NOVEL WEB Chapter 103: They lived happily ever after. The end?
Adam regained consciousness. Emily immediately asked him if he knew how to use chi. Adam explained that chi was an untapped energy within his body, similar to mana. He found he could convert it into mana, but it took a heavy toll, draining his energy significantly.
The surrounding creatures were shocked; they'd never heard of chi being converted into mana. However, they explained that humans had developed a new form of magic using chi, drawing energy directly from their bodies.
They then revealed that the group hunting creatures, known as the Sanctum, had evolved from various religions. They captured and killed creatures to "protect" human society, even making contracts with demons to drive the remaining creatures to extinction.
All the clans and societies of creatures that once thrived across the world had been hunted down over centuries, leaving only the survivors now hiding as refugees in this dimension. Adam was shocked and frustrated by the dire situation.
He wanted to meet with the Sanctum, but Emily stopped him. "They're not easily found," she explained. "They live in the shadows, outside human society, just like us." One of the creatures suggested that perhaps some of the traitors might be working with the Sanctum, like the one who attacked Emily.
As Adam processed the information about the attack on Emily, something clicked. The proximity of this mana point and the school dungeon felt too coincidental.
The others admitted they were clueless about any specific significance of this mana point, and the elders were equally puzzled.
Adam, recalling his fusion with Lyra, felt a heightened ability to perceive connections. He asked about the massive portal that had erupted during the last great war. Everyone believed it had simply appeared out of nowhere.
Adam reasoned that to create such a massive portal, an enormous amount of mana would have been required.
"I don't believe it's just that," Adam stated. "The small portal under the school was left open for a reason. By letting the dungeon boss escape covertly, they could keep that portal open. This means there are many more hidden portals surrounding this mana point. It needs a certain number of portals open, and a spell to channel this mana point, to combine all the open portals and open a massive one."
Emily, along with the elders and other creatures, was deeply impressed by Adam's deduction and his ability to piece together the truth. Now, they had a plan: close as many dungeons surrounding the mana point as possible to prevent a massive portal from appearing.
Everyone banded together, splitting into groups to search the circumference of the mana point for these hidden, open portals.
Adam's insights have uncovered a sophisticated, long-term invasion strategy by an unknown enemy, leveraging hidden portals and mana points. This new understanding shifts the creatures' focus from simple survival to proactive defense.
With their new plan in place, the creatures now knew how to prevent the looming disaster. They confidently told Emily and Adam that they could handle clearing the dungeons on their own, explaining that their powers were significantly stronger in mana-rich environments like the dungeons, which made their previous dungeon clearings easy. The only challenge they faced was operating in the human world, where their powers were reduced and limited due to the lack of mana.
Adam, remembering his black anomaly core running out of power, wondered if it was also due to the mana scarcity outside the dungeons. He asked to join a dungeon raid with Emily, eager to test something and witness the creatures' full strength firsthand.
Within minutes, a dungeon was found, and Adam and Emily were quickly invited to join.
Unveiling the Anomaly's Power
Upon entering the dungeon, Adam announced he would be going solo, wanting to test his theory. He transformed into his black armored anomaly form, feeling an immense surge of power far greater than before.
"So, it is the lack of mana outside that reduces its power and limits it," he mused. In the dungeon, his power felt unlimited. Adam vanished from sight, slashing through multiple creatures with ease, absorbing them as he moved at incredible speed. It seemed the black anomaly armor consumed a vast amount of mana, its output so high that it led to rapid depletion in mana-scarce areas.
However, in a mana-rich environment like the dungeon, the constant absorption and dispersal of mana into the core kept it fueled. This reminded Adam of the Unknown Lands, realizing it was likely why the anomaly had remained in the densest mana regions there.
Adam swiftly cleared his way to the dungeon boss, a Minotaur. He allowed it to hit him, testing his armor's durability. The attack had no effect; there wasn't even a pushback.
Adam was shocked by the armor's incredible power when surrounded by mana. He then effortlessly pierced his hand through the Minotaur before absorbing it into his dimension.
"That was too easy," Adam remarked before teleporting back to the others near the entrance.
Everyone was in shock. How had he cleared the dungeon so quickly, in mere minutes? Adam then moved outside the dungeon, still in his armor, and flew through the sky with astonishing ease and agility.
After a while, his armor reverted back to its core, and he began to fall. Emily, in her half-phoenix form, swiftly caught him. Adam checked the core; it was unusable, its mana completely depleted.
He re-entered the portal, and the black armor core immediately began to recharge. So, this was the anomaly's limit: it could only be used once in the human world before needing a recharge.
Adam and Emily joined a few more dungeon raids, observing the other creatures effortlessly destroy the dungeons. Soon, the creatures told them to relax, as they could handle the remaining issues themselves. Knowing the creatures had everything under control, Adam and Emily left the dungeon raids to them.
Emily now free from her duty and adam by her side. Both are able to freely live their life's back in their old world as a newly married couple. Will they live happily ever after?