Remove your clothes!

The screen materialized before DK's eyes, faintly glowing and overlaid against the dimly lit alley. Words flickered across the translucent interface, their eerie luminescence contrasting sharply with the grim surroundings.

— 

SYSTEM

SYNCHRONIZATION COMPLETE

NEXUS CORE 1 STABILIZED

WARNING: RESIDUAL CORRUPTION DETECTED

ACTION REQUIRED: INITIATE BALANCE RESTORATION TO PREVENT CRITICAL CORE DEGRADATION.

—

DK was first glad that his endeavour to start up his nexus core was successful albeit at the cost of almost destroying the body and still having blacking pulsating veins all over the body. He tried to feel his body and notice if there was any difference in his internal organs after activating the nexus core. 

As DK took a deep breath, he focused inward, trying to discern any changes brought on by the activation of his Nexus Core. The faint, rhythmic pulsing of the black veins on his arms hinted at something foreign beneath the surface, but his senses were sharper than before, as though his body was attuned to the energy flowing through him. He felt a subtle heat radiating from his chest, the core of his being, where the Nexus Core had taken root.

For a moment, DK marveled at the heightened awareness coursing through him. His heartbeat sounded steady but layered, as if there was a second rhythm—a hum of energy syncing with his pulse. However, the flickering warning about residual corruption weighed heavily on his mind. He could feel it, a faint sense of imbalance in his body, like an untuned instrument. Every movement felt slightly off, as though the corruption was trying to interfere with his control.

His thoughts were interrupted by Lucy's sharp whisper ahead. "DK, keep up," she said, her tone laced with concern. "You can't afford to lag behind right now."

DK blinked, pulling himself back to reality. "Sorry," he muttered, quickening his pace to catch up. His hand instinctively brushed against the orb beneath his cloak, its faint energy mirroring the hum in his chest. Was this artifact tied to the Nexus Core? The system's warnings seemed to suggest as much.

Viktor, walking ahead of them with a deliberate calm, glanced over his shoulder. His piercing gaze lingered on DK for a beat too long, as though he could sense the turmoil churning beneath the surface. "You seem… distracted," Viktor said, his voice low and measured. "That's not a luxury you can afford right now."

"I'm fine," DK replied curtly, though the weight of Viktor's words was undeniable. Every step they took deeper into the city's underbelly felt like stepping closer to a reckoning.

As they rounded another corner, DK hesitated, glancing once more at the faint blue dot lingering at the corner of his vision. He allowed the system interface to resurface, the text glowing faintly.

—

SYSTEM

Would you like assistance initiating balance restoration?

YES / NO?

—

DK's fingers twitched involuntarily. He had no idea what accepting this action would entail, but leaving the corruption unchecked felt like an even greater risk. Casting a wary glance at Lucy and Viktor to ensure they weren't watching too closely, he mentally selected YES.

The system's response was immediate. 

—

SYSTEM

TO STABLIZE THE NEXUS CORE, YOU NEED TO FLOOD YOUR BODY WITH PURE MANA ENERGY. THIS ACTION NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED WHILE YOU ARE STATIONARY TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF MANA. USER IS ADVISED TO AVOID ANY EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE.

—-

Panic briefly flared in DK's chest. Pure Manad Energy? Is it referring to his artifact here and how the hell am I supposed to remain stationary? Now? He glanced nervously at Lucy and Viktor, hoping whatever the system was about to do wouldn't draw attention.

"How far do we have to go? I am extremely tired and my legs can no longer move." DK tried to come up with an excuse to remain still. "He needs to rest. We cannot expect him to keep walking in this condition." Lucy continued to offer support to DK's excuse and rather find a way to escape from Viktor. 

"Stop whining like a baby. Here are we are, the mana expert who can help us understand DK and the artifact he is holding." Viktor pointed to a rustic stop almost at the outskirts of the city. There was no one in the shop with a craggy old man at the counter. 

DK's unease deepened as they approached the rustic shop, its worn wooden sign creaking faintly in the wind. The building looked out of place even on the outskirts of the city, with faded runes etched into the doorframe and faint wisps of mana emanating from its structure. The old man behind the counter was hunched, his gnarled fingers absently stroking the spine of a thick, leather-bound tome. He didn't look up as they entered, but DK felt the weight of unseen eyes scanning him.

"This is where we'll get answers?" Lucy asked, her tone skeptical. Her grip on DK's arm tightened slightly, a subtle reminder that she was still on edge.

Viktor ignored her skepticism, his calm demeanor unwavering. "Don't let appearances fool you."

The old man finally looked up, his milky eyes locking onto DK. Despite his frail appearance, there was an unsettling intensity in his gaze, as though he could see past flesh and bone into something deeper. "So, you're the one causing all the noise," he said, his voice rasping like dry leaves.

"Noise?" DK asked cautiously, his hand instinctively brushing against the orb hidden beneath his cloak.

The old man gave a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "You don't even realize what you're carrying, do you?" He motioned for them to step closer. "Let me see it."

Lucy stepped forward defensively. "Why should we trust you?"

Viktor intervened with a tone of quiet authority. "Because he's the best chance you have at removing the corruption from DK and understanding the artifact that he is holding. Unless you'd prefer the corruption to consume him entirely." 

DK hesitated, the system's earlier warning flashing through his mind. The old man's words felt both threatening and oddly reassuring, as if he truly understood the stakes. With a deep breath, he reluctantly pulled the glowing orb from beneath his cloak and set it on the counter.

As soon as the distance between the orb and DK increased there was a sudden unnatural screech from the orb. The old man who carried all the seriousness suddenly looked curious and happy like a kid who just received a new toy. 

"Interesting!" The old man said. "Remove your clothes DK. Every single garment." he ordered. 

The room fell into an awkward silence as the old man's command hung in the air. DK's eyes widened, and his hand instinctively tightened on his cloak, shielding the glowing veins pulsing faintly beneath his skin.

"What?" DK blurted, incredulous. "Why do I need to—?"

Lucy stepped forward, her expression a mixture of outrage and suspicion. "What kind of scam are you running here?" she snapped, her grip tightening on her staff. "We came for help, not—whatever this is."

The old man sighed, rolling his milky eyes as if her reaction was tedious. "The corruption coursing through this boy's body is reacting to the orb. I need to see the full extent of its influence. Clothes hide too much. If you want my help, he has to comply."