Stepping out of the narrow conduit passage felt like walking from a stuffy basement into the middle of a power plant's main generator room, but way prettier and probably more likely to zap you into dust.
The Central Core chamber was huge, easily the size of a football field, and filled with a soft, pulsing white light that pushed back the shadows.
The air thrummed with incredible energy, clean and powerful, making Daniel's teeth buzz slightly.
It felt ancient and immensely strong, completely different from the corrupted blue energy leaking through the rest of the labyrinth.
In the very center of the vast chamber floated the Core itself. It wasn't a machine, not exactly.
It looked like a giant, perfectly smooth sphere of pure white light, maybe ten meters across. It spun slowly, humming deeply, radiating warmth and that intense energy.
Lines of the same white energy flowed out from it, connecting to glowing crystal nodes embedded high up on the chamber walls, like veins feeding the entire labyrinth structure.
This was clearly the heart of the whole place, the power source the previous explorer was looking for.
Daniel took a slow breath, his eyes wide. This place felt… important. Powerful. Maybe even a little bit holy, in a weird, alien technology kind of way.
Nyx poked her head out of his pouch again, her blue eyes blinking rapidly in the bright light.
She didn't seem scared here; instead, she tilted her head, letting out a soft, curious whine, as if the pure energy felt somehow familiar or interesting to her latent Soulfire nature.
He scanned the chamber with his enhanced [Aura Sense+]. The attunement he'd gained from the shards made his senses feel crystal clear here, soaking in the pure energy.
He felt the immense power radiating from the Core, but surprisingly, he didn't sense any guards immediately nearby.
No Golems, no Crawlers, no energy blobs. Just the Core, humming peacefully.
Could it be that simple? Was the challenge just getting here? Daniel was suspicious. The Verge, and weird magic labyrinths, were never that easy.
He walked cautiously further into the chamber, his footsteps echoing slightly on the smooth, almost glass-like floor.
His mini-map, updated from the Regulator's data, showed this was the central chamber, with several passages leading out in different directions, likely back into the main labyrinth levels. But the Core itself seemed unguarded.
He approached the floating sphere of light. It felt warm, inviting even. Was this the prize? Could he just… touch it? Maybe assimilate its energy directly?
He remembered the warning about the unstable conduit energy, but this felt different, pure, stable. He reached out a hand slowly.
ZZZZZZAP!
Before his fingers even got close, a whip-crack sound reverberated, and a thin line of golden lightning lashed out from the Core, striking the floor right in front of him!
It left a smoking black scorch mark on the glassy surface.
Daniel jumped back instantly, his heart pounding. "Okay! Not friendly! Got it!"
So much for unguarded. The Core itself was the defense system. He scanned it again, focusing his intent, trying to get a reading beyond just 'big ball of power'.
[Central Labyrinth Core - Primary Power Source & Control Hub]
Level: ??? (Exceeds Current Scan Capabilities)
Stats: ??? (Assumed Immense)
Abilities: [Energy Pulse (Variable Intensity)], [Targeted Discharge (Lightning)], [Environmental Manipulation (Labyrinth Control)], [Guardian Manifestation Protocol] ???
Threat Assessment: DO NOT POKE THE GIANT GLOWING BALL. Core integrity linked to Labyrinth stability.
Direct attacks may trigger catastrophic defense responses. Purpose seems to be power generation and maze maintenance.
Okay, the Nexus Interface basically told him not to be an idiot and attack the giant power source of the entire dimension he was currently standing in.
Fair enough. But how was he supposed to proceed? The log fragment mentioned getting power from the Core. Was there a safe way to interact with it?
He noticed strange, glowing symbols etched into the floor in a large circle around the Core, about twenty meters out from its surface.
They looked incredibly complex, pulsing faintly with the same white light. Was this some kind of interface? A control panel?
He walked towards the circle, keeping a wary eye on the Core, which now seemed to be humming slightly louder, as if watching him.
As he stepped onto the first glowing symbol, the air shimmered.
WHOOSH!
From the very light of the Core itself, energy coalesced, swirling rapidly. It solidified in seconds, forming a figure that floated silently between Daniel and the Core.
This figure wasn't metal or bone. It looked like a humanoid shape made of pure, solidified white light, smooth and featureless except for two faintly brighter spots where eyes might be.
It held a long spear made of the same solidified light. It radiated immense power, similar to the Core, but focused, directed.
Daniel scanned it immediately.
[Core Sentinel - Manifested Energy Guardian]
Level: 5
Stats: Variable (Draws Power from Core - Currently High), High Agility, High Spirit, Moderate Resilience (Energy Form).
Abilities: [Light Spear (Pierce/Beam)], [Energy Form (Resists Physical, Vulnerable to Potent Spirit Disruption)], [Reform (If Core Intact)], [Direct Core Link]
Threat Assessment: Potent Guardian. Difficult to damage physically. Can regenerate quickly using Core energy.
Severing its connection to the Core or disrupting its energy form is key. Do not let it hit you with the pointy end.
Level 5 again, but this felt different from the Skeleton Wolf or the Regulator. Its stats were 'Variable', meaning it could probably get stronger if needed by pulling more juice from the Core.
Its energy form made physical attacks tough, but maybe vulnerable to his Spirit-based attacks, or perhaps overloading it?
The 'Reform' ability sounded bad, kill it, and it might just pop back up as long as the Core was fine.
This wasn't a simple fight; it was likely a puzzle.
The Sentinel raised its Light Spear, aiming the tip at Daniel. It didn't speak, didn't make a sound, just radiated pure, focused intent: You shall not pass.
"Right, guess diplomacy is out," Daniel sighed.
He drew his Twin Fang daggers, their C+ grade metal seeming dull compared to the Sentinel's pure light.
He also mentally prepared his bow skills and magic. This fight would need everything.
He decided to test its defenses immediately. He dashed forward, activating [Ghoststeps+].
"Boom!"
The glassy floor barely vibrated under his enhanced speed. He closed the distance, slashing with a dagger infused with [Venomous Strike+].
Whoosh-Clang!
The Sentinel moved with impossible grace, its Light Spear blurring to intercept his dagger.
The sound wasn't metal on metal, but like solidified energy clashing. His dagger was stopped cold.
The poison effect did nothing to the energy form. As he attacked, the Sentinel counter-attacked instantly, thrusting the spear towards his chest.
Daniel twisted mid-air, using [Quick Dodge] to shift his body just enough.
The spearhead, burning with white energy, grazed past his ribs, searing through his D+ vest like it wasn't even there! Pain flared, hot and sharp.
He landed, stumbling back, clutching his side. A nasty burn marred his skin and the edge of his vest.
Okay, Rule #1: Do not get hit by the pointy light stick. His defenses meant almost nothing against that pure energy.
The Sentinel didn't pause. It flowed forward, spear flashing in a series of blindingly fast thrusts and sweeps.
Daniel was forced purely onto the defensive, relying entirely on his Level 4 Agility (now over 128) and [Ghoststeps+] bursts just to avoid being skewered.
The wind shrieked around him as he dodged, the light spear leaving burning trails in the air. He couldn't even get close enough to try a dagger strike.
He needed distance. He used another [Ghoststeps+] burst to create space, landing near the edge of the symbol circle.
He quickly nocked an arrow, channeling energy. "[Mana Bolt+] – Arrow!"
Twang-FZZZT!
The bolt-arrow flew towards the Sentinel. The guardian simply raised its free hand, and the mana bolt splashed harmlessly against its palm, absorbed into its energy form with barely a flicker.
Daniel stared. It absorbed his magic attack? Just like the Regulator's siphon, but seemingly effortless? How was he supposed to damage this thing?
Physical attacks were resisted and parried easily. Magic attacks were absorbed. It could reform if destroyed. And it hit like a freight train made of concentrated sunlight.
He dodged another spear thrust that cracked the floor where he'd stood. He needed to rethink. What were its weaknesses? 'Potent Spirit Disruption'.
Did he have anything like that? His basic [Mana Bolt+] wasn't potent enough.
What about his [Kinetic Hammer]? It wasn't spirit-based, but the raw force might disrupt its energy form?
He needed an opening. He kept dodging, analyzing the Sentinel's attack patterns. It was fast, fluid, relentless, but maybe… predictable? It seemed to follow certain optimal attack paths, rarely deviating.
He saw a pattern: thrust, sweep low, overhead slash. He prepared. As the Sentinel began its spear thrust, Daniel didn't dodge away.
He dodged in, activating [Ghoststeps+] to get dangerously close, right inside the spear's effective range.
The Sentinel adjusted instantly, pulling the spear back for a close-range jab while bringing its other hand up for an energy blast.
But Daniel was faster this time. He wasn't attacking the Sentinel directly.
He ignored the spear, ignored the gathering energy blast, and slammed his fist downwards onto the glowing symbol on the floor right beneath the Sentinel's feet!
"[Kinetic Hammer] – Shockwave!"
WHUMP!
The kinetic energy erupted upwards, not just hitting the Sentinel, but also disrupting the glowing floor symbol!
The Sentinel staggered, its light form flickering violently for a split second. The connection to the Core seemed momentarily unstable!
Daniel seized the chance. He poured mana into his hand, creating the most powerful [Mana Bolt+] he could muster, and thrust it point-blank into the flickering guardian's chest!
FZZZZZZZZZT-CRACKLE!
This time, it wasn't absorbed! The disrupted connection prevented it! The mana bolt ripped into the Sentinel's energy form.
It didn't explode, but its light flickered wildly, dimming significantly. It staggered back, its form losing cohesion, looking almost ghostly.
It worked! Disrupting the floor symbols weakened its connection! That was the key!
The Sentinel wasn't finished, though. It raised its spear again, its light returning slowly as the floor symbol stabilized.
Daniel knew he couldn't just keep punching the floor; he needed to break the connection more permanently, or destroy the Sentinel while it was weak. How?
He looked at the glowing symbols on the floor again. They formed a complex circle around the Core. Maybe… maybe they weren't just power conduits? Maybe they were part of a containment system? Or an interface? Could he overload them?
He had an idea. Risky, maybe stupid, but possibly effective. He backed away, putting distance between himself and the slowly reforming Sentinel.
He raised his hand, but didn't gather mana for a bolt. He focused on the raw, ambient energy filling the chamber, the energy leaking from the Core itself.
He activated his newest skill, the one from the Regulator. "[Energy Conversion]!"
He focused his will, actively pulling the ambient Core energy towards him, converting it directly into his own mana reserves.
It felt like drinking pure lightning, exhilarating and dangerous, his mana bar refilling rapidly, faster than natural regeneration.
The Sentinel paused its reforming, its featureless head tilting as if sensing the unauthorized energy drain.
The Core behind it pulsed slightly faster. Daniel grinned. "Don't mind me," he said, feeling power surge through him. "Just borrowing a cup of sugar." Now, what to do with all this borrowed juice?