The air in the cavern crackled with the sound of grinding ice and desperate blows.
Elias was a whirlwind of motion, dodging the sweeping icicle blades of the three Ice Stalkers. His Enhanced Agility was pushed to its absolute limit, his body contorting to avoid strikes that would have impaled him.
His pickaxe, a blur of steel, chipped away at their crystalline forms, but the damage was fleeting. Every shard he shattered, every crack he inflicted, slowly mended itself as the Stalkers regenerated, their forms shimmering with renewed vigor.
One Stalker landed a glancing blow, its blade scraping across his Armored Hide and Stone Skin with a jarring impact that vibrated through his bones, leaving a deep furrow. The intense cold radiating from the blow seeped into him, numbing his arm. He gritted his teeth, frustration mounting. He was being worn down, slowly but surely. Brute force wasn't enough when the enemy simply mended itself.
His Perception screamed at him – they were closing in, cutting off his angles of escape, moving with a chilling, predatory coordination. This was how they hunted, tiring out their prey before delivering the final, crushing blow. He needed a breakthrough, something to counter their regeneration, or this frozen abyss would become his tomb.
In that moment of desperate clarity, as two Stalkers lunged simultaneously, Elias felt an overwhelming surge from his Mana Conduit. It wasn't the distant hum anymore; it was a roaring furnace within his chest, a desperate, untamed beast straining against its bonds. He had no control, no understanding, but the sheer, primal will to survive, to burn away this icy threat, focused his entire being. His latent Fire Affinity, previously only a tease, flared in response to the extreme cold and the immediate threat of death.
A wave of intense, blinding heat erupted from Elias. It wasn't a controlled flame, but a raw, concussive burst of pure thermal energy that radiated outwards from his body, turning the frigid air into a boiling cauldron.
The ice-covered ground hissed and steamed, rivulets of superheated water instantly forming before evaporating.
The three Ice Stalkers, caught in the unexpected inferno, shrieked, a sound of agony like thousands of tiny glass shards shattering at once. Their crystalline bodies glowed an angry, incandescent red, their forms distorting and melting with terrifying speed. One Stalker, caught closer to the epicenter, simply collapsed into a smoking puddle of water and shimmering steam, its icicle blades dissolving into nothingness.
Another reeled back, half its body dissolved, its regeneration struggling to keep pace with the devastating heat. The third, further away, was scorched and warped, its movements becoming sluggish and erratic.
The burst lasted only a second, no more than two, before the searing heat vanished, leaving Elias panting, drenched in sweat despite the now-cold steam that filled the air. His muscles trembled, his vision swam, and his Mana Conduit felt utterly drained, a vast, echoing void. It was an uncontrolled, devastating discharge, and the cost was immense.
[Notification]
Mana Conduit Overload! Extreme stress triggered uncontrolled elemental discharge. Mana reserves severely depleted.
He shook his head, clearing the haze from his eyes. The area around him was a chaotic mess of melting ice, steam, and the faint, acrid smell of ozone.
The two remaining Ice Stalkers were severely weakened, their forms uneven and scarred. The closest one, still half-melted, lunged weakly. Elias met it with a furious roar, his pickaxe a blur. With renewed ferocity, he brought it down on its head, splitting its regenerating core. The creature exploded into a final burst of steam, dissolving instantly.
The last Stalker, scorched and limping, tried to flee, its movements sluggish. Elias wouldn't allow it. Driven by a primal exhaustion and a need to finish what he started, he lunged, his Enhanced Agility still serving him. He tackled the creature, sending them both skidding across the slick ice. He brought his pickaxe to bear, driving it into the remaining core of its chest, twisting it viciously until it, too, burst into vapor.
He stood amidst the rapidly refreezing puddles, chest heaving, every muscle screaming in protest. His body felt heavy, completely drained of energy, both physical and magical. He hadn't just fought monsters; he had unleashed an elemental force he couldn't control.
[Notification]
You have defeated three Ice Stalkers (Lesser Ice Golems)!
Experience Gained: 1500 EXP
The familiar, intense hunger surged, even through his profound exhaustion. He knelt, scraping the remaining crystalline residue from the rapidly hardening ice, forcing himself to consume the icy, bitter essence of the defeated Stalkers.
[Notification]
Ultra-Rare Magic: Monster Assimilation - Active!
Description: You have consumed the essence of three Ice Stalkers.
[Notification]
New Ability Acquired: Cryo-Kinetic Burst (Active)!
Description: You can expel a short-range burst of freezing shards and concussive cold. (Costs: Moderate Mana)
[Notification]
New Ability Acquired: Ice Absorption (Passive)!
Description: You gain minor passive healing (+0.5 HP/sec) when in extremely cold environments or when touching large quantities of ice. Permanent effect.
A wave of profound cold, followed by a strange, almost refreshing chill, settled over him. His body felt less heavy, almost as if the icy environment itself was now subtly revitalizing him. But the magical well within him remained empty, aching with its recent, violent discharge. He staggered towards a larger, more defensible ice formation, collapsing against it. He needed more than rest; he needed a chance for his Mana Conduit to recover, and for his ravaged body to heal.
The Dungeon of Death demanded a terrible price for every victory.