Reborn With A Technology System In A Fantasy World-Chapter 114: Underground Quest

The ground was an expanse of cracked earth that bore no trace of life or magical presence.

Yet, beneath the surface, [Omnisense] had revealed to Adrian that there was an anomaly hidden below the surface.

Now, after testing the ground with a hammer and hearing the faint echo of a hollow space, Adrian was certain that something significant lay beneath. A tunnel, a cavern, or some vast underground network waited for him to uncover its secrets.

He stood, brushing the dust from his hands, his glowing blue eyes fixed on the unyielding ground.

"Now I just have to go down there," he murmured in a low voice.

Adrian stared at the earth for a moment, his mind racing through plans.

The last thing he wanted was to destabilize the terrain and cause a collapse, trapping himself in a tomb of his own making.

After a brief pause, he summoned a high-powered drill from his [Inventory].

He didn’t want the entire ground caving in when he descended, so his plan was simple: carve a hole just wide enough for him to slip through, while preserving the integrity of the surrounding earth.

"I hope this works," he said under his breath, positioning the drill with care.

The machine whirred to life, its vibrations sending a faint tremor through his hands as it bit into the ground.

Dust and small pebbles scattered as the drill worked, and within minutes, a circular hole, just wide enough for his frame was open before him.

"Perfect," Adrian said as he stepped back. He crouched to peer into the dark maw.

The hole revealed nothing but shadow. The blackness seemed to swallow the faint light filtering from above.

He retrieved a torch from his [Inventory] and shone it downward, expecting to catch a glimpse of whatever lay below.

"That’s strange," he muttered, frowning as the beam failed to penetrate the oppressive darkness.

Unfazed, he swapped the torch for a more powerful one, this one powered by a 2-Star magic crystal.

"This should do the work," he said confidently, activating the torch and directing its beam into the hole.

The light cut through the darkness, revealing solid ground at the bottom.

It was a smooth, almost polished stone surface that gleamed faintly under the lamp’s glow.

Adrian tilted the lamp, scanning for more details, but the beam’s reach was limited, illuminating only a small patch of the floor below.

There was no clear indication of what awaited him. Just ground. He leaned back and his brow furrowed.

Jumping in blind wasn’t his style as there were too many variables and risks. He needed more information before committing to the descent.

"Give me some insights on what’s down there."

Tech Core replied promptly: [Insufficient data to perform analysis.]

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair.

"I guess I don’t have much of a choice," he muttered, his tone laced with a mix of resignation and determination.

He had already confirmed that this was a significant leap, both literally and figuratively and he couldn’t afford to take chances.

"Equip Power Suit."

In an instant, the nanites surged, swarming over his body and enveloping him, stopping just short of his eyes.

With the suit in place, Adrian felt more confident. He secured a grappling hook at the edge of the hole, its anchor biting deep into the earth.

With a final glance at the desolate landscape above, he leapt into the darkness.

The descent was longer than he’d anticipated, the air growing cooler and denser as he dropped.

His boots soon hit the ground with a soft thud, the impact absorbed by the Power Suit’s dampening systems.

He looked up, the hole above a distant circle of pale light, the only source of illumination in the oppressive darkness of the underground chamber.

Activating [Analysis], he focused on the height of the drop. The System’s response flashed across his mind:

[9.8 meters]

"Wow," Adrian said, his voice echoing faintly in the cavernous space.

The depth was surprising, but he pushed the thought aside.

His focus shifted to the System’s map, which had guided him to this point.

The single glowing red dot that had led him here was gone, replaced by a constellation of smaller dots scattered across the map; and one large, pulsing beacon deeper within.

His eyes narrowed as he studied the display, his mind calculating the implications.

If those dots represented magical beasts, he was in serious trouble. Fighting in a confined, unfamiliar environment was a nightmare scenario, and the risk of the ceiling caving in only made it worse.

The thought of retreating found its way through his mind. He could climb back up and come up with a better plan.

But before he could dwell on it, the System lit up with a new notification, its familiar chime cutting through his thoughts:

[New Quest Unlocked!]

[Quest: Heart of the Abyss]

[Objective: Locate and secure the source of the mana surge within the underground network.]

[Difficulty: ★ ★]

[Requirements: Explore the caverns and uncover the origin of the mana anomaly.]

[Reward: 30,000 TP]

Adrian’s eyes narrowed at the notification. He had come to recognize a pattern with the System’s quests.

They often nudged him toward paths he might otherwise avoid, pushing him into situations that tested his limits.

Yet, everytime he completed a Quest, it always benefitted him, even if he didn’t consider the reward.

Besides, the 30,000 TP was a tantalizing prize as it was enough to achieve the goal he so much wanted.

"With that, I’ll have enough for the Factory upgrade," he said in a low murmur.

The quest’s two-star difficulty rating also reassured him.

It suggested that whatever lay ahead wasn’t an insurmountable threat, since he had completed a quest of much higher difficulty easily.

The System had changed his mind, as it so often did, washing away his earlier hesitation.

He mentally commanded the Power Suit to extend over his head, the nanites sealing around his face with a soft hiss.

The helmet’s night vision activated, casting the cavern in shades of green and gray. While [Omnisense] granted him enhanced perception, even in darkness, the suit’s augmented vision was sharper and more precise. freēwēbnovel.com

Adrian took a step forward, his boots echoing softly against the stone floor.

As he moved, he realized this wasn’t just a hole or a simple pit. It was a vast subterranean chamber, its walls stretching into the shadows beyond his vision.

The air was also thick with mana heavier than above.

He scanned his surroundings, searching for a way forward. Three distinct paths branched off from the chamber, each a dark tunnel carved into the rock.

The first, to his left, was narrow and jagged, its walls rough and uneven, as if clawed out by some massive creature.

The second, straight ahead, was wider, its entrance smooth and almost polished. The third, to his right, descended sharply.

Adrian stood for a moment, his gaze shifting between the three entrances.

’If I’m considering mana, then there are dots in them all.’

He studied the System’s map again, noting the relative positions of the glowing dots.

The ones in the left tunnel seemed closer, their pulses brighter and more immediate, while those in the other tunnels felt farther, their signals dimmer but no less intriguing.

"They could be interconnected," he mused, rubbing his chin. "Judging by how the dots are spread, this place might be a network of tunnels, not just a single path."

The Tech Core offered no further insight, its earlier response about insufficient data still ringing in his mind.

Without a clear map of the underground network’s layout, Adrian was left to rely on his instincts and the System’s guidance.

He sighed, his shoulders relaxing as he made his decision. "It wouldn’t make sense to not take the faster alternative."

Adrian walked for over ten minutes, the tunnel twisting and turning. The dots, he realized, were farther than expected, but he kept pressing on as he could feel he was closer.

After several sharp turns, a brilliant blue glow illuminated the path ahead, matching the dots’ positions on his map.

Summoning the mana gun onto his hand, Adrian increased his pace.

The sight stopped him cold.

Countless magic crystals studded the tunnel walls, glowing into a dazzling display of sapphire brilliance.

The glow pulsed rhythmically, bathing the cavern in an ethereal blue that danced across the uneven stone.

Adrian could only stare in surprise and gratitude for coming this far as he reached out, his gloved hand grazing a crystal’s cool surface.

But instantly, a sharp mental pain lanced through his mind, and flickers of visions began to assault him.

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