The air deep within Sector C-4 had become so dense that every movement required physical effort, as if Sebastian were moving underwater. The purple glow no longer just emanated from the walls — it hung in the space itself as fine, sparkling dust particles settling on his clothes and skin. The boy stopped to tighten the straps of his heavy backpack. After the recent battle with the pack of Brutes, he felt a pleasant, barely perceptible pulsation in his muscles. His Strength, which had grown to fourteen units, had begun to fully integrate into his structure, making his movements sharp and authoritative.
He focused and activated [Mana Resonance]. The world instantly lost its familiar outlines. Instead of rusty supports and the remains of ventilation shafts, he saw a complex, almost organic network of energy flows. The mana in this zone wasn't just flowing — it vibrated with such frequency that Sebastian felt the waves even in his teeth. Ahead, behind a massive pile of twisted metal, a giant node pulsed. It was the same source of power he had felt earlier, but now it was very close.
"Need to check the perimeter," he whispered, his eyes fixed on the energy threads.
Thanks to [Mana Resonance], Sebastian noticed a strange anomaly. On the ceiling of the tunnel, directly above his head, the mana lines gathered into perfectly regular circles. This didn't look like biological monster activity. It was a geometric, cold trap.
He lunged backward at the exact moment a cascade of crystal needles collapsed from the ceiling. They slammed into the concrete where he had stood a fraction of a second ago, piercing it dozens of centimeters deep with a dry crack. Sebastian instantly drew the "Black Star." From the deep shadows above him, three translucent figures began to slowly detach themselves.
[Target: Echo Stalker (Lvl 9)] x3
These creatures were fundamentally different from the Brutes or Fangs. They had no massive muscles or chitinous shells. Their bodies consisted of a translucent substance resembling liquid glass, and instead of paws, they had long, flexible blades that resonated with the environment.
The first Stalker attacked without a sound. Its blade sliced through the air millimeters from Sebastian's chest. The boy lunged back, but his knife passed through the enemy's body with almost no resistance, as if he were cutting thick smoke.
"An energy form?" Sebastian frowned, quickly changing tactics.
He intensified [Mana Resonance] again, focusing all his attention on the Stalker's internal structure. In the very center of the translucent body, somewhere at chest level, he finally saw a small, fast-moving core — a bright purple mana focus holding the entire form together.
At that moment, a second Stalker landed a treacherous blow from behind. Sebastian didn't have time to turn completely, and the monster's blade slashed his shoulder. The fabric of his jacket immediately tore open, but the passive skill [Stone Skin] triggered. Sebastian felt a blunt, heavy impact, as if he had been struck by a rubber mallet at full speed, but his skin held, turning a lethal cut into a common bruise.
He didn't wait for the next strike. Sebastian reinforced his arm with his own mana, allowing the energy of the "Black Star" to resonate with his internal flow. When the Stalker approached again for an attack, Sebastian delivered a short, lightning-fast strike directly into the spotted mana focus.
The sound of shattering crystal followed. The monster's body instantly disintegrated into thousands of small shards that melted into the air before they could touch the dirty floor.
[Target neutralized: Echo Stalker (Lvl 9)]
[Experience gained: 512 XP]
Five hundred and twelve units. Sebastian felt the experience bar jump forward significantly. This was an extremely dangerous but incredibly profitable hunt. The remaining two Stalkers began to circle him, using light distortion to create the illusion of multiple targets. However, thanks to [Mana Resonance], he saw their true cores, even though they moved chaotically.
Sebastian closed his eyes for a moment, relying entirely on energy vibrations. In his mind, every movement of mana turned into a clear trajectory. One to the left, the second from above. He ducked sharply, allowing the monsters to collide with each other in the air. In that short second, he delivered two precise strikes.
The "Black Star" in his hand vibrated with tension. The matte metal cut through the Stalkers' energy shells as easily as paper.
[Target neutralized: Echo Stalker (Lvl 9)]
[Experience gained: 505 XP]
[Target neutralized: Echo Stalker (Lvl 9)]
[Experience gained: 518 XP]
When silence returned to the tunnel, Sebastian sank to his knees, breathing heavily. His gaze fell upon the spot where the monsters had disintegrated. Three perfectly faceted crystals remained — the mana focuses of the Stalkers. These weren't ordinary cores; such stones were extremely rare in the Rotten Sector. He knew Bruno would give a good price for them.
—
Sebastian walked another few hundred meters until he ran into the massive hermetic doors of an old technical airlock. They were literally torn from their hinges by some incredible force. Beyond the doors opened a vast hall — a former treatment reservoir that, over the years of Distortion, had turned into a literal crystal grotto.
In the center of the hall, on a mound of mana growths, lay something colossal. It was breathing. With every "inhale," the purple light in the hall grew brighter, and with every "exhale," it almost completely faded.
[Mana Resonance] in his eyes began to flicker with interference — the energy level here was off the charts, overloading his perception. This wasn't just a random Distortion. This was the heart of the anomaly. Sebastian felt his [Stone Skin] begin to involuntarily tighten across his body, reacting to the background mana pressure trying to crush him.
He quickly glanced at the system window. A little less than seven hundred experience points remained until level seven. He understood: if he defeated whatever was sleeping in the center of this grotto, he wouldn't just level up. He would cross a massive threshold of power.
But he was also a realist. His "Black Star" was still a Rank F knife, and what lay before him clearly belonged to a much higher category. Sebastian slowly, without making a sound, retreated into the shadow of the entrance. He needed time to prepare. Luck whispered to him that a direct attack now would only make him part of the crystal collection of this hall.
He sat down, leaning against the cold concrete wall, and began to methodically check every strap of his gear and every notch on the blade. The surrounding mana began to slowly seep into his body, fueling his own reserves before the decisive step.