Chương 261: B4—Chapter 40: Back to Grinding

After dinner, we played Rummy Cube when Mahya glanced up.

"Do you think you can clear the dungeon with the Crystalline Reflectrix alone, or should we just leave it?" I paused, setting my tiles down.

"If I load up my Storage with stone slabs, I probably could. But honestly, I'm not sure it's worth the risk—especially if the dungeon has caves or tunnels. I might not be able to fly high enough in those spaces."

"That would mean the balls could escape the dungeon," Al said, his fingers drumming on the table.

"No," I said.

"I'm just going to bury it and fuse the stone into one massive block. That should seal it off completely. If we ever decide to clear it in the future, we can always break the stone open."

"That makes sense," Mahya agreed, nodding as she placed a tile on the board, her focus shifting back to the game. The next day, sunlight spread over the ruined city, casting long shadows on the debris. I asked the wind to direct me to the dungeons in the disco ball area, and it directed me to only one location. That was great, since I didn't have to check multiple dungeons to locate the one with the balls. The real challenge was gathering the materials.

I searched the cleared area, spotting slabs of stone scattered among the ruins. Instead of struggling to lift them manually or with telekinesis, I stored them. One by one, I made the slabs disappear neatly into my Storage. Once I had enough, I returned to the dungeon entrance and started stacking the slabs. With the first layer in place, I cast fusing spells and melded them into a seamless, unbroken wall. It felt solid, but not solid enough. One layer wouldn't cut it.

I went back for more slabs, scouring the ruins until my Storage was full again. Back in the dungeon, I added a second layer. I carefully positioned the stones before fusing them in place. The result was a double-thick solid stone wall, sturdy enough to withstand anything short of a bomb. Hovering back, I took in my work. The walls stood firm and immovable, sealing the dungeon away completely. Even hornless rhinos wouldn't be able to break through.

As I lingered, the wind swirled gently around me, ruffling my hair and caressing my skin in friendship. It was nice, so I stayed in place for a while to enjoy the sensation. Following the wind's pull, I moved on, letting it guide me through the city. My first stop was the monkey territory. Four dungeon portals of doom lay scattered among the rubble, each a familiar black void. Three were against walls and easy to approach; one was under a small mound of debris. I left the mound for the time being.

There was no point in letting some unknown monsters out. From there, the wind led me to the wolf area. This time, something was different. The first portal I found was as expected. It was an ominous black void rippling faintly with its usual aura of doom. Nothing was surprising there. But the second portal stopped me in midair. It wasn't black and wasn't connected to anything. The portal floated two meters above the ground and formed a perfect circle.

The surface swirled with shades of glowing orange, ranging from light to very dark, and the edges glowed red. The glow pulsed in a steady rhythm, casting flickering light over the surrounding rubble. There was no wall, no ground, no anchor—just this strange, glowing, unsupported portal hanging in the air. I stared at it for a long moment, my usual unease shifting to fascination. Whatever this was, it didn't belong here. Not at all. I went home, eager to share the strange discovery.

I found Mahya on the couch with a schematic in her lap. Al stood by the window, nursing a glass of scotch.

"I found something weird," I started, catching their attention immediately. Mahya set the schematic aside.

"What kind of weird?" she asked. I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms.

"A dungeon portal that's not black. And it's not connected to anything—not the ground, not a wall. It's just floating there. Orange, with fiery red edges, and it pulses." Mahya and Al exchanged glances. Mahya's frown deepened, and Al's fingers tapped rhythmically against the glass he held.

"That's... unusual," Mahya said finally.

"I've never heard of a dungeon portal like that," Al added.

"Me neither," I said.

"But I thought you might. Want to check it out?" Within minutes, we were heading back to the site. The wind was quieter now, only faintly nudging at us as we walked through the ruins. When we reached the floating portal, both Mahya and Al stopped dead in their tracks, staring at it with wide eyes.

"That's not a dungeon," Mahya said slowly, her voice cautious.

"That's a mana aggregation." I blinked, tilting my head.

"A what?"

"A mana aggregation," she repeated, crossing her arms. She stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the swirling orange and red.

"I've never heard of that," I admitted. Mahya turned to me, eyebrows raised.

"You didn't read about them in the archives?" Al cleared his throat.

"It is also called a mana occurrence, or a mana instance. Maybe you came across it under a different name."

"Oh!" I said, the pieces clicking together.

"Yeah, I read about mana occurrences in the archives, and Lis mentioned them too. But I thought they only spawned in worlds with 50 mana and above. Isn't that why mana 50 and up is classified as high mana, not medium? Because of those occurrences?"

"You're right," Mahya said, her voice thoughtful as she tapped a finger against her chin.

"But maybe during the integration, there was a serious surplus of mana in this area. It could've triggered the creation of an occurrence. I've never heard of one existing below 50 mana, though."

"Makes sense," Al said, nodding.

"A mana occurrence happens when there is an excess of mana in a specific area—more than the world can process. Integration might have overloaded the local mana levels temporarily. Either way, we should probably leave it alone for now. That will be a much bigger project than the dungeons."

"What exactly is it?" I asked, still staring at the glowing portal.

"I mean, I know they're supposed to form in worlds above 50 mana, and I know you can harvest the creatures inside. Lis mentioned clearing some interesting occurrences, but that's about all I've got." Mahya exchanged a glance with Al before turning back to me, her tone calm but carrying an edge of warning.

"It's a concentrated mana zone. It's full of creatures and resources. But, the danger isn't just inside—it's the color. Orange, almost red, means it's high-level. If we decide to take it on, we'll need to be extremely prepared."

"What's the difference from a regular dungeon?" I asked, leaning against the edge of a nearby wall, my curiosity piqued. Mahya paused, gathering her thoughts before replying.

"A core cleans up mana and forms monsters from the trash. Occurrences don't do that. Instead, they're born from pure excess mana. The creatures inside aren't byproducts—they're made directly from mana itself. That makes them fundamentally different." I frowned, tilting my head.

"Different how?"

"The creatures inside aren't mindless," she continued in a serious tone.

"They don't just attack the moment they see someone. They're intelligent—strategic, even. Based on the color of this occurrence, I'd say it covers at least a few square kilometers. The terrain inside will likely vary between areas, and so will the creatures. They'll be bigger, smarter, and a lot more dangerous than anything we've faced in a regular dungeon."

"Sounds fun," I muttered sarcastically. Mahya ignored me.

"We'll have to clear it in stages, working inward, section by section, until we reach the anchor creature. That's the one tied to the crystal at the center of the occurrence. The anchor creature won't leave its spot, but everything else will fight to stop us from getting there." I nodded while trying to picture it in my mind.

"So, what's the catch?" Her expression darkened.

"The real problem is what happens when we kill the anchor creature. In ninety percent of cases, the crystal breaks along with it. If that happens, the entire occurrence will start to collapse. We'll only have a short time to escape. And if we haven't cleared out the other creatures before that, they'll follow us out and attack us on the way. They won't stop, either—not during our retreat, not even after we're outside." I grimaced.

"And if the crystal doesn't break?"

"That's a bonus. If the crystal survives, the occurrence will regenerate over time, and we can clear it again. But that's rare—don't count on it." I whistled low, processing the information.

"So, there are bigger, smarter, more dangerous creatures. The terrain is collapsing. And a horde might chase us if we screw up. Got it." Mahya looked at me with a scrunched nose.

"Exactly."

"Look on the bright side," Al said with a smirk, tapping his fingers against his arm.

"If we can handle an occurrence with ease, it means we are ready for mana 50 and up." Mahya gave him a sidelong glance, her lips twitching like she wanted to argue but couldn't entirely disagree.

"That's optimistic of you," she said, her tone dry.

"Let's focus on surviving this one first." I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Yeah, let's not get ahead of ourselves." The next day, we headed to the second dungeon in the wolf area. This time, Rue joined us—he had no intention of missing out on levels. The entrance on the dungeon side was nothing new. It was a black portal of doom surrounded by snarling roots and thick plants. The air felt heavy, almost charged. It reeked of damp earth like a storm-soaked forest floor, but it had a metallic, unsettling edge, like blood. Less than ten meters from us started a very dense forest.

Rue stood at my side, his massive frame quivering with anticipation. Mahya was checking her rifle. The faint clicks of metal broke the quiet in the clearing. Al leaned on his shield. His other hand emitted a soft glow of mana. He was itching to cast something. The glow appeared and disappeared, reminding me I needed to continue training to see mana.

"Everyone ready?" I asked, scanning the group. I was still tense, even though it wasn't my first dungeon. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Mahya snapped her rifle shut with a decisive click.

"Al, take the front. John, cover the right. I'll stay on the left. Rue, keep an eye on our back. We don't know how big this one is, so conserve mana unless it's absolutely necessary." Rue growled.

"Go. Rue bite wolves. Lots wolves." He let out a sharp bark for emphasis, his tail wagging excitedly.

"Alright, let's move," I said, stepping forward and activating my mana shield. A faint shimmer settled around me. It was a comforting barrier against whatever this place threw at us. And again, I saw the mana. I really need to train this ability to see it all the time. The clearing was small, and we entered the forest. The closely packed trees made it feel suffocating. Dense underbrush tangled around our legs, roots, and vines, clawing at every step.

The canopy above was thick enough to blot out the light, casting everything in muted greens and browns. The air buzzed with rustling leaves, distant growls, and the occasional crack of a branch.

"Keep an eye on the sides," Mahya instructed, her tone clipped.

"These wolves won't attack head-on unless they're desperate."

"You've read their manual?" I joked, floating above the ground to avoid the tangle of roots.

"They're predators," she shot back.

"Use your brain." I didn't argue. She wasn't wrong. We hadn't gone more than a hundred meters when the first attack came. A blur of motion darted out of the brush, too fast to track, aiming straight for Mahya. Before I could react, Rue was already there. His jaws snapped shut around the wolf's midsection with a wet crunch. The creature yelped and flailed, its six legs kicking. But Rue slammed it into the ground with a growl that sent shivers down my spine. More movement.

"Here we go!" I called out, pushing higher into the air. Three more wolves shot out of the underbrush. Their sleek, angular forms moved with unnerving precision. They leaped over roots and vines. Their six legs gave them nimble movement that we could barely match. Mahya raised her rifle and fired, the sharp crack echoing through the trees. One wolf tumbled mid-leap, landing hard and skidding into a tangle of vines. Another shot rang out, and the second wolf stumbled, a bloom of red spreading across its shoulder.

"Save your bullets," Al said, raising his shield. With a flick of his hand, he cast Wind Blades. The sharp gusts sliced through the last wolf, gashing its side. It fell, sprawling. It scrambled back to its feet, but Rue pounced on it, his teeth sinking into its neck. I turned the wolves into crystals, and we got ready to continue.

"We're wasting too much effort," Mahya said.

"The underbrush is slowing us down, and the wolves use it to their advantage. Al, John, start burning it."

"Works for me," I said, summoning a Blazing Orb. The crackling fireball hovered above my palm. Then it shot forward, igniting the dense brush in a wave of heat and light. Al followed suit, casting another Blazing Orb. Flames licked at the undergrowth, clearing a path. They forced the wolves to abandon their cover. I concentrated, reaching out to connect with the fire, asking her to burn a line through the dense underbrush.

As usual, she acted like a spoiled teenager, and I got the distinct impression she felt put upon by my requests. Typical. It was time to try a different approach. I'd always asked, and she acted like she was doing me a massive favor. But based on the dragon's instructions, I knew pushing or forcing her wouldn't work. Instead, I guided her gently, pretending not to notice her petulance. It took some persistence, but eventually, she relented.

The fire burned a clean line ahead of us, flaring just enough to clear the underbrush before flickering out on either side, leaving the forest untouched. The sharp smell of burning wood filled the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood.

"Why is the fire going out on the sides?" Mahya asked, glancing at me as she adjusted her grip on her rifle.

"Because if there's some rare, cool plant in here and I burn it, Al will kill me," I said, deadpan. Mahya nodded, her lips twitching in amusement.

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Let's keep moving. Rue, stay close and watch the flanks." Rue let out a sharp bark, his massive form padding beside us, his ears swiveling alertly as we pressed deeper into the dungeon.

"I am not that bad," Al protested, his tone hovering between indignation and disbelief. The three of us—Mahya, me, and even Rue—turned to look at him in unison. Al stared back momentarily before letting out an exaggerated huff and shaking his head.

"Fine. Let us continue." The wolves came in waves, testing us. Small groups would dart out of the shadows, snarling and snapping, then retreat just as quickly. We kept burning the underbrush, forcing them into the open where Mahya could pick them off with precise shots from her rifle. Al sliced through them with Wind Blades, the sharp gusts cutting down their numbers, while Rue barreled into the fray, his teeth crunching through fur and bone. Meanwhile, I hovered above, watching it all unfold.

Honestly, I was starting to feel a bit superfluous.

"You're not leaving me any work," I grumbled, crossing my arms.

"Save your mana for now," Mahya replied without looking up, firing another clean shot that sent a wolf crumpling to the ground. As we moved closer to what I assumed was the dungeon's center, the wolves started thinning out, but the air grew heavier. It buzzed faintly with energy, an almost electric hum that prickled at the edges of my awareness.

"The final guardian will be tougher," Mahya added, reloading her rifle with practiced efficiency.

"You don't want to get caught without enough left to fight."

"Always the strategist," Al muttered, rolling his eyes. Mahya smirked, one corner of her mouth curling up.

"You'd be dead without me."

"I don't disagree," Al admitted begrudgingly, flicking a stray lock of hair out of his face. After two more waves of wolves, things took a strange turn. Rue suddenly stopped mid-stride and started turning in circles. Not frantic like a dog chasing its tail, but slow, deliberate spins. His massive form twisted round and round, his nose pointing up, his ears flicking in all directions.

"What are you doing, buddy?" I asked, floating closer to him. Rue stopped turning and planted all four paws firmly on the ground. Then, with exaggerated purpose, he lifted his nose high in the air, straightened his back, and raised his tail stiffly, the whole thing sticking straight up like a cat with a telekinetic trick.

"Do Identify to Rue," he declared telepathically, his tone both serious and slightly proud. I blinked.

"What?"

"Do Identify!" he insisted, his tail twitching for emphasis. I exchanged a look with Mahya and Al, who both seemed just as baffled as I was.

"Okay, okay," I said.

"Let's see what this is about…" Rue Bonded Familiar Level 15 I scratched behind Rue's ears and ruffled his fur.

"Congrats, buddy. I'm glad you finally got a level."

"Rue happy too. System cheap, not give Rue a lot levels," he sent back, a powerful wave of dissatisfaction rolling through our mental link. Before I could respond, a sharp rebuke came from the permanent connection in my mind.

"Hey," I protested inwardly.

"I didn't say anything. Rue can have his own opinion." Another rebuke followed, sharper this time.

"Yeah, yeah. Complain as much as you like. I'm not going to limit his self-determinism. He can think whatever he wants," I shot back, refusing to back down. This time, the connection shifted, radiating amusement instead of irritation. Better. At least someone was enjoying themselves. After another wave of four wolves, we stepped into a clearing. Bones littered the ground, and at the center stood the final guardian. It was canine but larger than the wolves we'd faced, its six legs thicker and more muscular.

Its fur gleamed with a faint, metallic sheen, and its eyes glowed a fiery red. The surrounding air shimmered with a faint glow, as if a protective aura wrapped around it.

"Well, that's different," I said, hovering a few meters off the ground. The creature growled, its deep, resonant sound vibrating through the clearing. Without warning, it raised its front legs, a burst of mana surging from its claws. A fast and sharp wave of energy shot toward us.

"Scatter!" Mahya yelled, leaping to the side gracefully. Rue dodged left while I threw up my Protective Shield, absorbing the brunt of the attack. Al raised his shield, the blast ricocheting off with a dull thud. The attack was powerful; it cost me 400 mana to stop it.

"I'll distract it," I said, shooting into the air. Lightning crackled in my hand as I aimed for the guardian's back. The bolt struck, and the creature snarled, turning its glowing eyes toward me. It lunged, claws raking the air where I'd been a moment before. Mahya used the opening, firing a precise shot at its side. The bullet hit, but the creature hardly flinched.

"Its defense is high! We'll need to hit it hard, fast, and from all sides," she called out.

"On it," Al said, casting Verdant's Grasp. Thick roots shot out from the ground, wrapping around the creature's legs and holding it in place. It thrashed and snarled, pulling against the roots with brute strength.

"Rue, now!" I shouted. Rue charged forward, his jaws clamping down on the guardian's shoulder. It howled in pain, twisting to throw him off, but Mahya was already in motion. She leaped high, her sword flashing in the dim light as she cut the creature's exposed neck. The guardian roared, its aura flaring as it threw off the roots and sent Rue sprawling.

"It's using magic!" Al shouted, casting Wind Blades to keep the pressure on.

"Then we'll use more," I said, summoning a Blazing Orb. The fireball slammed into the guardian, followed by another lightning bolt. It staggered, its movements slowing as the combined attacks took their toll.

"Finish it!" Mahya yelled, her rifle aimed at the creature's head. Rue lunged again, his teeth finding purchase, while Al and I unleashed a final barrage of spells. The guardian collapsed with a deafening roar. Its glowing eyes dimmed as it crumpled to the ground. I cast the Harvest Mana Crystal spell on the final guardian, watching its form condense into a crystal. We all reached out to touch the core. It was gold. Again. I let out an annoyed huff.

"You know you're the only person who gets upset when they get gold?" Mahya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My problem isn't the gold," I replied, crossing my arms.

"I just want something cool. Gold is... just gold, you know?"

"I know," she said, smirking.

"But most people consider gold a wonderful reward for dungeons."

"Maybe. But I've got enough of it. I'd rather get something unique or interesting. To me, even that silver pendant I picked up in Lumis—the one I still have no use for—feels more valuable than gold." Mahya laughed, the sound light and teasing.

"Rich people's problems."

"Like you're poor or something," I shot back, giving her a pointed look.

"No," she admitted with a shrug.

"But I still don't feel like I have too much gold." I rolled my eyes, complaining under my breath about boring loot, while Mahya just grinned. Al wandered off into the forest, muttering something about herbs. Meanwhile, Mahya and I got to work chopping down trees. The rhythmic thunk of axes biting into wood echoed through the clearing, mixing with the occasional creak of branches.

In the middle of it all, Rue sprawled on the ground, letting out a deep sigh as he settled into a nap, his massive body sprawled like he owned the place. Lazy dog.

"Do we need all these trees?" I asked, leaning on my axe.

"You've already got a ton from earlier, don't you?" Mahya straightened, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Yeah, but these are dungeon trees. They're at least ten levels better than the regular ones." She gestured to the dense wood with a nod.

"It's true that the ones I've already collected are dungeon-quality, but if I can stock up on excellent material, why wouldn't I? I'd spend ability points to increase my Storage if it means I can take them." I couldn't argue with that logic. I glanced at Rue, who let out a lazy huff, utterly unconcerned with our labor. Figures. Suddenly, the distant sound of a scuffle reached us from deeper into the forest.

I gripped my axe tighter and stepped forward, ready to run, but Al's calm voice slipped into my mind through the telepathic connection.

"All is fine. Just a lone wolf we missed. It's already a crystal." I exhaled, loosening my grip.

"Guess he's got it under control," I muttered. Mahya smirked, already swinging her axe again.

"Good. One less distraction." I nodded, turning back to the trees—no rest for the weary. The dungeon wasn't huge, maybe 1. 5 square kilometers at most, but the dense forest and thick underbrush made it feel much more extensive. Between the sheer number of trees and the tangled vegetation, it took us two full days to harvest everything. Al wandered through the woods during our breaks, muttering something about finding rare herbs, but in the end, he didn't discover anything particularly interesting.

Mahya, on the other hand, was thrilled. Judging by her wide grin and the way she examined every log we collected, these trees were top-notch.

"These are even better than the trees in the cat dungeon," she said, her tone practically reverent as she ran her hands over the smooth, dense wood. Finally, the dungeon was nearly empty, with nothing left that caught anyone's interest. I set my core down on the ground, watching as its faint glow pulsed.

"Enjoy," I said, giving it a little pat for good measure. The core hummed in response, its energy spiraling out to absorb what remained of the dungeon. As soon as it finished, Mahya stepped forward, scooping up the new core. The moment she stored it away, the dungeon reacted. Without ceremony, it spat us back out into the real world. We stumbled into the open air, and a hailstorm immediately pelted us. The balls of ice were massive, each one the size of a tennis ball, and they came down hard.

Even with my constitution, I could feel each one slamming into me like a tiny cannonball. Mahya let out a sharp yelp as one clipped her shoulder, and Al swore under his breath, holding his shield over his head.

"Move!" I shouted and cast Protective Shield while we bolted for the nearest intact building—or what passed for intact. The roof was half missing, and parts of the walls crumbled, but it was better than nothing. We reached it in under two minutes, but by the time we were inside, we were bruised and sore from the relentless barrage of hail.

"That was brutal," I muttered, shaking ice pellets out of my hair as Mahya leaned against a cracked wall, rubbing her arm. Rue flopped onto the floor with an exaggerated huff, his large tail swiping at the scattered debris around him. I healed us one by one, and now it was my turn to celebrate. Level up +3 intelligence, +3 wisdom, +2 vitality, +3 free points Class: Healer Level 14 Stat points: 3 Life is good sometimes, even with a vicious hail.