Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Chapter 98 A powerful momentum rapidly built up around the mini skeleton. Slowly but surely, an overwhelming sense of unease began to spread through the area. The air thickened, and the surrounding mana grew unstable. Watching the scene unfold, Clayton couldn’t hide his astonishment. He was both impressed and excited—the spell looked genuinely promising. Moments later, all the energy and pressure converged within the mini skeleton, ready to explode. Cracks appeared along its body... and then it shattered. Plop! A soft, muffled sound echoed in the still air. Clayton stood frozen, confused. He looked around, bewildered by the utter lack of destruction. No massive explosion. No scorched earth. Just a brief disturbance in the mana flow and distorted air—then everything returned to normal. What frustrated him most was that the skeleton had completely disintegrated—leaving no remains behind. Did something go wrong with the spell? Clayton wondered. Feeling slightly cheated, he inspected the spot where the skeleton had detonated. The lingering heat and dense atmosphere suggested the spell itself wasn’t flawed. Most likely, the skeleton had failed to execute it properly—or perhaps there was a hidden nuance in the spellbook that hadn’t been clearly explained. Still curious, Clayton ordered another skeleton to try again. Though the last attempt had failed, he kept a safe distance—just in case. As the skeleton began casting, the magical buildup was once again dramatic and impressive. Clayton held out hope that this time it would work. Plop! But just like before, the skeleton exploded with the same dull, anticlimactic sound—unable to handle the pressure. Clayton scowled. If the spell had succeeded, it would’ve given him a devastating new trump card for emergencies. He reopened the spellbook, rereading the section carefully, combing every line for overlooked clues. Though he couldn’t pinpoint an exact error, he finally grasped the core concept behind the spell. It was called Core Explosion—originally an advanced spell meant for mages who had formed a magic crystal core. By disrupting the energy circulation within that core, it would trigger a massive, self-destructive detonation. Normally, it was a forbidden spell reserved for Master mage or higher. However, the version in his spellbook was a replica—a nerfed version developed by clever sorcerers so that even low-level mages without a core could use it. The key was to compress and circulate mana within the body until it simulated the conditions of a magic core. Then, by deliberately destabilizing that cycle, the user could unleash a powerful kinetic explosion. So what’s going wrong? Clayton wondered. It wasn’t the absence of a magic core—this version didn’t require one. More likely, the issue was that the skeletons were too fragile. Their bodies couldn’t handle the pressure and imploded before the spell reached full potency. With this new theory, Clayton decided to make one more attempt—this time using a berserk-mode skeleton, strengthened and reinforced with mana. The berserk skeleton began casting the spell, its aura flaring. Clayton backed away, watching intently. Mana surged and swirled. Radiant light engulfed the skeleton, giving it an almost divine presence. Clayton’s hopes soared. But then— Plop! The skeleton shattered just like the others—leaving only disappointment behind. Clayton stood silently. He had expected this outcome, but it still stung. If there was any silver lining, it was that the explosion this time had felt slightly more intense. But still—not enough. Not even close to being viable in actual combat. Frustrated, Clayton examined the blast zone again. No new evidence. No clues. Just failure after failure. Determined not to give up, he kept experimenting with the rest of his skeletons. Plop! Plop! Plop! One after another, the tiny skeletons detonated with soft, almost comical puffs—each more disappointing than the last. Eventually, he ran out of skeletons. With no more test subjects, the only thing left to do was suspend the experiment. Feeling drained, Clayton sighed and cleaned up the area. The thrill of training had long faded. He walked toward the front of the house to clear his mind. There, he saw a group of people hurrying past—carrying gear, weapons, and supplies. Curious, Clayton called out, "Hey, what’s going on? Why the rush? Is there some kind of event? Or are you guys moving?" One of them turned and replied, "Didn’t you hear? Arthur’s party struck it rich in that dungeon. We’re going to try our luck too. Who knows—maybe we’ll hit the jackpot!" "Exactly! Dungeon diving’s way more profitable than farming." Clayton nodded slowly. "I see... Are others heading there too?" Another person pointed down the road. "Yeah, lots of folks are forming their own small teams." Clayton nodded again, trying to hide his concern. "Got it..." Then someone in the group turned to him. "Hey Clayton, want to come with us?" He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Nah. I’m not really a fighter. You guys go ahead." Some of them sneered, casting judgmental glances. But Clayton didn’t care. The group leader, more courteous than the rest, didn’t push the issue. He understood that not all mages were frontline combatants. Still, deep down, he looked down on Clayton—because in this world, power was everything. "Well then, we’re heading out." Clayton nodded politely. "Alright. Take care. Good luck with your dungeon raid." They thanked him and moved on. As their figures disappeared into the distance, a creeping sense of unease settled in Clayton’s chest. He knew that sooner or later, more and more people would be drawn to Sunlight City—all chasing after the mysterious dungeon’s treasures. And with that many people... chaos was inevitable. In the end, strength would be the only guarantee of peace and safety. Clayton turned back toward his backyard and resumed his training with renewed urgency. ... Days Passed Clayton continued his relentless training. His goal: to perfect the Core Explosion spell and make his skeletons strong enough to unleash it effectively. Plop! Plop! Plop! He watched as each tiny skeleton detonated in the same small, unimpressive burst. He let out a long, tired sigh. "Haaah... No matter what I do, this spell just doesn’t work on these skeletons..." he muttered with growing frustration. Dozens of attempts. Countless adjustments. Still the same disappointing result. What am I missing...? Just then, a loud commotion erupted outside. Frowning, Clayton stepped out and found a crowd of people gathered in front of his house—shouting and arguing. It didn’t take long for him to figure out what was happening. Thanks to the glowing reports from returning adventurers, many locals had rushed to try their luck in the dungeon. But with the sudden surge in applicants, the city had imposed a temporary closure—locking down access to prevent overcrowding. The decision sparked outrage. People were furious. Some began to riot, insisting that dungeon access was their right. Fights broke out. Anger turned to chaos. In the distance, Clayton saw city guards struggling to contain the crowd. The number of patrols had clearly increased in response to the influx of newcomers. Then— BOOM! A massive explosion tore through the air. Screams followed. Panic erupted in every direction. Clayton’s blood ran cold. His senses sharpened, instincts flaring. Whatever just happened... this wasn’t an accident. He froze, eyes wide, body tense. Something had gone very, very wrong.