Chapter 336: Overflow

Words : 1277 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 336: Overflow The premise might prove to be correct. Luca did say that, according to the history of that blasted planet, humans suddenly awakened in response to the first dungeon break. And for a while now, they were able to fend off these catastrophic phenomena because they were capable of wielding spiritual abilities that seemed to be overpowered in this kind of setting. And Xavier, specifically, was starting to understand why. As someone who could wield his bloodline ability and was basically a pseudo-esper, the main currency for using their abilities was spiritual energy. Now that would’ve been a problem in the Empire, but inside a dungeon like this that was teeming with spiritual energy, it was almost impossible to run out. Well, theoretically. And if only that were the sole issue. As someone who had seen Luca overload from too much energy intake, he felt like he was starting to gain insight into this madness. Every time they use a substantial amount of energy, their body takes in the same amount or more from the environment in an attempt to replace what has been used up. However, the problem with this raw energy was how it needed to be processed into spiritual energy that humans could use. And the rate at which humans could process wasn’t as fast as the rate at which they would consume energy, especially when inside dungeons. This was something they learned when Luca was making D-29’s biomecha body, that after a while, the same amount of energy intake would only translate to a certain amount of usable energy. Then that leaves a fundamental question: where does the rest go? Maybe it had something to do with the Conservation of Energy? And true enough, the raw energy was just there waiting to be let out. The problem was with the sheer force of the discharge. It would likely take the human as well as everyone around them with it. Just like a bomb. And he, for one, knew what this state felt like. His wife had long mentioned that espers who use their abilities need to be guided every now and then because of the madness it could cause, leading them to rampage. But was it possible that this madness was caused mainly by that build-up of raw energy that is just too large for the body to process? Because, however he thought about it, it looked and felt like that. Especially after learning why something like this could be possible and why people would be desperate enough to ignore that terrible feeling. A timer. Luca actually shared a concern he’s had for a while now. Since learning how they’d been stuck here for so long, the little guide had been wondering just how long the timer was for this dungeon. Obviously, this shocked the three women who weren’t aware of this timer that was supposed to come up when a dungeon gate opens. "Wait, a timer? As in like a countdown?" Asked Cece who was trying to recall if she’d seen anything like that when she got swallowed up by this place. "Brother, what’s the timer counting down for?" Ollie wondered because nothing good ever comes out of being counted down unless it was the oven back in the kitchen. Like tests, those have timers, and he was damned sure they weren’t great. True enough. Luca reminded them of the dungeon breaks. When a dungeon wasn’t cleared within the time limit specified, it would apparently result in a massive explosion of energy and the release of whatever was inside. "Whatever was inside? As in the deathworms can come out?!" verified the blonde, whose eyes were about to come out of their sockets. "Yeah, I’m just not sure what happens after because after the first few dungeon breaks, the people of Tesseris became really proactive in clearing dungeons." And that was also when they started having a different problem. But that was an issue for another time, because the main concern is why this dungeon gate was too odd even for him and D-29, who were supposed to be more familiar with dungeons. Heck, the little system in particular was wondering if the original creators forgot an entire manual about such dungeons because it couldn’t even contribute information, even as an actual dungeon manager! D-29 couldn’t help but wonder if it was going to be fired for incompetence like this until a certain alarm was activated. [CORRUPTION DETECTED] It was a sudden ping that surprised both Luca and D-29, then eventually everyone else who learned about this alarm. Gisella almost stopped moving as she learned about this, all of a sudden, thinking that they were doomed as her earlier unease bloomed into gnawing dread. And usually, Luca, the golden-eyed money-grubber, would think of great thoughts upon hearing about corruption, but for the first time since learning about the greatness of CP, the guide was worried. For what to do when he actually had no access to his dungeon inventory?! Was this normal?! But how could that be when his mother, who was a regular at this place, had no idea that corruption lurked around here. More importantly, how?! Now, elsewhere, beyond the corridors they were traversing, a nestled cavern churned. And if only the roots could have been pulled away or if those natural walls could be peeled back, one would’ve seen an overflow. If anything, one little system would have recognized something that usually looked stable. Or more like, something that had to be kept stable. But what to do when an unlevelled dungeon couldn’t hold it off any longer? But it had tried its best. Now, hopefully, it’s call for help could be answered. However, a few individuals thought they might need help themselves, as before them lay a familiar scene. A massive doorframe loomed. One that looked eerily familiar to the Duchess, who was just there moments ago. But it wasn’t the door that captured their attention, but what was leaking from it. Black corruption bled from the seams, staining the roots around it, seeping into the ground like the dungeon itself was weeping poison. Maybe it would’ve been better had that been actual poison. But D-29’s alarms wouldn’t quiet down as if mocking their wishful thinking. "Seriously?" Ollie asked because he was now wondering if someone had cursed them or if they had offended someone along the way. So, he tried apologizing to the universe, but to no avail. The bleeding continued, and the heavy and tar-like substance felt more ominous by the second. And that was horrifying enough on its own. But somehow, what came next was even worse. At first, it was subtle. A slight shift in the air, then a faint pulling sensation that would’ve been barely noticeable if not for the fact that they had long been staring at the same door. For they were right there when it happened. The black sludge, the corruption, once lazily oozing out of the door, suddenly reversed. Like a film running backward, it slid, curled, retracted— Sucked back into the very seams it had been leaking from. Dragged inward by something unseen. Like it was being summoned back. They stood frozen, engines idling, breath caught in their throats. The corruption was no longer something seeping blindly into the labyrinth. It was being gathered, and if their directional senses were correct, it would have to be courtesy of whatever was on the other side of that door. Ollie swallowed audibly, his voice a thin thread over the comms: "I think...I prefer it leaking again." No one argued. Because somehow this was infinitely worse. Damn it.

Chapter 336: Overflow

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