The sun was just cresting the city's jagged skyline, casting soft amber light over the cracked rooftops and reinforced towers of the outer zones. Auther sat atop a rusted water tank, legs crossed, eyes closed, breathing deeply.
Breath of the Arcanum – Tier II hummed in his chest like a second heartbeat, pulling ambient mana into him with each breath. The recent dungeon's energy still flickered in his veins—like a storm that hadn't quite passed.
His body had begun adapting to the strain of using higher-rank techniques, but the effort to push further—to climb from E1 toward E2—still felt distant. It would take more mana, more cores, and more combat.
Behind him, the steel door to the rooftop creaked.
"Morning," Veira said softly.
He turned.
She wore simple dark combat clothes now—tailored to move with her. Her long silvery-purple hair was tied up messily, and her crimson eyes had a faint sheen, as if still haunted by the gate they had cleared two days ago.
"You okay?" he asked.
She hesitated. "I've been… feeling things. Flashes. Emotions that aren't mine. Memories that aren't mine."
Auther studied her quietly. "You used something in that gate. A power you didn't know you had."
Veira nodded. "I felt like… like I wasn't alone. Like something ancient was watching through my eyes."
They both stood silent for a moment. Then Auther spoke, "You said before you didn't remember your past. But I think the gate… might have triggered something."
"I think so too."
He gave her a slight smile. "Then we'll figure it out. One piece at a time."
A flicker of red danced in her cheeks. "Thanks, Auther."
Before he could respond, a soft chime echoed in his ear.
[Mission Received – Awakeners Association]
Location: West Sector, Sub-Level 3
Objective: Investigate anomaly in sealed mana mine.
Note: Two prior F-tier teams have failed to return. Proceed with caution.
Reward: 3x E-rank cores, 1 Skill Book (random)
Auther's brows lifted. "Looks like the Association isn't giving us much of a break."
Veira's eyes sharpened. "We're taking it?"
"Of course. Three E-rank cores and a skill book? That's huge." He stood, stretching. "We need more SP, and you need more chances to trigger your bloodline."
She nodded, her eyes glinting. "Then let's prepare."
---
The mine entrance was hidden beneath a half-collapsed transport station in the city's decaying west sector. The structure groaned under the weight of cracked steel and time-worn stone, but the residual mana in the air was undeniable—dense and old, like the air of an abandoned temple.
Auther activated Arcane Sight, and faint blue wisps trailed through the corridor ahead. Mana veins.
"They're flowing inward," he said. "Toward the deeper tunnels."
Veira crouched beside a rusted railing, her hand pressed to the stone. "There's something else. A heartbeat. Very slow… but massive."
"Boss-tier?" Auther asked.
She nodded.
He tapped his wrist, checking his SP.
[Skill Points: 173]
Not enough for a full E-rank ability, he thought. But maybe something to give me an edge.
He thought about the last battle—where his mana expenditure nearly outpaced his breathing. He needed efficiency. Speed. Control.
He began crafting a skill on the spot.
> Skill Name: Mana Efficiency
Rank: F
Type: Passive
Description: Increases the mana-to-output ratio of all offensive and mobility-based skills by 10%.
Notes: Stackable with future upgrades.
Cost: 22 SP
"Accept."
The mana within him shifted. Like oil refined into fuel, everything felt tighter. Sharper. Mana Edge no longer burned through his reserves like wildfire.
"Let's go."
---
They descended through layers of twisted steel and flickering mana crystals, eventually reaching a chamber where the ground itself pulsed.
A dome of pale green light shimmered across the far wall, surrounding a sealed chamber. Carved into the stone above it were ancient runes—pre-System, perhaps even pre-human.
"Feel that?" Veira whispered.
Auther nodded. "There's something alive in there."
Suddenly, the dome cracked.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the cavern. The walls trembled.
Veira unsheathed the dagger Auther had reforged for her, her stance sharp and poised. "Whatever it is, it's waking up."
Then the dome burst.
A hulking quadrupedal beast stepped through—half covered in armored chitin, half wrapped in muscle and pulsating veins of mana. It was E4 at least… maybe even E5.
Its eyes locked onto Auther, and it charged.
He darted left, activating Kinetic Burst to boost his momentum. A claw narrowly missed his ribs. He countered with Mana Edge, slicing across its flank, only to see the wound seal moments later.
"Regeneration!" he yelled.
Veira circled the other side, feinting. The beast lunged at her—but her movements were too sharp, too fluid. A burst of violet mana shimmered around her legs.
She was adapting. Fast.
Auther backed up and activated a pre-prepared skill:
> Skill: Targeted Mana Spike – F Rank (Cost: 18 SP)
Effect: Condenses mana into a focused explosive spike. Effective against regenerating tissue.
He threw it at the beast's regenerating leg. With a crack, the spike embedded deep—and then exploded. The limb snapped backward, halting the creature's charge.
Veira moved. Her dagger became a blur. A purple afterimage flickered behind her—a phantom echo of something ancient.
In three strikes, she carved through its throat.
The beast fell.
Silence.
A heartbeat later, the System chimed.
[Target Defeated – E4 Class: Ravager Corebeast]
[Skill Points Gained: 20]
Auther exhaled. "That was brutal."
Veira nodded, chest heaving. "But we won."
He picked up the glowing mana core and handed it to her. "You take it. I got the last one."
She stared at him, eyes soft. "You sure?"
He smiled. "You're part of this team now."
Something in her eyes shimmered—not just gratitude, but something deeper.
Maybe trust.
Maybe more.
---
♦
Back at their temporary base, Auther stared into the firelight while Veira slept nearby.
His body ached, his SP pool was healthier than ever, and his mind was whirring with ideas for new skills—but one thought repeated:
We're stronger now. But not strong enough.
There were whispers of dungeons deeper than anything in this zone. Of ancient beings guarding them. Of systems of power older than mankind.
And to face them, he'd need more than skills.
He'd need people.
He glanced at Veira. Her breath was steady. Her expression peaceful.
One ally down…
A flicker of something glowed in the back of his mind.
Time to find more.