Core Stabilization

DK retorted back, " You can do all the inspection you want, but NO BUTT STUFF.!"

The old man was a bit taken by surprise and embarrassed with what DK said and asked, " Why would I need your butt? I just need to inspect the black pulsating veins and feel your nexus core. That is all. I am again repeating, "I am absolutely not touching your butt. Is that clear"

The tension in the room cracked for a moment, replaced by an awkward silence. Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly restraining a laugh as DK's cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation.

"Fine," DK muttered, shrugging off his cloak and unbuttoning his shirt. "But I'm watching you." He shot the old man a wary glare, his posture stiff as though bracing for an ambush.

The old man waved dismissively, his attention already shifting to DK's exposed torso. As DK pulled off his shirt, the faint glow of the Nexus Core pulsed brighter, illuminating the intricate web of black veins radiating from his chest. The old man leaned forward, his gnarled fingers hovering over the pulsating energy.

"Wow! I dont even need to touch your skin to sense the Nexus core. Your core is visibly bright enough to see over the skin. I have never observed this phenomenon atleast in a living person." The old man remarked. 

The room was bathed in a faint, eerie glow as the Nexus Core's light pulsed steadily from DK's chest. The old man's milky eyes narrowed with a mixture of fascination and concern. "A visible Nexus Core," he muttered, mostly to himself. "This shouldn't be possible… at least not for someone still breathing."

Lucy's brow furrowed as she stared at DK's chest. "Is it… dangerous for it to be this visible?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Viktor crossed his arms, his usual calm demeanor showing the faintest crack of unease. "Visible or not, it explains the instability. That much raw energy leaking out is practically begging to attract trouble."

The old man grunted, his gnarled fingers tracing the air above DK's blackened veins, careful not to make contact. "These veins—this corruption—it's not just residual energy. It's active. The Nexus Core is drawing in mana from the artifact but it can't process it cleanly which then makes the energy corrupted." He glanced at the glowing orb resting on the counter. "This thing… it's connected to you. "

The old man leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully as his eyes flicked between DK's glowing Nexus Core and the orb resting on the counter. The room's tense atmosphere deepened as he finally broke the silence.

"We need to sever the connection between your Nexus Core and this artifact. If the core is drawing mana from the orb in its corrupted state, it's only going to destabilize further." He turned his piercing gaze to DK. "How did your Nexus Core begin drawing energy from the orb in the first place? This isn't something that happens on its own."

DK hesitated, glancing at Lucy before speaking carefully. "My Nexus Core… wasn't active before the dungeon. My mana pathways were blocked, and I wasn't able to access any energy. So, I used an older, risky method to force the activation—inside Verdant Grotto."

The old man raised an eyebrow, his tone incredulous. "An untrained core activated in the middle of a dungeon? No wonder it's unstable." He gestured sharply at DK's chest. "That's not activation—it's a ticking time bomb."

Lucy stepped in, her voice firm but defensive. "We didn't have much of a choice. The dungeon was collapsing, and the guardian was far beyond what we could handle otherwise. It was either that or die."

Viktor, who had been listening silently, finally spoke, his tone measured. "And the orb? Was it part of the activation process?"

DK nodded cautiously, carefully omitting details about the system interface or the Nexus Core being only the first of several. "It resonated with the energy in the dungeon. When I activated my core, it started pulling mana from the orb. I didn't realize it at the time, but… now I can feel the connection."

The old man sighed, shaking his head. "A reckless method, but it explains the mess we're in now. The artifact's energy is far more than your Nexus Core can handle—it's overwhelming it. We'll need to sever the link carefully, or both you and the orb might shatter."

Viktor's sharp gaze lingered on DK, his mind clearly piecing together the implications of what he'd just heard. "And yet, despite all of this, you're still standing," he murmured. "That speaks to something… unusual."

DK ignored the comment, focusing on the old man. "So, what's the plan? How do we sever the connection?"

The old man waved him off, standing and moving toward a cluttered desk laden with scrolls and ancient tomes. "I'll need time to think about it," he said brusquely. "This isn't a simple matter of cutting off energy flow—it's like untangling a knot tied with fire. If I make the wrong move, you'll burn from the inside out."

Lucy frowned. "How long are we talking?"

"Through the night," the old man replied. "You two will stay here until I have a solution. I don't want either of you wandering off and drawing more trouble."

DK exchanged a wary glance with Lucy before nodding reluctantly. "Fine. But don't take too long—I don't think my body can handle this for much longer."

Viktor stepped forward, his tone calm but resolute. "I'll take my leave, then. I need to report to Conrad about your progress."

Lucy stiffened at the mention of Conrad, but Viktor didn't linger. He adjusted his cloak and stepped out into the night, leaving the room heavy with tension.

Once Viktor was gone, the old man gestured toward a narrow staircase at the back of the shop. "Your rooms are upstairs. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be… unpleasant."

DK and Lucy climbed the creaking stairs, their exhaustion weighing heavily on them. The small, dimly lit room DK entered was sparse, with a simple cot and a single candle flickering weakly on a bedside table.

The system was stuck at the last message it showed

—

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.

—-

As DK sat on the cot, his breathing shallow and his heart pounding, the system's warning replayed in his mind.

He clenched his fists, staring at the faintly glowing orb on the table. The old man's words echoed in his ears, urging caution, yet the system insisted on the opposite—a bold and dangerous step. Sweat dripped from his temple as he weighed his options. Time was running out, and his body felt like it was on the verge of breaking.

Taking a deep breath, DK whispered, "If this system is my only chance, I'll trust it." He reached for the orb, its glow intensifying as his hand drew closer. With trembling fingers, he wrapped his hand around it, feeling the pulse of energy beneath its surface.

—

SYSTEM INITIATING MANA ABSORPTION. PREPARE FOR SEVERE STRAIN.

 — 

The orb flared violently, and DK's body jolted as the first wave of mana surged into him. The energy was raw and overwhelming, flooding his Nexus Core and coursing through his veins like molten fire. He gritted his teeth, suppressing a scream as pain wracked his body. The black veins on his skin bulged and writhed, dark goo oozing from them like a festering wound.

The agony was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. His chest felt like it was being torn apart, the Nexus Core glowing brighter and brighter as it consumed the mana. Blood seeped from his nose, mixing with the dark liquid that dripped onto the floor. His vision blurred, and his hands trembled as he clung to the orb.

The room filled with a low hum, growing louder with every second. The ambient mana around him began to fluctuate wildly, causing the faint light of the candle to flicker and die. Upstairs, Lucy stirred, her instincts jolting her awake as she felt the sudden surge of power.

"DK?" she called out, rushing down the stairs with her staff in hand. The old man followed closely, his eyes narrowing as he felt the chaotic mana radiating from DK's room.

Bursting into the room, Lucy stopped dead in her tracks. DK was hunched over, his body drenched in sweat and glowing faintly. The orb in his hand pulsed in sync with his Nexus Core, which now shone like a miniature star in his chest. The black veins on his arms writhed like living shadows, though they seemed to be stabilizing, their chaotic pulsing slowing.

The old man cursed under his breath. "What is he doing?" he muttered, stepping forward but stopping short of interfering. "That idiot is drawing pure mana directly into his unstable core. He'll either fix himself or destroy everything in this shop."

DK let out a guttural cry as the final surge of energy consumed him. The room filled with a blinding light as the transformation reached its peak. When the glow subsided, DK collapsed onto the cot, gasping for air. The black veins were still present, but they no longer pulsed erratically. Instead, they seemed to have fused with his body, giving his skin a faintly marbled appearance.

Lucy knelt by his side, her face pale with worry. "DK, are you okay? What the hell were you doing?"

DK sat up slowly, his body trembling but functional. "I dont know what happened, I just had to draw in more pure mana to stabilize the core. It was my body controlling me. I had no choice."

The old man stepped closer, his expression unreadable as he inspected DK. "Your Nexus Core…" he muttered. "It's… stable now, but the corruption hasn't gone away. It's… part of you."

DK looked down at his arms, flexing his fingers. The veins no longer felt foreign—they felt natural, like an extension of his being. "I can feel it," he said quietly. "The corruption… it's not fighting me anymore. It's balanced."