Chapter 170: Eruption The group immediately took off at maximum speed, running desperately down the steep volcanic slope as they tried to outpace the mountain’s imminent catastrophic eruption. They scrambled down the treacherous terrain while simultaneously treading carefully to avoid tumbling to certain death on the sharp obsidian rocks below. Moon couldn’t help but curse inwardly. ’Damn it! Why is the volcano choosing to erupt NOW of all possible times? Could it be related to that Mountain Spirit?’ The timing was absolutely terrible—though in retrospect, killing the Magma Queen who’d apparently been serving as the mountain’s living regulating heart had probably destabilized the entire volcanic system catastrophically. Traveling down the mountain was considerably easier than their earlier ascent had been. The downward slope naturally helped them gain dangerous momentum as gravity assisted their desperate flight. They were all relatively immune to moderate fire exposure thanks to their enchanted equipment and developed resistances, so the group collectively decided that accepting minor burn damage from incidental contact was vastly preferable to being completely incinerated by the full volcanic eruption. As he ran with urgency down the hazardous slope, Moon whistled sharply, sending a signal, that he and Mirage had established for such emergency situations. Mirage, waiting patiently at the mountain’s base alongside the two Savi warriors who’d remained behind, immediately heard the distinctive whistle. His ears twitched as he recognized his master’s signal. He charged forward without hesitation. The two Savi warriors exchanged alarmed glances before quickly abandoning their duties of scouting for any enemies and turning their full attention toward the mountain. Heat began rising noticeably even at the base elevation. Within approximately three minutes of frantic descent, Moon’s group managed to rendezvous with Mirage and the waiting warriors halfway down the slope. Moon’s face brightened considerably upon spotting his loyal mount. "Yara, Gratis, get on Mirage immediately! Mirage, carry them down to the base and then head west as fast as you can run! That’s the clearest route without major obstacles blocking the escape path!" Yara and Gratis were both moving slower, and would not be able to make it out in time. Meanwhile, Moon and Selene were much faster. They could easily escape under their own power without requiring transportation. Approximately one minute after Yara and Gratis successfully mounted Mirage, the volcano erupted like an explosion. A colossal column of lava surged skyward like a burning pillar connecting earth to the sky, accompanied by explosive detonations as various gases expanded violently. The eruption column rose hundreds of meters into the air, carrying countless tons of rock that glowed with beauty. The sound was absolutely deafening, a continuous roar that combined the fury of thunder with the deep grinding of earthquakes. It wasn’t just noise heard with ears but they could feel the vibration in their very bones. The smell assaulted their senses even from distance: overwhelming sulfur that burned nostrils and throats, acrid smoke thick with volcanic ash, the distinctive metallic-sweet scent of vaporizing minerals, and underlying everything, the smell of molten earth itself. Moon immediately restricted his breathing. The eruption was horrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. Rivers of orange-red lava began cascading down the mountainside in multiple flows, consuming everything in their paths. Chunks of stone hurled by the explosion arced through the smoke-darkened sky. Moon increased his speed even more. And within another minute of dodging chucks of stone, he reached the mountain’s base and solid ground. Selene tumbled suddenly as her foot slipped on loose volcanic gravel, her momentum carrying her toward a painful impact with sharp rocks. But Moon, running beside her, reacted instantly, before she could even save herself using her earth element. He jumped with explosive force and caught her mid-air before she could hit the ground. THUD! Moon landed heavily on the flat ground beyond the mountain’s base, having executed a ten-meter leap while carrying Selene’s weight. His feet and legs screamed with pain from absorbing the tremendous impact forces, his joints protesting the abuse. But they were down. They were safe from the immediate lava flows. Moon quickly set Selene down on stable ground. She stared at him with shocked gratitude mixed with lingering adrenaline. "Thank you," she said breathlessly, her voice sincere. "It’s okay, lets keep running." Moon said, standing up. She nodded her head as she stabilized herself, then took off running toward the western direction they’d designated as their escape route. Thankfully, Mirage had already safely delivered Yara and Gratis to a secure distance before circling back to retrieve Moon and Selene. Both awakeners mounted the white horse smoothly. Mirage ran with everything he had. His powerful legs ate up distance with impressive speed. They traveled approximately five full kilometers away from the violently erupting volcano before Mirage stopped next to Yara and the other Savi warriors. The group dismounted with visible relief, turning to look back at Tagul Mountain’s terrifying eruption. The volcano continued erupting, painting the entire sky with fire and ash. The sight was simultaneously beautiful and horrifying. "That was too close for comfort," Moon said, turning to face Selene’s thoughtfully frowning expression. "Do you think the eruption is directly related to us killing the Mountain Spirit? Or just unfortunate coincidental timing?" Selene nodded her head slowly, "I don’t just think it’s related, I’m almost completely certain it is. I didn’t expect us to encounter that particular type of entity in the First Sanctuary at all. This hidden realm really isn’t simple or straightforward in any way. It’s filled with so many mysteries and contradictions." Her frown deepened as she continued. "I keep wondering why this place operates so differently from normal world laws and established sanctuary system. It’s almost as if... somebody or something with enormous power deliberately changed the rules governing this location completely." Moon’s eyebrows arched upward with interest at her speculative words. "What exactly do you mean by that? I don’t fully understand what you’re suggesting." Selene shook her head, glancing back at the erupting mountain with visible concern. "I think we should prioritize moving away from this place for now . We’re still not safe at this distance. We should keep traveling away from the eruption zone, I will tell you later." After taking another quick look at the spreading ash clouds beginning to darken the sky, Moon nodded his decisive agreement. "You’re right. Let’s keep moving to safer distance." After traveling another five kilometers through increasingly ash-dusted terrain, they finally deemed their current location sufficiently safe from the eruption. The air was still hazy but breathable, and the ground beneath their feet no longer trembled. Selene turned back toward Moon with a more relaxed expression on her face. "About your earlier question regarding the Mountain Spirit and the eruption...let me explain. Do you know anything about the Second Sanctuary’s nature and threats?" Moon paused thoughtfully before responding. "I know relatively little, just basic common knowledge. There are barely any established human bases in the Second Sanctuary compared to the First. Even the absolute weakest Evolvers who’ve just crossed the threshold are dramatically stronger than the most powerful First Sanctuary Awakeners. Their bodies undergo evolution beyond just stat increases, that’s pretty much it." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺 Selene nodded her head in acknowledgment of his accurate but limited understanding. "That’s the basic understanding indeed. Let me explain..."