Chapter 19: Heart of the Storm
After discovering the "Mana Nexus" and the imminent threat it posed, Kaelen quickly returned to the shelter. There was no time for hesitation. The System's last message was clear: the "Mana Nexus" was not just a location to explore, but a ticking time bomb, threatening to awaken a Third Wave monster that could destroy the entire shelter. Kaelen knew that every passing minute increased the danger.
"I can't wait," Kaelen thought, his eyes narrowing. "I have to deal with this now."
He quickly checked his System screen, searching for any additional information about Third Wave creatures or how to deal with "Mana Nexuses." But the information was scarce, indicating that these phenomena were new even to the System itself, or that they required a higher level of "Analysis."
[Third Wave Creatures: Limited Information. Extreme Danger.][Mana Nexuses: Unstable energy source. Direct interaction not recommended without full understanding.]
"Not recommended?" Kaelen muttered sarcastically. He had no other choice.
After making sure Emily was asleep, he quietly left the room. The shelter was shrouded in the silence of the night, but Kaelen felt the underlying tension in every corner, as if the air itself was trembling with anticipation. He headed directly towards the main gate, where the two night guards stood, their faces pale from the cold and fear.
"I'm going out on a scouting mission," Kaelen said in a firm voice.
The two guards exchanged worried glances. "But... the night is dangerous, sir. After what happened in the dungeon..."
"The real danger isn't outside now, but what's coming," Kaelen interrupted them. "Open the gate."
They didn't dare object. The massive metal gate opened with a creaking sound, and Kaelen stepped out into the cold darkness. The university at night looked even more terrifying, shadows danced, and the wind carried strange whispers.
Kaelen immediately activated his "Mana Sense" skill. This time, there was no warning of instability. Mana flowed smoothly into his mind, revealing a dense energy signature emanating from the Science Faculty Building. This signature was like the pulse of a giant heart, sending waves of unstable mana across the area.
He moved quickly but cautiously, avoiding rubble and shadows. The closer he got to the Science Faculty Building, the more concentrated the mana became, and the air grew heavier, as if something was consuming the energy around him.
When he reached the building, he found its main entrance partially collapsed, leaving a dark void. Kaelen felt a shiver run through his body. This place was different. It wasn't just ruins; it emanated an aura of raw power and malevolence.
Kaelen entered the building, using his "Mana Sense" as his eyes. He saw mana flows dancing wildly inside, converging at a single point in the basement. The corridors were dark, but the glowing crystals that adorned the walls of the previous dungeon were absent here.
As he advanced towards the basement, he heard a sound. It wasn't the roar of a monster, but a deep sound, as if something massive was slowly breathing, emitting a faint echo from the depths of the building.
[Warning! Massive Mana Concentration. Risk of Third Wave creature presence increasing.]
Kaelen reached a deep opening in the ground leading downwards. Mana flowed from it with immense power, and a foul odor rose, a mixture of decay and metal. He looked down, and his "Mana Sense" revealed a terrifying sight.
At the bottom of the pit, there was a massive, tangled mass of flesh, glowing with a faint purple light. It was still forming, but it pulsed violently, like the colossal heart of a dead world. Smaller creatures, from the First and Second Waves, moved around it like bees, as if feeding or protecting it.
[Third Wave Creature Detected: 'Evolved Seed.' Level: 15 (Dormant).][Status: In Formation. Danger: Catastrophic upon completion.][Note: This Seed is the Mana Nexus itself. Destroying it will stop the unstable mana flow.]
"Evolved Seed?" Kaelen muttered, his eyes widening in shock. This was no ordinary monster. This was the genesis of something much larger, something growing and evolving. And if it completed its formation, the shelter, and indeed the entire university, would stand no chance.
The mission was clear now. He didn't just have to "clear" a dungeon; he had to stop an impending catastrophe. But how could he destroy something still in formation, protected by an army of monsters, and emanating such an immense amount of mana?
Kaelen looked at the "Evolved Seed," then at the monsters surrounding it, then at the distance separating him from the shelter. This was a challenge he had never faced before, a challenge that might determine the fate of everyone he knew. At that moment, as he stared at the pulsating mass of flesh and mana, Kaelen felt a deep prick in his chest, a strange sense of connection to this "Evolved Seed." It wasn't just a feeling of danger; it was something deeper, as if a dormant power within him was responding to it, or recognizing its true nature. Could this be the connection that would give him a chance to face this catastrophic threat?