Chapter Fifteen: Shattered Heart, Spreading Shadow
Minwoo gripped the Hunter's Steel Dagger, its mundane weight a stark contrast to the arcane energy radiating from the Shadowheart Ore. The faint, dark vein pulsed insistently on his hand, a chilling reminder of the Corruption warning. He couldn't afford to hesitate. He had 45 stat points still unallocated, a wellspring of potential power, but no time to meticulously consider their distribution. Not while this insidious energy threatened to seep deeper into him. He needed this done, now.
He eyed the crystal. It was embedded in the obsidian, almost fused, its dark-red surface pulsating with a low, malevolent glow. This wasn't just a simple rock; it felt alive, resistant. He took a deep breath, channeling his focused Agility into his stance, his newly enhanced Strength into his grip. He aimed for a hairline crack near the base of the crystal, hoping to leverage a natural weakness in its connection to the cavern floor.
With a grunt, Minwoo brought the dagger down, striking with all his might. The steel shrieked against the crystalline surface, a grating sound that echoed eerily in the cavern. Sparks flew, a shower of dull red and black, but the dagger only scratched the ore. It didn't cut. It didn't even chip a significant piece. The ore felt harder than any known metal.
Instead, the Shadowheart Ore responded with a violent surge. The cold ache in Minwoo's arm flared into searing pain, feeling like ice shards grinding against his bones. The dark vein on his hand darkened, spreading rapidly up his forearm, twisting like thorny vines beneath his skin. A new system notification flashed, ominous and demanding.
[System Message!]
WARNING: 'CORRUPTION' STATUS DETECTED!
Effect: Vitality -1 per 5 seconds. All Stats -5% (Cumulative).
CURE: 'Shadowheart Ore' removed from current area.
Urgent Action Required!
Minwoo gasped, his vision blurring slightly. Vitality -1 per 5 seconds? All Stats -5% (Cumulative)? This wasn't just discomfort; it was a slow, agonizing decay. He couldn't waste another second. He needed to make a choice, and fast.
His mind raced, a torrent of calculations. He had to remove the ore. The dagger was useless for a direct attack. He needed raw power, a different kind of force. His eyes darted to his Status screen, still showing REMAINING STAT POINTS: 45. He could instantly reinforce himself. He could also unleash his shadow abilities, but the thought of letting the chaotic Wind Spirit witness his true power still grated against him. He didn't trust it. But the corruption was already here, seeping into his very essence.
Screw it, he thought, a grim resolve hardening his jaw. Survival first. Secrecy can wait.
His fingers flew across his mental interface. He allocated his points with ruthless efficiency: +15 Strength. +15 Intelligence. +15 Vitality. He felt a profound surge, a wellspring of raw power blossoming within his core. His muscles rippled under his skin, his mind sharpened to a diamond edge, and the insidious spread of the corruption in his arm momentarily slowed, held at bay by the sheer force of his increased Vitality.
[System Message!]
Strength: 10 (+1 +15 = 26)
Intelligence: 22 (+15 = 37)
Vitality: 10 (+1 +15 = 26)
He still didn't use Shadow Bolt or Shadow Step. Not yet. But with his newfound strength, he had another option. He looked at the dagger, then back at the ore. If he couldn't cut it, he'd pry it. Or better yet, use a blunt force.
"Min! What's happening?" Yuna cried out, sensing the shift in the air, the sudden, oppressive weight that seemed to crush the cavern around them. The Shadowheart Ore throbbed faster now, its dark luminescence intensifying, bathing the cavern in an eerie, pulsating red. Small, hairline cracks, spiderwebbing outwards from its base, began to appear in the surrounding obsidian rock, groaning faintly under an unseen pressure. The Gate itself was reacting.
Suddenly, a guttural snarl echoed from the entrance of the tunnel they had just come through. Two pairs of glowing red eyes materialized from the gloom: a [Level 4 Cave Dweller] and a [Level 4 Rock Serpent], drawn by the turmoil, their forms less ethereal than the Gate Echo, more solid, more menacing. The Gate was trying to defend itself by sending reinforcements.
"Stay back, Yuna!" Minwoo barked, his voice laced with the sharp edge of command. He wouldn't risk her. Not again.
He shifted his stance. The Hunter's Steel Dagger might not cleave the ore, but it was still a solid piece of metal. He grabbed a fist-sized chunk of jagged obsidian that had broken off from the wall during the Gate Echo's demise, its edges sharp. He held the dagger's tip against the narrow gap between the Shadowheart Ore and the rock it was embedded in. Then, with a roar of effort, he swung the obsidian chunk down, slamming it against the dagger's pommel, turning the dagger into a powerful chisel.
THWACK!
The sound was less of a shriek and more of a dull, resonant impact that vibrated through the very ground. The Shadowheart Ore remained intact, but its connection to the cavern floor gave way. With a final, sickening CRACK!, the entire pulsating crystal detached cleanly from the obsidian bed, sending a concentrated wave of malevolent energy rippling outwards.
The wave wasn't just energy; it was a pure concussive force. It slammed into the two advancing monsters with brutal efficiency. The [Level 4 Cave Dweller] was flung backward, its body impacting the tunnel wall with a sickening wet thud, before slumping to the ground, utterly still. The [Level 4 Rock Serpent], caught mid-coil, convulsed violently as if struck by lightning, its stony scales cracking under the unseen pressure before it too disintegrated into dust. The immediate threat was gone.
[System Message!]
Shadowheart Ore Acquired! x1
'Corruption' Status: Neutralized. Reversing...
WARNING: Gate Instability Detected! Structural integrity compromised.
URGENT: Exit Gate within 600 seconds!
"Min! Are you okay?!" Yuna cried, scrambling towards him, her pain forgotten in her panic, witnessing the raw power unleashed.
Minwoo pushed himself off the wall, wincing, the corruption in his arm now visibly fading, receding as if sucked back into the ether, leaving only a faint, phantom ache. He was still weakened, but the immediate threat of continuous draining was gone. He looked at the now free-standing Shadowheart Ore, pulsing darkly on the ground, radiating a power that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
"I'm fine!" he yelled, already grabbing the ore with his un-corrupted hand, his fingers barely tolerating its cold, alien touch as he carefully placed it into his worn backpack, wrapping it in some spare cloth to muffle its glow. "But we have to move! Now! The Gate's collapsing!"
He grabbed Yuna's arm. The cavern groaned again, louder this time, as a shower of rocks and dust cascaded from the ceiling. The walls seemed to vibrate, and new cracks appeared with alarming speed. The race against time had truly begun.