My body barreled through a couple of walls, debris, and shattered doors and windows before I finally came to a stop.
I shook my head, trying to clear the dizziness, and hurriedly pulled myself out of the rubble.
"Ouch," I muttered under my breath.
A few more bones and muscles had taken a hit, but I pushed the pain aside, determined to keep moving.
I stepped out into the open, forcing myself to ignore the discomfort.
I glanced behind me, then limped toward the open area, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
As soon as the area came into view, I extended my perception, focusing all my attention on what was unfolding before me.
I wanted to figure out what was going on.
I stood at the edge of the area, keeping my distance, but my mind raced as I focused on the strange phenomenon ahead.
The silver Essence surged through the air, moving in a way that didn't make sense. It wasn't the usual flow I'd felt before. It was intense, erratic, almost alive, pulsing and spiraling toward the center of the area.
My focus sharpened as I kept my eyes fixed on the scene.
I noticed something new, the Essence wasn't just the usual glowing green anymore. Now, I could see a teal stream weaving through the silver, like a river running through a storm.
The silver was still abundant, but the teal was starting to surge along with it. It was subtle at first, but there was definitely something more to it than I'd seen before.
From where I stood, I didn't feel any of the effects, but deep down, I knew that something major was unfolding within that 500-meter stretch.
It wasn't just a minor fluctuation in the normal flow of Essence.
Then, I saw it.
The silver-teal Essence suddenly compressed itself at the very center of the area, folding in on itself.
As it did, the debris and ground around the area cracked and splintered under the pressure. The sheer force of it all made my stomach tighten.
"Damn," I muttered under my breath.
The Essence kept folding, shifting from its usual green to the silver-teal mix. The outer layers glowed green, but as they rushed inward, the silver and teal colors deepened, wrapping around the core like some sort of invisible coil.
And then, as suddenly as it started, everything stopped.
There was no warning, no sound, just a sudden burst of Essence. The mixture of silver and teal exploded outward, rushing away from the center like a shockwave. For a split second, it felt like the air itself was being torn apart.
As the blast wave hit, I saw: the debris, the rocks, the shattered ground, all of it began to float upward. It wasn't just the lighter things; the heavy, solid chunks of rubble seemed to defy gravity, suspended in the expanding energy.
The expansion didn't last long, only a few seconds, but in that brief time, the Essence spread out, growing more intense.
Then, with an almost violent speed, it reversed. The Essence rushed back in, like the force of a collapsing star, and the debris came crashing down in a brutal cascade. I could feel the pressure in the air, the weight of it.
And just as quickly as it had started, the Essence settled.
The silver and teal colors faded, disappearing into the air like nothing had ever happened. The chaos, the crushing force, the expansion, all of it calmed, leaving behind only the silent, still aftermath.
I stood frozen, trying to make sense of what I'd just witnessed.
I felt like I had just witnessed a space-time collapse on a smaller scale.
If my guess was right, the Essence had shifted into Space and Time element.
But calling them elements didn't feel right.
This place wasn't just elemental, it felt like a convergence of minor laws.
Arkas had called this place a convergence of elements, and after seeing what just happened, I couldn't help but agree with him.
The silver must have represented Space, and the teal represented Time.
This place must have seen some serious conflict to trigger something like that, to bring space-time into the equation.
But there was still something I didn't understand. Why was this field only activating when I passed through it? That didn't make sense.
Maybe I caused a disturbance in the field, but what exactly had triggered it, I had no clue. It was unlike anything I'd encountered before.
Letting out a long breath, I turned back, muttering under my breath, "I'll come back soon."
Every step felt like a challenge, my body protesting with each movement.
I found a nearby building, partially standing, just enough to give me something to lean on. With a sigh of relief, I sat down, grateful for the support of the crumbling wall behind me.
Reaching into my ring, I pulled out some water and took a long drink, letting the cool liquid calm me.
It didn't fully ease the tension in my body, but it helped.
I transferred the rest of my Essence to Constitution and then closed my eyes.
My full focus shifted to the generator core as it observed the surrounding energy to generate more Essence.
Time passed, and I remained focused.
*****
I exhaled deeply and pushed myself up to my feet.
"Finally, some good rest," I muttered to myself, feeling a bit more refreshed, but still not fully at ease.
That gravity field had really thrown me off course and messed with my original plan.
I reached into my storage ring and pulled out my staff, feeling its familiar weight in my hands. Channeling Essence into it, I stepped cautiously out of the building, ready to face whatever came next.
Once outside, I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the daylight.
The sun had risen, its golden light pouring over the horizon. A fresh day.
I stretched out my arms and rolled my shoulders, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. I couldn't help but notice how my body felt… different. Heavier. Tighter.
"Maybe the passive is starting to have some effect," I thought, a grin tugging at the corners of my lips. The increase in my strength and endurance wasn't something I could easily ignore anymore.
With that thought, I straightened up and took my first step forward, eager to keep moving.
I passed through a few more crumbled buildings, navigating through the ruins, but soon enough, I heard the sound in the air that signaled the presence of the Abominations.
I halted.
The familiar stench of decay hit me before I even laid eyes on them. I squinted through the ruins, my gaze fixing on three of the Abominations hunched over the lifeless body of another, feeding on its remains.
"Well, I guess there's a first for everything," I muttered under my breath, observing the gruesome scene.
I scanned them quickly.
[Level 41] [Level 43] [Level 43]
'Not too strong,' I thought, feeling a surge of confidence. I had leveled up recently and added plenty of stats to my build. These creatures were nothing I couldn't handle. But there was something else on my mind, something I'd been itching to try.
It was a thing June had told us about back when she gave us our first skills in the forest: combining two skills together.
Taking a deep breath, I focused. I channeled Essence into my staff, increasing its weight and giving it a heavier, more solid feel in my hand. I held the staff in my right hand, gripped tightly, and sprinted toward the unaware Abominations.
My legs bent as I crouched low and activated [Seismic Burst].
Boom.
The explosion of force shot me upward, propelling me through the air.
The bats' ears twitched at the sound, and in an instant, their heads snapped toward me. They screeched as they noticed me, their twisted faces locked onto mine.
I didn't hesitate. Closing my eyes, I activated [Psynapse Boost], allowing my perception to sharpen, the world slowing down around me. I adjusted my grip on the staff, holding it by the end with more control.
The air felt still, my heartbeat steady but loud in my chest. I expanded my will outward, focusing on the Essence in the area, pulling it toward me.
"Blazing Sfera," I whispered, commanding the Essence to gather at the far end of the staff.