Mana Core Stage 7

"Clan leader, we greet you!"

The Black Snake Clan members, lined up in perfect rows, bowed in unison toward Kang Sihu.

They had been preparing to welcome him back for three hours ever since hearing the news of his return to the clan. It might seem overly formal, but given the Black Snake Clan's current dire straits, it wasn't excessive at all.

'The clan leader has reached the 8th Circle.'

'He's the only one who can revive our crumbling clan.'

Kang Sihu was their sole savior, the one who could pull their steeply declining clan from the brink.

"How did your trip go?"

Vice Clan Leader Lee Hyunwoo, who had followed him into the clan leader's office, cautiously spoke up. Kang Sihu's furrowed brow and displeased expression made it clear something was wrong.

"He got away."

"Pardon?"

"Kim Jehyun. That rat bastard... Now I get why you let things get this bad."

Kang Sihu ground his teeth at the thought of Jehyun.

'We scoured the area around Shimaynis Mountain, but there was no trace of him.'

After the earth dragon fled, Kang Sihu had descended on the mountain's vicinity and circled it for days, searching for any sign of Jehyun. In the end, he found nothing and returned after setting up temporary alarm and barrier magic circles using the mana stones he had on hand.

'But that's only temporary.'

Maintaining detection over such a vast area for long was incredibly difficult. Even in normal regions it would be tough, let alone in the Forbidden Zone teeming with monsters and magical beasts.

'Still, we need to find some trace of him.'

Kang Sihu looked up at Lee Hyunwoo, who was blinking in confusion, and spoke.

"How many available personnel do we have in the clan right now? Form a search team that can operate long-term in the Forbidden Zone."

"Ah... well."

Lee Hyunwoo opened his mouth with an apologetic expression at Kang Sihu's words.

"The clan isn't in good shape right now, so we're short on manpower. We've already lost quite a few members to desertions..."

"Hah."

Lee Hyunwoo flinched and fell silent as Kang Sihu let out a sigh, gauging his reaction.

"I'll provide the extra manpower. Take 200 men and form search teams to comb the Shimaynis Mountain area."

"...Understood."

Lee Hyunwoo looked stunned at the sudden offer of 200 additional men. In truth, even with that, the Black Snake Clan's contribution would be minimal—they'd have to scrape together just enough for rotating shifts. But seeing Kang Sihu's expression, he knew complaining would backfire. Better to form the teams somehow.

As Lee Hyunwoo turned to leave after responding,

"Oh, and one more thing."

Kang Sihu called him back.

"Resume external activities starting today. Announce that I've emerged from seclusion. Send official notices to all the clans that betrayed and abandoned us. I'll overlook it once—tell them to come crawling back now."

A chilling killing intent emanated from Kang Sihu's eyes as he spoke.

* * *

Initial reactions were utter bewilderment. Wiping out even one clan had been tough for Black Snake in their heyday. Now, toothless as they were, taking down two? It didn't add up.

But the mystery cleared up soon enough.

The rumor of Kang Sihu reaching the 8th Circle sent shockwaves through the superhuman world. He was the sixth to breach the third wall—a colossal titan.

* * *

Right after Jehyun used the disposable teleport scroll,

Sharze safely teleported to the designated coordinates.

"Sh-Sharze!"

Haidel rushed to the forest center when he sensed massive mana swirling there and found Sharze collapsed with severe wounds.

Haidel and the higher-ranking elves devoted themselves to healing her. She looked on the verge of death at first, but luckily, her injuries began mending.

Still, Sharze remained unconscious for a long time. Nearly a month had passed since she appeared wounded.

"Ugh... Je-Jehyun-nim..."

"...!"

Sindy, tending to her, jumped in surprise. It was the first time Sharze, comatose for so long, had spoken.

Sindy summoned a sylph to contact Haidel while calling out to Sharze, who seemed about to wake fully.

"Sharze! Are you conscious? Come on, snap out of it!"

"Wh-where... is this..."

Sharze croaked through her parched throat with effort. The long-unconscious elf was finally stirring.

"Sharze!"

The wooden door burst open as Haidel rushed in, alerted by Sindy.

"You're awake? What happened?"

"Ha-Haidel-nim... Je-Jehyun-nim... how...?"

"Jehyun-nim? He hasn't returned yet."

Haidel's face hardened as Sharze immediately asked for Jehyun. When she first appeared via teleport in the Elf Forest, he'd assumed Jehyun sent her here. Breaching the forest's barriers with spatial magic was dragon-level feat otherwise.

'I thought Jehyun-nim sent her back to us in his crisis... No way he's...'

Haidel's expression darkened sharply. He'd never worried about Jehyun's safety before—if it were dire, there'd be no time to teleport Sharze. But her reaction suggested otherwise.

"...What happened?"

Haidel listened grimly to Sharze's full account.

"No... that can't be."

Haidel's face paled upon hearing the details.

"Where exactly was it?"

After more details from Sharze, Haidel hastily gathered elf warriors and headed for Shimaynis Mountain.

* * *

A flood of messages poured before Jehyun's eyes.

"Whoa..."

Jehyun was buried in the deluge, barely registering the explosive energy surging through his body. And it wasn't over.

―This is insane! Basic Dragon Word already?

Alkasha's shocked voice rang in Jehyun's ear.

―All inherited legacies hitting 1st Awakening proficiency... Hah, I thought crossing the wall took too long, but this payoff...

Jehyun chuckled at Alkasha's excitement.

"Scored big this time. But too long? Felt like just days to me. Pretty fast, no?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

―Heh heh heh.

Alkasha ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠circled the naked Jehyun, chuckling with disbelief.

―You were in a trance. Makes sense for these gains. It's not just days since you started absorbing the Millennium Tree's energy... At least a year passed.

"...!"

Jehyun's eyes widened at Alkasha's words—an unexpected time flow.

"A year?"

He instinctively reached for his smartphone, but his pockets were empty.

'Right.'

His clothes and phone had melted in the lava. Regrettable now.

'Should've stored them in subspace.'

The situation was urgent then, no time—but still regrettable.

'Phone I can replace later...'

Jehyun frowned at his nakedness—embarrassing to wander outside like this. He opened subspace and pulled out spare sleepwear.

"Lucky I have this."

Pink base with brown teddy bears holding hearts printed everywhere. His body had grown slightly from Stage 7, so sleeves rode up short. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

"Gotta head back first."

The Magic Tower must be in chaos from his disappearance.

'But Elf Forest first.'

Sharze's image—taking a mana spear for him, blood spraying—flashed vividly. Her survival came first.

Jehyun clenched his fist.

Insane power overflowed his body.

'This should be...'

Enough that even Kang Sihu couldn't ignore it. Confidence swelled—he could escape if they clashed.

'With Basic Dragon Word and legacy boosts, I could even take him.'

Near-certainty.

Stage 7 granted far more power than expected.

'Then... let's go.'

Jehyun looked up at the volcanic rock ceiling.

―Gonna punch straight through?

'Yeah.'

His eyes glowed golden. He thrust his hand upward.

The cavern ceiling crumbled.

* * *

Rumble.

Kim Kwangho, leader of Black Snake's Search Team 12, felt a faint tremor in the distance.

'What? Another big one?'

Shimaynis Mountain was Forbidden Zone outskirts, but still hazardous. In the past year and a half, he'd seen massive beasts cause quakes occasionally. He assumed this was one.

'Better check.'

He turned to his deputy.

"Deputy. Take three scouts and check that tremor."

"Now?"

"When else? Tomorrow?"

"...Got it."

The deputy glanced regretfully at the facing elves before retreating. They'd clashed with elves multiple times since starting searches, capturing some for big payouts. Missing another chance sucked, especially if the leader hogged it.

'Damn.'

As he grumbled inwardly, the leader's voice cut in.

"I'll save your share. Investigate thoroughly. Sloppy work, you know the consequences."

"Yes sir! Won't miss a single ant."

Cheered, he grabbed three black-clad members and dashed toward the sound.

"Now, let's finish up here."

Kim Kwangho grinned at the elves. One male, one female—barely adults, covered in minor scratches from resisting.

"Filthy scum... You still don't grasp that power will doom you!"

The red-haired female elf spat sharply. Elves always said that. It used to irk him, but now he ignored it.

"Yeah, yeah. Save your breath and get captured quietly, huh?"

He mused: Elves were scarce lately, but his clever trap snagged two instantly.

'Definitely searching for something here.'

He smirked, self-praising, appraising them.

'Prime looks—male and female. Big haul this time.'

"Alright then... Drop the pointless resistance..."

As he spoke,

Rustle.

Footsteps from behind.

'Didn't sense them this close?'

Face hardening, he turned to see a figure.

'Pink teddy bear pajamas?'

Long hair veiling the face, tiny pink teddy pajamas smaller than his frame, barefoot. Unhinged appearance.

"What the... Some lunatic? Hey, brothers—capture him alive, don't kill."

He ordered the black-clad subordinates curiously.

"Hah, these guys camping out here? And elves too..."

The pink-pajama man scratched his head, muttering. The elves startled, speaking.

"We greet the great one."

"What nonsense is that?"

Kim Kwangho blinked in confusion. Great one? What bullshit?

A chill hit him.

Rooooar.

Immense mana poured from the man, shaking the air.

'Fuck...'

He realized: This man wielded monstrous power beyond them.