was somewhere inside Blackridge territory.

Aether's expression became serious.

"They've started."

Lyra looked at him.

"What happens when they activate it?"

"We don't know."

Seris approached the formation.

"But the network is becoming more stable."

Aether nodded.

"41%."

Aria frowned.

"Wasn't it 16% before?"

"Yes."

"Then collecting the keys is strengthening the network."

Aether looked at the three crystals.

Exactly.

The more keys they found, the more stable the system became.

But that also meant Blackridge could be doing the same thing.

Aether suddenly noticed something.

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The map wasn't showing only locations.

Small numbers had appeared beneath the three remaining points.

Mountain — 2

Forest — 5

Black Region — ?

Aether stared.

"Those aren't distances."

Seris examined them.

"They might be danger levels."

Aether nodded.

"Possibly."

Then the system updated.

[Origin Key Network synchronization: 52%.]

[Three Origin Keys recognized.]

[Additional function unlocked.]

[Origin Key Tracking activated.]

Aether's eyes brightened.

"Now we can track them."

A small marker appeared.

One of the Blackridge keys.

Moving.

Fast.

Aether looked at its direction.

"They're heading toward the mountain."

Lyra immediately understood.

"So are we."

Aether nodded.

"We're not letting them collect another one."

They left the Sunken City.

The journey toward the mountains took several hours.

During the trip, Aether examined the three keys.

The Crimson Key.

Kael's damaged fragment.

The Sunken Key.

Each one resonated differently.

But there was something else.

The Origin Core Shard he had assimilated earlier was reacting to them.

The black-and-silver pattern around his Origin Core pulsed whenever a key was nearby.

Aether frowned.

The system appeared.

[Foreign Origin Core integration progressing.]

[Current integration: 12%.]

[Warning: Further integration may unlock additional effects.]

Aether smiled.

"So there's more."

He closed the interface.

They continued.

Near midnight, they reached the mountain range.

Snow covered the peaks.

The air was freezing.

Aether activated Origin Sense.

"Someone is nearby."

Lyra drew her weapon.

"Blackridge?"

"Not sure."

They advanced carefully.

Then a figure appeared between the trees.

A young woman.

Her clothes were torn.

Blood covered one side of her body.

She was carrying a glowing crystal.

Aether immediately recognized it.

Origin Key.

The woman looked at them.

Then at Aether.

"Are you with Blackridge?"

"No."

Her grip tightened.

"Then don't come closer."

Aether stopped.

"You have a key."

"I know."

"Blackridge is coming for it."

Her expression changed.

"You know?"

Aether nodded.

"They're tracking it."

The woman looked behind her.

"They've already arrived."

Aether turned.

Dozens of footsteps echoed through the forest.

Then torches appeared between the trees.

A Blackridge squad emerged.

At their center stood a new figure.

Not the commander.

Someone Aether had never seen before.

The man wore black armor.

A silver insignia was engraved across his chest.

The system scanned him.

[Human detected.]

[Current cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 7.]

[Potential: A.]

Aether's eyes narrowed.

Another Stage 7.

The man stepped forward.

"Hand over the key."

Aether looked at the woman.

Then at the Blackridge squad.

He smiled.

"No."

The man's expression darkened.

"You don't understand who you're dealing with."

Aether raised his weapon.

"I don't need to."

Origin Energy surged around him.

[Origin Awakening — Stage 6]

[Origin Points: 400 / 650]

The Blackridge warrior raised his sword.

"Kill them."

The forest erupted into movement.

Aether stepped forward.

This time—

there would be no convenient escape.