Noa picked up one of the crystals with his trembling fingers and directed his mana flow straight into its core.
This time, a sharp, ringing scream seemed to rise from within the crystal; it instantly shattered into countless tiny fragments that scattered in all directions.
At that very moment, a powerful stream of black mana burst forth like thick smoke, spreading into the cold air of the cave and swallowing the silence, as if the cave itself had begun to breathe.
Noa clenched his fist and took a heavy, angry breath.
"This just made everything even more difficult..." he muttered under his breath.
X glanced sideways at him, his voice mixed with curiosity and doubt.
"Or maybe the opposite... Now it's less dense. Doesn't that mean the pain has decreased noticeably?"
Noa hesitated for a moment.
"It might work, but it's temporary," he said.
X pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly displeased.
