Noa took another crystal into his trembling fingers and directed his mana stream straight into its core.
This time a sharp, shrill screech seemed to rise from within; the crystal instantly shattered into countless tiny fragments that scattered in four directions.
At the same moment, a smoke-like torrent of black mana poured out, spreading through the cold air of the cavern and swallowing the silence, as though the cave itself had begun to breathe.
Noa clenched his fist, breathing hard with irritation.
"This just made everything harder…" he muttered, voice low but laced with barely contained anger.
X glanced sideways, curiosity and suspicion mingling in his tone.
"Or perhaps the opposite… It's less dense this way. Doesn't that also mean the pain is noticeably reduced?"
Noa hesitated.
"You might be right… but it takes far longer—"
X pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly displeased.
