"I told you to stop thinking about that," Alex says firmly.
He steps closer, his expression sharpening. "Let me ask you this. If there's one thing that would solve all your problems right now, what would it be?"
Theo does not hesitate.
"Mana."
His voice is steady, certain.
"A tremendous amount of mana. With that, I can heal myself, purify the mist, and kill the King."
He exhales slowly and shakes his head.
"But I don't have that amount. Not even close."
Alex narrows his eyes slightly, thinking.
"How much is 'tremendous'?" he presses.
Theo looks past him for a moment, as if mentally measuring the dungeon itself.
"As much as the green mist in this dungeon. At least."
His gaze sharpens.
"I've sensed the green mist carefully. It doesn't have a core. It doesn't have a source. It is the dungeon."
He pauses, letting that sink in.
"The spider haelions were born from the mist. The Dungeon King is not simply controlling it."
His eyes darken with realization.
"It is the mist."
