The ground collapsed beneath them, and everyone plummeted into what seemed like an endless abyss. Vex called out, "Orion, can you create ether strings?"

  Orion smirked. "Yes, I can," he replied. With a glint in his golden eyes, he accelerated his descent, passing Celia, Nyx, Garrik, and Lysara. As he fell, he released ether from his fingertips, weaving a vast web of pure energy. The web caught everyone, breaking their fall safely.

  Amazed by the sight, Nyx whispered, "It's simply beautiful… the inner white energy, and as it expands, it turns purple. I've never seen anything like it."

  Lysara nodded in awe. "This is my first time witnessing something so mesmerizing."

  "So this is ether energy…" Vex muttered, his usual composed expression shaken.

  Garrik was left speechless, while Celia stood in a daze, completely captivated by the brilliance of Orion’s ether. However, Orion quickly reminded them of their situation.

  "Stay focused," he said. The group jolted awake, as if snapping out of a trance.

  "I'll create steps. Follow me."

  For thirty minutes, they descended further into the unknown. The tunnel seemed endless.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Celia finally spoke up. "Shouldn’t we be heading up instead? Why are we going deeper?"

  Orion shrugged. "It’s a gamble. If it's a giant monster, we’re heading straight to our graves. But if it’s a high-ranking dungeon or a spatial rift, we might find a powerful artifact. Don’t you think it’s worth the risk?"

  Nyx crossed her arms. "And what if it's nothing special?"

  "Then we take refuge here," Vex replied.

  Celia placed a hand over her mouth, stifling a chuckle. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she teased, "Orion, what if this dungeon is filled with giant insects? What will you do then?"

  Orion visibly tensed but quickly tried to mask his fear. "So what if it is? Just focus on moving forward."

  Vex narrowed his eyes, noticing Orion’s reaction but choosing to remain silent.

  After two hours of traveling, they finally reached the bottom. The moment they stepped onto solid ground, they found themselves in an entirely different world.

  Lysara looked around in awe. "Is this a dungeon? It’s my first time entering one."

  Vex raised an eyebrow. "You've never been inside a dungeon before?"

  Flustered, Lysara nodded.

  Orion gently took her hand, offering a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry. If you ever need help, I’ll be here."

  Lysara’s face turned crimson as Orion’s white hair gleamed under the glow of nearby luminous plants.

  For the first time, everyone could clearly see Orion’s appearance. Vex suddenly dropped to his knees. "Orion, I beg you—please teach me how to use ether!"

  Orion scrutinized Vex carefully. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, he finally responded. "No matter the circumstances, never kneel before anyone. But I cannot teach you ether."

  The group was stunned.

  Nyx frowned. "Why? He went as far as begging you."

  Orion sighed. "Learning ether is not easy. Out of ten thousand, only a handful survive the process, and even fewer actually succeed in wielding it. What if he ends up dying? It's too dangerous. Controlling ether isn’t as simple as walking in the park."

  Vex clenched his fists. "I don’t care. I’ll do anything to learn it!"

  Orion stared at him for a moment before smirking. "Then prove your worth."

  With a flick of his wrist, he summoned two crystal orbs. "These will absorb the mana released when you kill monsters. The more you slay, the darker they become. If you win… I’ll teach you ether.

  "So, do you accept?"