Dungeon Diver: Stealing a Monster's Power

Chapter 161

I walk deeper into the cave I've been hallowing out for hours with a newfound spring in my step.

After my small study break, up on that ledge, it seems like I have a new tactic to try out. Instead of trying to cram as much power into an attack as possible, what if I make it as thin as possible?

It's not like I'm trying to break through a high-density mana barrier, or some unbreakable armor. These are just dungeon boulders. With enough hits, I could probably crumble them with my bare hands...

I let out a chuckle as I near the end of the cave.

"Now... let's try something new..."

Using up just one MP potion, I charge my blade with about 2500 mana points while activating my stat boosting and perception skills. It glows and flickers, ready to let out its full power. I focus on creating as thin of an attack as possible. With less mana in the strike, I'm able to make it much denser than before.

I swing my blade at the wall and a thin crescent of mana-imbued fire magic comes out. I eagerly watch as the energy slams against the cave wall with a loud crack, blowing rocks and dust in all directions just like my last few dozen attempts.

"Hmm."

Taking out another MP potion, I try again. Concentrating harder this time, glowing golden-red. I manage to condense the mana even further down in my blade before letting it soar.

Rocks fly in all directions as I reach for another MP potion to try it all again.

I throw denser and denser attacks at the wall until I've hit my limit. After drinking 9 potions in total, throwing all of these attacks in under 15 minutes, and still making no progress, I set out a long sigh.

"There's definitely still something missing...."

Sliding down the side of the cave wall, I let my sword fall to the ground with a light clang and put out my flames to sit in darkness. Turning to my side to look at the faint white light shining in from afar.

My joints still ache, my back is prickling with a sharp pain, and my legs are begging me not to stand up again. I've nearly hit my limit. There's no way I'm making it all the way through this cave today.

Sitting in silence, looking down at the cave floor that will turn back into a solid mountain once I leave today, a curious thought comes to mind. I mumble under my breath.

"Mana... it's all just mana..."

I stand to my feet, trying to finish connecting the dots in my head about this new epiphany.

I'm not trying to cut through something like a solid object back in the outside world. I'm just trying to cut through a mana shield. These walls may look and feel like rock but is really just a low-grade mana shield in its simplest form.

If I hit it too hard, with too much energy, everything is thrown out of wack.

Grinning, I drink another potion and grip my sword letting it glow light red. I charged just 100 MP into the weapon and condense this small amount of mana into a very dense attack.

Using my perception skill while managing the flow of mana in my blade, I focus on all of the rock surrounding me. The more mana an object or creature in a dungeon contains, oftentimes, the more densely filled they are with that mana.

I attempt to match the exact density of my attack to the surrounding rocks. What I've found in doing so, is that this dungeon material lines up in perfectly symmetrical patterns.

I begin to glow brighter as I use up most of my MP on my All-Seeing Eye other than focusing entirely on the strike.

Unlike moving monsters with more complex systems, this rock is just sitting still. The mana is consistent and systematic. The deeper I gaze into its grid-like pattern the more simple this low-grade mana shield becomes.