Vengeance of the Returner

Chapter 166: Serene balance

He roamed around trying to find a route to reach the upper floor for a few hours until he was fatigued and his head was at amiss since he continuously fought monsters. He was certainly numbed and tired.

The major problem was he had to cautious. As a consequence, he maintained his senses to function at their peak that even the slightest movement in the shadows and insects to alarm him and send off several possibilities and reflexes to his mind.

"Ahhh! It's fucking painful."

Nix cursed grabbing his stomach in agony.

{Hmm, to be precise it's your sola plexus that connects your mana and nervous system. Seems like you are low in mana. A Phenomenon required to grasp Mana Manipulation. It is good news but, this will be painful, but once you awaken mana manipulation, you can be a level higher to achieve the title invincible.}

Astaroth said with a smile.

"Fuck... Can I still use my abilities though?"

He asked leaned against the walls.

{You do not have a choice but to do this. If you still have thoughts on stopping, look around you.}

"Fuck!"

He cursed in a low voice snapping back to reality because he forgot that he was inside the nest of Intors and surrounding him were their corpses.

The vicinity was gruesome with blood and organs scattered around and the foul creatures' smell encompassed throughout the other parts of the tunnel stretching out of the nest.

The troublesome matter is that the stench could inevitably draw monsters that dwell deep in the labyrinth to the very location he was in. So, in that sense, he should be continuously moving until he could find something valuable or ascend to the upper floor.

So, He reluctantly began to walk deeper into the tunnel using the wall as balance. As he pursued the route his head became dizzy and his body was still far from fully healed.

At some point in time, he fell on the ground unable to retain his energy to maintain his abilities. As a matter of fact, he didn't have infinite mana. He had a finite quantity but, that was surely dried at that moment. Consequently, it made his mana core circulate the remains in his body more violently than he ever felt that he was able to even feel it circulating through his nerves and blood.

His body continuously tried to force mana from him which stopped searching his interior. So, Precisely after a few seconds his heart stopped and made the blood circulation stuck. It was merely a few seconds. 

'huh?'

He couldn't move his limbs nor sense his very life and that's when he noticed his soul's presence that was located in his brain. He felt like he was dead at the same time he felt more alive than ever. Fortunately both his soul and body had a strong attachment that it didn't get driven away by the sudden death. It shouldn't be actually called death.

One can say he was on a path to awakening his hidden quirks forcibly which led him to a state where he was neither dead nor alive. It was a state he would have to venture into very soon. Since this was something hard to achieve or maintain.

Abruptly his heart began to beat at an abnormal rate. It was beating at a speed that was very dangerous for a human that it could literally bust. Slowly his senses returned. 

'What in the...'

He couldn't put words into what he was feeling but surely he was able to sense the same feeling he felt when he used mana from his body. He felt the dense mana that couldn't persued with naked eyes surge through him.

[Mana manipulation has been awakened] 

He glanced at the message and continued to follow the sensation and absorb mana into his body until his body got refueled.

"Fuck that was a trance!"

Nix exclaimed with a face that showed excitement.

It was a state in which people would try to attain using drugs it was certainly not the same but, this was what he could describe as the feeling express what he felt.

{Haha, that's what I call . The longer you stay in that state the more your vessel and soul bonds. It is a way to strengthen your soul from not getting absorbed by higher existence like demons, demigods, or any other entities}

Astaroth said with laughter and continued.

{People would usually die when they enter that state. And I've already guessed your soul was extremely bound with your body. Well, ultimately it was a gamble.}

Nix furrowed in brows and asked.

"So? You were not a hundred percent, sure? Is this the way to awaken my mana core to a fully functional state though?"

{I obviously had the idea of making you use your mana to its full potential and let you retain it after a few hours and continue doing it until its capacity increases. This was a way to expand the capacity a mana core can hold.}

He stopped and looked at Nix's eyes which were staring at him to explain more and continued.

{But, this was profoundly precarious and I wouldn't have suggested it if you didn't have regeneration. One could take several months to years in order ti increase the capacity of their mana core. This was a shortcut.}

"You know about mana manipulation then?"

{No, I have read it in ancient books. I do know the potential it has. But, I did anticipate for you to die and expend one of your life. This was quite an unexpected outcome, to be honest. If you want to become stronger faster these are the ways. I don't think you will attain serene balance at ease.}

"Well, we wouldn't until I try!"

He shrugged and began walking and stood in the center of the dungeon.

{Well- Well, I'd say you've basically started using it. You have to fully grasp Mana manipulation. At some point, you'll be able to control the flow of mana around you. But now your nothing but a toddler that has merely learned to crawl.}

Astaroth said with a mocking smile.

"Ohh I understand master Astaroth."

Nix bowed with a smile and peered at his face that showed pride.

"Come on man you experimented with me and act all proud? Act like the wise old man you are! Don't you remember the time you acted all tough? Now, look at you acting all friendly!"

Nix said with a smile and locked his sight on an Intor that looked at him in terror.

He inserted mana into both his legs and hands to increase the impulsive power and dashed past it and continued to enter the nest's core where over thirty Intors were located.

The Intor he dashed past split into two and fell to the ground as Astaroth turned back just to be cautious.

{Now, that you got energized you are acting all cocky aren't you?}

"Well, If it isn't for you master. Forgive this humble disciple who got blinded by his excitement."

Nix said playfully as he walked to the center of the big hall.

He clutched the short sword in one hand and the dagger in the other hand. While the short sword was engulfed by red flames the dagger was covered by the darkness that could devour anything and make anything it touches rot. 

Both his hidden blade gauntlet were ready to pierce in case if he dropped his weapons.

'Now that I've found a way to use mana infinitely. I can use berserk havoc all I want with regeneration it could be the deadliest combination possible.'

He thought to himself.

Indeed he had certainly become overpowered after gaining the ability to absorb mana. He was hesitant and still learning about regeneration when he entered and as he already used back when he was traveling to the labyrinth he used berserk havoc which took a toll on his body. His mana nervous system was also disrupted which took a while to heal.

And the usage of mana was extremely high which was another factor that made him feel reluctant. The new factor has taken the restriction away.

He roused his mana and began to swing every monster that encompassed him. 

He jumped on the monsters that were seemingly rushing towards him in a queue and went on slicing their vital spots as he jumped on them.

He used the blazing typhoon and stirred up a confusion between them and whipped the chains that rose flames from the ground. It was his unique ability called whip of flames.

He abruptly slid underneath the monsters after running towards them and slew their guts using the dagger.

After a few minutes, he was surrounded by them. Berserk havoc was certainly a huge factor that helped him keep up with his instincts and visions that doesn't mean he can prolong. After all his body was still lacking to ingest the skills he was using.

{Now that you've been cornered how about training your swordsmanship?}

Astaroth suggested him with a hideous smile and Nix's lips slightly curved up in response.

He was certainly amused that he made more progress than his last training where he wasted eight months carrying woods and swinging his chain and word like a maniac.

The sense of powerlessness washed away after he gained the ecstasy of wielding the abilities and slaying monsters.

His eyes glimmered in crimson red as he stared at the predators that once chased him tore his flesh like an apex predator of the ecosystem inside the labyrinth.

His ominous killing intent made the Intors freeze and flinch back in fear. He wiped his short sword that was tainted with the monsters' blood and pointed to the Intor which seemed to be alpha among the other monsters confidently and pushed his foot along with the monster that looked at him with rage.