For a long moment, the three of them just stood there in the sewer junction, drenched and breathing heavily, the air thick with the smell of ozone and vanquished slime. The silence was a trophy in itself.
Siti was the first to break it, a shaky but triumphant laugh bubbling out of her. "We... we did it. We actually did it!"
Joko leaned against a pillar, wiping his brow with the back of a dirty glove. He looked from the massive puddle on the floor to Kael, who was discreetly pinching his nose to stop the bleeding. A slow, genuine nod of respect. "Kid... whatever that was... not bad. Not bad at all."
Praise from Joko felt more valuable than a monster core. But Kael's attention, and soon theirs, was drawn to the center of the room. The [Mature Slime Core] pulsed with a soft, green light, a beacon in the gloom. It was visibly different from the lesser ones—larger, brighter, and humming with a faint, tangible energy.
"What in the hell is that?" Joko said, pushing himself off the pillar and walking cautiously towards it. Siti followed, her eyes wide with wonder.
Kael's mind raced faster than it ever had during the fight. This was the prize. This was a leap forward in power he desperately needed. He couldn't let it go. He clutched his head, feigning a wave of dizziness—which wasn't difficult, as the headache from his power usage was very real.
"That... that's a side effect," Kael said, his voice weak. He stumbled forward, leaning against the wall for support.
Joko looked back at him, suspicious. "Side effect of what?"
"My skill," Kael elaborated, weaving his lie. "The one I used on the valve. It takes a lot out of me. When I have to force it like that... it sometimes leaves behind a residue. A... a catalyst. Like a lump of crystallized energy."
Joko knelt, poking the core with a gloved finger. It was solid and smooth. "And what does this 'catalyst' do?"
Here was the critical moment. "For you? Nothing," Kael said, pushing his advantage. "It's just leftover light and force magic. It's unstable. But for me..." He took a shaky breath. "I can reabsorb it. To recharge. It's the only way I can recover my energy quickly after a big 'spell' like that."
It was a perfect lie—unfalsifiable, tied directly to the miraculous event they had just witnessed, and it painted him as needing it for recovery, not for personal gain.
Siti immediately bought it. "Joko, he should have it. He's the one who saved us. If he needs it to recharge, it's his."
Joko stood up, his gaze hard as he stared at Kael, then at the core, then back at Kael. He was no fool. He was weighing the options. A weird glowing rock he couldn't use versus a teammate whose weird light magic had just proven to be devastatingly effective.
"Fine," he grunted finally, a decision made. "Take your magic rock, Lamplighter." He pointed a stern finger at Kael. "But if I ever find out you're holding out on us, or that thing is worth a week's rations at the market, I'll collect with interest. Understand?"
"Understood," Kael said, relief washing over him.
He limped over and picked up the [Mature Slime Core]. It was warm in his hand, thrumming with power. He didn't hesitate. To complete the act, he sat down, closed his eyes, and "recharged."
The moment he willed it, the core dissolved. The energy that flooded his system was not a cool trickle; it was a tidal wave. It was so intense he almost cried out. It blasted away his headache and fatigue, and he watched in amazement as a series of notifications scrolled through his vision.
[Mature Slime Core absorbed.] [Stamina has increased by 0.5!] [Intelligence has increased by 0.5!] [Your deep and intuitive manipulation of raw data has granted you a new skill.] [New Skill Unlocked: [Data Analysis].] [Skill: [Data Analysis] (Passive) - Allows for quicker and more detailed information retrieval from targets scanned with [Code Perception]. May reveal hidden attributes or potential exploits.]
His Stamina was now a solid 6.0, and his Intelligence a 12.5. But the new skill... that was the real prize. A passive upgrade to his core ability.
He opened his eyes, taking a deep, clean breath. He felt... fantastic.
"Feel better?" Siti asked, her voice full of concern.
"Much better," Kael said, standing up with a newfound stability. "Thank you."
Joko just grunted and looked up towards the manhole. "Job's done. Let's get out of this stink hole."
They made their way back, and after giving a series of knocks as their signal, the manhole cover was lifted, flooding the sewer with the deep purple light of the evening sky.
Mang Ujang stood silhouetted against it, looking down at them. He saw their drenched, slime-splattered forms and broke into a rare, toothy grin.
"Well, I'll be damned. The three of you are still breathing," he said as they climbed out. "Report to the mess hall. You've earned your bonus rations." He clapped Kael on the shoulder, a gesture that was surprisingly solid.
"And you, Lamplighter," Mang Ujang continued, his eyes glinting with professional interest. "You did good work. There's a nasty infestation of Glow-Fungus choking out the ventilation shafts for the medical bay tomorrow. Another dark, dirty job. Interested?"
Kael looked at his teammates, then back at the foreman. He felt the echo of the new power humming within him. He had a path. It was dirty, dangerous, and disgusting. But it was his.
"I'm interested," Kael said, a flicker of determination in his eyes.