The air grew thicker the deeper they ventured into the village's heart.
What had initially appeared to be a ruined settlement swallowed by time and mana corruption now began revealing stranger signs—grooves etched into the stones beneath their feet, pulsing softly with residual energy. They resembled runes but were unlike any Auther had seen before. No glow, no direct mana circuit—just a quiet presence. As though they had been scorched into the world itself.
Veira crouched near one of them, her fingertips brushing over the stone. "These aren't fresh. But they're not old either. It feels like the mana itself is… remembering them."
"Memory runes," Lyra murmured. "I read about something like this in the association's archive. Lost formations that act like recordkeepers. But they only respond to specific energies."
Elira tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at one particularly large spiral sigil. "Or specific bloodlines."
Auther tensed slightly at that but said nothing. Elira's own bloodline was stirring—its origins still unknown—but he could feel it in the way the mana responded to her, subtly bending toward her even when she wasn't casting.
He stepped forward, activating his Perception Thread again. The feedback was immediate—like roots extending below the village, twisting inwards, spiraling toward something hidden beneath the soil.
"There's something underground."
Veira's blade was already drawn. "Then we're digging."
"No," Elira said quietly. "Look."
She walked up to the rune and, hesitantly, placed her hand atop it.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the runes pulsed once—bright and violet—before a soft rumble echoed beneath their feet. Dust fell from broken rooftops. Mana swirled and parted around them. And with a low groan, a section of the village center began to descend.
"Hidden staircase," Auther muttered, watching the stone spiral reveal itself.
Lyra looked uneasy. "This wasn't in the mission file."
"No," Auther replied, stepping to the edge. "But it's here now. And whatever it is—it's tied to this anomaly."
He took the first step down. The others followed.
---
The descent led them into a vast subterranean chamber, its ceiling arched with natural stone. Vines pulsing with faint mana lined the walls. But the true centerpiece was at the heart of the space—a single stone obelisk, cracked and eroded, yet clearly still radiating power.
Floating around it were thin strands of condensed mana—like threads woven by an invisible loom.
"What is this…?" Elira whispered, awe and fear mingling in her voice.
Auther approached cautiously. His system gave no warnings, no threat indicators. Just silence. The obelisk thrummed in time with the mana around it.
"This is a Mana Anchor," he said. "I've read about them. Extremely rare. Formed where a leyline fractures and reforms. They stabilize the flow, but… they're also dangerous."
"Dangerous how?" Veira asked, circling the perimeter.
"They attract things. Creatures. Even dungeons," Lyra answered. "Raw mana like this can distort space and spawn anomalies. That might be why the mutants were here."
Elira knelt, staring into the threads. Her eyes unfocused. "This one is… different. It's not leaking mana. It's weaving it. Look."
Auther narrowed his eyes. She was right.
Instead of uncontrolled release, the mana was forming patterns—slow, precise braids of energy cycling around the obelisk. Almost like… it was crafting something.
His mind raced.
Could a Mana Anchor be sentient? Or was someone using it remotely?
He reached toward the threads with his own mana, letting it touch lightly—just a test.
But the moment his mana made contact, a pulse shot back.
[System Notice: Mana Signature Analysis in Progress...]
His vision blurred. The chamber fell away.
---
He stood in a field of stars.
Vast and empty, the space felt endless. Before him, a giant humanoid silhouette shimmered—a figure of pure energy with a burning core in its chest. Its face was hidden, its arms folded across its chest. It didn't speak, but Auther could feel its presence pressing against his mind.
Then came a voice—not spoken, but imprinted.
> "A weaver of will. A forger of fate. You who carry creation."
> "Return when your soul has reached the next evolution."
> "E9."
Then the stars collapsed into themselves.
---
He gasped, staggering backward. Veira caught him.
"What happened?"
"I saw something," he panted. "A being. Energy. It said… I have to return when I reach E9."
The others exchanged glances.
"Why you?" Lyra asked.
Auther shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe because I interacted with the threads using my skill creation mana. It responded to that."
Veira placed a hand on her hip. "So it's another mystery tied to your power."
Auther clenched his jaw. "I'm not chasing it yet. Not until I'm stronger."
And he meant it.
There was too much they didn't understand. For now, the only course was forward. Steady, smart growth.
---
Back at the surface, the group left the village under the weight of a completed mission—and the whisper of something greater hidden beneath it. The report would be vague. The Anchor would be marked for deeper Association study. But Auther had already decided:
He'd return.
---
That night, while the others rested, Auther sat in their shared quarters, sketching new skill concepts in his book.
His SP count had reached 206, and he was beginning to look beyond the F-rank limitations.
He had one breathing technique already—but he needed something stronger if he wanted to push his mana absorption to match E-rank enemies. Not just in quantity—but quality.
He began drafting:
Skill Name: Deep Spiral Absorption – Rank E
Type: Passive Cultivation Skill
Effect: Enhances the user's ability to absorb, refine, and store ambient mana. Absorption spirals inward to reduce external mana loss. Also slightly increases mana purity per breath.
Compatibility: Human
Cost Breakdown:
Base Cost (E Rank): 50 SP
Spiral Refinement (Tiered Absorption): +25 SP
Passive Stacking Over Time: +20 SP
→ Total SP Cost: 95
Auther considered the trade.
It would consume nearly half his current SP. But the long-term benefit was worth it.
He confirmed.
[Skill Created: Deep Spiral Absorption (E-Rank)]
[95 SP deducted. Remaining: 111]
He felt the shift almost instantly. The next breath he took felt… smoother. His lungs hummed faintly with resonant mana. The technique began working automatically, slowly absorbing the surrounding energy without conscious effort.
That was what he needed.
If he wanted to make it to E9—and beyond—he had to plan for exponential growth. Stronger monsters. Greater dungeons. Better skills.
And… more people.
Auther looked at the others as they rested nearby. Elira's head leaned on Lyra's shoulder. Veira snored lightly, blade in her arms.
This was no longer just his path.
It was their journey now.
And he would forge it—step by step—into legend.