28. Reward, Character Enhancement
Thud-.
With each arrow piercing through, the queen ant screamed in agony.
Bleeding began from the swollen, bulging areas of the giant ant’s abdomen, and fluids dripped like water from various parts of its exoskeleton.
“This might work.”
It was an effective strategy.
Excitement gleamed in Han’s eyes.
While the Earth Golem attracted attention, Irina delivered successive fatal blows.
Being able to switch to a momentary stance suitable for the situation through the temperament mode selection was indeed a groundbreaking strategy.
But relaxation was not an option.
Finally, the queen ant’s massive body began to stagger significantly.
The front leg that aimed for the golem wavered and swiped through empty air.
“Exhausted!”
The creature was so worn out that it couldn’t even maintain its massive body.
Sensing imminent danger, it turned its gaze towards Irina, who had been relentlessly launching threatening attacks.
Its target shifted.
Ignoring even the golem blocking its path, the creature charged forward.
Its massive foreleg aimed at her like a disaster.
“Irina!”
Han exclaimed in surprise.
Although she narrowly managed to dodge.
But the creature’s attack didn’t end there.
Its fierce, predatory gaze remained fixed on Irina.
Now, not even the golem was on its mind.
It was solely focused on Irina.
This couldn’t go on.
She needed to provide her with the means to counterattack.
“Summon Fire Pit!”
She brought out the final card she had concealed.
At the sudden appearance of a bright red flame, the startled queen ant reflexively jerked its long foreleg.
Of course, the formless flames did not extinguish.
They continued to burn and flicker in that spot.
And that moment of confusion gave Irina enough time for a knightly resurgence.
“Haaa!”
She had imbued her bow with all the sacred power she possessed.
Pausing her breath along with her heartbeat, she released the bowstring.
Thud!
The creature’s bodily fluids splattered more violently than ever before.
The queen ant’s abdomen burst open!
“Ki, ii….”
Queen ant.
Finally, the massive boss extended its hefty foreleg and slumped weakly to the ground.
The resentment that filled its eyes gradually vanished.
It was the end of the ordeal.
“…Haah.”
The onlookers, as well as Irina, all let out a sigh of relief.
Chirp-!
At that moment, a warning alert from the system chimed in.
“…Huh?”
[Abnormal play detected! Due to fairness concerns, the use of the next bonfire will be restricted for a while!]
“hahahaha.”
In response to the system’s mention, Han let out a bitter laugh.
He spoke with a smile on his face.
“I understand your warnings, but what can we do, system? Both Irina and I need to survive for now.”
[…….]
The system remained silent at Han’s words.
Perhaps even the system itself unknowingly agreed with him.
After all, regardless of what the system thinks, it is bound by constraints, unable to take direct action even if it wants to help.
That was the situation at that time.
Ding!
A message appeared before Han.
[Congratulations! You have successfully conquered the Ant Colony Dungeon!]
[You have successfully cleared the final third special event Invasion!]
[As a reward, a ‘new function’ has been unlocked!]
“…A new function?”
“Oh.”
Along with the system’s alarm,
a jewel emitting a mysterious blue light materialized and landed on Irina’s hand.
Han knew the name of this object.
“Mana Stone….”
A gemstone that also appeared in his world.
It was an aggregate of dungeons that appeared as a reward alongside dungeon clears.
From Noble mtl dot com
The current humanity was using the previous energies as replacements.
***
“Irina, Nuna!”
Zion and Yumina, waiting outside with bows in hand.
The two siblings’ faces brightened.
Perched on Golem’s shoulder, Irina returned to face Zion and Yumina.
Irina, with a face covered in dirt from crawling through ant tunnels, genuinely smiled white upon seeing the children again.
It was a beautiful smile that even Han, who was watching, was captivated by.
“I’m back. Kids.”
***
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 4!]
[Your basic abilities have increased compared to before!]
[The maximum limit of your points has been expanded to 2500 points!]
“Oh. Nice!”
Level and point limits have been raised.
The limit of points refers to the reserve of energy for actions.
There was nothing more important than this.
At the same time, the duration of summoning ‘Big Hands’ had significantly increased, now lasting up to an hour.
Compared to the beginning, there was much more freedom now.
However, it seemed that this time, it wouldn’t just end like this.
The system’s alert indicated it wasn’t over yet.
[A new feature, an expansion menu using mana stones, is being added!]
[You can now create a ‘Mana Spring’!]
[Race-specific function, ‘Character Enhancement,’ is now available!]
“Ah.”
Han’s mouth fell open.
He felt something.
His gaze shifted to the mana stone on the table.
The one Irina had brought back after clearing the dungeon.
“Could it be because of that?”
A message popped up before him.
[Would you like to create a Mana Spring?]
Pop!
A mana stone appeared in the air.
“Uh….”
At this unexpected sight, the eyes of the elves widened.
The mana stone slowly floated in the air, then began to move as if it had wings, fluttering and swaying on its own.
“Sis, why is it doing that?”
“Well, I’m not sure either….”
Amidst everyone’s puzzled looks.
Soon, the Mana Stone gently landed in front of the World Tree, gradually sinking beneath the ground to conceal its form.
That was the beginning.
[A Mana Spring is being generated.]
Plop!
Initially, a trickle of small water began to flow out.
Just a little, enough to make the ground damp.
Trickle, trickle, trickle!
Gradually, the momentum of the water stream increased, and water began to gush out vigorously.
In the blink of an eye, a puddle formed in front of the World Tree.
It was a spring water that shone in a fresh blue light, extraordinary and mysteriously unmatched.
[The formation process of the Mana Spring is complete!]
[From now on, you can use the racial exclusive function, ‘Character Enhancement’!]
The elves gazed at the spring water emitting white smoke.
They marveled as they dipped their hands into the current flowing from the spring water.
“It’s fascinating. It looks like clear water on the surface, but… it’s not water.”
“When you put your hand in the spring, it disperses like smoke.”
“It looks like a spring where smoke gathers.”
It was a strange sight of bluish smoke emanating from the spring.
Should we say it looks like a spring of dry ice?
Everyone was intrigued by this extraordinary and fascinating sight.
Originally, the mist-like current flowing from the Mana Stone filled the spring with mana, causing this phenomenon.
“Oh, oh? Wow.”
In awe, they were all the same.
He revealed a smile at the sight that unfolded before his eyes.
[Character Enhancement through the Mana Spring]
[Currently Enhanceable Characters: Zion, Yumina.]
[Zion: Physical Enhancement Talent can be developed.]
[Yumina: Low-level Magic Talent can be developed.]
[When developing talents, 2500 points (points) and 2500 MP (mana energy) will be consumed.]
[Current Mana Spring Capacity: 5000 MP]
[When a new Mana Stone is charged, the consumed spring water will replenish.]
“At last!”
Han could intuit the meaning behind this alert.
Just like during Irina’s time, it contained similar content.
“Yeah. It was a bit odd that Zion and Yumina were only under Irina’s protection all this time.”
It seems like this is the beginning of that change.
Their awakening is approaching.
***
Morning broke.
Han stood up while stretching.
Somehow, his heart was beating a little faster.
Today was finally the day he had been waiting for.
“I’ve waited a whole day for this.”
His mana energy (MP) was fully charged, but he lacked the necessary points (pt).
Due to various actions such as calling a lunchbox for Irina and her siblings who had depleted their energy after calling a flashlight in the past or clearing a dungeon, even the remaining points were spent due to overlapping behaviors.
[Please imbue the hand of God in the mana spring. Mana will come out fully stored along your touch.]
Splash.
Han followed the system’s instructions.
As he dipped his large hand into the mana spring, the mana that filled the spring flowed out along his hand.
The mana, shining blue, stuck to his hand and seemed to swirl around.
This was the essence of mana.
“Wow….”
The elves were watching his actions.
The scene unfolding before them was truly mystical.
While everyone was staring blankly, only Han moved.
As slow and deliberate as possible.
So as not to startle the elves.
“…My God?”
Han approached Zion, who was looking at him.
In front of Zion, he spread out his hand.
Mana floated above his large hand like smoke.
“Uh, um….”
Zion, who had been staring at him in confusion for a moment, suddenly realized the meaning behind Han’s patient actions.
“Perhaps….”
He asked tentatively.
“Are you asking me to hold God’s hand?”
Nodding. Nodding.
Han slowly nodded his hand up and down.
It was an affirmative answer.
Zion cautiously touched the tip of Han’s finger with his hand.
Then, the essence of mana in Han’s hand began to move.
It flowed into Zion’s body with surprising flexibility.
It was a smooth sensation without a hint of resistance.
As if being sucked in.
In that moment, what kind of change did Zion feel?
“Uh, uh? What is this?”
Zion’s voice was filled with confusion.
As if unsure what to do, Zion looked down at his own body.
A strong energy imbued with a bluish hue began to surge like smoke from his body.
And this appearance.
Surprisingly, it was a kind of sight that was not so unfamiliar.
“Could it be, this spectacle?”
A familiar sight.
It sometimes appeared in the news.
People who awakened their abilities with a very rare probability, whether on the streets or within the workplace.
This was the sight that appeared when they embraced their powers.
Of course, it wasn’t such a distant story.
It was even a moment experienced in the past.
“This… moment of awakening, isn’t it?”
However, before the shock could even dissipate, a new alert window popped up in front of Zion.
[Congratulations! Character ‘Zion’ has awakened!]
[From now on, through your protection, Zion will open his eyes to mana abilities!]
[Due to the efficacy of the talent you possessed, physical abilities will greatly increase!]
It was the moment Zion awakened.
However, Han could only stand still, dumbfounded, watching that sight.
Reason lost in confusion wasn’t easily regained.
“…What is this?”
Indeed, unmistakably.
No matter how many times he reconsidered, it was undoubtedly an experience.
The very thing that could bestow abilities upon others, it was now grasped in his hands.
Facing the bewildered Han, the system spoke.
“Granting abilities to the inhabitants of this land is truly one of the true powers of the tribe’s deity.”