Chapter 37


    After leaving the Botanic Haven, the Shadowbringer was once again enveloped in silence, but the


    great monolith left vin feeling deeply unsettled. He could not fathom the connection between the


    stone and the Shadowbringer. Was the Shadowbringer on guard against it, or was it somehow


    drawing the Shadowbringer in?


    "Best to steer clear of that ce from now on, lest the secrets of the Shadowbringer be revealed."


    vin returned to the storeroom and took out the Viper''s Berry, smiling as he examined it. The berry


    was muchrger than any he had seen before, a vibrant crimson that seemed to drip with juice and


    emitted a hauntingly sweet fragrance. Held up to the candlelight, one could almost see the lifeblood


    within it, circting in a slow dance.


    A typical Viper''s Berry was of the Advanced Novice ss, but this one seemed to possess at least


    double the potency. It would be perfect for solidifying his mastery of Stage V.


    Satisfied, vin sat cross-legged in the storeroom and began to absorb the essence. The rich elixir


    seeped into his being, caressing each cell. The Advanced Elixir Fruit contained not only abundant


    magic but also myriad wondrous properties.


    The night was tranquil, with most people asleep, while a few practiced their skills tirelessly in the


    forests or the Arena.


    vin was fully immersed in the absorption, channeling the pure magic to nourish his Channels of


    Energy, when suddenly an intense tremor swept through the thirty-some peaks of Cobalt Strike. It


    was as if an earthquake had struck; mountains shook, the earth rippled, and thousands of buildings


    trembled noticeably. Many Protégés woke from their slumber in rm.


    What had happened? They opened their eyes in confusion.


    Then came another quiver, and before they could grasp the situation, a fearsome roar swept across


    the vast domain of Cobalt Strike, like the howl of a demon or the cry of a prisoner, filled with deep-


    seated resentment, bringing an indescribable terror to the dark midnight.


    Thousands of Protégés were now wide awake, rushing out of their dwellings to locate the source of


    the sound.


    Deep within Botanic Haven, thunderous noises deafened the ears as the earth cracked open, and


    malevolent fissures spread wildly. Boulders were hurled about, dust clouds billowed, and ancient


    trees were uprooted whole.


    A surge of dark energy shot up into the sky, shattering the mists above Botanic Haven and piercing


    the heavens. The clouds above roiled tumultuously, and a massive vortex was formed by the


    relentless force of the dark energy.


    With a ttering sound, golden chains pierced the night, rising heavenward like a host of golden


    dragons, their writhing forms casting a breathtaking glow. They collided with the dark clouds above,


    entwined with the dark energy.


    A hoarse roar came from deep within the dark energy, as if something were struggling. The sound


    was terrifying, chilling to the bone.


    The chains zed with increased brilliance, illuminating thend and mountains with a cascade of


    golden light.


    All eyes were fixed upon Botanic Haven, stunned by the sight of the dark energy and the fierce


    golden chains.


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    What had happened? What creature was this?


    Atop Botanic Haven, an old man with gray hair stood against the wind. His wild mane danced, and


    his gaze burned with intensity. With arms spread wide as if embracing the sky, he roared a sound


    that shook the heavens. The mists of Botanic Haven churned tumultuously, like the surging tides of


    a great river. He summoned all the magic of Botanic Haven, channeling it into waves of magical


    force that swept into the stone garden deep within and fused into the golden chains.


    The golden chains in the high skies red even brighter, tightly coiling around the dark energy and


    tearing it back into Botanic Haven.


    With a series of thunderous booms, Botanic Haven shook, the golden light faded, and all returned to


    calm...


    Elders appeared one after another, gazing towards Botanic Haven with grave expressions. How


    could this be? Who had awakened it?


    Standing on the roof of the storeroom, vin''s brow was furrowed. At the moment of the roar, the


    Shadowbringer within his Energy Core had also vibrated as if responding to something.


    The golden chains! Could it be the stone garden within Botanic Haven?


    That night, the Elders and Protégés of Cobalt Strikey awake. The sudden upheaval left many


    feeling uneasy. vin, too, was sleepless, staring out from the rooftop, and his brow creased with


    worry.


    Before dawn, a strict edict from the Commander spread throughout Cobalt Strike. No one was to


    speak of the incident at Botanic Haven; any transgressors would be shown no mercy.


    What should have been a sensational event vanished like smoke the next day. No one dared defy


    the Commander''s direct order, and all sensed that the matter was far from ordinary, daring not to


    specte wildly.


    In the following days, despite frequent visits by the Elders to Botanic Haven, Cobalt Strike appeared


    normal on the surface.


    vin knew he might have caused a misfortune and kept to his duties, delivering goods and


    practicing his craft, staying well away from Botanic Haven. The Viper''s Berry''s effects were indeed


    potent; it took three full days to fully absorb, and his mastery of Stage V gradually stabilized.