Chapter 138: Overload

Gray stared at the mutating Thalassarch, his cracked carapace leaking fluid, his blade-tentacles trembling with exhaustion.

’No. I’m not waiting for whatever that thing is becoming.’

He activated Current Dash and dissolved into the water, reforming directly above the crater. The Thalassarch’s remains were still pulling themselves together, the violet-crimson light pulsing brighter with every passing second.

Gray drove Void Reaper’s Lance straight down into the creature’s core.

[VOID REAPER’S LANCE — 0 DAMAGE]

[ATTACK NULLIFIED]

A barrier of pure, crystallized mana shimmered around the Thalassarch’s body, absorbing the impact without a flicker. The void-edged spear shattered against it.

’What?!’

He fired Needle Storm. The paralytic needles struck the barrier and dissolved into harmless particles.

[NEEDLE STORM — 0 DAMAGE]

[MANA BARRIER — ABSORBING ALL ATTACKS]

He fired Cavitation Pulse, Overcharge, even Neurotoxic Drift. Nothing worked. The barrier absorbed everything, the mana inside it pulsing stronger with every attack.

’Everything I throw at it just gets eaten!’

The system flickered, providing a desperate analysis.

[MANA BARRIER — ANALYSIS]

The Thalassarch’s mutation has triggered a defensive barrier composed of pure, crystallized mana. The barrier absorbs all incoming damage and converts it into energy for the mutation process. Physical and elemental attacks are ineffective.

« Recommendation »

Disrupt the barrier’s mana flow before the mutation completes. The barrier is vulnerable to concentrated mana disruption.

’Mana disruption... but it’s too risky. My skill level is still too low. With that much mana gathered, would it even have any effect...’

The mana continued to condense, growing denser by the second, feeding the core until it pulsed with renewed energy.

’Damn... I should have prioritized leveling Arcane Burst... but it’s too late for regrets now. I’ll have to give it everything I’ve got.’

He pressed his bell against the barrier, ignoring the searing heat radiating from the mutating creature. The barrier hummed against his carapace, drinking in his proximity.

’This is either going to work, or I’m going to die.’

He activated Arcane Burst.

The pulse of disruptive mana erupted from his body and slammed into the Thalassarch’s barrier. The crystallized mana flickered, warped—

But it didn’t break.

[ARCANE BURST — 0 DAMAGE]

[MANA BARRIER — 87% INTEGRITY]

’It’s not enough!’

The cavern was collapsing around him. Boulders falling. The seafloor splitting. He had seconds at most.

’Then I’ll give it more.’

He stopped holding back. He opened every channel in his body, every pathway he’d absorbed from the Xytheris, and let the mana pour out of him in a single, uncontrolled flood.

His HP dropped as the mana burned through his own flesh.

[-120 HP]

[GRAY ASHFORD — HP: 392 / 1290]

[WARNING: MANA OVERLOAD — STRUCTURAL DAMAGE INCREASING]

He couldn’t afford to stop. If this failed, the creature would hunt him down and finish him for good.

[ARCANE BURST — OVERCHARGED]

[MANA OUTPUT: 800 MP]

The pulse of disruptive mana erupted from his body, no longer a controlled burst but a tidal wave of raw, destabilizing energy. It slammed into the barrier, not absorbing it, but tearing through it.

The crystallized mana shattered.

[MANA BARRIER — DESTROYED]

[THALASSARCH — MUTATION INTERRUPTED]

Gray’s body screamed in protest, his HP dropping further as the overloaded mana continued to ravage his system.

[-180 HP]

[GRAY ASHFORD — HP: 212 / 1290]

But the barrier was gone. The Thalassarch was exposed, its body still pulling itself together, still absorbing the crystal fragments, but now there was nothing protecting it.

’Got you.’

Gray drove Void Reaper’s Lance directly into the exposed core.

[VOID REAPER’S LANCE — 208 DAMAGE]

[THALASSARCH — HP: 446 / 2800]

[BLEED — 10 DAMAGE PER SECOND]

The Thalassarch shrieked, its body convulsing. The crimson-violet light flickered erratically, the absorbed crystal fragments destabilizing. The mutation was breaking down.

Gray didn’t let up. He wrapped his tentacles around the creature’s exposed core and activated Grip Jaw.

[GRIP JAW — 64 DAMAGE]

[GRIP JAW — 58 DAMAGE]

[THALASSARCH — HP: 324 / 2800]

Overcharge detonated directly into the cracked core.

[OVERCHARGE — 198 DAMAGE]

[THALASSARCH — HP: 126 / 2800]

[STUN — 5 SECONDS]

The Thalassarch went rigid, its body locking up. The cavern was collapsing around them, massive boulders falling from the ceiling, the seafloor splitting open.

Gray fired Void Reaper’s Lance one final time.

[VOID REAPER’S LANCE — 212 DAMAGE]

[THALASSARCH — HP: 0 / 2800]

[THALASSARCH DEFEATED — 4,800 EXP]

[LEVEL UP!]

[You are now Level 41.]

[20 Stat Points available for distribution.]

[2 Skill Point available for distribution.]

[TRAIT FRAGMENT ACQUIRED: "Thalassarch’s Legacy" (1/1)]

[Trait Complete! Hydrodynamic Frame will be available as an evolution option at Level 50.]

[New Trait Discovered!]

[THALASSARCH’S LEGACY — Preview]

« Analysis »

A legendary trait derived from the ancient Thalassarch lineage. The user’s body absorbs residual mana from defeated foes, growing stronger with every kill.

Effect at Completion:

· Passive: Absorb 5% of the max HP of any creature you kill, restoring it as your own HP.

· Passive: Absorb 5% of the max MP of any creature you kill, restoring it as your own MP.

· New Skill — [Legacy of the Fallen]: Upon defeating an enemy, gain a temporary buff that increases all stats by 10% for 30 seconds. Stacks with consecutive kills (max 3 stacks).

Gray didn’t have time to read the full description. The cavern was collapsing.

He activated Current Dash and dissolved into the water, reforming at the tunnel entrance. The Thalassarch’s corpse was already being buried under falling rock, the crater collapsing in on itself.

’Move!’

He shot into the tunnel, his blade-tentacles trailing behind him. The passage was cracking, stone shattering, water rushing in from every direction. He didn’t stop. He didn’t look back.

Behind him, the Mana Heart Cavern imploded, sealing itself in a tomb of shattered rock and dissipating mana.

Gray burst out of the tunnel and into open water, his body heaving, his carapace cracked, his HP barely above 300. He drifted there for a long moment, staring at the collapsed seafloor below him.

The Thalassarch was dead. The Mana Heart Crystal was destroyed. The mutations in this area would stop.

’...That was too close.’

He pulled up his status, his vision blurry from exhaustion.

STATUS MENU

Name: Gray Ashford

Species: Aurelia abyssalis — Night Shade (Apex Predator Abyssal Aurelia Variant)

Level: 41

Title: Colony Killer, Exterminator, Cold-Blooded Killer, Mana Devourer

Stats:

· HP: 212 / 1290

· MP: 45 / 1300

· ATK: 189

· DEF: 118

· SPD: 328

· INT: 138

· LUK: 44

’Tch... I need to rest.’

He turned toward the Verdant Hollow, his movements slow and labored.

’Cindy’s going to kill me for going in there alone.’