Chapter 7: The Descent into the Magma Levels
The decision to relocate was not a matter of comfort, but a strategic necessity. The silent alarm in the Archive had turned the Abyss from a forgotten grave into a ticking time bomb. High above, the Holy Empire's "Inquisitors"—specialized mage-knights who hunted "heresy"—were likely already preparing their descent.
"Pack everything. If it can't be carried, deconstruct it for raw materials," Zen commanded, his eyes glowing with the blue light of the System as he managed a dozen tasks at once. "We are going down. Deeper than any exile has ever dared."
Grim looked at the tunnel floor, where a massive fissure led into a glowing, orange void. "Lad, the Magma Levels are no joke. The heat alone will melt the lungs of a normal man, and the creatures down there don't just eat stone—they breathe fire."
"That's why we aren't going as 'normal men,'" Zen replied. He tapped his multi-wrench against the side of the original Mana Furnace. "We're going as an industrial caravan."
[Objective: The Great Migration]
[Project: 'Crawler-Mk I' Mobile Base Platform]
[Required: 100 Units Refined Iron, 40 Units Copper, 2 High-Grade Mana Cores]
Zen didn't just pack the furnace; he transformed it. Using the Tier 2 Nanite construction skills he had unlocked, he watched as microscopic machines swarmed over the scrap metal and the furnace. The metal flowed like liquid, reshaping itself into a heavy-duty, six-legged mechanical platform. It looked like a giant, flattened beetle made of obsidian and steel, large enough to carry the dwarves, their supplies, and the furnace itself.
"Get on," Zen said, stepping onto the metal back of the Crawler.
As the group descended into the vertical shaft, the temperature began to rise. 100°F... 120°F... 150°F. The air became thick with the scent of sulfur and scorched earth. The dwarves began to pant, their skin turning beet-red.
"System, activate Thermal Shielding Bubble," Zen whispered.
[Energy Consumption: 15% per hour]
[Status: Temperature regulated to 72°F within a 5-meter radius]
A shimmering, translucent blue sphere expanded from the Crawler, pushing back the oppressive heat. The dwarves gasped in relief as the searing air suddenly turned cool and crisp. It was a miracle of engineering that defied the natural laws of the Abyss.
As they reached the bottom of the shaft, the world changed. The jagged black rocks of the upper levels were replaced by glowing veins of basalt and flowing rivers of molten lava. This was the Magma Level, a subterranean hellscape that acted as the planet's furnace.
"The thermal energy here is infinite," Zen noted, his eyes scanning the lava flows. "If I can tap into those magma vents, we won't need to hunt for mana cores anymore. We'll have enough power to run a city of millions."
But the Magma Level was not empty.
From a lake of molten rock, a massive shadow emerged. It was a Magma Salamander, a beast the size of a transit bus, covered in scales that dripped with liquid fire. It sensed the cool bubble of Zen's thermal shield—an anomaly in its burning world—and it lunged.
"Grim, take the controls! Keep the Crawler moving!" Zen shouted.
He stood at the edge of the mechanical platform, his wrench shifting into its new Tier 2 form: a High-Pressure Cryo-Cannon.
"You like the heat? Let's see how you handle absolute zero," Zen muttered.
[Target Locked: Salamander's Core]
[Output: 100% Liquid Nitrogen Pulse]
A beam of freezing white mist shot from Zen's weapon, clashing with the salamander's fiery breath. The steam explosion was deafening. The creature roared in pain as its molten scales were suddenly flash-frozen, cracking and shattering like brittle glass.
Zen didn't wait for it to recover. He fired a second shot, striking the beast's heart. The salamander turned into a giant, smoking statue of ice before crumbling into the lava.
[Enemy Defeated: Magma Salamander]
[Experience Gained: Level Up! Current Level: 6]
[New Title: Master of Thermodynamics]
The Crawler finally reached a stable plateau overlooking a massive lava waterfall. It was the perfect location—defensible, rich in rare minerals, and overflowing with thermal energy.
"This is it," Zen said, stepping off the platform. He jammed his wrench into the ground, and a massive blue grid surged across the plateau. "This is the foundation of the Sunless City. Grim, start the drills. We aren't just surviving anymore. We're building the Sentinel Gate."
The dwarves cheered, their voices echoing through the fiery cavern. Above them, the Empire was searching. But down here, in the heart of the world, a new power was being forged in the heat of the earth and the cold logic of science.