34

Chapter 34: The Hidden Depths

The passage beneath the Dungeon Core Chamber was narrower than the halls above, but the deeper Subin went, the more intense the mana became. Blue light from the veins in the walls illuminated the path ahead, while occasional cracks released wisps of dense mana that moved like mist through the corridor.

Subin walked steadily, Abyssal Emperor’s Edge resting in his hand. Simple Edge remained at his waist.

The information he had received through temporary synchronization with the dungeon core remained in his mind. He could no longer see the entire dungeon, but he remembered its structure well enough to understand that this section had never been part of the dungeon's ordinary hunting grounds.

It was an old region.

A region where mana had accumulated naturally for years.

The farther he descended, the fewer signs of artificial construction he found. Eventually, even the stone walls disappeared. The passage became a natural tunnel filled with enormous blue crystals.

Subin stopped beside one.

He placed his hand against its surface.

A notification appeared.

[Dense Mana Crystal detected.]

[Grade: Rare]

[Purity: 74%]

[Mana Content: 3,842]

Subin raised an eyebrow.

"That's much better than the crystals above."

He cut a small section from the crystal with Abyssal Emperor's Edge.

The sword passed through it almost effortlessly.

The crystal separated cleanly, leaving the remaining formation intact.

Subin stored the fragment.

He didn't intend to strip the entire dungeon immediately. There was no reason to destroy a natural resource when he could return later.

He continued.

After another hundred meters, the tunnel suddenly widened.

A massive cavern appeared before him.

Subin stopped at the edge.

The cavern was enormous.

Its ceiling disappeared into darkness, while thousands of crystals covered the walls. Some were the size of ordinary stones. Others were larger than houses.

But the most impressive feature was the river flowing through the center.

It wasn't water.

It was concentrated mana.

A glowing blue stream moved slowly through the cavern, disappearing into the darkness at the far end.

Subin stared at it.

The system immediately identified it.

[Natural Mana River detected.]

[Environmental Mana Density: 68.2%]

[Warning: Prolonged exposure may cause mana saturation.]

Subin's expression became serious.

"This place is dangerous."

He didn't need the system to explain why.

Mana this dense could strengthen an Awakener, but excessive exposure could also damage the body.

He stepped closer to the river.

The pressure immediately increased.

His skin tingled.

His breathing became heavier.

Yet something else happened.

His Sword God Foundation reacted.

[Sword God Foundation resonance detected.]

Subin's eyes narrowed.

The mana river contained countless natural movements.

Flowing.

Splitting.

Compressing.

Expanding.

Changing direction.

It reminded him of swordsmanship.

He sat down near the river.

Instead of absorbing the mana, he began observing it.

For several minutes, nothing happened.

Then his sword comprehension activated.

The movement of the river gradually became clearer.

A current moved around a crystal.

Another current split around a rock and rejoined afterward.

A third current compressed against the cavern wall before changing direction.

Subin's mind connected the patterns.

"Flow."

The word came naturally.

He drew Simple Edge.

He didn't swing it.

He simply held it beside him.

The mana surrounding the blade began moving.

Not because he was forcing it.

The sword was becoming part of the flow.

Subin's breathing slowed.

His Sword Intent spread through the blade.

The river continued moving.

Subin followed its movement with his eyes.

Suddenly, he understood something he had never considered.

Swordsmanship didn't necessarily need to impose one's will upon the world.

Sometimes the sword could become part of the world's movement.

His Sword God Foundation reacted violently.

[Sword God Foundation: 25% → 27%]

[Personal Sword Path: 17% → 18%]

Subin opened his eyes.

A faint smile appeared.

"This is different."

Before he could continue, the cavern shook.

A deep roar echoed from somewhere beyond the mana river.

Subin stood.

His expression became focused.

Something was approaching.

The roar came again.

This time the ground trembled beneath his feet.

A massive creature emerged from behind the crystals.

It looked like a combination of a lizard and a heavily armored beast. Its body was covered in dark blue scales, while several crystalline formations grew from its back.

The creature was nearly eight meters long.

The system displayed its information.

[Mana Crystal Devourer]

[Level: 34]

[Rank: B-]

[Type: Mana Beast]

[Special Trait: Mana Absorption]

[Danger Level: High]

Subin looked at it calmly.

Level 34.

It was significantly stronger than the monsters he had fought earlier.

The beast opened its enormous mouth.

The surrounding mana immediately began moving toward it.

The crystals on its back glowed.

Subin understood its ability.

"It eats mana."

The creature charged.

Boom!

Its massive body crossed the cavern with surprising speed.

Subin stepped aside.

The beast's claws smashed into the ground where he had been standing.

A shockwave spread through the cavern.

Subin used Fang Step.

His body moved diagonally, avoiding the second strike.

He didn't attack immediately.

Instead, he studied the creature.

Its movements were heavy but surprisingly coordinated.

The mana crystals on its back brightened whenever it prepared an attack.

Subin raised his sword.

The creature swung its tail.

He ducked beneath it.

The tail smashed into a crystal formation, sending fragments flying.

Subin moved forward.

Silver Flow.

His sword cut across the creature's side.

Clang!

The blade struck the scales.

The attack barely penetrated.

Subin's eyes narrowed.

"Hard."

The beast turned immediately.

Its jaws opened.

A concentrated beam of blue mana erupted toward him.

Subin stepped sideways.

The beam passed within centimeters of his body and struck the cavern wall.

The stone exploded.

Subin's expression became serious.

That attack had enough power to seriously injure a normal B-rank Awakener.

He tightened his grip.

The beast charged again.

This time Subin met it directly.

One Absolute Edge.

His sword moved.

The attack struck the creature's shoulder.

A thin cut appeared.

Blood flowed.

The creature roared.

Subin's eyes sharpened.

The scales weren't equally strong.

The mana moved through its body in a particular pattern.

He could see it now.

Every time the creature absorbed mana, the energy traveled through its back before spreading into the limbs.

There was a momentary weakness whenever the flow changed direction.

Subin waited.

The beast attacked.

He dodged.

It attacked again.

He moved.

Another strike.

He redirected it.

Flowing Edge.

The creature stumbled.

Its mana flow changed.

Subin's eyes flashed.

Now.

He stepped forward.

Stonebreaker Edge.

The sword pierced between two scales.

The creature screamed.

Subin immediately pulled the blade free and moved away.

The wound began closing.

Regeneration.

But the regeneration was slower than the Blackwater Serpent's.

Subin didn't waste the opportunity.

He continued attacking the same region.

One strike.

Two.

Three.

Each attack became more precise.

The beast's movements became increasingly desperate.

Subin's swordsmanship became increasingly calm.

His attacks no longer looked like separate techniques.

Silver Flow transitioned into Flowing Edge.

Flowing Edge became One Absolute Edge.

One Absolute Edge became Sword Intent Application.

Every movement connected naturally.

His Sword God Foundation responded.

[Integrated Sword Principles detected.]

[Foundation + Flow + Control + Intent + Edge + Continuity + Adaptation]

[Integration efficiency increasing.]

Subin's eyes widened slightly.

The seven principles were beginning to merge.

The Mana Crystal Devourer launched another mana beam.

Subin stepped forward instead of backward.

The beam passed beside him.

His sword moved through the opening.

A single line appeared across the creature's throat.

The beast froze.

Then its massive body collapsed.

[Mana Crystal Devourer defeated.]

[Level 34 defeated.]

[Experience acquired.]

[Level increased.]

[Level 30 → 31]

A second notification appeared.

[Level increased.]

[Level 31 → 32]

Subin exhaled.

The creature's body slowly dissolved into particles of mana.

Several items remained behind.

[Mana Crystal Devourer Core — Epic]

[Purity: 82%]

[Mana Content: 8,940]

[Crystal Devourer Scale ×7 — Rare+]

[Mana Crystal ×12 — Rare]

Subin collected everything.

The Epic core was particularly valuable.

He examined it for a moment before storing it.

Then his attention returned to the mana river.

The battle had unexpectedly helped him understand the flow principle even further.

He opened his status.

[Sword Intent Comprehension: 20% → 22%]

[Sword God Foundation: 27% → 31%]

[Personal Sword Path: 18% → 21%]

[New Principle recognized: Natural Flow]

Subin stared at the final notification.

[Natural Flow]

A sword principle derived from understanding movement without resistance.

He smiled.

"One more step."

He looked toward the far end of the cavern.

The mana river continued into another enormous tunnel.

According to the dungeon-core information, that region contained the highest concentration of mana beneath the entire Stone Guardian Ruins.

Subin sheathed Simple Edge.

Then he looked at Abyssal Emperor's Edge.

For the first time, he felt that the Legendary sword and the mysterious Simple Edge served different purposes.

Abyssal Emperor's Edge was powerful.

Simple Edge was compatible.

And now Subin was beginning to understand that a truly powerful swordsman might eventually need neither overwhelming power nor complicated techniques.

He needed understanding.

Subin walked toward the mana river.

The deeper he went, the stronger the pressure became.

Behind him lay the dungeon he had already conquered.

Ahead lay an untouched natural region.

He had no idea what level of monster lived there.

But that didn't matter.

He tightened his grip on the sword.

Then he stepped into the deeper tunnel.