Apocalypse Cheater

Chapter 191  Ancient Ruin

[: Daniel POV :] . n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Your name is Katie? That's a good name,"

I complimented with a genuine smile.

It was a simple name and it has warmth in it.

"Thanks. I never heard of anyone complimenting me before, so it's kind of nice,"

She responded with a wide, genuine smile, adjusting her hair with confidence yet shy that came from the unexpected compliment.

"But what's your name? All this time, I still haven't heard your name?"

She curiously asked, a subtle eagerness in her demeanor suggesting a genuine interest in getting to know more about me.

"Well, my name's Daniel,"

I introduced, and in that exchange of names, we had formed a common friendly connection.

"I see, so it's Daniel, huh?"

For some reason, it seemed that she was absorbed by my name, as if it held a significance that intrigued her.

I never thought that my name could be so attractive that someone could lose their thoughts on it.

"Since we both have no idea about where the treasure that I'm looking for is, let's brainstorm any location that might have some leads,"

I suggested, attempting to shift the focus to our shared quest.

"That's a good idea, and there are a couple of places that I want to suggest,"

Katie added, her enthusiasm evident in her voice as she looked forward to contributing to our joint exploration.

"Since the treasure that I'm looking for is rare and has never been found before, it could be considered and located somewhere that others might never have expected to know,"

I pondered aloud, delving into the possibilities of hidden locations.

"Or it might be somewhere where nobody has any access to,"

I suggested, exploring the idea that the Longinus Weapon might be safeguarded in a place beyond common reach.

I tried to recall any clues that might be related to the Longinus Weapon, but the memories I had didn't had any advantages at this moment..

Despite my extensive knowledge of other Longinus Weapons, the specifics about the one located in the North Region remained minuscule, shrouded in mystery.

"Hmm...that sounds more like Ancient Ruins if you're talking about a secretive location and inaccessibility,"

Katie suggested, her thoughts weaving the possibility of the Longinus Weapon being concealed in a place with historical significance.

"Ancient Ruins?"

I raised my eyebrow with curiosity, intrigued by the notion she presented.

Ancient Ruins was something I had only heard about decades after the unfortunate end of Modern Fantasia.

Despite my limited knowledge, I grasped the gist of it.

"That's right, the Ancient Ruins,"

Katie reiterated, echoing my sentiments.

"It has been known that the Ancient Ruins were places that possessed rich histories when Modern Fantasia came to be,"

Katie explained, shedding light on the significance of these ancient remnants.

"However, not all Ancient Ruins were discovered, and most of them didn't have any sort of treasures that one might think,"

Katie sighed with disappointment, a sentiment I could empathize with.

"They were treated as a museum, admired by millions of people, and that's about it,"

She added, revealing the often-overlooked reality behind the romanticized image of Ancient Ruins.

"Do you have any leads about the location of this Ancient Ruin in the North Region?" I inquired.

"I do have," Katie nodded, but her expression turned pensive.

"But there hasn't been any news of anyone discovering the site of the Ancient Ruins," She revealed.

"I see, but that's not a problem,"

I assured her, my curiosity piqued by the prospect of venturing into uncharted territory.

The unknown often held the promise of remarkable discoveries, and I was ready to embrace it.

"Our priority is to check the site, and it wouldn't hurt to investigate. Whether there's truly an Ancient Ruin or not, that's the least of our concerns,"

I asserted.

I wasn't in a rush to find the actual location for the Longinus Weapon.

Hence, it wouldn't hurt to explore the possibility that the Ancient Ruin held what I sought.

"All right. Then, I'll follow your decision,"

Katie agreed with a smile.

"Do you know the coordinates for the Ancient Ruins?" I asked, and without wasting another second, she replied, "Yes!"

After a few seconds, she carefully handed me a piece of parchment with the coordinates written on it.

"Alright then, it's time for us to go,"

I proclaimed, sensing the air of excitement in her curious gaze, reminiscent of a cat exploring unknown territory.

"Are we going to immediately pop up at the location like we did just now?" she inquired.

"Yes, that's right, and I'll need to hold your hand," I suggested.

Her face lit up with a beaming, wide smile, and she replied with an enthusiastic "No problem!"

As she held my hand, her delight was palpable, and I found it surprising that the simple act of touching my hand could bring her such joy.

She was indeed a peculiar girl, but I had no qualms about it.

With her hand in mine, we teleported seamlessly, finding ourselves instantly within the intriguing site of the Ancient Ruins.

"We're here,"

I announced as soon as we arrived.

"No matter how I think about it, this ability of yours is amazing!"

"I never heard anything about it!"

She remarked with genuine amazement.

"I agree as well,"

I responded.

As I surveyed our surroundings, it became apparent that we were in the midst of a snow-covered forest.

The landscape was blanketed in white, with trees and branches surrounding us in every direction.

The crisp air filled with the scent of pine, and the snow-covered ground crunched beneath our feet as we stepped into this enchanting winter scene.

"So this is where the rumors of the Ancient Ruins are at?" I curiously asked.

"That's right, and as you can see, there's nothing around us except for trees and snow,"

Katie said, and what she said was right.

Indeed, there was nothing around us except for the silent, snow-covered forest.

The only sounds were the occasional creaking of branches under the weight of snow and the distant whispers of the wind.

It felt like we were isolated in a tranquil world, surrounded by nature's untouched beauty.

The potential presence of ancient secrets hidden within this serene environment added an air of mystery and anticipation to our surroundings.

"Where do you want to start?" Katie asked since we had no idea where the Ancient Ruin is at.

"Hold on, let me check,"

I said, realizing that places like these couldn't be seen with naked eyes alone.

Activating my Samsara Eyes, I delved into the unseen energies surrounding us.

Almost immediately, I detected a peculiar flow of Mana around us.

 Following the ethereal trace, I unraveled the mystery right before our eyes.

"It's right below us!"

I exclaimed, pointing out the hidden entrance to the Ancient Ruins beneath the snowy ground.

The otherwise unassuming landscape now held the promise of concealed wonders waiting to be explored.

"Below us!?"

 Katie exclaimed in shock, her eyes widening at the revelation that the Ancient Ruins lay beneath us.

The unexpected discovery left her visibly astonished.

Even I wouldn't have believed it had I not witnessed it with my own eyes.

There appeared to be a clever mechanism concealing the entrance, explaining why it eluded the sight of others.

"It seems that there's a mechanism, and it's right here,"

I stated, moving towards a particular spot on the ground.

The hidden entrance awaited, and it was time to unlock the secrets that lay beneath the snowy surface.

Katie observed me with anticipation as I assessed the mechanism.

Squatting down, I could discern that it operated based on Mana input.

Without hesitation, I channeled my Mana into the mechanism, initiating a process that seemed to absorb a substantial amount of magical energy.

For about a minute, the Ancient Ruin drained a significant portion of my Mana, easily reaching the magnitude of ten million.

Though it sounded immense, considering the vast pool of Mana I possessed, this deduction felt like no more than a mere drop in the ocean.

The mechanism, fueled by the infusion, began to reveal the entrance to the hidden realm beneath the snowy surface.

"What's happening!?"

Katie exclaimed in disbelief, her eyes widening with surprise.

"The Ancient Ruin is about to reveal itself. Move back!" I cautioned her.

The ground beneath us began to shake, reminiscent of an earthquake, while an ethereal light emanated from the depths below.

The Ancient Ruin was unfurling, gradually exposing itself to our eyes.

As the structure emerged, I urged Katie to create some distance to ensure our safety.

Eventually, the Ancient Ruin finally showed itself and as I looked at it, I could sense some sort of a divinity aura from it.

"There's no doubt about it, this is the Ancient Ruin and it's to no wonder why nobody could ever discovered it" I said.

"Why?" Katie gazed at me and I could see that she was full of emotions.

"It needed a huge chunk of Mana to have, nkt something that anyone could have. Not even a Transcended Being" I declared.