Chapter 32

Chapter 32

As they entered the cave, the darkness grew thicker.

A vast amount of energy could be felt inside.

Ians lips curled up slightly at the nonchalant setting.

You can walk comfortably for a while.

Meanwhile.

Step by step.

Silvias movements, as always, were infinitely graceful.

In truth, she wanted to illuminate her surroundings with magic.

The darkness frightened her.

It was probably due to her childhood, separated from her parents.

The upper echelon of Laurent was always busy, and young Silvia, having nightmares, had no one by her side.

The deep darkness, like a night without someone to rely on, was always frightening.

This should be fine. Ian must be thinking of something. There must be a reason for preferring darkness in strategy or something.

Actually, Ian just liked the night, thats all.

Thud.

A stone rolled under Silvias wrongly placed foot.

Her face remained composed, but her trembling eyebrows betrayed her fear.

Ahh! Dont shout! I cant do that!

Internally, she was in a panic.

Ian was walking about ten steps ahead.

She wanted to get closer without being noticed.

Could she get closer by talking about something?

Silvia pondered for a moment and remembered a topic.

Uh, did you hear about Lina Rosewell acting strangely in the dormitory yesterday?

Step by step.

Ian lightly stopped and started walking again, allowing Silvia to get a bit closer.

Strangely?

Yes. She was wandering around at midnight, asking why the world was treating her like this. She seemed like she might have been sleepwalking, but her expression was scary.

Did you hear any more specific details?

Silvia tried to recall.

She had already pushed aside anything related to work.

There seemed to be a reason why this rumor came to mind.

Oh! She said she was looking for you, Ian. Is there something between you two?

Another half-step.

While Ian stopped, Silvia closed the gap.

No, nothing special.

Hmph. Boring.

What should she talk about next?

Come to think of it, it was the first time she was considering a conversation topic to get closer to someone, not about work.

And also Why am I worrying about something like this? Ian, do you have nothing to say?

If youre scared, you can create light. Dont sneak up behind me.

Oh, no, its not like that!

Silvia cried out reflexively without realizing it and regretted it.

She should have just honestly said she was scared.

Maintaining the image of the upper-class heiress was her constant effort for sophistication.

Come to think of it, Ian seems like he wouldnt care about such things.

Silvia observed Ian quietly.

Despite his somewhat dirty appearance, his clothes were surprisingly neat.

Was he always like this?

Or was it just that the dim light concealed the scruffy look?

Silvia tilted her head and asked Ian.

Do you not manage your image?

Image?

Yes. People think youre just someone who walks around with pretty girls without knowing the subject if they dont know you.

Straight to the point.

Ian paused for a moment.

Silvia silently celebrated her boldness.

Does the rumor match the real me in your eyes?

No. Ive talked to you, so I think better of you No! What am I saying! Its just that the rumor is a bit different! I really hate judging people based on appearances!

Ian chuckled in response.

I feel the same way. So, turn on the light. Your elegant heiress concept wont work on me.

Silvias light magic slowed their movements.

-Puhuk

Ian beat them with the Lunar, which was filled with moonlight.

Since most of them were naturally occurring monsters, the strategy wasnt too challenging.

They had reached the dungeons central area.

Before them, a vast pond-like expanse unfolded, with a wide area visible in the middle.

It was undoubtedly the place where the dungeons owner resided.

Weve arrived. Boss room.

Ian declared, and Silvia couldnt hide her amazement.

W-Who are you really? How did you handle those grade 7 monsters so easily!

Dont be too surprised yet. Get ready.

Are we going to cross this water? No, wait a moment.

Silvia looked at the pond in front of her with a blank expression.

It was so wide that it was hard to believe it was inside the cave. It would be more appropriate to call it a lake.

And gradually, Silvias expression turned from surprise to shock.

At first, she thought it was water, but it wasnt.

I-Ian, this is!

Yeah. Its all mana.

Ignoring Silvias astonishment, Ian sat down in front of the mana lake.

A V-shaped ravine. A shape that allows mana from the mountains to gather easily. The mana that gathered through the small holes that looked like caves has crystallized here.

But it doesnt look like pure mana

Various elements must have mixed in. Mana itself is colorless and odorless. Many elements and things must have mixed during the crystallization process.

Ian explained, then touched the mana lake with his fingertips.

Wait a moment! I dont have a good feeling about this! It feels like magic. Touching it carelessly might trigger a mana explosion!

Dont worry.

Ian, undeterred, pressed his fingertips against the mana lake.

A tingling sensation in his fingertips.

!!!

Ignoring the fuss Silvia was making beside him, Ian closed his eyes and focused.

A lake made of mana. At first glance, it seemed majestic, but in reality, it was different.

Mana gathered while experiencing many things in the mountain.

There were many impurities.

Externally, it felt like magic, similar to Silvia.

The peculiar energies had a significant presence.

However, they were just some of the impurities.

The mana lake, made up of mana and all things, wasnt as fatal or overwhelming as one might think.

Ian envisioned this purified place.

At the same time, he activated his ability, Dishwashing.

Chijijijijik

Dark energies emanated from the lake near Ian.

Purification? W-Wait a moment. A-Are you really trying to purify all of this? Such a thing

Even through Silvias voice that could be heard beyond his consciousness, Ian dismissed it from his mind.

Dishwashing was an ability.

However, the one manifesting this ability was Ian, merely a human.

He couldnt purify all of this alone.

But.

I sense the earths energy within the mana.

The mana gathered along the mountain slope.

Originally, it was mana derived from the earth.

Even if they were contaminated, the impurities also came from the earth.

In that mixture, he sensed the energy of the earth.

Gurgling!

The lake reacted as if boiling.

From the corner where Ian was positioned, waves spread gradually, extending further and further.

No. What the h*ll.

Black vapors rising from the entire lake.

The black mists emerging from the vast pond in the cave were overwhelming in themselves.

Ah

Silvia stared blankly at the scene unfolding before her.

It was a spectacle created by Ian.

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