After a fierce battle, the serpentine creatures were finally vanquished.

Enzo and Matilda, both exhausted and bearing various wounds, gasped for breath.

“Gamma Star truly proves to be a perilous place. We have encountered so much trouble in such a short distance.” Complained Matilda.

Enzo chuckled softly, “Do not lament, for this is only the beginning. Let us continue our search for relics.”

After a brief respite, the duo resumed their journey in that direction.

After walking for a while, they arrived at the entrance of a valley.

Within the valley, a denser fog enveloped them, within which faint outlines of structures could be discerned.

Enzo’s eyes lit up, “Matilda, look, it appears there might be relics inside. Let us venture forth to investigate.”

Matilda nodded in agreement, “Indeed, but we must proceed cautiously, as this fog may conceal dangers.”

With a nod from Enzo, they ventured into the valley with great care.

As they proceeded into the valley, the fog thickened, drastically reducing visibility to only a few steps ahead.

Matilda tightly gripped Enzo’s arm and whispered, “Enzo, this fog is overwhelming. I am beginning to feel apprehensive.”

Enzo reassured her with a pat on her hand, “Fear not, for I am here. Let us proceed cautiously.”

Slowly, they navigated through the fog, occasionally hearing strange sounds akin to the whispering winds or the eerie growls of unknown creatures, sending shivers down their spines.

Suddenly, Enzo stumbled, nearly falling. Upon closer inspection, he discovered a stone etched with runes.

Crouching down, he carefully examined the symbols, noting a resemblance to some runes he had encountered previously on the planet Alfa.

“Matilda, come closer and behold, these runes seem somewhat familiar.” Enzo exclaimed.

Matilda leaned in, scrutinizing the runes, her brow furrowing slightly. “Indeed, they do bear a resemblance. Could this relic be somehow connected to those places on the planet Alfa?”

Enzo rose to his feet, forging ahead while keeping a vigilant eye on the surrounding runes.

Not long into their journey, they stumbled upon a larger stone adorned with meticulously carved runes, appearing more intact and orderly in arrangement.

Once again, Enzo crouched down, delving into the intricate study of these ancient symbols.

Drawing from his previous experiences decoding runes on the planet Alfa, he gingerly traced the intricate markings on the stone.

Suddenly, the runes on the stone began to emit a faint glow that steadily intensified, eventually coalescing into a shimmering veil that displayed vague, ethereal images.

Enzo and Matilda watched in astonishment as the scenes unfolded before them on the luminous veil.

Within the imagery, an ancient tribe emerged, garbed in peculiar attire, engaging in a mystical ritual. They encircled a colossal statue bearing resemblance to the structures glimpsed at the entrance of the valley.

As the ritual progressed, a peculiar radiance appeared in the sky, seemingly imbued with enigmatic forces.

Abruptly, the scene shifted, portraying a calamity befalling the tribe. Ferocious monsters surged from the depths, savagely assaulting the inhabitants, reducing the once vibrant tribe to desolate ruins.

Panic ensued as the people scattered, most falling prey to the relentless pursuit of the marauding beasts, meeting a grim fate within their ravenous maws.

The scene freezes in a dark cavern, permeated by an aura of malevolence. Deep within the cave, a colossal figure writhes, seemingly the origin of all calamities.

“This… This bears a resemblance to the visions we saw in the crystal ball earlier.” Enzo remarked in astonishment.

Matilda nodded in agreement, “Indeed, it feels like there is a significant connection here. Could there be a common secret behind all of this? Enzo, we must press on and search further. Perhaps we will uncover more clues in this place.”

Rising to his feet, Enzo gazed resolutely in the direction where the light curtain had vanished, declaring, “Right, let’s go.” The two continued their journey deeper into the valley, where the mist seemed to thin slightly, revealing the clearer outlines of ancient structures. These buildings appeared extremely old, adorned with various runes and symbols on their walls.

Pointing towards a relatively intact structure, Matilda suggested, “Enzo, let’s explore that place. There might be discoveries waiting for us inside.” Enzo nodded, and they proceeded towards the building.

Upon reaching the entrance, Enzo sensed a powerful energy fluctuation emanating from within. Halting cautiously, he warned Matilda, “Be cautious, there’s something inside.” Matilda tightened her grip on her weapon, advancing slowly with Enzo into the building.

The interior of the structure was remarkably spacious, featuring a massive stone platform at the center, upon which rested a box emitting a mysterious azure glow. The radiance exuded a magical allure, tempting one to draw near.

“Enzo, that box seems anything but ordinary. Could it be related to the special metal we are seeking?” Matilda whispered softly, seeking his opinion.

“Perhaps, but there may also be peril involved. Let us first observe.” Enzo remarked, carefully surveying the surroundings. Suddenly, he noticed small apertures scattered along the walls of the hall, emitting a faint shimmering light, suggestive of some intricate mechanism at play.

In that moment, beams of energy shot out from these apertures, aiming towards Enzo and Matilda.

“Be cautious!” Enzo exclaimed, swiftly pulling Matilda to safety. The duo maneuvered through the hall, dodging the relentless onslaught of energy beams.

“This evasion tactic is unsustainable. We must devise a plan to disable these mechanisms.” Enzo strategized while evading the attacks.

Matilda scanned the wall, her eyes lighting up suddenly. “Enzo, look at those runes. They seem to be connected to the inscriptions on the stones outside. Perhaps we can deactivate the mechanism by manipulating the runes.”

Following Matilda’s gaze, Enzo observed the similarities between the wall runes and the exterior inscriptions. Recalling his previous experience with deciphering runes, he began experimenting by touching the symbols on the wall.

As Enzo interacted with the runes, the frequency of the energy beam attacks gradually diminished until they ceased altogether.

“Whew, crisis averted.” Enzo breathed a sigh of relief. The two proceeded towards the stone platform, arriving at the mysterious box emanating a soft azure glow.

Carefully examining the box, Enzo noticed intricate runes engraved on its surface, far more complex and cryptic. Tentatively reaching out to touch the box, a blinding light erupted from it, aiming directly at Enzo’s eyes.

Momentarily blinded and disoriented, Enzo found himself transported to a peculiar space, surrounded by a scene reminiscent of a starry sky, with Matilda nowhere to be found.

“Matilda! Matilda!” Enzo called out loudly, but no response came.

At that moment, Enzo discerned a shimmering light in the distance. Intrigued, he proceeded towards the gleam and discovered a crystal-like object, within which ethereal images seemed to dance.

Drawing nearer to the crystal, Enzo beheld the visage of Matilda surrounded by enigmatic silhouettes, an aura of peril encircling her form.

“Matilda!” Enzo’s heart raced with urgency, yearning to reach out and touch the crystal ball, only to find his hand passing through it, unable to make contact.

Suddenly, a voice emanated from within the crystal ball. “To rescue her, unravel the mysteries here, uncover the true key.”

Enzo furrowed his brow in contemplation. “The key? What key? Where exactly am I?”

Just as Enzo grappled with these enigmatic thoughts, the celestial scene of the Starry Sky surrounding him began to shift. Constellations shifted and realigned, forming new patterns that appeared to offer some form of guidance.

Gazing upon these cryptic patterns, Enzo had an epiphany. He sensed a connection between these celestial arrangements and the secrets concealed within the box. He meticulously studied the patterns, endeavoring to extract clues from their enigmatic dance.

During this process of observation, Enzo discerned a correlation between these patterns and the runic inscriptions on the box. Recalling the appearance of the runic symbols, he began to simulate the tactile interaction with the symbols in his mind, following the sequence indicated by the patterns.

As he mentally reenacted these gestures, the Starry Sky around him once again shifted. Beams of light converged in a singular direction, coalescing to form an entrance resembling a passageway.

Enzo strode towards this threshold, and as he traversed its threshold, he felt as though he passed through a veil of light. In the next instance, he found himself back on the stone dais, the box before him, while Matilda remained ensnared within the ethereal confines of the crystal ball’s images.

Without hesitation, Enzo proceeded to swiftly touch the runic symbols on the box, following the sequence he had mentally rehearsed.

As the final rune was touched, the box opened slowly, revealing a peculiarly radiant key inside. The key possessed a uniquely intricate shape, appearing to be a fusion of several different metals, one of which was a shimmering silver metal with a hint of ethereal luminescence.

Enzo picked up the key, and at that moment, the image in the crystal ball vanished, replaced by the sudden appearance of Matilda by his side.

“Enzo, I felt like I was trapped in a strange place just now. How did you rescue me?” Matilda asked, her expression filled with bewilderment.

Enzo briefly recounted his recent experience to Matilda and then raised the key in his hand. “We must find the place this key unlocks. Perhaps there lie more clues about the origin of Ancestor Meat and the special metal within.”

The duo departed from the stone platform, embarking on a quest to locate any potential openings the key could unlock within the structure.

Along one side of the building, they stumbled upon a tightly shut stone door, adorned with a lock that bore a resemblance to the shape of the key.

Approaching it, Enzo inserted the key into the lock, giving it a gentle twist. The stone door creaked open slowly, releasing a powerful surge of energy from within.

Inside, they discovered a chamber filled with various ancient artifacts and Scrolls. Dominating the center of the chamber stood a colossal statue, its eyes embedded with two pieces of the same ethereal silver metal they sought.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep