The Eternal Sketch

The air remained thick with tension as the last remnants of the ink guardian dissolved into nothingness. The ruins, once trembling with its presence, fell eerily silent. Ryo exhaled slowly, his fingers still gripping his brush tightly. He had barely done anything, yet the battle had left him feeling exhausted—not from exertion, but from the sheer disparity in power between himself and Callus.

Callus, on the other hand, sheathed his sword effortlessly, barely looking winded. "We move forward. Whatever is inside these ruins is far worse than that guardian."

Elara shot Ryo a glance, noticing his expression. "Don't let it get to you. Callus is just built different."

"I know," Ryo muttered. "It just makes me realize how much further I have to go."

Callus didn't acknowledge the comment, simply leading the way toward the temple-like structure that loomed ahead. Now that the illusion had been dispelled, the true ruins were exposed—aged stone, faded murals, and most notably, a massive door covered in intricate engravings. At its center was a circular indentation, as if something was meant to fit inside.

"This must be the vault," Ryo said, stepping closer to examine the symbols.

Callus placed a hand on the door, running his fingers over the engravings. "This is an ancient sealing technique. Far older than anything currently practiced." His gaze sharpened. "The professor didn't open this alone. Someone—or something—helped him."

Elara frowned. "So how do we open it?"

Ryo studied the engravings more closely, recognizing patterns similar to the ink-based techniques he had been practicing. "I think I can replicate the missing piece."

Without hesitation, he dipped his brush into his ink and sketched a circular pattern in the air. The ink shimmered, then slowly settled into the indentation on the door. The ancient symbols reacted immediately, glowing faintly as a deep rumble echoed through the ruins.

Then, the door slowly began to open.

Beyond the threshold was darkness—thick, suffocating, and unnatural.

Callus stepped forward first, his presence steady as ever. "Stay close."

Ryo and Elara exchanged nervous glances before following him inside.

The moment they crossed the threshold, the temperature plummeted. The air felt heavier, as if something unseen was pressing down on them. Torches lined the walls, but their flames flickered weakly, struggling to maintain their glow.

At the center of the chamber, a single figure stood—Professor Alden.

But something was wrong.

His posture was rigid, his eyes unfocused. Strange ink-like tendrils extended from his arms, pulsing with an eerie glow. The ground around him was covered in symbols similar to the ones on the vault door, but these were distorted, corrupted.

Ryo's stomach twisted. "Professor…?"

Alden didn't respond. Instead, the ink tendrils around him twitched and pulsed, as if sensing their presence.

Then, his lips moved, but the voice that emerged wasn't his own.

"You should not have come."

A surge of dark energy erupted from the professor's form, sending a shockwave through the chamber.

Callus moved instantly, raising his sword and planting his feet firmly. The energy struck him head-on, but he barely flinched. Instead, his eyes narrowed. "Something is controlling him."

Ryo clenched his fists. He had seen many strange things since coming to this world, but this was something entirely different. This wasn't just possession—it was as if the professor himself was being rewritten by the ink.

Elara gritted her teeth. "So how do we stop it?"

Ryo raised his brush, heart pounding. "We sever the connection."

Callus gave him a single nod. "Then do it quickly. I'll hold him off."

The battle for the professor had begun.