In the dimly lit chambers of Nocturnis' royal palace, King Roderic scanned the report from his shadow guards with a thoughtful expression.
"So, the boy is already attempting to break through to the Soul-Strengthening Realm," he said aloud, his fingers lightly drumming on the table. "As expected, he couldn't break through both paths. It's impossible..."
A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes as he continued reading. "And now he's entered the same dungeon as Seraphina? What an interesting coincidence." His voice lowered, almost as if speaking to himself.
"Hopefully, he'll realize soon enough that trying to advance in both the warrior and mage paths is futile. The sooner he abandons that reckless ambition, the more time he'll have to focus on mastering one."
—
As Elion stepped through the portal and into the dungeon, he was greeted by an unexpectedly serene sight.
Towering trees, each reaching heights of at least 10 meters, surrounded him, their canopies casting dappled sunlight across the forest floor. The air was crisp, and the vibrant green of the leaves seemed almost too vivid to be real, creating a surreal atmosphere.
It was as if he had stepped into a realm untouched by time, where nature thrived undisturbed.
'Valen, I think I've already gained more than I expected from this trip. Just passing through that portal is a treasure trove for any space mage,' Elion remarked, his eyes gleaming.
[You're not wrong. Most portals created by mages are based on natural phenomena like this one. Studying them could advance your understanding of spatial magic far beyond conventional methods,] Valen replied.
'Indeed, I'll study it more closely later. For now, it's time to move on. Valen, can you sense treasures that can strengthen the soul, the same way you can with dungeon portals?' Elion asked as he scanned the towering trees and people around him.
[Yes, as long as it's something with a potent magical signature, I can feel it. Treasures with strong soul-boosting properties tend to stand out, so if there's anything of that nature in this dungeon, we'll find it,] Valen assured him.
'Good, let's get moving.'
Elion chose a direction where fewer people seemed to be heading and dashed off, his movements swift and precise.
After just a few minutes of travel, he encountered several beasts in the first and second stages. They lunged at him from the dense foliage, but Elion easily dispatched them with fluid, practiced motions.
The creatures barely posed a challenge as he cut them down.
'There are so many beasts here, where do they even come from?' Elion wondered as he swiftly dealt with another group of creatures.
[Who knows? Some believe these planes are formed from space disturbances, rips in the fabric of reality that teleport chunks of land into other dimensions. What you see here could be remnants of a world long lost.]
'That explains why the goblin mentioned this dungeon might be an ancient ruin,' Elion mused. 'There could be remnants of an ancient civilization hidden here.'
[Yes, but don't assume it's from Alastor. It could be from any number of worlds, maybe even one long forgotten.]
'I see, have you ever been to another world, aside from Earth?' Elion asked curiously.
[No, but I've encountered beings from other worlds, not just demons.]
'Really? What were they like?'
Valen began to respond.
[They were—]
Suddenly, he paused, his tone shifting.
[Wait. I think I've found something. There's a strong disturbance, like a pull on my soul. Head northwest, quickly.]
Elion didn't waste a moment, swiftly dashing in the direction Valen had indicated. As he pressed forward, the beasts became progressively stronger, their presence growing more threatening with every step.
For those he could easily dispatch, a single lightning strike was enough, the crackling energy making quick work of them without breaking his stride.
When confronted with more formidable foes, he didn't engage in drawn-out battles; instead, he teleported effortlessly out of their reach, his movements fluid and precise.
Each leap through space brought him closer to the source of the disturbance Valen had sensed.
After a few minutes of navigating through the forest, Elion emerged at the edge of a serene lake, its surface shimmering under the ambient glow of mana.
A crowd of adventurers gathered around the water's edge, all eyes fixated on a single object at the center of the lake—a solitary flower, floating delicately.
But this was no ordinary flower. Elion could feel it.
The mana in the area was being frantically drawn toward it, as if the very air around them was being devoured by its presence. The flower pulsed with a strange energy, its petals glowing faintly, absorbing the essence of the world around it with an almost frantic intensity.
'What is that? Such a crazy mana absorption?' Though Elion.
[That's an Aquanimae Flower, and I've only seen one once in my entire life. If a person who is in the low Soul-Strengthening Realm with a copper pathway consumes it, he is guaranteed to go to the peak of the Soul-Strengthening Realm]
'Interesting, it seems that a lot of people want the flower, most at the Soul-Strengthening Realm.'
Elion approached the edge of the lake and observed the scene unfolding before him. The small, radiant flower in the center of the lake seemed to pulse with a mesmerizing light, drawing the attention of several adventurers.
Two mages, both in the Soul-Strengthening Realm, hovered above the water using flight spells. Their eyes were fixed on the precious flower. As they neared the flower, a shadow loomed beneath the surface of the lake.
Without warning, a massive python, easily the size of a small house and radiating an aura of menace, surged from the depths. Its scales shimmered with a dark, almost otherworldly sheen, marking it as a creature of immense power.
The two mages barely had time to react. The python struck with lightning speed, its jaws wide open. In an instant, both mages were swallowed whole, their screams cut off as they were consumed in a single, terrifying bite.
The remaining adventurers around the lake gasped in horror, some stumbling back while others readied their weapons, but the sight of the enormous beast had already paralyzed many with fear.
Elion watched the chaos unfold with a grim expression. He knew that such a powerful creature guarding the flower was no ordinary coincidence.
[The python is waiting for the flower to reach its peak. Once it stops absorbing mana, you'll need to act quickly to pluck it, or you'll miss your chance.]
[Also, don't attempt to grab the flower while it's still absorbing mana, or you'll risk losing at least 90% of its potency.]
'Got it. Thanks.'
A booming voice interrupted him, "Haha, a kid in the third stage thinks he can compete for the flower? Don't you know fear, kid?"
Elion turned to see a towering ogre with a greatsword strapped to his back. He exuded the aura of a seasoned warrior, clearly in the Soul-Strengthening Realm.
Elion gave him a small smile and replied, "Doesn't hurt to try."
The warrior laughed heartily. "Hahaha, just be careful not to die trying, kid."
Elion chose to ignore the warrior and turned his attention to Valen. "Valen, how long until it finishes?"
[A minute at most.]
"Thanks," Elion muttered, focusing on his plan. He discreetly conjured a small, undetectable space crack about two hundred meters away, preparing for the right moment.
As the flower stopped absorbing mana, a sudden ripple of energy pulsed from it, signaling its maturity. The python, sensing this, lunged from the depths of the lake, its massive jaws aimed at the flower.
This was the cue the other adventurers were waiting for. Warriors and mages alike launched their attacks at the python. Blades and spells rained down on the creature in an attempt to prevent it from snatching the prized flower.
Seizing the chaos, Elion activated his teleportation. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared right beside the flower, plucking it just as the python's jaws snapped down where it had been moments before. The creature let out a furious hiss as the adventurers intensified their assault.
But Elion had no time to gloat. He felt the space around him begin to tighten as several mages, realizing what he had done, attempted to lock down the area with their mana, preventing him from escaping.
'They're trying to trap me,' Elion thought, his mind racing.
However, they underestimated his speed. Before the spatial lock could fully solidify, Elion's body shimmered as he teleported again, this time vanishing into the small, undetected space crack he had set up earlier.
The mages' attempts to block him were a fraction too slow, and Elion reappeared two hundred meters away, the Aquanimae flower securely in his grasp.
He smiled, watching the chaos unfold behind him as the python thrashed against the adventurers. "That was close," he whispered.
Elion enveloped his body in crackling electrical energy, the familiar hum of power resonating through him as he bolted north, swift as a lightning strike.
His movements became a blur, the energy coursing through his limbs granting him speed beyond normal limits, making it nearly impossible for any pursuers to catch up.
Trees and foliage whipped past him as he cut through the dense forest, the sounds of steps in the distance running in his direction.