Those who heard the music found it hard to believe, even when it was described to them. Many just assumed that spending too much time in the mine caves had affected their hearing. It seemed that the Dark Sonata was most likely hidden deep within the mine valley underground.
Normally, the ground there was solid rock, leaving no obvious place for the Dark Sonata to reside. However, the presence of moles changed that.
The tunnels these moles dug beneath the surface offered potential hideouts for the Dark Sonata. Even the cases of people going missing due to cave-ins might be connected to this mysterious force.
The strange bones found underground could belong to other creatures living down there. While exploring the mole tunnels, they had unexpectedly heard the haunting music of the Dark Sonata, which seemed to trap them in a deadly grip, leaving them helpless.
"Then let's go in. Last time, I found it beneath this very cave," Satotz said solemnly.
Before, he might have faced it casually, but now, knowing the connection to the Dark Sonata, his caution was at an all-time high. When dealing with something as strange and dangerous as the Dark Sonata, being overly careful was never a bad idea.
At that moment, an unnoticed wave of aura slipped from Larry's shadow, quickly probing the underground. This mental fluctuation was subtle and dark, impossible for any creature to detect.
It was a form of "En". Normally, the "En" spreads aura from the body's surface outward, using contact with objects to gather information. But this approach alerts the target, since they can sense the unknown aura touching them.
The "En" generally differs only in range, depending on the user's strength and nen ability. Sometimes, it can be directed in a single direction rather than spreading all around, allowing for deeper exploration
Marshadow's "En" was so strong, It not only covered a much wider area and reached farther distances, but it also had a built-in concealment ability, making the aura completely invisible to others.
Obviously, Larry used his "En" ability to watch the enemy's every move through his "eyes," but the other side had no idea. This "En" was the most powerful Larry had ever seen, truly worthy of being called legendary.
Marshadow's "En" kept spreading downward, revealing images in his mind one after another: ores glowing with a golden light, well-preserved monster fossils, and a series of underground tunnels. It was clear those tunnels were dug by moles. After a moment, a light flickered in Larry's eyes. He had found it!
"No, we won't go in through the mine," Larry said, shaking his head. He decided against entering the mine since it didn't lead straight to their destination. Instead, he had a simpler and faster plan.
"Hey, aren't we going in through the mine? Or should we just dig a hole directly?" Pyon asked, curious. She assumed Larry had pinpointed the Dark Sonata's location and planned to make a direct path there.
"If that's the case, that would be pretty convenient," Satotz agreed, nodding thoughtfully. But he also knew they had to be careful about the noise.
Digging too loudly could trigger a massive collapse, which was why few powerful machines were used in the mines. Sure, machines made digging easier, and a few holes might be the work of several people in a day, but the underground was crisscrossed with tunnels of all sizes, and one wrong move could bring everything down. The damage would be huge.
Seeing their curious expressions, Larry smiled calmly and said, "I guessed about half of it. I was planning to go down directly, but not by digging a hole."
Both Pyon and Satotz looked puzzled. If they weren't digging, how would they get down? After a brief moment of silence, they suddenly remembered Larry's beast. If they were right, that creature had the power to teleport!
Just then, a flash of white light appeared in front of them. As it faded, an elegant creature, graceful like a young lady, appeared. Her beautiful dress only added to her air of elegance.
If they were to use Mega Evolution in the future, the dress would only grow bigger. Gardevoir's beautiful eyes shimmered with a hint of pink, and the pink aura quickly spread throughout their bodies, wrapping around all three of them.
In an instant, a dazzling burst of spirit energy exploded outward, and the three figures, along with the beast, vanished into the light. Fortunately, no one was nearby to witness it, otherwise, most people would have been terrified by the spectacle.
Deep within the Kashi Mine Valley, countless tunnels of varying sizes and irregular shapes crisscrossed the underground. These tunnels were clearly not man-made but dug by moles. Suddenly, a flash of pink light appeared, and the three people along with the beast materialized underground.
To make room for them, Gardevoir had carefully chosen a larger tunnel, but unfortunately, its power was limited. The range of Gardevoir's "En" was much smaller than Marshadow's, so while a single teleportation could bring them to the tunnels, it couldn't take them all the way in one step. Luckily, this spot was close to where the Dark Sonata was located, so they could simply walk a short distance ahead without needing to teleport again.
"Did they just dive underground all of a sudden?" someone asked.
"It has to be teleportation!" Pyon scanned their surroundings and confirmed they had indeed been transported to an unknown depth beneath the surface.
Unlike the outside world, the underground was pitch dark, with no light to guide them. Thankfully, several of them were Nen users and could focus their Aura into their eyes, allowing them to see clearly.
"Looks like the environment isn't as bad as we thought," Satotz said, raising his palm and feeling a faint breeze against it. Despite being underground, there was still some air circulation, which explained how the moles managed to survive down here. The underground tunnels weren't completely sealed off from the surface, there were openings that allowed fresh air to flow in.
"Even if the environment isn't terrible, the situation might still be dangerous," Larry warned, frowning as he pointed to their side.
Satotz and Pyon quickly turned to look, their expressions shifting when they saw what was there. A large skeleton lay nearby, mostly intact, making it possible to identify its origin. It appeared to belong to some kind of ground dragon, a sub-species of magical beast known for dwelling underground.
Creatures connected to dragons are rarely weak, and this magical beast was no exception. If someone were to get their hands on this skeleton, it would likely fetch a high price. The two were shocked not just because it was a complete set of ground dragon bones, but also because of the intense death aura surrounding it.
Unlike the faint death aura they had sensed on smaller bones before, this one was strong and unmistakable. The black, inky death aura was almost solid, staining the normally white bones dark.