Chapter 59. The Power Source

[The Unyielding God’s Power Source]

The item, a large orb with strange patterns, was labeled as a "Power Source." It was a large orb adorned with strange patterns. But since it was split in half by Kim Do-Joon's spear, he couldn’t see what effects it had.

[The item has been severely damaged. You cannot check its effects until it is repaired.]

Tsk.

Kim Do-Joon clicked his tongue. Even if it could be repaired, who in the world could fix a monster loot?

Hmm... If this is a power source... is it the core that makes these things move?

Core was often seen in non-living monsters like golems. It served as the main body, and breaking it would cause the monster to collapse.

Having confirmed this, Kim Do-Joon stepped back. Unfortunately, it was already broken. Crying over spilt milk was pointless.

Besides, there’s still one more here.

The other statue was still moving. Kim Do-Joon smirked. He’d already pinpointed the core’s location

—

it was in the lower abdomen. With its weak spot exposed, the golem was now one of the easiest monsters to deal with.

"Lower abdomen,

huh...

” Kim Do-Joon’s eyes gleamed as he stared at the statue’s belly.

Rumble—

The statue seemed to flinch for some reason. Maybe it was just his imagination, as non-living monsters shouldn’t have emotions. With Karlish in hand, Kim Do-Joon leaped into the statue’s embrace.

This time, there was no need to jump around, chain it, or topple it over. The weak point was obvious, so he aimed for just above it right away.

Boom!

Kim Do-Joon swung his sword, using the skill, Violent Stream. The statue staggered back a step, a large hole now in its chest, but it didn’t stop moving. Then, the statue raised its crescent blade to strike.

Whoosh!

Kim Do-Joon easily dodged and stepped onto its shaft, springing upward. Reaching the hole in its chest, he saw the orb.

There it is.

There was a red orb glowing within.

With a mana-infused hand, Kim Do-Joon reached for the orb, pulling it out.

Crack! Snap!

It felt like something was being torn out. He landed on the ground with the red orb in hand. Then, very quickly, the light in the statue’s eyes faded, its body crumbling into pieces.

[You have defeated a monster. You have gained Experience Points (EXP).]

Soon, all that remained was a pile of sand on the ground.

"So that’s how it works," Kim Do-Joon muttered.

He had chosen a method to avoid destroying the power source. He was worried that simply pulling it out might cause it to regenerate or something, which meant having to restart the fight.

Thankfully, it wasn't that troublesome.

With both statues dealt with, nothing was left. Just in case, he sifted through the sandpile, but found no other items.

Kim Do-Joon checked the information window on the orb. This time, it was intact and undamaged.

[The Unyielding God’s Power Source]

Description

- This orb was embedded in a statue made to resemble the Unyielding God.

Rarity

- Epic

Classification

- ingredient

Effect

- It has the property of absorbing nearby mana, which was used to power the statue.

The standout feature of this item was its Epic rarity and the effect displayed in the information window.

This item absorbs mana?

Kim Do-Joon skimmed through the other details, focusing on the main feature: the ability to absorb mana. He held the orb and closed his eyes.

Wow, it's true.

The mana in the air, though slight, was indeed being drawn into the orb. Karlish noticed Kim Do-Joon's surprise.

— What's the matter?

Karlish could not see the item's information window, so Kim Do-Joon explained the orb's function.

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"This orb absorbs the surrounding mana," Kim Do-Joon said.

— Really? Are you saying the orb breathes on its own?

That was a strange way to put it, but Kim Do-Joon understood what Karlish meant. For Karlish, breathing equated to accumulating mana.

"Something like that," Kim Do-Joon replied, examining the orb closely.

It was predominantly red, with intricate geometric patterns covering its surface. There were no other distinguishing features aside from that. What seemed like a simple toy turned out to have such a remarkable function.

Artisans would go crazy for this ingredient.

An orb that absorbed and stored mana was perfect for crafting special equipment. Leaving that aside, it could be a valuable emergency resource. It’d be incredibly useful in mana-depleted, critical situations.

Above all, if I copy-paste this, what effect would it give me?

Kim Do-Joon could already somewhat guess the outcome. Having copy-pasted numerous effects and observed their transformations, he had a good idea of what to expect.

Besides, even without prior experience, the function was intuitive enough to make an educated guess.

Alright.

This effect excited him as much as copy-pasting the unbreakable effect from Karlish. Not even the spirit affinity had made his heart race like this. Feeling his heart pound with anticipation, Kim Do-Joon activated his copy-pasting skill.

Soon, the orb transformed into light and disappeared, triggering an immediate change in him.

[Additional Effect]

- Passive: Mana Recovery Level 1

The copy-pasting of the item came with an unexpected bonus: a level indicator.

***

Whoosh!

The scenery rushed past as Kim Do-Joon continued to climb the stairs. Despite the seemingly endless ascent, he was in high spirits.

Man... the mana recovery is great.

The newly-acquired passive was quite noticeable. Normally, recovering mana was as simple as breathing. As one inhaled, mana from the atmosphere was naturally absorbed into the body.

But now, mana is being absorbed through my skin as well.

The newly acquired mana recovery passive operated separately from the usual breathing recovery, allowing his skin to draw in additional mana. Every part of a person’s body was in contact with the atmosphere, meaning his entire body was now absorbing mana.

The amount of mana getting absorbed is not substantial since it is only at level one.

However, the improvement was significant compared to having none at all. The best part was that this additional recovery was independent of his breathing.

— So, even if your breathing is disrupted, the mana still enters through your skin, right?

Karlish remarked incredulously. He often emphasized the importance of maintaining steady breathing, even in combat or when physically exhausted. If one’s breathing became erratic, mana recovery would be hindered, making prolonged fights disadvantageous.

— Whether fighting or sleeping, a true master maintains the same breathing pattern.

This was what Karlish often said.

Kim Do-Joon agreed and always practiced with this in mind, though he hadn’t yet reached such a level. Besides, it hadn’t been long since he started training under Karlish. Meanwhile, the new passive provided consistent mana recovery regardless of his breathing state. Even when his breathing was irregular, it’d ensure a steady supply of mana.

"When I’m resting, my breathing is stable, so I don't notice this effect that much," Kim Do-Joon noted.

— But when your breathing is disrupted, you can really feel it?

“Yes.”

In other words, the efficiency of this passive would increase as battles became longer and more intense. In normal circumstances, when mana recovery wasn’t as urgent, the lack of noticeable effect wasn’t a major drawback. Ultimately, this passive was a beneficial effect with no apparent downsides.

— Given that you'll be climbing for a while, this recovery ability suits this labyrinth perfectly.

Kim Do-Joon nodded because that was true. Initially, he had to take frequent breaks to catch his breath. He ran for a bit, then rested, and repeated the process. But now, he’d been running for nearly two hours without stopping, something he couldn’t have done without the new passive.

"I’ve been running for over an hour.”

— You’ve also grown more accustomed to the method of running. At first, you failed every three steps, but now it’s much less.

"Oh, is that so?” Kim Do-Joon realized he’d been so focused on the mana recovery passive that he had not paid attention to his steps.

However, Karlish pointed out that his skill improved.

— People often fail when they put in too much effort. In fact, the method of running is an extension of natural run. Do you ever pay any attention to every step when you walk or run?

"No, I guess not."

— This method you're learning right now should become just as natural, like creating wind with a mere thought.

It was like learning to ride a bike. Initially, one would mind every pedal stroke, but after becoming proficient, it became natural. Though riding a bike and mastering the art of the God of Storm’s martial arts was quite different, he understood what Karlish wanted to say.

While listening to Karlish’ guidance, Kim Do-Joon continued running for a long time. He felt the benefits of the mana recovery. They stopped occasionally for food and brief rests. It had likely been over a full day since they started.

— There are statues ahead.

Suddenly, Karlish warned.

"They look just like the previous ones.”

Once again, they reached a midpoint guarded by two statues. Kim Do-Joon tensed slightly, but not because of fear or anxiety. He already knew their weaknesses and how to handle them. There was no reason to be nervous now.

In his eyes, these statues were just monsters that would help upgrade his mana recovery level to three.

After this fight, my mana recovery level would rise to level three.

***

It was a modest estate with tiled roofs, consisting of a small courtyard, a pond, and a single tree. A stern-looking old man slowly walked through the courtyard, stopping under the tree. A bird appeared from nowhere and perched on his shoulder. He reached out to the tree.

Plop.

Out of nowhere, a fruit fell from the branch and into his hand. He bit into the fruit with a crunch.

The old man then turned his gaze toward the front gate. Beyond the open gate, surrounded by clouds and mist, was a white landscape. However, the mist could not obscure his keen eyesight.

“...”

The man saw an endless staircase leading downward.