Drip, drip, drip......

  The sound of water droplets roused Hulim’s consciousness after an unknown length of time.

  She opened her eyes dazedly.

  "Where is this......"

  Above her was a stalactite-covered ceiling, and the continuous drip of water echoed around her.

  Hulim rubbed her groggy head and sat up, only to find herself lying beside a pool of water.

  "How did I get here......"

  She recalled what had happened before she lost consciousness.

  She’d been chased by a mysterious giant dragon. Cornered with no escape, the ground had suddenly collapsed under the dragon’s weight. Unable to use magic, she’d plummeted downward......

  "......It seems I fell into an underground river and was carried here by the current."

  Hulim stood up and checked her body.

  Fortunately, the underground river had cushioned her fall—she was uninjured. Without the ability to cast Heal right now, an injury would have been a major trouble.

  Additionally, all her important belongings were still with her: the Demon Sword Helkem, the Memory Crystal, and a few pieces of essential basic equipment.

  "I’m glad I brought these with me......"

  That was the only thing to be grateful for.

  After confirming her safety, Hulim scanned her surroundings and soon spotted a passageway.

  "First, I need to find a way back to the surface."

  ......

  The underground cave was lined with bioluminescent plants, providing faint light for the subterranean space. However, their glow was limited—visibility was far dimmer than on the surface.

  If any dangerous creatures were hiding here, detecting them would be much harder.

  Out of caution, Hulim slowed her pace and crept cautiously along the passage......

  She walked for what felt like an eternity.

  The passage showed no sign of ending, and Hulim sensed it was sloping downward.

  "Could this passage not lead to the surface at all?"

  "But if I turn back, there’s only that pool......"

  Diving into the pool to search for an exit was out of the question.

  Even if there was an exit, she had no idea how vast the underground water system was. Without the Water Magic "Water Breathing," she wasn’t willing to take the risk.

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  "I’ll keep going. At the very least, I should see where this passage leads......"

  Hulim continued forward.

  Along the way, she encountered no dangerous creatures—not even insects. It seemed this place wasn’t as perilous as she’d feared.

  Hours passed.

  Suddenly, the light ahead brightened.

  "Hmm? Could this be the end? But where is this light coming from?"

  Hulim stopped, hesitating as she stared at the glow.

  A soft, pale blue light emanated from the end of the passage.

  After observing for a long while, Hulim drew Helkem, gripped it tightly, and slowly approached the light source.

  Minutes later, she reached the end of the passage.

  It opened into a vast, open space.

  And there, she saw the source of the light—a bizarre pool of water.

  It radiated a gentle glow, with countless light particles floating above its surface. More light particles drifted throughout the open space, but they couldn’t stray far from the pool—beyond a certain distance, they dissolved into the air.

  "This...... Could it be?!"

  Shock spread across Hulim’s face.

  She’d only heard of such things in legends......

  She walked over, knelt by the pool, set Helkem aside, and cupped her hands to scoop up some of the glowing water.

  But as soon as her hands left the surface, the water in her palms vanished into a cloud of light particles, drifting away.

  "It’s true...... It really is a Mana Pool!"

  A Mana Pool was a natural wonder formed by the liquefaction of an extremely high concentration of mana particles.

  It could only form at the core of a ley line nexus.

  This concentration of high-purity mana could infuse powerful magic into objects, serve as the energy source for large-scale magical structures, or even power an entire city. Its value was incalculable. Yet for most creatures, encountering a Mana Pool meant staying far away.

  Because the mana concentration was too high.

  While a high-mana environment could strengthen creatures, at this intensity, it became harmful.

  Accidental contact could flood the body with excess mana, causing a catastrophic surge that shattered the physical form.

  That was probably why she’d seen so few creatures here—they’d all avoided this area......

  Under normal circumstances, a Mana Pool would offer Hulim no benefits either.

  But she was currently suffering from chronic Overload Syndrome, and her body was in desperate need of massive amounts of mana to repair itself.

  When she’d touched the water earlier, she’d felt no discomfort. Instead, the influx of mana had brought a long-absent sense of relief to her body.

  This meant she was likely safe from the Mana Pool’s side effects—for now.

  "If I enter the pool, I should be fine......"

  Hulim decided to test further. She removed her shoes and socks, then carefully dipped her right foot into the water.

  A surge of mana flowed into her body through her foot, stirring the stagnant mana within her.

  "No adverse effects."

  Confirmed safe, she lifted her left foot and dipped it in as well.

  Slowly, she waded deeper into the pool until her entire body was submerged.

  The water of the Mana Pool wasn’t true liquid—it didn’t hinder breathing. Even with her whole body underwater, Hulim had no trouble breathing.

  Beneath the surface, she closed her eyes, wrapped in the warm, glowing water.

  A steady stream of mana poured into her body, revitalizing her internal mana.

  She felt a long-lost sense of comfort, as if an invisible shackle weighing on her body was loosening......

  After some time.

  Splash~!

  The surface of the Mana Pool rippled as Hulim emerged, surrounded by a cloud of light particles. She walked slowly toward the shore.

  Once she’d put her shoes and socks back on, she sat beside the pool, gazing at its ethereal glow.

  "About half an hour......"

  She’d soaked in the pool for roughly thirty minutes before her body reached saturation. Staying longer would risk mana overload.

  So she’d chosen to exit.

  Of course, this didn’t mean her Overload Syndrome was cured.

  A normal case of Overload Syndrome might have been resolved with that soak, but the pressure plaguing her body was constant—and the strain on her mental strength was far more severe than the physical toll.

  Recovery wouldn’t be that simple!

  The only way to fully heal was to adapt to that pressure.

  Still, the Mana Pool had been incredibly helpful.

  Hulim raised one finger and carefully channeled her mana.

  "......Ignition."

  Whoosh~!

  A flame flickered to life at her fingertip—larger and brighter than the last time she’d cast the spell.