Ren and the others descended a seemingly endless flight of stairs, each step echoing in the dimly lit underground passageway.

The air felt cool and damp, carrying with it a peculiar scent that hinted of wet mud. The stairs, made of worn stone, bore the marks of countless footsteps over the ages, leaving an indelible imprint on the passage of time.

Lorelai couldn't resist and jokingly asked, "Are you sure this stairway doesn't lead to the other side of Eternia?"

Nori, accustomed to such remarks, responded with a wry tone. "This leads to the aquifer; that's why it's so deep. Aquifers are underground areas containing water resources, essentially reservoirs where groundwater is stored. The bed is often formed of clay and rock, acting as a natural filtration system for water.

"The largest aquifers can span entire countries and in the Netherworld there's a lot of Aquifers here. Though all of them are now privately owned by the warlords."

"Oh, I thought we'd be descending all the way to the surface at the rate we're going down," Lorelai continued, bursting into laughter.

"Don't mind her," Elena said, rolling her eyes. She turned to Nori and inquired, "What happens if it rains on the surface? Isn't flooding an issue here?"

"Not all communities face the same risk of drowning and flooding. Some are at seasonal risk of rising water due to surface rainfalls. Bypass tunnels are built to direct water into reservoirs, filling them, and then allowing the overflow to run into designated spaces.

"Besides, we haven't had rain for years now. I don't know about the other districts, but in this village, all rain coming from the surface is channeled towards Voraxa's castle. That's why many citizens have abandoned this part of the map; there's no food and water."

"He could collect rainwater?" Evie found that hard to believe.

Nori nodded. "There are only a few tunnels here connecting to the surface, and through them, they use Hydrated Rocks to store all the water that falls from above."

"Hydrated Rocks?"

"Alchemists created these stones," Nori explained, "and these stones can extract water from a source. The process was invented by Alchemists who keep the technique secret and sell their services wherever additional resources are needed. At the end of the alchemical process, the water comes out perfectly pure."

Evie stared at Ren, "I bet you can make one."

"Eh?" Nori whipped her head at Ren. "You can make one? Are you an Alchemist?"

Ren nodded. "I can make one if you have the Blueprint."

Nori got excited. "Let's ask Morgrimm later if he has one! We're running out of Hydrated Rocks lately."

"But it's only for storing and filtering water, right? If there's no water, then it's useless," Lorelai said.

Nori nodded. "There are a lot of sources here underground, but currently, all the water is channelled via tunnels toward Voraxa's castle."

"I see that he's hugging all the resources," Elena remarked and changed the topic, "These are a lot of stairs; it must be difficult to carry all that water up."

"We use Hydrated Rocks and store it in our inventory. That way, we wouldn't have a hard time. But currently, we only have like two Hydrated Rocks left. They're expensive after all and easily broken by time."

As they descended further, the atmosphere changed. The walls seemed to close in, and the sounds of the bustling village above gradually faded away, replaced by a distant, soothing murmur of the gentle breeze.

The play of shadows and the occasional flicker of bioluminescent plants created an otherworldly ambiance.

The stairs spiraled downward, revealing the intricate architecture of the underground realm. The stone walls, meticulously carved, showcased the craftsmanship of the Netherworld inhabitants.

Ventilation shafts adorned the passageway, allowing fresh air to circulate and sustaining life below the surface.

Finally reaching the bottom, the group found themselves at the entrance of a vast cavern.

The once-thriving aquifer sprawled before them, now reduced to a desolate expanse of arid desert and barren rocks.

The absence of life in this once-vibrant place echoed the toll of warlord oppression, leaving behind a haunting emptiness that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Well . . . I had a feeling that this would happen," Lorelai said and took a deep breath. "Good thing that I didn't set my hopes up."

"What happened here?" Elena asked.

Nori sighed, and sadness flickered across her face. "I told you, right? Voraxa constructed tunnels to channel the water towards his castle, leaving all the villages in this area dry."

"It seems like he isn't the type of leader who cares about his citizens," Ren said. "Do you know why he is doing it, though?"

"Is he trying to kill you all?" Elena asked. "Killing you by hunger?"

Nori clenched her fists and bit her lip. "Frankly, I don't know. The seven warlords aren't exactly kind and leader materials. They're demons and devils who are stronger than the rest, and that's why they can freely do whatever they want.

"Frankly, it would have been better if there was a deeper reason . . . but Voraxa is doing this purely because she wants all the resources to herself. Her appetite knows no bounds."

"I see . . . Looks like it's the strongest who rule here then," Ren said.

This was the effect of the absence of a king, the one who's the strongest of them all and has the ambition to rule over the Netherworld.

Without a clear goal, this place was taken over by stronger entities who only think about themselves.

Nori briefly closed her eyes and released a breath. "It's strongerst who survive here, after all."

Nori went to the edge of the aquifer while Ren and the others exchanged glances.

"In the past, this aquifer was a vital water source that sustained the village and its unique ecosystem. Strange aquatic creatures glided beneath the water's surface, their bioluminescent patterns adding to the enchantment of this place.

"You should have seen it. This place is every beautiful in the past."

Nori grabbed the sand in her hand, and it fell off from her fingers. "But now, it's nothing but sands and rocks."