Silence settled over the small chamber where Alex sat, immersed in the depths of his inner world. The air around him quivered with an unseen energy, as if existence itself were witnessing the birth of something new. At last, after countless exhausting attempts that drained both body and spirit, he had succeeded—he had finally manifested his own mana core.
A green light pulsed from deep within his consciousness, only to vanish a heartbeat later. The white ring that had circled it since the beginning disappeared with it—not destroyed, but relocated. It descended into his inner world, settling above the transparent crystal that represented the interwoven fragments of his soul. It was this fusion that became his primary ability, the one he chose to name:
Soul Shield.
The crystal glowed with a vibrant emerald hue, encircled by a slow-revolving white ring that seemed to nourish his inner world with renewed energy. Alex felt that power coursing through his veins like cool water, reinvigorating every part of him. The spirits fused within the crystal absorbed that energy, glowing with a soft warmth that made him feel as if his very being was expanding.
With every pulse of mana, his strength grew in real time.
When he opened his eyes, he found Iris standing before him with a faint smile. Relief shimmered in her gaze as she said softly:
"Congratulations, Alex… you now possess a true mana ring."
She raised her eyebrows in subtle amazement before adding:
"You're officially a First-Ring mage. That's impressive… With the amount of mana you have, it seems you skipped the beginner stages and went straight to the peak of the First Ring."
Alex chuckled lightly, comfort washing over him.
"All thanks to you, Iris… Without your help, I never would've understood the mana system here."
She nodded gently.
"We're in the same boat now. No need for thanks."
He smiled. "Even so… I'm grateful."
"Don't be too grateful. This is only the beginning. The mana system is far more complex than you think—but at our current level, we can't dive into the details."
Her tone grew mysterious.
"For now, the most important thing is survival. Everything else comes later."
A subtle bond formed between them in that moment. Alex felt he could trust this girl—at least more than anyone he'd met in this strange world. Their meeting had been mere coincidence, but what held them together was something deeper.
They sat together near the entrance of the stone cave, the faint glow of mana crystals reflecting across their faces. After a quiet pause, Alex said:
"Well… I have many questions about this world. You seem oddly comfortable with the idea that I come from another one. Aren't you afraid I might be one of the 'invaders' you talk about?"
Iris smirked softly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Invaders? Would anyone send someone who's barely reached the First Ring to infiltrate our world?"
Alex laughed at that, but she continued more seriously:
"You're not the first. Many humans have emerged from the gates before. Some stayed to help, others ran… many died. These gates appear at random and stay open for a few days before vanishing again. No one knows when—or if—they'll return."
Alex listened intently.
"And everyone who comes through them is from another world?"
She nodded, a shadow crossing her expression.
"Yes… but their fates vary. Some are forced to stay. Others stay willingly. As for you…"
Her voice softened.
"I consider your arrival good luck."
"Without your help, I never would've gotten the metal essence… or escaped alive," she added quietly.
Alex smiled, more impressed by her courage than anything. In a land crawling with monsters, she met a stranger—and decided to team up with him to steal from three entire monster armies. Every time he remembered what they had just done, his heart raced with a mix of fear and excitement. They were unbelievably lucky the leaders of the monster factions had been too busy fighting one another.
Iris exhaled deeply before continuing:
"As I told you, the world changed twenty years ago. What we call the Mana Catastrophe destroyed most of human civilization. Animals and creatures that were once ordinary evolved at terrifying speed. They became so dangerous that our strongest weapons became useless. And worse… new gates appeared, pouring endless creatures from other realms."
"Our population was twenty billion. Now… we barely have a quarter of that."
Alex stared at her in disbelief.
"Twenty billion… before the catastrophe?!"
She nodded slowly.
"Yes. Now, only four billion remain. Humanity controls two continents. The other six belong to monsters, beast tribes, and evolved goblins. As for the seas…"
She hesitated, voice turning hollow.
"The seas are open graves. The monsters there defy description. Not even the strongest dare cross them."
Alex lowered his head in thought. The idea made perfect sense; marine life was already diverse and numerous—add mana-induced evolution, and the oceans would become a nightmare.
"So… are we on a human-controlled continent or not?" he asked quietly.
"No," she replied. "This continent is uncontrolled—pure chaos. Countless factions and beast tribes fight constantly over territory."
She elaborated further:
"Still, humanity maintains a strong presence here because the land is rich with minerals and rare life forms. Most people here are adventurers or fighters who hunt monsters and goblins to gain evolutionary energy. It's the fastest way to grow stronger."
"How big is your city?" he asked.
"About five million people. We control a wide area, but we're always at war with the surrounding monsters."
Pride and exhaustion blended in her voice.
"Right now, humanity has only two individuals at the King Level:
Orian, known as the Absolute Weapon,
and Malak, Lord of Beasts.
Their existence alone keeps us alive."
Alex nodded with genuine admiration.
"You rely heavily on individual strength, it seems."
"Strength isn't a luxury here," she said quietly. "It's survival."
A brief silence fell before Alex hesitated:
"But… why are you alone? Isn't it dangerous without a team?"
Her expression froze. The light in her eyes dimmed. After a long breath, she said:
"I had a team… three childhood friends. We fought together for years. But on one mission… we were ambushed by a high-tier evolved goblin and its horde. It was a brutal battle… one we lost. They all died."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"I survived only because of my teleportation ability."
She paused, the memory tightening her throat.
"Since that day… I haven't been able to form another team."
Alex lowered his gaze, speaking softly:
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to reopen old wounds."
She shook her head with a sad smile.
"It's fine. Loss is part of life here."
Only the crackling fire filled the silence. Alex felt a heaviness in his chest… but also a quiet resolve beginning to grow inside him.