Setelah menemukan titik ideal, Ren dengan hati-hati meluncur ke tengah mangkuk. Gerakannya presisi, terhitung, setiap detik menghitung sekarang.
Dengan efisien, ia mulai menyusun kristal-kristal dalam formasi. Cakar hydra ditempatkan di sudut tertentu, posisinya untuk memusatkan pantulan langsung ke kristal-kristal.
Efeknya langsung terlihat. Kristal-kristal mulai bersinar dengan kecerahan yang hampir memakan pandangan, menyerap mana murni dari lingkungan. Sebelum mereka bisa tumbuh atau menempel pada kristal mangkuk, ia menyimpan satu per satu ke dalam kulit jagaan bayangan, sementara tetap mempertahankan proyeksi piring dengan tangan lainnya.
Setelah beberapa menit, Ren mengambil ramuan pertama. Keringat mengalir di keningnya, meskipun dengan level barunya, menjadi penjinak ganda dan obat-obatan... Kesatuan mana di sini masih sulit ditanggung dalam waktu lama.
"Apakah kamu baik-baik saja?" Liora memanggil dari tepi, memperhatikan ketegangannya.
"Ya," jawab Ren sambil menyesuaikan posisi kristal. "Aku hanya perlu menyelesaikan proses ini, kita akan pergi segera."
Jamur-jamurnya kini berdebar lebih cepat, bekerja untuk membantu mengolah kelebihan mana. Ini adalah keseimbangan halus, ia perlu mempertahankan kristal-kristal terpapar cukup lama untuk menyerap jumlah yang tepat, tetapi tidak begitu lama hingga mereka menjadi terlalu jenuh.
Akhirnya, setelah terasa seperti kekekalan tapi hanya berbeberapa menit, semua kristal mencapai titik yang tepat.
"Setengah jam hampir habis," Liora memperingatkan, menatap terowongan yang mereka lewati.
"Aku tahu," Ren menyimpan kristal-kristal terakhir ke dalam punggungnya yang dilapisi khusus. "Taro pasti khawatir."
Ia mengambil momen untuk memastikan semuanya sudah terpakai dengan benar. Kristal-kristal ini sangat penting untuk dua peringkat berikutnya evolusi hidranya; ia tidak bisa mengabaikan kesalahan dalam penanganannya.
"Apakah ini worth it?" Liora bertanya saat Ren bergabung dengannya di tepi.
Ren tersenyum puas sambil menyentuh punggungnya. "Pasti. Kristal-kristal ini memiliki mana murni yang persis yang kuhabutuhkan untuk kultivasiku."
Liora mengamati Ren dengan rasa ingin tahu yang semakin tumbuh. Ada sesuatu dalam cara ia bergerak, cara ia tampak membaca terowongan seolah-olah terbuka seperti buku. Dalam kepastian dengan mana ia bertindak...
"Kamu tahu?" Liora berbisikkan suaranya, hampir tak terdengar, "Aku belum menyadari segala sesuatu yang kamu bisa lakukan tanpa menggunakan binatangmu meskipun selama ini mengintipmu secara konstan..."
"Secara teknis aku sedang menggunakannya... Juga aku juga belum menyadari itu kamu, aku pikir itu Luna yang sedang mengintipku hingga Larissa memberitahuiku itu kamu," Ren mengakui dengan pelan, menggaruk belakang lehernya.
Sesuatu berubah dalam ekspresi Liora, bayangan kekecewaan melintasi wajahnya sebelum bisa ia sembunyikan.
"Kenapa kamu pikir itu dia?" bertanya dia, berusaha mempertahankan nada santai.
"Aku menebak... rambut biru dan tanda-tandanya dalam mana agak mirip," Ren men shrug. "Plus Luna... Dia selalu tampak mengamati siku kamuku di kelas..."
'"Aku tidak menyalahkannya, kamu benar-benar menarik,' Liora berpikir. '"Cara kamu memahami segalanya... cara kamu bertindak berbeda. Anak laki-laki lain seusiamku tampak begitu tidak matang...'"
"Kita harus buru-buru," Liora memaksakan senyum. "Kita tidak ingin Taro mengalami breakdown."
Ren menganggukkan, meskipun ia berhenti sejenak untuk menatap deposito terakhir kalinya. Ini adalah tempat yang luar biasa.
"Siap untuk perjalanan kembali?" Liora bertanya, sudah mengadopsi sikap untuk langkah diam yang ia pelajari.
"Siap," konfirmasi Ren. "Tapi kamu bukan orang yang harus kamu khawatirkan... coba jangan jatuh."
Liora memberinya dorongan saat mereka mulai bergerak.
Ren tertawa. "Maaf, teman-teman sudah membuatku terbiasa dengan kebiasaan buruk."
"Aku membiadakanmu kali ini," Liora mengangguk. "Tapi kamu harus tahu bahwa perempuan tidak kasar saat berinteraksi."
'"Dia adalah lelaki seperti semua lelaki lainnya... Tapi ia melayatkan dan menerima kesalahannya dengan mudah... Bagaimana bisa ia jujur sekaligus misterius sekaligus?'"
After identifying the ideal point, Ren carefully slid toward the center of the bowl. His movements were precise, calculated, every second counted now.
With efficiency, he began arranging the crystals in formation. The hydra plate was placed at a specific angle, positioned to concentrate the reflections directly onto the crystals.
The effect was immediate. The crystals began to glow with an almost blinding intensity, absorbing the pure mana from the environment. Before they could grow or stick to the bowl's crystal, he stored them one by one in shadow stalker skin, while maintaining the plate's projection with his other hand.
After a few minutes, Ren took the first potion. Sweat ran down his forehead, even with his new level, being a double tamer and the medicine… The mana saturation here was still difficult to handle for too long.
"Are you alright?" Liora called from the edge, noticing his tension.
"Yes," Ren responded while adjusting a crystal's position. "I just need to finish the process, we'll leave soon."
His mushrooms pulsed faster now, working to help him process the excess mana. It was a delicate balance, he needed to keep the crystals exposed long enough to absorb the correct amount, but not so long they became oversaturated.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was only minutes, all the crystals reached the perfect point.
"The half hour's almost up," Liora warned, looking toward the tunnel they'd come through.
"I know," Ren stored the last crystals in his specially lined backpack. "Taro must be worried."
He took a moment to ensure everything was properly packed. These crystals were crucial for the two next ranks of his hydra's evolution; he couldn't afford any mistakes in handling them.
"Was it worth it?" Liora asked as Ren joined her at the edge.
Ren smiled with satisfaction while touching his backpack. "Definitely. These crystals have exactly the pure mana I need for my cultivation."
Liora observed Ren with growing curiosity. There was something in his way of moving, in how he seemed to read the tunnels as if they were an open book. In the certainty with which he acted...
"You know?" Liora whispered, keeping her voice barely audible, "I hadn't realized everything you could do without even using your beast despite spying on you constantly..."
"Technically I was using it… Also I too hadn't realized it was you, I thought it was Luna who was spying on me until Larissa told me it was you," Ren admitted quietly, scratching the back of his neck.
Something changed in Liora's expression, a shadow of disappointment crossing her face before she could hide it.
"Why did you think it was her?" she asked, trying to maintain a casual tone.
"I guess the blue hair and that your mana marks are kinda similar," Ren shrugged. "Plus Luna... She always seems to be watching me in class so..."
'I don't blame her, you really are interesting,' Liora thought. 'The way you understand all this... your way of acting is different. The other boys our age seem so immature...'
"We better hurry," Liora forced a smile. "We don't want Taro having a nervous breakdown."
Ren nodded, though he paused a moment to look at the deposit one last time. It was an extraordinary place.
"Ready for the return trip?" Liora asked, already adopting the stance for the silent step she'd learned.
"Ready," Ren confirmed. "But I'm not the one you should worry about... try not to trip over your own feet."
Liora gave him a push as they began moving.
Ren laughed. "Sorry, the guys have gotten me into bad habits."
"I'll let you off this time," Liora nodded. "But you should know that girls aren't rude to each other when interacting."
'He's a boy like all the others after all... But he apologizes and accepts his mistakes so easily... How can he be so honest yet so mysterious at the same time?'
"The mana always shines white when you speak, as if you really enjoy expressing yourself truthfully, but still... You're different, you know?"
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Ren's mushrooms pulsed softly while considering her words. "I can see mana too and... You're also sincere and different, I like that," he pointed out.
Liora blushed slightly and, distracted by the conversation, momentarily lost the rhythm.
Ren also didn't notice and continued. "You learned very quickly and I like that you're curious like..."
A nearby and familiar sound interrupted his words. The same one Ren had faked several times.
The sound resonated through the tunnels and Ren's mushrooms pulsed with alarm. "Don't move," he whispered urgently to stop Liora dead in her tracks.
But it was too late. A Deep Assassin emerged from the shadows, its proboscis gleaming threateningly. Liora had stopped poorly positioned, off balance.
Ren had some contingency options... he reached for one of the large rocks in his pocket, planning to throw it as a distraction, but Liora involuntarily took another step as she failed to regain her balance.
The Assassin lunged toward her.
"Jump behind me!" Ren shouted, throwing the rock simultaneously.
The Assassin was surprised to find nothing where Liora had been and received the rock's impact. The projectile hit with unexpected force, creating a small crack in its carapace.
'My strength...' Ren realized while his mushrooms pulsed intensely. 'Of course, 160% extra and now that I'm a double... A Bronze beast isn't so far from my reach, especially one that sacrifices some defense for speed and attack.'
Liora manifested her will-o'-wisp and her body set aflame, bathing the tunnel in blue light.
But Ren stopped her.
"Don't move!" He ordered while manifesting his hydra in his body. The claws grew, amplified by the new light veins and the girl fire's light, his armor gleaming with the same blue tone as Liora's fire.
"Close your eyes!" Ren shouted upon seeing the Assassin's proboscis raised in front, preparing to attack.
Liora reluctantly obeyed, part of her wanting to continue observing the beautiful light display of Ren's armor.
The Assassin launched itself toward where Liora had landed a few meters behind Ren, its proboscis extended like a deadly lance. But Ren, still interposed between them, created a blinding flash and with his now even more enhanced claws...
The movement was fluid, the result of countless hours of training with Lin. The long claws deflected the proboscis toward the adjacent rock, where it buried deeply. Without losing an instant, Ren took advantage of the beast being trapped and chained several precise cuts to the monster's head.
The claws, empowered by the double light resonance, cut through the Assassin's defense despite the rank difference.
Ren maintained the assault, his movements precise and lethal, until finally the monster's head separated cleanly from its body.
Silence returned to the tunnel as the Assassin's body collapsed.
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