Minoru remained frozen, small and green against the backdrop of the massive, obsidian chamber. Two Golem Guardians, each holding 900 Magius, stood like silent sentinels before the monolithic, arch-shaped doorway. Retreat was the rational choice, but the sheer, compressed concentration of Magoi in this room was intoxicating, a physical lure he couldn't ignore.
He ignored the Guardians for a moment and focused his mind, casting Appraisal upon the central focal point of the chamber: the intricately carved archway.
"Appraisal. Analyze structural integrity and hidden function," Minoru mentally commanded, his focus absolute.
The Unique Skill responded, forcing the intense energy of the sealed chamber to yield its secrets. A flood of complex runes and architectural analysis appeared before his eyes, shining in the black air.
Object: Dimensional Arch (Ancient Lock)
Magoi Signature: Temporal Stabilizer, High Concentration.
Function: Gateway to an isolated dimensional space.
Affiliation: Draconic Construct.
Status: Active, Secured (Runes: 87% integrity).
Warning: Primary function leads to Draconic Nest (Ancient Habitat). Entrance is protected by a complex subterranean maze filled with high-level creatures (Dungeon Core Security).
Threat Assessment: Extreme. Currently safe only due to the structural complexity of the access tunnels.
Minoru let out a silent sigh of relief. A Dragon's Nest. That confirmed the high Magius concentration, but knowing it was separated by a labyrinth of monster-filled tunnels meant he didn't have to face a legendary beast today. His immediate threat was the two stone guards who could crush him into paste.
The goal isn't the dragon; the goal is the Magoi, he concluded.
He needed to absorb the powerful, compressed energy of this entrance chamber, but doing so near two 900-Magius Golems was a risk. He decided to mitigate the risk while maximizing the gain.
He focused intently, activating the Magoi Siphon. The cavern, rich with stagnant power, immediately began to feed him. Unlike the slow drip of the outer cavern (3 Magius/hour), the pressurized Magoi in the dungeon entrance was intense.
[Magoi Siphon (Basic) Rate Update: Magius Saturation detected. Current intake boosted to 15 Magius/hour.]
Minoru felt a powerful, clean surge of warmth. The exhaustion that had lingered even after the crystal consumption vanished. His Magius total began to climb rapidly.
This is a golden opportunity, he thought, remaining crouched low by the fissure entrance. I will recharge here, but I won't linger. I have 85 Magius. I need 15 more to reach 100 and maximize my capacity.
He pulled out his status update and monitored the counter, using the downtime to strategize.
"I am a Lesser Variant Goblin with a Max Magius of 100," he internally narrated, structuring his thoughts like a corporate risk analysis presentation. "My objective is evolution to Hobgoblin (Stage I), requiring 1000 Magoi Saturation and three kills of monsters \ge 500 Magius. My current passive recharge will solve the Magius Pool requirement in one hour."
He watched the numbers climb: 88, 91, 94...
"The Saturation requirement is the challenge. The Fangjaw Wolf, the beast that killed my clan and nearly killed me, was 750 Magius. Killing it would not only advance the 'Threat Elimination' requirement by one, but consuming its core or highly saturated tissues would provide a massive leap in Magoi Saturation. It's revenge, yes, but it's also the most efficient path to evolution."
He knew the wolf would still be lurking near the ravine entrance, possibly frustrated but waiting. He had thrown off its scent, but he had left a large pool of blood at the scene of the thorn bush attack. The wolf was a patient, powerful predator, and Minoru now saw it less as a foe and more as a high-value resource. He needed to track it, ambush it, and claim his first victory.
By the time his thoughts finalized, his Magius gauge hit the limit.
Magius: 100 / 100 (Max)
He was fully charged. He maintained the Siphon just long enough to feel the compressed energy of the dungeon entrance start to affect his overall Magoi Saturation requirement.
Magoi Saturation: 275 units.
It was enough. He didn't need to push his luck further. The sheer power of the Golems was a suffocating pressure, and the risk of activation was too high for a meager 275 units of Saturation gain. He needed to execute the Cautious Retreat.
He immediately shut off the Magoi Siphon. The sudden removal of the compressed energy made the air feel thin. He kept his Enhanced Senses active, focusing his hearing on the deep pool outside the fissure.
He backed slowly, deliberately, into the narrow fissure opening, never taking his eyes off the two towering Golem Guardians. The Guardians did not move, their red runic eyes remaining dark. Their Threat Recognition Protocols remained dormant.
With a profound sense of relief, Minoru squeezed back into the dark, narrow tunnel. He didn't stop crawling until he burst back out into the open cavern, gasping slightly from the exertion and the mental strain of being near such overwhelming power.
The vast cavern, lit by the pale blue crystals, suddenly felt like a familiar sanctuary compared to the oppressive dungeon entrance. He crawled back to the edge of the large, still pool, the Magoi from the environment already feeling less sharp, more ambient.
He looked down into the black water. The rhythmic, subtle pulse of Magoi he had sensed earlier was still there. It was far less intense than the dungeon entrance, but it was organized and steady. It was calling to him, perhaps promising something more subtle than raw power.
The dungeon leads to a dragon, but this pool leads to a secret, Minoru mused. If I'm going to take on a 750 Magius wolf, I need every advantage I can get.
He activated his Gills using the abundant Magius he now possessed.
[Adaptation: Gills (Rudimentary) activated. Cost: 1 Magius.]
He took a final, deep breath of cavern air, adjusted the thorns in his flank, and slipped silently into the icy, black water of the deep pool.