The next 3 hours of training pass, bringing this session deep into the middle of the night. My real body has just finished up the Steel Tortoise and Giant Rat quests, and has moved onto some of the lower-level dungeons with easier tasks for lower rewards.
There aren't many left now, so I might as well try to speed-run the rest of the quest papers I took with me before the sun comes up. Each one will net me a few more gold, so even if it seems like mindless farming; in the end, it's worth the effort.
Back in the Minotaur Dungeon, I get ready to test out my technique with a dagger in my left hand and a copy of my newly powered-up Flame Emperor's sword in the other.
Ember speaks up as we begin venturing further into the dungeon to find a group of Minotaurs to hunt.
"I'd like to see 100 kills in a row, then we can go check out the rift."
Ember's wording of a so-called "rift" instead of just the "source" he called it before does raise some interest in my mind, but I decide to focus on the task he's given me first. With a tight grip on both weapons, my mind is absorbed in the mission ahead. Over the last 6 hours, the process of using both Demonic Energy and Mana has become much different than before.
Previously, trying to activate both at once would be as impossible as attempting to ride a bike for the first time balancing on a thin tightrope across a kilometer-wide canyon.
Although it was possible for me to brute force my way across this canyon with the metaphorical bike in my hands and disregarding the tightrope entirely. Learning how to systematically succeed in this task by mastering each step drastically improved my capabilities.
Learning to ride the bike is the first step, that is just like the action of switching the energy sources back and forth.
Then, focusing these sources of energy in certain portions of my body is like balancing atop a wire. It took lots of focus, but with my manipulation skills in both Mana and Demonic Energy, this process was expedited.
Putting both together is the final step, it's like moving forward while balancing on that thin wire. With enough practice, it will be as easy as breathing.
As long as I leave the process to my subconscious mind, and only focus on the energy itself, it is possible to feel and separate the sources. My left eye, arm, and singular pathway leading from my Demon's core are able to focus on channeling and visualizing Demonic energy, while the rest of my body continues to wield mana.
This keeps my buffs active, while allowing me to wield the Midnight Dagger and see both sources in split vision.
It took many failures before it was possible to not accidentally intertwine the two. Isolating the Demonic Energy to just a portion of my body and a fraction of my mind is the key. The less I think about it, and let the energy flow just like it did while training, the more successful each attempt becomes.
Putting these two talents of focus and balance together, it's now time to put it into action.
"Let's go fight some monsters."
I airstep forward with my black dagger coated in purple and black aura, while my sword glows dark red with flickering black flames glistening around its sides. Even though it's not the real version of the Flame Emperor's sword, the upgraded power still emanates from it at 90% of its base stats.
The first Minotaur comes into sight, and I swing my sword from a distance. A wave of flames splits it in two.
[Use Absorption]
MCP: 7,929
[YES][NO]
A window to absorb the monster's MCP shows up following its demise, but once I accept it, the notifications that follow are surprising.
[Attempting MCP Transfer To Main Body]
[MCP Transfer To Main Body: Failed]
Still, the usual mana crystal drops once its body dissolves.
Moments later, I turn to air-step toward another, as the commotion makes nearby mobs charge in my direction.
I air-step up close and slash the beast with the Midnight dagger and it tears through the mana-based flesh like butter. A violent explosion of sparks erupts from the wound, and it's annihilated in an instant.
Unlike the previous mob, not a single crystal or item drops once it's defeated. However, the MCP Absorption window still shows up.
[Use Absorption]
MCP: 7,304
[YES][NO]
After choosing [YES] I'm struck with the same messages.
[Attempting MCP Transfer To Main Body]
[MCP Transfer To Main Body: Failed]
My thoughts begin to race as I continue practicing with my dagger and sword for a few hours all throughout the Minotaur dungeon.
It seems training in my body double comes with its own set of odd rules and boundaries.
As tested previously multiple times, I'm able to kill monsters at a higher level than myself and the levels gained transfer to my main body. Skills and buffs gained in my body double form are able to transfer over as well, but after the tests carried out here it seems like mana control is not transferred over.
There may be more conditions I need to meet, but for right now it seems to be impossible.
The last thing I've noticed is that every time I take out a monster using Demonic Energy, I'm still able to use my Absorption skills on them post-death even if the body is completely gone, but there's a near-zero chance of them dropping any mana crystals or physical items. They all seem to be eaten up in the reaction of sparks and destroyed with the body itself.
This has been a very enlightening training session so far. I only had a few slip-ups where a new body double had to be sent over and continue the training, but now it's starting to feel very natural. I'm still not confident enough to try this method with my main body, but a lot of progress has been made.
I grin and yell out to Ember as I slice the final Minotaur in two.
"100! There we go, 100 in a row without messing up!"
The Black-scaled dragon comes over, flapping his wings with a grin across his face, then points back in the direction to where we started training.
"Very nice. Then I think we have one last thing to do before leaving this dungeon; it's time to get rid of that rift. Although it's a great source of energy for training, I don't think leaving one around in a dungeon without any guardians nearby is a safe idea. This could cause quite the incident."
I raise an eyebrow at this, being the second time I've heard the word rift today. This time with a much clearer and focused mind.
"The rift?"
My gaze points toward Ember, then up to the sky as I try to think about when other than today I've heard this term being used before.
I murmur under my breath.
"The rift... where have I... oh-"
An ominous feeling washes over me as I realize exactly when I've heard this term before.
"Titans?? Are there Titans in this dungeon? Or- Void Creepers, whatever you call them?!"
My heart skips a beat as I remember back to my experience in the Great Plains. We never actually went to the source, so I'm not sure where these beings came from. Although, the one thing I do remember is Ember telling me that Titans were the weakest of all these creatures...
Ember chuckles at my paranoia and replies.
"No, no. I doubt there are any of those mana-hungry Void Creepers around here. Although, the rift we'll be checking out works in a similar way."
I immediately let out a sigh of relief at these words, then raise an eyebrow moments later.
"A similar way? How so... explain..."
"Rifts are the term used for gates to other worlds. Just like the titans come from their own small pocket of mana-dense space, many Demonic Creatures spawn from pockets of Demonic Energy in the Demonic World."
My eyes widen, but Ember continues.
"It's like a Dungeon Portal, but into a Demonic Realm. The Demon you defeated that ran the Labyrinth around this city must have opened it up for some reason. It takes an immense amount of Demonic Energy and permission from the King to do so."
Ember shrugs, thinking to himself for a moment before finishing his thought.
"Or not... This rift could be a coincidence. With all the Demonic Energy nearby from the Abyss, there is a chance it could be a natural phenomenon. It's hard to tell. All I know is if it's not dealt with, this could end very poorly. Demonic Rifts are far more unstable than Dungeons, so if left to its own means a break will surely take over this dungeon given enough time."
I nod slowly to myself, then power down all my buffs and place a hand on Ember's back before Dungeon Walking back to the spot where we first started this training.
"A Dungeon, but with Demonic Monsters? So like a pocket dimension with a landscape similar to the Abyss? I'm interested to see what a Demonic Realm actually looks like."
The two of us begin flying in the direction of the rift.
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