The Invincible Young Master

"What's so special about this ruin?" Bronn asked, tilting his head as he kept prying glowing gems off the tunnel walls, stuffing them into his pouch without a care in the world.

"Plenty," Spark replied, his voice calm, almost distant. He gestured loosely toward the dark path ahead. "For one, this isn't just a regular ruin."

Amelia's eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her tone soft but full of interest. She had felt something odd about this place too, though she had not been able to figure out why.

Spark glanced at them both, his face giving away nothing. "Let's just say this ruin is a mix of several others… merged together."

"Merged together?" Bronn and Amelia repeated at the same time, their voices filled with disbelief.

The thought of different ruins combining was not something they had ever heard of before.
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"It happens sometimes," Spark said, waving off their shock like it was nothing. His tone made it clear he was not going to dive any deeper into the subject.

Bronn, never one to get too caught up in mysteries, shrugged and went back to his work, his long body sliding along the walls.

He kept grabbing every gem he could reach, his bracelet now filled with glowing stones.

"Aren't you worried someone else will get to the real treasure before us?" Spark teased, his grin visible in the dim light. He was clearly trying to push Bronn to pick up the pace.

"Relax, boss," he added with a chuckle, patting his bulging pouch. "This is an intermediate ruin. It's not like just anyone can make it to the good stuff, and I've got four of my people already deep inside. They'll handle anything that comes up."

Spark's eyes narrowed slightly at that.

When they had entered, the ruin had split into many winding tunnels, like the branches of an ant colony spreading out in every direction.

Bronn's followers had chosen their own paths, each one eager to snatch up as much loot as possible.

"Just hurry up," Spark said, "Or even your four 'strong' men won't make it out."

Bronn paused for a moment, clearly thrown off by Spark's words. "What are you talking about, boss? My guys are tough. Tougher than most."

Spark rubbed the side of his head, letting out a quiet sigh.

"Just hurry," he repeated, this time more firmly.

Amelia glanced between them, sensing a shift in the mood.

What had been light-hearted banter just moments ago now carried a weight that made her uneasy.

She did not know exactly what Spark had picked up on, but she trusted his instincts more than anyone else.

Bronn didn't seem as worried, though he did start moving a bit faster, sensing that Spark wasn't in the mood to joke around anymore.

…

Standing not far from the mouth of the tunnel, Spark glanced back at the long stretch of darkness behind them.

"This guy…" he muttered, shaking his head.

Bronn's greed knew no limits. He had plucked nearly every glowing gem from the walls, leaving the tunnel, which once shimmered with soft light, now dim and eerily quiet.

Ahead, the end of the tunnel glowed with a brighter light, a clear sign they were close to the exit.

Spark let out a breath, turning to Amelia, who stood beside him, her face calm and focused.

"Why aren't you rushing ahead?" Spark asked, curious.

He figured, Amelia, with her nature, would be rushing toward the deeper parts of the ruin, eager to explore whatever lay ahead.

But now, she stayed beside him, quietly matching his pace.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Spark's lips as a playful thought crossed his mind.

"Don't tell me… you're worried about me?" he teased, not really expecting a serious answer.

"Yes," Amelia replied without hesitation, her voice steady. Her gaze stayed forward, but there was something sincere in her tone.

He had saved her once, pulled her out of that dark, suffocating place when she had nearly collapsed. And now, with his powerful pet Chaos not around, Spark was more vulnerable than usual.

She could not quite figure out if he was truly as strong as he seemed, or if his laid-back attitude was just an act.

Either way, she had chosen to stay close, maybe as her own form of repayment.

Spark blinked, caught off guard. He had not expected that response.

"Oh? So bold! You're going to make me blush," he said with a chuckle, though there was a hint of genuine surprise in his voice.

Amelia tilted her head slightly, her pale eyes studying him in that curious way she always did.

"Blush?" she asked, clearly not understanding.

Spark laughed softly and waved it off.

"Forget it." He knew Amelia didn't really get the subtleties of humor, but her honesty was refreshing, in its own way. Still, he understood why she was staying close.

Before they could continue talking, a sudden scream tore through the tunnel, sharp and filled with terror.

It came from just beyond the tunnel's end, where the light spilled out into a larger area.

The scream was unmistakable—pure fear and pain mixed into one desperate cry.

Bronn, who had been busy yanking more gems from the wall, froze.

He jumped down quickly, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the tunnel's exit.

"Boss, let's check it out," he said, his voice serious for the first time. The usual greed was gone from his face, replaced by a sharp sense of danger.

Without waiting for Spark's response, Bronn hurried forward, taking the lead.

Spark and Amelia followed close behind, their steps quickening as they headed toward the sound of the scream.

As they neared the exit, the air grew heavier around them, thick with tension.

Spark's normally laid-back expression shifted, his borrows furrowed as his senses picked on something.

Amelia, too, felt it—a shift in the atmosphere, a sign that whatever waited for them outside wasn't just some small threat.