Morning broke through the forest canopy, casting golden light over the peaceful camp nestled between the trees. Birds chirped, a cool breeze flowed through, and for the first time in a long while, there was a stillness in the air.
Ethan stretched, yawning loudly as he stepped out of his tent. His hair was a mess, his eyes half-closed.
"Sleep well?" Karen Lore asked from near the fire, already preparing a herbal brew in a pot. The priestess was up early, as always—graceful, serene, and smiling.
"Not really," Ethan muttered. "Had weird dreams."
"About monsters again?"
"Nope. I was being chased… by marriage proposals."
Karen giggled softly. "Maybe it's a sign."
"Sign of my mental breakdown," he groaned.
Lilian Ashmore strolled over with her signature confidence, flipping her hair. "Maybe your dreams are catching up to your reality, Ethan."
Vivian, her introverted twin, sat beside the fire quietly, a faint blush on her cheeks as she poked at the flames with a stick.
Ethan squinted at them. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing~" Lilian said, sitting on a log and stretching.
As the group began gathering around the fire, Ethan glanced around, doing a mental count of his companions.
Sylvia. Selene. Karen. Eline. Xiao Yao. Lilian. Vivian. Seraphina.
When did my party turn into a full-on girl gang? he wondered, scratching his head.
Before he could spiral into confusion again, Sylvia stepped forward, arms crossed.
"We need to talk strategy," she said, voice cool and commanding. "According to the map Selene deciphered last night, there's an ancient ruin two days south of here. It's tied to the 'Trials of the Ancients' mentioned in that last dungeon."
Ethan perked up. "Sounds like another dangerous death trap."
Selene nodded, tapping a scroll. "Indeed. But one we need to face if we want to learn more about the Primordial Core."
"The what now?" Ethan asked.
Karen gently placed a cup of tea in front of him. "The Primordial Core is believed to be the original source of mana. Legends say that whoever finds and unlocks it can transcend the limits of their body—physical or magical."
Ethan blinked. "So even a zero mana freak like me… could?"
Karen nodded, eyes serious.
Sylvia frowned. "That's why we have to be careful. If this info is true, others will also be after it."
"Great," Ethan muttered. "Another fight I didn't ask for."
—
Later – On the Road Again
The group began traveling through the dense forest path, weaving through overgrown roots and moss-covered stones. Lilian and Vivian walked near Ethan, while Seraphina remained in the back, quiet as always.
Xiao Yao padded beside him, tail flicking with each step.
"You're not used to having company, huh?" she asked, amused.
Ethan smiled sheepishly. "I'm still getting used to not being alone."
She tilted her head. "Do you like it?"
He thought for a moment. "Yeah… it's kind of nice. You guys are kind of like a weird family now."
Karen, walking ahead, turned and flashed a gentle smile at his words. Eline made a small scoffing noise, but her ears turned slightly pink.
"You really are something else," Xiao Yao murmured.
"What was that?"
"Nothing~"
—
Nightfall – The Broken Tower
By the end of the day, they reached the location marked on the map—a massive stone tower, crumbling at the top and completely consumed by vines and moss. Arcane runes glowed faintly across its base.
"This is it," Selene whispered.
The group approached with caution. Sylvia scanned the structure with her ice-blue eyes. "There's mana still flowing through the stone… but it's old. Like, ancient."
Karen placed her palm on the runes. "It's warded… but weakening."
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them.
Ethan leapt back, fists ready. "That's not good."
With a deafening crack, the tower's gates burst open and from within emerged… constructs—stone golems with glowing cores in their chests.
"Defense protocol," Eline muttered, drawing her daggers.
Sylvia snapped her fingers, conjuring a storm of icicles.
"Let's go!" Ethan roared, rushing forward.
—
Battle Begins
Ethan ducked under a golem's swipe, slamming his fist into its core with enough force to crack it. The core pulsed violently before the creature exploded into dust.
[Passive Ability Activated: Titan's Might]+300% Strength when facing creatures larger than you.
Beside him, Lilian conjured bursts of flame, while Vivian enhanced her power with runes, the twins fighting in perfect harmony.
Xiao Yao weaved between enemies with catlike agility, slicing down smaller golems with rapid claw strikes.
Karen stood in the center, chanting holy verses, bathing allies in light and mending their wounds.
And Selene floated slightly above the fray, her magic sweeping across the battlefield with precision.
Ethan felt it—that rhythm, that connection between them. His allies weren't just strong individually… they were unstoppable together.
—
Aftermath – The Revelation
With the last golem reduced to rubble, the tower rumbled again—but this time, a staircase descended from above.
A glowing platform rose from the floor. Upon it… a stone tablet.
Selene carefully took it, wiping away the dust.
Her eyes widened. "This… this has the first mention of the Primordial Core in recorded history."
Sylvia leaned in. "Read it."
Selene nodded and recited:
"The Core lies beyond time, hidden in the Abyss where no mana flows. It is not power that unlocks it… but purity. Will. And a heart unchained."
Karen's eyes narrowed. "No mana…"
Everyone turned to Ethan.
"…Why is everyone looking at me again?" he asked, confused.
Sylvia smirked. "Because you're the only person with exactly zero mana."
Ethan groaned. "I swear, if this ends with me being chosen to save the world again—"
[System Notification]Quest Triggered: Heart of the AbyssObjective: Find the Three Seals of PurityReward: Access to the Core's Domain
"Oh come on!!"
—
Elsewhere – A New Threat Awakens
In a distant fortress, cloaked figures gathered around a black altar.
"The anomaly draws closer," said a man with hollow eyes. "If he awakens the Core, we are all undone."
Another figure stepped forward, feminine and cruel.
"Then we destroy him. Let the first of the Eclipse Generals be sent."
She licked her lips. "Let him bleed."
—
To Be Continued…