Chapter 22 – Into the Fracture
The spiral of energy at the end of the ruined station pulsed like a beating heart—unstable, flickering, but growing steadier by the second.
A low hum vibrated in Auther's bones as he approached, the corrupted fungus on the floor pulling away from the energy distortion like it feared being devoured.
This wasn't just a mana knot anymore.
It was a fully forming gate.
Not stable. Not permanent. But real.
His first dungeon.
He tightened his grip on Mana Edge and stepped into the distortion just as the pulse reached its peak.
A second later, he vanished.
—
The world twisted.
Colors bled into one another. Gravity wavered. For a breathless moment, Auther floated in a space that had no floor, no sky, no direction—only raw, untamed mana pulsing like a living ocean around him.
Then it snapped into place.
The world slammed together.
He landed hard, boots skidding across a glowing stone path that hung suspended in a void.
The mini-dungeon was small—he could tell instantly. A pocket realm no bigger than a city block, floating in a swirling storm of mana currents. Rock platforms, like floating islands, drifted and rotated slowly in the distance.
He turned slowly, absorbing the details.
Purple-blue sky. No sun. Everything was lit by the faint shimmer of mana mist.
He was on the first platform—a wide stone slab with glowing veins beneath its surface.
The gate's instability was obvious.
Chunks of the edge broke off and floated into the air before dissolving.
If he didn't finish this fast, the entire dungeon might collapse on itself.
"Better not waste time."
He stepped forward.
The first enemies appeared within seconds.
Two creatures rose from the mist, their bodies semi-transparent—like animals made of smoke and bone.
He scanned them quickly. Mutated wisps? No… too physical.
They stood four-legged, doglike, with sharp bones protruding from their spines and glowing crimson eyes.
E2s, minimum.
Maybe E3, depending on their speed.
They growled—then launched themselves forward.
Auther didn't flinch.
He activated Burst Step and reappeared behind one in an instant, slashing upward.
Mana Edge sliced clean through.
The creature didn't die, but its form flickered violently.
It spun and slashed at him with shadowy claws, but Auther ducked, rolled, and used Phantom Echo to draw their attention away.
The illusion worked. Both beasts turned and attacked the double.
That was his opening.
He plunged his blade into the first beast's core, releasing a small burst of mana from his palm to destabilize its center.
It disintegrated into ash and a faint crystal shard.
The second turned and lunged.
He sidestepped, slashed across its ribs, and followed with a quick Disrupting Pulse to its skull.
The beast seized up—then fell.
He breathed heavily.
Not hard.
But not easy either.
His body was still adapting to the dungeon's mana flow. The energy in here was thick—condensed. One misstep, one miscalculation, and the environment itself might lash out.
He collected the crystal shards.
Too weak to be cores. But the fact that dungeon monsters dropped anything at all confirmed what he'd read: treasure didn't form in dungeons like loot from monsters. It accumulated at the core—or from ambient overflow in natural containers formed from mana solidification.
Which meant the real prize lay deeper in.
He moved on.
The platforms floated across the void slowly, drifting toward a central spire at the heart of the realm.
Each stone he stepped on felt unstable—like it might give way if he stayed too long.
The second platform brought more enemies.
Three this time.
And a trap.
The moment he landed, a mana spike burst from the floor, forcing him to leap backward.
A claw grazed his side mid-air, tearing his jacket.
He twisted and used Fighting Mastery instincts to counter, grabbing the attacking limb and flipping the creature over his shoulder.
The other two charged.
He activated Neural Reinforcement, boosting his reflexes.
The world slowed.
He deflected a swipe, kicked off the creature's chest, and spun mid-air to land a backhand slash across the second beast's jaw.
His blade sang.
Both enemies disintegrated after a quick follow-up combo.
Auther stood panting, blood trickling from a shallow wound on his ribs.
He pressed a palm to the injury and activated Lesser Flesh Knitting.
The pain faded slowly.
He sat down, absorbing the residual mana on the platform.
This wasn't sustainable.
If each platform increased in difficulty, he'd need more energy than he could maintain for a full clear.
He opened the system again and checked his Skill Points.
---
[Enemies Defeated – E2 x3]
[Skill Points Gained: +15]
[Total Skill Points: 20]
---
Just enough.
He hesitated.
Then opened Skill Creation.
> Name: Atmospheric Absorption
Description: "A passive skill that draws in trace amounts of ambient mana during rest periods. Restores 1% of mana every minute outside combat. Regeneration pauses during combat."
Rank: F5
Cost: 20 SP
He created it instantly.
[Skill Created: Atmospheric Absorption (F5)]
[Remaining SP: 0]
He felt it almost immediately.
The mana in the air responded to him more gently. Like it was being drawn in subconsciously.
He could breathe easier. Focus better.
A much-needed addition.
He stood and crossed to the third platform.
It was different.
No monsters.
Just a glowing tree at the center, its bark made of crystal, its leaves pulsing with mana.
A dungeon treasure node.
He approached carefully.
The roots pulsed as he got closer.
This was an unstable mana spring—a natural formation that sometimes appeared in early-stage gates. If he harvested it quickly…
He touched the bark.
A surge of mana shot through his hand.
It burned—but in a focused, intentional way. Not an attack.
A trial.
He gritted his teeth and endured.
The mana scanned him. Weighed him.
Then…
It accepted him.
The tree shimmered and released a single glowing item orb into his hand.
He caught it.
It was warm. Pulsing.
He tapped it.
It unfolded like mist and revealed a scroll.
His eyes widened.
---
> Skill Book: Reactive Guard
Rank: F4
Description: "A reflexive skill that generates a minor mana barrier during sudden incoming physical impact. Triggers only once per 30 seconds."
---
He stared at it in disbelief.
It wasn't powerful.
But it was free. And it was real.
His first dungeon-born skill.
He placed the scroll into his satchel and looked ahead.
The final platform was drawing close.
At its center… a creature.
Larger than the others. Taller than a man. Covered in crystal armor that flickered with dungeon energy.
Its eyes glowed with hatred.
Auther tightened his grip on Mana Edge.
"One boss," he muttered. "Figures."
The platform connected.
The creature let out a screech and charged.
Auther charged back.
They clashed like meteors.