The gap in the opening gate resembled a narrow eye slit opening in the universe, peering into the secrets slumbering within. The air spilling out from behind it was older and heavier than that of the maintenance passage, carrying an almost tangible, strange odor that mingled extremely pure energy radiation with the sediment of ages. The air was all but stagnant, and gravity ran wild here. At times, the metal floor beneath their feet felt buoyant, as though weightless; at others, it felt heavy as lead.
Lin Ye, Sasuke, and Karin steadied their breathing and stepped through the gap one after another. The gate slid shut behind them without a sound, then closed with a dull impact, cutting off the last faint glimmer of light from outside.
Before them lay an immensely broad passage, just as badly ruined. Unlike the upper structure, its walls, ceiling, and floor seemed to have been formed from a single seamless piece of unknown material that gave off a dark silver metallic sheen. Its surface was engraved with energy circuits and information runes so intricate they made the eyes swim. Now, however, most of those circuits were broken and the runes were dim. Countless thick energy conduits protruded from the fractured walls like dying blood vessels. Occasionally, faint glows of different colors flowed through them, accompanied by an unsteady hum.
The passage stretched ahead as though without end, vanishing into absolute darkness in the distance. Closed doors stood at intervals along both walls, each engraved with complex markings. Some resembled the emblems of the People of the Stars or the Uzumaki Clan; others were utterly unfamiliar, their designs bizarre.
"The energy density here... is frighteningly high, and its properties are incredibly complex." Karin held the Eye of Prophecy. The crystal ball's light seemed suppressed here,