As Aryan stepped across the threshold of the safehouse, he realized the world outside had fundamentally changed for him. The mana particles floating in the air were no longer invisible forces; they were clear, shimmering like fish in a stream. But he wasn't alone. Kabir stood right beside him, a faint smirk on his face and a high-tech gauntlet gleaming on his wrist.
"Did you really think I'd let you go alone?" Kabir asked, adjusting his glasses. "I know you've turned into a 'nuclear contingency,' but even a bomb needs an engineer to make sure it hits the right target."
Aryan chuckled and nodded. For the first time, he felt the burden of his journey lighten—he wasn't alone anymore. "Alright. Let's see what your tech and my Void can do when they play together."
The duo headed toward the outskirts of the city to a D-Rank Dungeon known as 'Shadow-Crawl.'
[Explanation: The Void Dantian and 'Void Crush']
Inside Aryan, the Void Orb was humming like a silent, steady engine. He no longer had to beg for Mana from his surroundings. As they walked, he practiced his newly conceived technique—'Void Crush.' This wasn't a skill granted by the system; it was an art born from Aryan's own willpower. By compressing Void energy into a singular point, he could create a localized gravitational pressure so intense it would grind an enemy's bones to dust from the inside out.
The moment they entered the damp, dark corridors of the dungeon, dozens of 'Shadow-Creepers' swarmed them from the ceilings.
"Aryan, six o'clock, six beasts!" Kabir shouted. He tapped a button on his gauntlet, and a digital lens snapped over his right eye. "My turn. [Skill: Tech Fighter's Fighting Spirit]!"
A blue aura erupted around Kabir. His movements became a blur, his speed tripling instantly. He wasn't a magical warrior; he was a master of using technology to push his human biological limits to the edge. He wove through the beasts like lightning, his mechanical punches shattering skulls with surgical precision.
"Not bad, Kabir!" Aryan called out.
Suddenly, a massive Creeper lunged at Kabir's exposed back. Aryan didn't move from his spot. He simply reached out and closed his fist in the air.
"Void Crush."
The air behind Kabir seemed to vanish. A surge of purple energy snared the monster mid-flight, twisting its body like a piece of crumpled paper. But the real spectacle happened after the kill. As the monster died, its remaining essence turned into a purple mist and was sucked directly into Aryan's body.
> [System Alert: Void Storage +0.5%]
> [Insight: Low-level Essence Absorption Complete.]
"Aryan! What was that?" Kabir asked, eyes wide with shock. "You didn't just kill it... you drank it?"
"My Dantian doesn't just store anymore, Kabir. It consumes," Aryan replied, his eyes flickering with a dangerous light.
For the next ten minutes, the dungeon was a scene of calculated carnage. Kabir used his 'Fighting Spirit' to herd the monsters into tight clusters, and Aryan eradicated them with 'Void Crush' and the silent sweep of Vedna. Their teamwork was seamless, as if they had been fighting side-by-side for years.
After the Dungeon Boss fell, a shimmering 'Reward Chest' materialized before them. Inside were several rare stones and a high-grade 'Mana Core.'
Kabir stepped back, shaking his head. "Aryan, this is all yours. Honestly, I wouldn't have lasted two minutes in here without you."
Aryan ignored him, divided the loot into two even piles, and shoved one toward Kabir. "No. We cleared this together. The reward is split equally."
"But Aryan, you need these to grow..." Kabir tried to protest.
"Kabir," Aryan's voice turned serious, almost stern. "In a friendship, we don't do favors; we do what's right. You came with me. You watched my back. This is your share. And if you don't take it, I'm not bringing you next time."
A strange warmth flickered in Kabir's eyes. He smiled and pocketed the core. He realized he hadn't just found a powerful ally—he had found a brother.
As they reached the exit, Aryan suddenly froze. Near an ancient stone statue, a shadow was waiting. It wasn't a monster. It was a man cloaked in a tattered black hood.
Kabir immediately went into a combat stance. "Who goes there?"
The hooded man turned slowly. His eyes had no pupils—they were just two voids of pure, milky white. "Impressive. The heir of the First Guild and the 'Glitch' who is now being called a 'Bomb'... your synchronization is truly remarkable."
Aryan gripped Vedna tightly. "You're one of Devendra Verma's men, aren't you?"
The shadow flicked a black card toward Aryan, embossed with the 'Roxius' insignia. "My master does not like to be kept waiting, Aryan. If you can clean up this 'trash' of a dungeon, then you are worthy of a private audience. Tomorrow morning. Roxius Headquarters."
With a swirl of smoke, the man vanished. Kabir picked up the card, his expression grim. "Aryan... Devendra Verma is one of the most enigmatic men alive. Going to him will either change your destiny or become your death warrant."
Aryan pocketed the card and looked up at the fading sunlight outside. "I've already changed my destiny once, Kabir. Let's see what death has to say about it this time."