PERFECT REINCARNATION : Being Invincible in Another World-Chapter 76: Veins of the Dungeon

The moment they crossed deeper into Gloomfang Hollow, the atmosphere changed.

It wasn’t something easily explained with words. Rowan noticed it first as a subtle pressure in the air, a faint heaviness that seemed to press against his skin and lungs with every breath he took. It was not unpleasant, but it was different from the outside world.

The cave tunnel stretched ahead of them, winding gently downward through layers of rough stone that had been carved slowly by water and time. Patches of faintly glowing moss clung to the damp walls, providing just enough pale green light to keep the darkness from completely swallowing the passage.

Water dripped occasionally from the ceiling.

Each drop echoed softly against the cavern floor.

Rowan adjusted the straps of his backpack as he walked, his boots scraping lightly against the uneven stone."...It feels strange," he said after a while. Aurelion glanced back at him. "...What does?" Rowan paused, searching for the right words. "...The air." He lifted his hand slightly, as if trying to grasp the invisible feeling around him. "...It feels heavier somehow."

Sally was walking a few steps ahead of them, examining the cave walls with curiosity as she brushed her fingers lightly against the stone. "...Oh, that," she said casually. Aurelion explained. "...That is mana." Rowan blinked. "...Mana in a dungeon?"

Aurelion slowed his pace slightly, allowing Rowan to walk beside him. "...Outside the dungeon, mana exists everywhere in small quantities. It flows naturally through the world like wind or water." He gestured toward the cave walls around them. "...But inside a dungeon, the concentration is far higher." Now that it had been pointed out to him, he could feel it more clearly. The air almost vibrated faintly with invisible energy. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was undeniable. "...Why is that?" Rowan asked. Aurelion continued walking as he spoke. "...Because a dungeon is formed around a mana core." Rowan frowned slightly. "A core?"

Sally spun around and began walking backward while facing them, clearly enjoying the conversation. "...It’s like the heart of the dungeon," she explained with a grin. Aurelion nodded. "...Correct."

OH FYI, IF YOU ARE THINKING HOW DOES SALLY AND ME KNOW ABOUT THIS STUFF. WELL, IT IS SIMPLE SALLY IS CONNECTED TO MY SUBCONSCIOUS AND I LEARNED THIS IN MY BOOKS.

Rowan leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "...The mana core continuously gathers energy from the surrounding environment. Over time, the concentration of mana becomes dense enough to alter the space around it."

They reached a bend in the tunnel.

Beyond it, the cave widened slightly, opening into a broader chamber where the ceiling rose higher overhead. The moss on the walls glowed a bit brighter here, illuminating the rocky floor in dim green hues.

Aurelion stepped into the chamber and paused. Rowan followed him. "...So the dungeon exists because of the core?" Aurelion nodded. "...Yes."

He crouched slightly and picked up a small fragment of stone from the ground. "...Mana changes things." He crushed the stone lightly in his fingers. "...The environment. The creatures that live within it. Even the land itself." Rowan watched carefully. "...Is that why monsters appear in dungeons?"

"Partly." Aurelion dropped the crushed stone. "Some monsters wander into a dungeon naturally and adapt to the mana over time." He glanced deeper into the cave. "...Others are created directly by the core itself." Rowan’s eyes widened slightly. "Created?" Sally nodded enthusiastically. "Spawned." Rowan looked unsettled. "So monsters can just... appear?"

"In certain conditions." Aurelion stood up again. "That is why dungeons are dangerous."

Rowan nodded slowly. They continued walking deeper into the cavern. The tunnel sloped downward more noticeably now, the temperature dropping slightly as the air grew colder.

The cave walls became rougher and more jagged. Occasionally Rowan noticed faint claw marks carved into the stone. "Monsters," he muttered quietly. Aurelion noticed him looking. "Good observation." Rowan felt a small surge of pride.

After several more minutes of walking, Sally suddenly stopped. "...Oh." Rowan nearly walked into her. "...What?" She pointed at the cave wall beside them. Aurelion followed her gaze.

Embedded within the stone was something unusual. A thin cluster of crystalline structures protruded from the cave wall like jagged glass shards. They glowed faintly with a soft blue light, illuminating the surrounding rock.

Rowan stared. "...What is that?" Aurelion stepped closer. He examined the crystals carefully. "...Mana crystal veins." Rowan’s eyes widened again. "Mana crystals?"

"Yes." Aurelion gently touched one of the shards. "These form naturally inside dungeons when mana becomes concentrated within stone."

Rowan leaned closer. The crystals were beautiful. Each one shimmered faintly, tiny particles of light drifting within the translucent structure like trapped stars. "...Are they valuable?" He asked.

Sally answered before Aurelion could. "Very." Her eyes were already gleaming. Rowan looked at her suspiciously. "...Why do you look like that?" Sally ignored him.

Instead, she reached out and snapped off one of the smaller crystals with a quick motion. "Wait—" Rowan started.

Too late. Sally tossed the crystal into her mouth. Rowan froze. "...Did you just eat that?" Sally chewed thoughtfully. "...Hmm." She swallowed. "Tastes good." Rowan stared at her. "That was a crystal!"

"You can’t just eat crystals!" Rowan almost cried. Sally shrugged. "I can." Rowan looked desperately toward Aurelion. "...Why is she eating dungeon rocks?" Aurelion didn’t seem particularly surprised. "She is not human."

"That doesn’t make it normal!" Rowan said.

Sally snapped off another crystal. Crunch. Rowan buried his face in his hands. "...This is insane." But as Sally broke the crystal cluster apart, something changed. The air shifted.

Aurelion’s expression sharpened instantly. "...Stop." Sally paused mid-chew. "What?" Aurelion looked down the tunnel behind them. "...You disturbed the mana flow."

Rowan blinked. "Is that bad?" Before Aurelion could answer, a distant sound echoed through the cavern. Scratching. Stone scraping against claws. Rowan slowly turned toward the darkness behind them. "...What was that?"

Another sound followed. Then another. The scratching noises multiplied rapidly, echoing through the tunnels like a swarm moving through the stone. Sally tilted her head. "...Oh." Rowan felt a chill crawl down his spine. "...Oh what?"

From the shadows of the tunnel behind them, movement appeared. Small shapes. Dozens of them. Glowing eyes opened within the darkness. Rowan’s hand instinctively moved toward the hilt of his sword."...Crown Prince?"

Aurelion remained calm. "Mana crystals attract dungeon creatures." The first creature crawled into the faint moss-light. It resembled a rat. But far larger. Nearly the size of a small dog. Its fur was dark and patchy, and jagged teeth protruded from its mouth as it hissed loudly. Then another appeared.

Soon the tunnel behind them filled with dozens of the creatures. Sally wiped crystal dust from her lips. "...Oops." Rowan swallowed hard. "...You think?" Aurelion calmly drew his blade. The steel shimmered faintly in the dim light. "...Rowan." Rowan nodded nervously. "Yes?"

"Consider this your next lesson." The swarm of dungeon creatures began rushing toward them. Claws scraping against the stone. Dozens of glowing eyes charging through the darkness. Aurelion stepped slightly to the side. Rowan drew his sword.

The first of the dungeon swarm lunged.

And the battle inside Gloomfang Hollow began.

[To be Continued]