Chapter 328: Submerged Lower Level

Alex nodded, finding the explanation reasonable. The Dungeon’s entrance they used had most likely remained inaccessible until recently, when an enormous hole suddenly appeared in the forest and exposed the passage leading into it.

The Krakens must be using openings like the one in front of them before the giant hole appeared. Recalling the giant hole at the entrance used by Alex and Matthew’s group, Alex couldn’t help wondering what had caused the hole in the forest.

’Was it some natural phenomenon, or did a monster make it?’ Alex wondered, examining the damaged metal around him.

He doubted a monster could create something on that scale, but after witnessing an attack that had wiped out Washington, D.C., he wasn’t sure anymore. Even now, he had no idea whether that destruction had been caused by some natural phenomenon or an incredibly powerful monster.

Alex shook those thoughts away and looked at the dark water beneath the opening. Mia and the two Netherclaw Prowlers had accompanied Matthew’s group, mainly because they didn’t have a healer, while Mia was a Priest who could provide healing support.

’It’s a shame she didn’t come with us,’ Alex thought, feeling slightly amused. Mia was afraid of water, and considering how she always tried to maintain a strong front despite her fears, he would’ve liked to see how she reacted to entering another submerged section.

"What should we do now?" Joseph asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Let’s finish exploring this floor first. If we still don’t find anything interesting, we can descend through one of these openings," Alex replied, looking toward the surrounding passages.

"What about Matthew’s group? Shouldn’t we wait for them before going down?" Emma asked.

"There are probably several holes like this throughout the Vault, so they should be able to reach the lower sections themselves. Besides, we split up to cover more ground. There’s no point waiting for them when they might have already descended," Alex explained.

Emma considered his explanation before nodding. They were already short on time, and their main reason for separating had been to explore the Dungeon more efficiently. Waiting for the other group without knowing where they were would only waste time.

With that decided, they continued exploring the remaining corridors. However, despite checking numerous rooms and passages, they didn’t encounter another monster, nor did they discover anything particularly useful.

The longer they searched, the stranger the situation became. Matthew had mentioned encountering several monsters during his previous visit, yet apart from the five Krakens, the entire floor seemed completely deserted. Even Joseph, who had remained relatively relaxed earlier, gradually became more cautious.

Eventually, after confirming that there was nothing else worth investigating, they returned to the nearest opening leading into the waters below. They had discovered several similar holes throughout the floor, so there was no reason to travel farther than necessary.

The others began checking their diving equipment, making sure their oxygen cylinders and masks were properly secured. Alex had already memorized the procedures, so while everyone was preparing, he decided to examine the evolution options he had received earlier.

[Disruption Mana Blade Spell can now evolve. Choose an evolution: Mana Vortex Spell, Mana Barrier Spell, Disruption Mana Saw Spell.]

’Let’s see. Mana Vortex Spell sounds quite interesting,’ Alex thought, considering what the Spell might do based on its name and components.

He suspected it would allow him to create a vortex that pulled surrounding energy inward. Since Disruption Mana Blade Spell was one of its components, the vortex might also be capable of disrupting different forms of energy drawn into it.

The Spell would most likely allow him to create an area around himself where incoming energy was automatically disrupted. Alex could already accomplish something similar, but his control over mana outside his body still had limitations.

His maximum mana manipulation range had increased from four inches to seventy inches, which was an enormous improvement. However, that distance was nowhere near enough to establish a large area around himself where he could freely interfere with every incoming attack.

’If Mana Vortex Spell teaches me a more efficient way to extend that range, it’ll definitely be worth considering,’ Alex thought.

Until now, he had been improving his range mainly through brute-force practice, so obtaining a proper method would be extremely useful.

The second option, Mana Barrier Spell, seemed more straightforward. It would likely allow him to establish barriers at distances beyond his current manipulation range, and if those barriers inherited the properties of Disruption Mana, they might weaken or destroy energy-based attacks upon contact.

The final option, Disruption Mana Saw Spell, initially seemed rather ordinary. Alex couldn’t understand why something that sounded like a simple modification of Disruption Mana Blade Spell would appear alongside two seemingly powerful evolutions.

However, after thinking about it more carefully, he gradually realized what made it interesting. Disruption Mana was capable of interfering with other forms of energy, but that didn’t mean it was omnipotent.

Its effectiveness depended on several factors, particularly the stability of the target’s energy and how accurately Disruption Mana could exploit its weaknesses.

Every type of energy possessed different flaws in its foundation, which meant Disruption Mana needed to vibrate in specific patterns to interfere with them effectively.

The problem was that identifying those weaknesses and adjusting his mana accordingly during combat was practically impossible, even with Alex’s enhanced mental abilities. Fortunately, Disruption Mana didn’t require him to do everything consciously.

Its vibration patterns constantly changed, allowing it to adapt to weaknesses in other forms of energy and disrupt them without Alex having to identify the precise pattern himself. However, there was still an important limitation.

Although Disruption Mana could adjust its vibration patterns automatically, it couldn’t necessarily cover every possible pattern at once.

’It’s similar to a frequency range,’ Alex thought, finding that comparison much easier to understand.

Suppose the possible frequencies ranged from one to one hundred, while Alex configured his Disruption Mana to fluctuate between fifty-one and fifty-five.

If an enemy’s energy had a weakness at frequency fifty-two, the Disruption Mana would automatically adjust itself to that frequency and successfully interfere with it.

However, if the weakness in an enemy’s energy existed at frequency seventy, his Disruption Mana wouldn’t be able to affect it.

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