The ancient mana of the Dungeon Core thrummed under Min-jun's hand, a direct conduit to the chaotic heart of a dimensional rift. He wasn't just observing it; he was feeling it, his very essence resonating with its raw power. The information flooded his mind, overwhelming yet perfectly organized by his newly evolved "Lucid Dream Training" skill. He now understood the intricate dance between mana, dimension, and reality itself. The distorted rune beneath his palm wasn't damaged; it was simply misaligned, its frequency clashing with the natural flow, causing the instability.
"I know how to fix it," Min-jun announced, pulling his hand away from the rune, his eyes alight with a fierce, almost manic energy. His teammates stared at him, exhausted but captivated by his sudden transformation. "Or, at least, I can stabilize it temporarily. And then, I know how to get us out."
His new "Mana Core Resonance" skill was already at work, interpreting the core's needs. He instructed his team, his voice calm, confident. "So-yeon, ready a wide-area Mana Barrier around us. Chul-soo, stand guard, any disturbance, hit it with everything you've got. Ji-won, focus all your remaining mana on suppressing the ambient chaotic mana from the core, keep it from flaring during this process."
They moved into position, trusting him implicitly. So-yeon began weaving a shimmering dome of green mana around them, its protective glow a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness of the chamber. Chul-soo took a wide stance, his shield facing the pulsing core, ready for anything. Ji-won closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration, her subtle mana signature expanding outwards, trying to dampen the chaotic energy emanating from the core.
Min-jun stepped back to the rune, his hands extended, but not touching it. He took a deep breath, focusing his "Mana Core Resonance" and his refined "Mana Signature Replication." He began to mimic the stable, harmonious frequency of the runes surrounding the core, focusing it through the distorted rune. It wasn't a direct manipulation of the core's mana, but an intricate re-tuning, a precise adjustment of a cosmic dial.
A low hum vibrated through the chamber, growing in intensity. The Dungeon Core, previously a chaotic vortex, began to coalesce, its swirling mana smoothing, becoming more defined, less volatile. The ancient runes on the walls pulsed brighter, their light steady and strong. The entire cavern seemed to sigh, the feeling of oppressive instability easing. Min-jun could feel the residual tremors in the dungeon above them gradually subside.
"It's working!" So-yeon gasped, her mana barrier shimmering with renewed strength.
"I can... I can breathe easier," Ji-won whispered, her illusionary efforts finding less resistance from the core's raw output.
Min-jun maintained the resonance for what felt like an eternity, sweat beading on his brow despite the cool air. Finally, with a soft click that resonated in their souls, the distorted rune locked into place. The Dungeon Core, now stable, began to emit a focused, vertical beam of pure, refined mana upwards, piercing the ceiling of the cavern.
"That's our exit," Min-jun stated, pointing towards the mana beam. "A direct dimensional gateway, stabilized by the core. It should lead us to a safe, unmonitored exit point on the surface."
They didn't hesitate. They ascended the mana beam, their bodies tingling with the raw energy. The journey upwards was swift, silent, and entirely unlike their frantic descent. As they rose, Min-jun's "Environmental Mana Resonance" could still feel faint traces of the Lionheart and Golden Lion search parties in the upper levels, but they were distant, bewildered by the sudden stabilization of the dungeon and their quarry's uncanny disappearance.
They emerged into a small, abandoned warehouse district, miles away from the factory they'd entered. The air outside was cool and clean, carrying the distant hum of city traffic. The moon hung high in the sky, a serene witness to their ordeal. They were out. Exhausted, bruised, but alive, and fundamentally changed.
Min-jun immediately pulled out his comms unit and called Professor Kim. It took a moment for the Professor to answer, his voice strained.
"Min-jun-ssi? Are you alright? The factory dungeon... it just stabilized itself! And your mana signature vanished from the upper levels, then reappeared miles away! What happened?"
Min-jun took a deep breath. "Professor, it's more complicated than I can explain over the phone. But the distorted rune... it's a dimensional anchor. And I think I just temporarily stabilized a Dungeon Core. It also activated a controlled dimensional gateway."
Silence stretched on the other end. Then, Professor Kim's voice, now a shaky whisper, filled with a mix of disbelief and overwhelming excitement. "A Dungeon Core? Stabilized? Min-jun-ssi... if what you're saying is true... this changes everything. This could be the key to understanding the rifts, to controlling them. Meet me. Immediately. At the old research facility. No one else must know about this."
Professor Kim Jin-woo
* Rank: B (Retired, but renewed focus)
* Level: 25
* Strength: 12
* Agility: 15
* Stamina: 18
* Mana: 50
* Skill: Mana Analysis (B-Rank) - Enhanced sensitivity to unusual mana phenomenon and dimensional shifts. Now actively pursuing research into core functions and rune interpretation.
Min-jun nodded, the exhaustion finally catching up to him. "We're on our way."
They found a quiet, abandoned building to rest and recover, So-yeon working tirelessly to mend their fatigue and injuries. As she healed, Min-jun mentally reviewed his new abilities. His "Mana Core Resonance" allowed him not just to sense cores, but to interface with them. His "Mana Signature Replication" was no longer just a defensive mimicry; it was a nascent ability to create and manipulate mana, albeit still very limited and requiring intense focus. And his agility, already off the charts, felt almost supernatural.
Kim Min-jun (Further Evolution)
* Rank: F (System stubbornness persists, but functionally A-rank equivalent)
* Level: 38
* Strength: 60
* Agility: 110 (Pushing limits!)
* Stamina: 70
* Mana: 70
* Unique Skill: Lucid Dream Training (F-Rank / System Anomaly / [???] Rank) - "Mana Core Resonance" now allows temporary mana harvesting from stabilized cores. "Mana Signature Replication" allows creation of small, temporary mana constructs (e.g., razor-sharp mana blades, minor mana shields). "Tactical Flow Foresight" is almost prescient in close combat. Current Focus: Advanced Core Interaction, Mana Construct Manipulation, Information Warfare.
The others also felt the residual effects of the core. The exposure to the raw mana, combined with their intense combat experience, had pushed them beyond their previous limits.
Lee So-yeon
* Rank: E
* Level: 22
* Strength: 13
* Agility: 15
* Stamina: 22
* Mana: 75
* Skill: Minor Regeneration (E-Rank) - Drastically improved healing output and efficiency, can now sustain a low-level AoE regeneration field. "Mana Overcharge" can temporarily boost target's attributes slightly.
Park Chul-soo
* Rank: E
* Level: 23
* Strength: 38
* Agility: 13
* Stamina: 38
* Mana: 20
* Skill: Steel Shield (E-Rank) - Enhanced durability, kinetic, and mana absorption. Can now briefly apply a 'mana siphon' effect (E-Rank) on impact, partially draining enemy mana.
Han Ji-won
* Rank: F
* Level: 19
* Strength: 13
* Agility: 26
* Stamina: 22
* Mana: 65
* Skill: Minor Illusion (F-Rank) - Can now create complex, multi-sensory illusions that can temporarily disorient groups. "Mana Nullification Field" can now briefly disperse weaker mana constructs.
As the sun began to rise, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, Min-jun looked at his team. They had walked through fire, escaped death, and stumbled upon a secret that could shake the very foundations of the Awakened world. Lionheart and Golden Lion might be powerful, but they were still playing a game Min-jun was beginning to understand on a much deeper level.
Their guild office was no longer safe. They needed a new base, a hidden sanctuary where they could train, research, and prepare. A place where the Dream Weaver could truly weave their new reality, unseen, unheard, until the time was right to strike back. The hunted had become the silent, burgeoning predators.