When the inner gate's opened, they were expecting another floor of this nightmarish labyrinth, but instead it gave them a corridor of pale stone lit by calm glyphs. They entered the room behind the hydra's layer only to find an empty room of near about 100 square meters.
As they walked towards its centre the entire room began to descend.
The world behind dissolved into a wash of white, and for the first time in what felt like months, Hajime's shoulders eased by a fraction as if his mind was forcefully calmed down.
The descent wasn't a tunnel so much as a throat of light. A quiet hum, steady and ancient, seeped into bone and mind. No traps. No killing intent. Just the kind of ordered magic that suggested someone had once taken pride in building beauty, not cruelty.
"Feels less like a dungeon," Hajime muttered, "and more like an extremely over-designed inverted tower."
"Mm… a pretentious one," Yue agreed softly.
Her fingers brushed against and slid alongside the wall of light which waw etched with microscopic magic circles and rune craft, steady, firm. Even in this strange state of induced calm, her presence grounded him.
As the platforms slowed, the white haze of solid light parted to reveal a gate made of white stone veined with gold, carved in spirals that weren't divine scripts but diagrams—circles within circles, arrays branching like a craftsman's draft.
After their decent they approached to entrance gateway ahead of them, the gateway began to scan them as walked towards it. Lines of Light clicked the into place. A deep, rolling boom echoed as the doors split open. Then they began to open slowly and showed what's inside.
A palace.
A palace at the end of hell. And a beautiful one at that.
Hajime let out a low whistle. "Okay. The basterd had taste."
"Or stubborn pride," Yue murmured. "He built something grander than the temples of god, out of spite? maybe."
"Now that I respect. Let's check it out and let's not let our guards down yet shall we."
"Mmn"
Both Hajime and Yue began a slow yet though examination of the castle and its surrounding, the walkway leading towards the castle was covered with the lush green of trees and plants on both the sides.
The sealing of this floor was an either coated with or made up of crystals, it was like a planetarium. Currently it looked like twilight hours of the sky yet the light it produces seems to be real. Maybe the space is connected to the sky above the labyrinth using magic?.
Inside the palace the main hall stretched the size of a cathedral: pillars like branching silver trees, light orbs drifting overhead in perfect choreographies, and far at the end, a dais and a throne with a skeleton sitting on it, and in between them and the throne there was a dormant magic circle that covered the entire ground in front of them.
The air hummed with dormant authority, dense but controlled—magic layered with mathematical precision. It felt like standing inside a machine built with artistic vanity.
Before touching the throne's circle, Hajime breathed out. "We should do something first. While nothing in here is trying to kill us."
"Devouring time?" Yue asked.
"Devouring time."
She nodded once, understanding all the unsaid concerns. Together they stepped through a side archway into what looked like a lounge connected to the garden—a quiet room with low couches, soft light, and a window revealing a star-field that couldn't possibly exist underground.
Hajime placed the hydra heads on the table six coloured, one argent silver and summoned the rest of its body in the garden ahead, each preserved in his inventory.
He them began his transmutation work; first he separated the hydra's shell the only part that remains unharmed even after all that battle from its body, which he analysed using "Ore Appraisal."
Azantium: A jet-black ore that is considered to be the hardest substance in Tortus. Even a light coat of it is enough to withstand most attacks. On the Mohs scale that went up to 10, it would rank a 10.2 for hardness.
"The hell this shit tougher than diamonds no wonder it only has slight scratches from our fights. Hell ya, I hit it big haha~"
On to the next part, he extracted all the scales from all the hydra heads and its body he will play with them later. He also noticed that while the heart had a hole in it, it was still intact and there were seven mana core around it six surrounding the heart and one in the heart. The heads also had these cores so all in all he has a total of 14 cores + the heart to consume.
Yue stood close as he began.
First he took the fire hydra's head & its 2 core's one small and on large.
Predator engaged.
Heat slammed into him his mana core began to burn up the mana flowing through his veins felt like fire coursing him instead of blood it took nearly 10 minutes for his "Mana Heart Reactor" for him to adapt and regenerate from the internal burns he suffered.
He then felt like something was trying to affect his rationality trying to make his emotion explode in rage like a volcano about to erupt but with the use of "Telepathy", "Thought Acceleration", "Quantum Calculation", "Analytical Appraisal", "Parallel Processing" and " Mental Resistance" crushed the barely formed seed of this wild instincts in his mind before they breathed, distilling them into clean frameworks—Fire Manipulation, Fire Resistance.
Then the rest followed similar processes the Ice hydra's head was next. Cold depths and crushing currents, his blood began to freeze only to begin burning up again as if trying to find harmony in between. Ice Manipulation, Cold Resistance.
One by one the hydra's nature yielded to him all the while making him suffer from it.
Wind's cutting joy as it tore through his veins. It yielded him Air Manipulation & Air Resistance.
Earth's quiet pride solidified his body into rigidity that made it nearly impossible for to move without breaking himself apart from inside. It yielded him with Earth Manipulation & Earth Resistance.
White's healing warmth that knew no limit that made him and grow uncontrollably like cancer cell it kept on growing. It yielded him Light Manipulation & Light resistance + a massive boost to his regeneration which was instantaneous now as long as he has mana to sustain it.
Black's insidious whispers grew in heart trying to make him doubt the meaning of his life if he ever did things right he doesn't deserve any of what he has achieved, it made him doubt the trust he had in his mother, father, sister, his friends, and yue. It yielded him Dark manipulation & Dark Resistance + his "Mental Resistance" Skill also got a significant upgrade.
And then silver hydra's head & core—Disintegration, raw and terrible pure erasure he only survives this assimilation due to three factor's.
1st) He had consumed the entire soul of the hydra with the last one being held in the silver 's cores which gave him the hydra's Original Skill "Evolution".
2nd) The boost he got to his regeneration.
3rd) Predator snarled against it and under the soul core precise control it broke down and was repurposed it into something usable.
Disintegration Manipulation.
Disintegration Resistance.
Limit Break.
Some of his other skills also evolves like for example his "Mana Heart Reactor" → "Dragon Heart" and "Adaptive Growth" → "Adaptive Evolution" and some small changes.
His stats however surged into absurdity—monstrous even by his broken standards.
Name: Hajime Nagumo
Race: Human/Dragon (Partial)(Heavily Modified)
Job: Alchemist
Level: ‽‽‽
Attributes
Strength: 29,990 (40,000) (100,000)
Vitality: 40,120 (60,000) (110,000)
Defence: 20,900 (40,000) (90,000)
Agility: 39,000 (60,000) (110,000)
Magic: 48,870 (100,000) (300,000)
Magic Defence: 41,520 (60,000) (110,000)
MANA & ENERGY SYSTEMS
Active Systems:
Mana Heart Reactor
Continuum Core (Equipped)
Twelvefold Equalizer (Equipped)
Flow Governor (Equipped)
※ Equipment Mana Capacity Applied
※ Mana Logistics System Active
SKILLS
■ Core Alchemy
Transmute EX
└ Precision Alchemy
└ Mapped Alchemy
└ Synthesis & De-synthesis
└ Item Creation
└ Potions Master
└ Trap Construction
└ Ore Perception
└ Ore Appraisal
└ Precision Transmutation
└ Ore Desynthesis
└ Ore Synthesis
└ Duplicate Transmutation
└ High-Speed Alchemy
└ Weapon Creation
└ Potion Synthesis
└ Poison Synthesis
■ Mana Manipulation
Mana Discharge
Mana Compression
Remote Manipulation
High-Speed Mana Regeneration
All Element Amplification
■ Combat & Movement
Swordsmanship (Basic)
All Element Manipulation
└ Aerodynamic
└ Supersonic Step
└ Steel Legs
└ Gale Claw.
└ Lightning Clad
└ Lightning Field.
Density Control.
Plant Control.
Pheromone Creation
└ Feromonikinesis.
■ Perception & Stealth
Detect Magic
Hide Magic
Presence Manipulation
└ Sense Presence
└ Hide Presence
└ Presence Alteration
Camouflage
Truth Eyes
└ Night Vision
└ Heat Vision
└ Illusion Vision
└ Aura Vision
└ Acceleration Vision
└Energy Vision
■ Body Reinforcement
Diamond Skin → Dragon Skin.
Abnormal Resistance.
└ Poison Resistance
└ Paralysis Resistance
└ Petrification Resistance
└ Mental Resistance
└ Fear Resistance
UNIQUE SKILLS
■ Infinite Resonance (Awakened)
Resonance
Multi-layered mana perception and mapping
Real-time mana synchronization
Resonance amplification with bonded targets
Status linking
United will
Nexus Overdrive
■ First Resonator: Yue
Automatic Regeneration
Blood Conversation
Spell Melding
Image Composition
Mana Manipulation
■ Predator
Stomach
■ Soul Core
■ Mana Heart Reactor → Dragon Heart
Ambrosia-Laden Blood
High-Speed Regeneration
Adaptive Growth → Adaptive Evolution
EXTRA ABILITIES
Inventory
Telepathy
Telekinesis
Parallel Processing
Hive Mind
Thought Acceleration
Quantum Calculation
Analytical Appraisal
TITLES
Survivor of the Abyss
Adept of Infinite Resonance
Predator
Transmutation Expert
Expert Alchemist
First Resonator (Yue)
He showed Yue. She stared with a calm face that didn't match the jolt of awe and possessive pride echoing through their bond.
"You've left the world behind," she said in quite awe.
"The bastard tried to eat me first so I ate him instead, and now I'm somehow a dragon"
She stepped closer as if in a trance and tried to resonate with him. Resonance pulsed between them, a chord tightening. The link tried to equalize their baselines, but her body in its current form couldn't take the flood. instead, it did the next best thing it could.
Her astral dress flared up brighter than any time before.
Light erupted around her—a gold and crimson cocoon forming, racing with runes that curved across her skin. Her silhouette stretched, refined. Mana channels thickened. Strength grew. Mana bloomed outward in a steady rise.
When the cocoon shattered, Yue stood there as if just being born for the first time—changed.
Her height now met Hajime's brow's instead of his collarbone. Limbs long and sleek. Waist narrow but stronger. Shoulders balanced. Chest fuller an almost F cup. Hips defined. A Percy backside, body no longer constrained by the looks of a child. The perfect hour glass figure if you would.
silver white hair formed the crown of her head the same as his then it changed to Golden hair as it spilled longer down her back, shimmering with starlit undertones. The astral gown adjusted itself in a single ripple, hugging the changes as though it had always been meant for this version of her.
Her eyes, though, were unchanged—deep, calm crimson, steady in their affection and perhaps something more.
Hajime exhaled. "You… updated the model." trying to joke.
Yue flexed a hand, testing weight and motion. "Mm. Resonance pulled this from my future echoes. My old body couldn't Share your status."
Her tone was matter-of-fact, but her presence radiated quiet anticipation.
"How is it?" she asked softly. "Do you… like it?"
He swallowed and said while averting his face. "It's efficient. Stronger channels. More durable frame."
"Hajime," she said, eyes narrowing slightly.
"And you look beautiful beyond words though there is a slight issue, that being…" He cleared his throat. "you are extremely distracting."
Satisfaction warmed the link like sunlight.
They tested her new form—movement in the practice hall, mana throughput, Resonance synchronization. Everything clicked into place with smooth ease. Hajime watched her adapt instantly to the shifted balance, her predatory grace now amplified by a body that matched her power.
When she drank his blood she would press her boobs against his back and some time she would sit on his lap and press herself up from the front, it was getting harder and harder for him to keep certain part's in control in front of her.
Afterward, as they continued their browsing of the castle as they walked deeper into the palace's wings, they found rooms lined with sealed tomes, workshops fitted with crystal instruments, and lounges clearly meant for long-term habitation—not survival.
After conforming that there aren't any threat's they relaxed. For the first time since the abyss, Hajime felt his mind slowing, unwinding. The ever-present watchdog instinct eased to a passive hum.
Calm.
Strange.
Dangerous.
In this place built by a man who defied a god, calm felt like an invitation.
And maybe—just maybe—it was safe to accept it for a moment.
They spent a few minutes moving between rooms, poking at dormant arrays, mapping mana flows, testing how Infinite Resonance reacted to Oscar's systems. Yue handled it with her usual serene precision, her adult form moving with hypnotic certainty.
Eventually, Hajime stretched his arms over his head and exhaled. "A months break. We can take them."
"Mm," Yue murmured. "Rest. Train. Eat. You will build new artifacts. I will refine the magic in these halls."
"And no backtracking of the labyrinth just yet," he added.
"That, too."
They paused in a corridor where the mana felt warmer, drifting in soft currents. Golden light traced the glass walls in patterns like flowing water.
"Feels like a heating system," Yue said.
Hajime inhaled, his Excitement increasing. "Hot springs," he said.
Yue blinked. "Wait—what?"
"Yup." he pointed. "There."
A door in the wall pulsed faintly—warded, but not locked. The symbol on its centre was fluid magic, more artistic than functional.
Hajime approached cautiously, set his palm to the statue, and pushed mana inside.
The mouth slid open on silent hinges.
Steam drifted out—warm, mineral-rich water began to flow out, glowing faintly from the excess mana-infused in the water.
A chamber unfolded beyond: stone basin wide enough for ten people, fed by channels of luminous liquid. The water steamed in soft waves, reflecting crystalline lights overhead. Pale stone gleamed under the glow, smooth as polished marble.
An Onsen.
A private bathing chamber built at the core of a god-defying labyrinth.
Yue stopped beside him, golden hair swaying as she looked into the room.
Her voice was soft, but held a note beneath it he rarely heard.
"Bath," she said.
Hajime swallowed, nervous.
"…Yeah," he answered. "Bath."
The steam curled around them, warm and inviting.
Yue stepped forward.
Her Astral dress shimmered, reacting to the room's mana, light brushing the tips of her fingers as she crossed the threshold.
And Hajime knew—
This was where the calm ended.
Where a different kind of danger began.
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Author: "Could I have some stones?"
Reader: "They've all been absorbed into the Resonator network. Try syncing instead."
Author: buffering emotionally… 📡
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