Chapter 25: The Mana Circle’s Awakening

Even though the giant lizard was completely out of sight, no one dared to step out of the cave.

It was understandable why the group was hesitant; the huge creature could reappear at any moment.

However, staying inside the cave forever wasn’t an option.

I quickly got to my feet and cautiously approached the cave entrance.

“Hey, is it safe out there?” the anxious voices of the adventurers echoed behind me, but no one came closer.

I exhaled slowly and moved towards the exit.

Peeking out of the cave, I spotted the traces of the lizard—a huge footprint and sticky slime smeared at the entrance.

Careful not to touch the slimy substance, which could potentially be poisonous, I cautiously stepped out.

“Is everything okay outside?”

When no immediate threats appeared, the adventurers hesitantly started to follow.

Their hands gripping their weapons tightly indicated their heightened tension.

I nodded, answering, “It looks like it just gave up and left.”

The creature had stopped waiting at the cave’s entrance and simply left.

Its quick retreat indicated a lack of desperation; the abundance of prey in this forest likely made it less aggressive.

“Well… I can’t move anymore. Maybe we should rest for a bit.”

It was the words of the sorceress, Isolin.

She took off her large witch hat and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Without the gentle wind swirling around her, it seemed she had run out of magical energy.

There was no objection from anyone; everyone was physically and mentally exhausted.

Client Luna just flopped down on the ground, while the other adventurers began to unpack and rest comfortably.

Isolin decided to take a short nap and disappeared into the cave.

I also set my bag on the ground and closed my eyes.

Had we run so far into the dense forest from the giant lizard?

I became aware of the peculiar heat imbued in the mana flowing around us.

It was heavy and oppressive, as if a scorching iron was pressing down on the surroundings.

Definitely, it felt qualitatively different from the mana outside.

“Huuu…”

I let out a long, slender sigh.

To form a new mana circle in my heart, I needed to absorb the surrounding mana, but this hot and heavy mana didn’t respond to my intentions.

This mana was assertive, resisting change and advancing stubbornly like a hot, unyielding flame.

My efforts to absorb the mana continued throughout the rest period.

Even after the rest period ended, I couldn’t draw in this heavy mana into my body.

With a deep sense of disappointment, I had to get up.

“Let’s get moving again!”

We set off once more, with Luna taking the lead as before.

She confidently navigated the maze-like paths of the dense jungle as if she knew every turn by heart.

I wondered how much longer we’d been walking when, again, sweat began to soak our bodies.

Just as I was about to ask how much further, Luna shouted.

“We’ve arrived!”

I tilted my head at those words. I couldn’t see the entrance to the dungeon.

Then Luna drew her machete from her waist and began hacking at the thick undergrowth.

After a few strikes, the cleverly hidden entrance to the dungeon was revealed.

The large stone door was adorned with a strange magic circle, covered in green moss.

Had time passed so long that the massive stone door had naturally merged with nature?

If I hadn’t known that a dungeon entrance was nearby, I would have walked right past it.

The adventurers began to get excited as they finally faced the entrance to the dungeon.

“Alright, Isolin, please take care of this.”

At Luna’s request, Isolin stepped forward.

She took out the short wand she had shown before and placed it in front of the massive stone door.

The wand and the magic circle etched into the door began to glow with light.

I carefully observed the scene, wondering how exactly she was dispelling the magic.

Although I wanted to step closer and watch how she handled her mana, Isolin’s focused expression made me hesitant.

Time passed, and when a bead of sweat fell from her forehead to the floor, a small burst of light exploded from the stone door.

The adventurers jumped back in surprise at the flash.

I, on the other hand, stepped forward and asked Isolin, “Is it all done?”

“Yeah. There shouldn’t be any more problems. I severed the circuits connected inside, so the magic on the door can’t activate anymore… Do you understand?”

I nodded at her question, though I didn’t fully understand.

Isolin seemed to find my confusion endearing, and she smiled lightly.

“Well, now it’s your turn.”

Isolin said this, and then motioned for the warriors waiting behind her.

The warriors nodded and moved toward the stone door.

As three strong men pushed with all their might, the huge stone door began to slowly move.

Grind!

As the door moved after centuries of stillness, dust and dirt fell from it.

When the door finally opened, it revealed stone stairs leading downward.

The moss on the floor and the mold growing on the walls were striking.

As I got closer, I noticed the unpleasant odor wafting from the dungeon entrance.

We didn’t rush to descend the stairs immediately, despite finding the dungeon’s entrance.

Everyone except Isolin began preparing the campsite and meals.

It was the last chance for a warm meal and proper rest before entering the dungeon.

Isolin, who had been left out of meal preparation, started drawing a magic circle on the ground at the entrance to the dungeon.

As I stared at her work, she smiled and spoke.

“Are you curious about what I’m doing?”

“Yes.”

“I’m drawing a magic circle infused with illusion magic.”

I approached Isolin after finishing the meal preparations and listened intently to her explanation.

She didn’t seem to mind explaining about the magic circle.

Isolin explained that a magic circle is a device used by mages to fix their magic in one place and continuously activate its effects.

“Does creating the magic circle allow the magic to keep working?”

“No, for the magic circle to work, you need to keep supplying mana to it.”

“So it requires a power source?”

“You’re quick to understand.”

“Then what’s this?”

I pointed at the blue powder scattered over the magic circle.

Isolin had been sprinkling the powder over the circle since earlier.

“It’s mana stone powder. It absorbs the surrounding mana and supplies power to this incomplete mana stone.”

“It absorbs the surrounding mana…?”

“It’s a low-quality mana stone powder, but it should last for about 40 hours.”

A mana stone that absorbs surrounding mana?

Isolin explained more about the magic circle, but I couldn’t focus on the details.

My mind was entirely focused on the mana stone.

“Hmm…”

Isolin tilted her head after finishing the magic circle.

Her expression was not good, so it seemed like the magic circle hadn’t worked properly.

It was probably to be expected. The mana absorbed by the mana stone powder wasn’t normal mana.

Isolin tried creating the magic circle a few more times, but the results were always the same.

In the end, the magic circle she created was left abandoned.

Everyone gathered and began eating.

Warm stew, large pieces of meat, and soft bread.

Luna provided truly delicious food, just as it was written in the request.

I took my share and sat next to Isolin.

“Isolin.”

“Yes?”

“Where can you find these mana stones?”

“Hmm… Sorry, but you won’t be able to get any.”

“Why?”

“Mana stones are managed by the Mage Tower. It’s illegal for outsiders to have access to them.”

I was left dumbfounded, my mouth hanging open at her words.

It seemed that the Mage Tower was far more closed off than I had imagined.

I pointed at the unfinished magic circle that Isolin had made and asked,
“Then, can I take the mana stone powder over there?”

“The powder…? Hmm… Do you want it as a souvenir?”

“Something like that.”

“If that’s the case…”

Isolin pulled a small leather pouch from her waist and opened it. Inside was the blue mana stone powder.

“Here.”

“But you said it’s illegal to distribute it to outsiders.”

“Mana stone powder is fine. After all, in a few days, it’ll turn into regular dust, so everyone turns a blind eye to this much.”

“Wow… thank you!”

That evening, after finishing the meal,

Since Isolin’s illusion magic hadn’t been completed, we had to take turns standing guard.

During my turn, I took a handful of mana stone powder and tossed it into my mouth.

Isolin had said that the mana stone absorbs surrounding mana.

And her words were true.

When I swallowed the powder with water, the surrounding hot mana began pouring into my body, responding to the mana stone.

The heat within my body began to rise rapidly. The wild mana of the forest started to spread heat throughout my entire body.

If this continued, I would be cooked alive.

I hurriedly summoned the cold mana from the Karm Mountain Range.

However, even the freezing winter wind couldn’t cool down the heat of Kalvine.

I bit my lip and desperately tried to move the mana inside me.

I wrapped the blazing hot mana in the cold energy and forced it toward my heart.

The two completely different kinds of mana pushed each other away, creating a storm within me.

I gripped my pounding chest and exhaled heavily.

The breath escaping my lips was tinged with fiery heat.

Whoosh!

At the same time, cold energy poured in.

Kalvine’s mana was like a fierce tyrant. It couldn’t find harmony. I instinctively realized that it had to be suppressed with greater force.

The fortunate part was that the Kalvine mana that had flowed into my body was only a small amount.

I used all the mana I could control to envelop Kalvine’s mana.

Surrounded by cold starlight, Kalvine’s mana gradually calmed down and began to form a burning ring.

A new mana circle had been completed.