Morning light pierced the gloom of the Outer Reaches, casting slanted beams into the dilapidated wooden shack.
Elena sat on the edge of her rickety bed, carefully unwinding the bandages wrapped around her arm. The wounds from the previous night’s alley fight still throbbed with a dull ache, but compared to the agonizing shattering of her Mana Core, this superficial pain was nothing.
She summoned her system interface to check her status.
[Status Diagnosis]
Name: Elena Nocturne
HP: 15 / 60 (Minor Trauma)
Shadow Energy: 8 / 100
VIT: 7
AGI: 16
Combat Power: 32
Mana Core: Shattered (Traditional magic unavailable)
Looking at the data, Elena clenched her fists.
To keep herself alive these past few days, she had spent almost every spare copper she had on basic healing salves and dry rations. With her Mana Core destroyed, even the most common bruise required external medicine, forcing her to pinch every penny. Now, the 8 gold coins she had scavenged from the thugs lay quietly on the table—the last of her loose change. She didn't dare touch the small emergency stash hidden in the wall. To an ordinary person, 8 gold coins might last a month, but in this world where the strong devoured the weak, it was a pittance for someone who needed healing potions and cultivation resources.
Rent, food, medicine... everything cost gold.
"I need a job. Now."
Elena grit her teeth, donned an old cloak, and pulled the hood low to shadow her face. She stepped out of the shack.
The streets of the Outer Reaches were bustling with noise, the air thick with the smell of cheap ale and roasted meat. Elena followed the path toward the commercial district and the bulletin boards near the academy’s edge.
However, reality proved more brutal than she had anticipated.
At the first courier station, the portly owner squinted at Elena’s thin frame and spat disdainfully. "Beat it! We only take strong porters with a VIT over 15. A sickly thing like you would cough up blood before carrying two crates. Don't you dare die in front of my shop and ruin my inventory!"
At the second apothecary, the gaunt shopkeeper glanced at her lack of mana fluctuations and sneered. "A waste with a shattered Mana Core? Out! Someone who can’t even stir mana will only bring bad luck to my herbs. You're bad for business!"
At the third tavern, looking for a servant: "You can't even hold a tray steady, you useless brat. What would I want with you? Get lost!"
After several rejections, the cold stares and insults felt like a barrage of needles. In a world that worshipped magic and Strength, a person without a Mana Core was denied even the lowest form of physical labor.
Elena didn't argue; she simply looked away. A lifetime of despair had already tempered her will into iron.
She eventually reached a weathered bulletin board on the outskirts of Celestia Arcane Academy. Most of the notices were high-value bounties or recruitment posters for elite mercenaries, but in the bottom corner, obscured by a thick layer of dust and spiderwebs, was a single sheet.
Elena reached out, wiping away the grime.
A yellowed, torn, and mildewed recruitment notice was revealed. Looking at the date, it had been posted three months ago.
[Recruitment Notice - 3 Months Ago]
Position: Cleaner, The Archives
Duties: Organizing legacy books, dusting the tower.
Salary: 100 Gold / Month
Requirements: None (Must complete cleaning on time).
Location: The abandoned Archive tower, Back Mountain.
Contact: Elder-in-charge on site.
100 gold a month!
The pay was three times higher than a tavern servant’s!
No requirements! No mana threshold! No VIT requirement!
Elena’s eyes lit up. For her, this job was the only glimmer of hope in a desperate situation.
"100 gold... it’s enough to cover my living expenses and basic needs. Even if it’s remote, it’s better than starving."
She memorized the location and turned, heading straight for the academy’s back mountain.
The academy’s back mountain was essentially a neglected primeval forest.
Few people came here, and the area was overgrown with weeds, the air smelling of damp leaves and rot. After navigating a narrow path choked with thorns, a towering ancient stone structure loomed in the shadows.
The tower’s exterior was smothered in dark green vines, with thick moss growing in the cracks of the crumbling masonry. It had clearly been abandoned for decades.
In front of the tower’s great doors sat a battered, rickety rocking chair.
An old man in tattered gray robes was curled up in the chair, eyes closed. Beside him were several disorganized crates filled with yellowing, rotting books.
Elena stepped forward, keeping her footsteps light, and spoke in a respectful, low voice. "Sir... pardon me. Are you the manager here? I saw the recruitment notice for a cleaner."
The old man slowly opened his eyes.
They looked cloudy and dim. But the moment his gaze swept over her, Elena’s entire body tensed, and her skin erupted in goosebumps.
It felt as though he had seen through her in an instant.
His gaze lingered on her for three seconds, and a meaningful smile slowly spread across his stagnant face.
"Oh? Someone actually came to this godforsaken place for a job."
He slowly sat up, his voice raspy and thin. "Your Mana Core... it’s completely shattered, isn't it?"
It wasn't a question; it was a statement.
Elena’s heart hammered against her ribs.
In this world, unless one actively circulated mana, it was difficult for outsiders to judge the state of a Mana Core at a glance. Yet this man, who looked like he had one foot in the grave, had pierced her greatest secret with a single look.
She instinctively clenched her fists hidden beneath her sleeves and took a cautious half-step back. "How... how did you know?"
The old man chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. "I’m not looking at mana, girl. I’m looking at the person."
He pointed to her eyes. "A waste with a shattered core coming to a forgotten tower to find work... you're either completely out of options and looking for a quiet place to die, or you're unwilling to give up, hoping to find a miracle in the dust."
His eyes grew deep, staring directly into hers. "Which one are you?"
The air seemed to freeze.
Elena didn't flinch. She met those cloudy yet sharp eyes and answered one word at a time.
"Both."
"Good, very good!" The old man nodded in satisfaction. "An honest girl. I like honest people."
He reached into his waist and tossed a rusted iron key to her.
"Go in. The Archives has three floors. The books on the top floor haven't been touched in fifty years. Clean for three hours a day. Sweep the dust, stack the books neatly. 100 gold a month, paid on time."
Elena caught the key and bowed deeply. "Thank you, sir."
Creak—
As she pushed open the heavy wooden doors, a wave of stale air and thick dust hit her, making her cough.
The interior was dim, with only a few slivers of sunlight filtering through narrow slits high above. Rows of massive wooden bookshelves lay tilted or collapsed on the floor, and countless ancient volumes were scattered everywhere, buried under layers of gray.
Elena picked up a nearby broom and cloth and began to work.
The first and second floors were mostly filled with discarded introductory magic textbooks from the Royal Academy.
Basic Fireball Structure Analysis, Foundational Guide to Mana Meditation, Encyclopedia of Low-Tier Magic Herbs...
These books were obsolete to mages with intact cores, and to Elena, they were nothing but useless paper.
She didn't lose heart, patiently cleaning every corner.
By the third day, Elena carried her bucket and broom up the winding stone stairs to the top floor—the third level.
The top floor was in even worse condition. The roof was cracked, cobwebs were everywhere, and the wind whistled through the walls, fluttering the loose papers on the floor. In a corner sat a pile of ancient books with nearly rotted covers.
Elena rolled up her sleeves and headed toward the corner.
Suddenly!
The black ring her mother had left her, hidden beneath her clothes, grew violently hot against her chest.
The heat was so intense it stung her skin.
[Abnormal Resonance]
[Mother's Ring] is vibrating violently!
⚠️ Detected homologous unknown energy signature!
⚠️ Distance to Target: 2.1 meters
⚠️ Direction: Base of the broken wooden crate to the left
System warning boxes flashed rapidly in her vision.
"The ring is reacting?!"
Elena’s pupils shrank. She had worn this ring since birth, and aside from hiding a faint aura, it had never resonated like this.
She dropped her broom and hurried to the crate.
After moving dozens of rotting books, she found a tattered volume bound in an unknown black hide wedged in the bottom gap of the crate. The hide was covered in scars that looked like they were carved by blades, and the book radiated an ancient, profound aura of time.
The moment her fingers touched the cover—
Hum!
The hot ring against her chest emitted a faint, dark glow that surged into the book. The dust on the surface was instantly blown away by an invisible shockwave.
[Ancient Relic Discovered]
[The Forgotten Grimoire]
Type: Ancient Magic Text
Status: Heavily Damaged
Readable Pages: 23 / 347
Date of Origin: Approx. 500 years ago
Author: Unknown
As the system prompt appeared, the blurred handwriting on the first page miraculously became clear under the ring’s light.
Elena’s heart raced, her breathing becoming shallow. She flipped the book open, her eyes scanning the first page.
[Text Analysis in Progress...]
[Page 7 Content Unlocked]
"When the path of Mana is severed,
The Veil Gate remains open.
Though the Core is destroyed, the Shadowsoul remains.
Forsake the magic of the flesh;
Embrace the darkness within.
Step One: Shadow Breathing.
Rebirth within the void."
"Path of mana severed... Core destroyed?!"
Elena felt as if her brain had been struck by a hammer. She froze on the floor.
The words written here were practically tailored for someone in her exact condition. Every cultivator in this world was certain that the Mana Core was the sole source of Strength, but this ancient book stated clearly—there was another path after mana was gone!
Trembling with a mix of ecstasy and shock, she flipped through the pages.
Page 8... damaged.
Page 9... unreadable.
She flipped all the way to Page 15!
The entire page was covered in a complex diagram of energy flow drawn in ancient crimson ink, accompanied by dense cultivation chants.
[Technique Analysis Successful]
[Shadow Breathing]
Type: Ancient Body Cultivation Technique
Requirements: None (Does not require a Mana Core)
Energy Source: Siphoning free-roaming Shadow Energy
Effects:
1. Breaks physical limits, significantly enhancing VIT and AGI.
2. Constructs a Shadow Energy reservoir within the body.
3. Activates the foundation for all ancient Shadow Arts.
Warning:
⚠️ Cultivation involves extreme physical tearing sensations.
⚠️ Failure Rate: 80% (May cause energy backlash leading to permanent paralysis).
Success Rate Bonus Factors:
- Unyielding Will: +30%
- Shadow Energy Affinity: +20%
- Desperate Survival State: +10%
Total Estimated Success Rate: 80%
A complete cultivation method!
Looking at the detailed attributes and success rate on the system panel, Elena’s body shook with excitement.
Suddenly, a flash of realization hit her. She stared at the words "siphoning Shadow Energy."
She recalled the life-or-death struggle in the alley two nights ago. In that moment of desperation, her body had spontaneously absorbed the surrounding shadows, erupting with enough Strength to shatter the thug’s arm.
[Data Comparison Analysis]
[Alley Combat Records] vs [Shadow Breathing]: 99.8% match.
Conclusion: The unconscious energy absorption previously triggered was the prototype of [Shadow Breathing]!
The system’s comparison confirmed her theory.
"So... that’s what I was doing that night!"
Elena’s eyes reddened as she clutched the ancient book to her chest. This wasn't a coincidence. This was a bloody path to vengeance opened by the heavens themselves.
"So what if my Mana Core is ruined... I have [Shadow Breathing]! I can rebuild my Strength with Shadow Energy!"
Restraining her joy, Elena carefully stowed the book and hurried down the wooden stairs.
At the main entrance, the old man was leisurely sipping bitter tea from a chipped porcelain cup. Hearing her footsteps, he raised an eyelid, his gaze landing on the black book in her arms.
He paused mid-sip.
Elena stopped before him, took a deep breath, and asked bluntly, "Sir... what is the history of this book?"
The old man set his tea down and blew on the floating leaves. "Oh, so you found that old rag."
"Fifty years ago, a strange old scholar came to the academy. He clutched that book and told everyone it was a supreme body-tempering method from an ancient era that surpassed magic." The old man sighed. "But in the eyes of those arrogant magic tutors, a cultivation method that didn't need mana was sheer nonsense. They treated him like a madman, and the book was tossed onto the top floor to collect dust."
Elena stared into his eyes. "Is it... is what’s written in here real?"
The old man didn't answer directly.
He slowly raised his head, and his cloudy eyes suddenly became unfathomably deep. A meaningful curve touched his lips.
"What do you think?"
"The world blindly chases the brilliance of magic, viewing the Mana Core as a divine gift. They don't know... that in the Age of Cinders, before magic ever appeared, shadow itself was the most dominant Strength in existence."
Before the words had even finished, the old man stood up.
The moment he straightened his back, the light inside the stone tower vanished!
Whoosh—
An indescribable, invisible pressure exploded outward!
Elena watched in horror as every shadow on the walls, the floor, and the bookshelves suddenly seemed to come alive, writhing, twisting, and rising!
It was as if the entire Archive had been transformed into a living shadow hell in a heartbeat!
[Warning! Detected Unknown Domain Suppression!]
Target: The Old Man
Combat Power: ? ? ? ? ? ?
Shadow Mastery: Extreme
Danger Level: Calamity!
Blinding red warnings flashed frantically in Elena’s vision.
It was an unbridgeable gap in power. The man before her wasn't just some old gatekeeper—he was a profound, peerless master of the shadows.
The terrifying pressure vanished as quickly as it appeared.
The shadows returned to normal, and sunlight flooded the tower again. The old man reverted to a hunched, frail figure.
"Fifty years ago, I was also a waste that everyone spat upon." He sat back in his rocking chair, looking at the stunned Elena. "My magic aptitude was only E-Rank, the lowest possible. I was the laughingstock of my family and the academy. But in the end, I found my path in the darkness."
His gaze grew stern. "Girl, the path in that book is cruel. Eighty percent of those who try it die the moment they absorb Shadow Energy as their meridians are torn apart."
"Every breath will feel like ten thousand steel needles piercing your marrow. Every circulation of energy is a gamble with your life."
"Are you sure you want this path?"
Faced with a warning that would make most people’s blood run cold, Elena didn't hesitate.
She straightened her back, her eyes flashing with a fierce, uncompromising defiance.
"I’m sure!"
"Rather than being discarded like trash by my family, rotting away in the mud of the Outer Reaches, or being stepped on by common thugs... I’d rather bet my life for a chance to fight back!"
"Good! You have spine!"
The old man laughed loudly, his eyes filled with immense appreciation. He reached into his robe and tossed an oval stone glowing with a faint black light to her.
[Obtained Special Item]
[Shadow Stone] (Green - Uncommon)
Type: Cultivation Catalyst
Effect: Shadow Energy absorption efficiency +50% when practicing [Shadow Breathing].
Side Effect: Pain during cultivation increased by +100%.
Durability: Permanent (Until internal energy is depleted).
"Use this stone to assist you; your progress will double," the old man said calmly. "But accordingly... the pain you suffer will also double."
"Do you dare use it?"
Elena gripped the Shadow Stone tightly, the cold, hard texture pressing into her palm.
"Why wouldn't I!"
The old man closed his eyes in satisfaction, leaning back. "Remember, pain is the only ladder to Strength."
"Every bit of torture you endure today will become the blade you plunge into your enemies tomorrow. Now, finish cleaning the tower and spend an hour practicing here every day. Get out."
Night fell.
Elena returned to her cramped, dilapidated shack in the Outer Reaches.
She bolted the wooden door and shoved the table against the handle for extra security.
Sitting cross-legged on the hard bed, she pressed the Shadow Stone against her chest, recalling the first tier of the breathing cycle.
She closed her eyes and regulated her breath.
"Inhale—"
Elena took a deep breath according to the specific rhythm in the grimoire.
Boom!
The faint Shadow Energy floating in the air was pulled in by the Shadow Stone like a rampaging flood, surging into her limbs and bones!
"Ugh!!"
Agony instantly flooded her entire body.
It wasn't normal pain; it felt as if thousands of red-hot needles were frantically piercing her muscles, veins, and nerves. It was soul-tearing.
The 100% pain increase from the side effect exploded instantly.
狰狞 blue veins popped up across Elena’s skin, and her muscles spasmed violently. Beaded sweat poured from her forehead like rain, soaking her clothes in seconds.
But she grit her teeth so hard her lip bled, and despite the blood dripping down her chin, she didn't let out a single scream.
Come on!
If it doesn't kill me, I'll train until it does!
Under the force of her iron will, the rampaging Shadow Energy was slowly tamed, merging into her muscles and bones along the path of Shadow Breathing.
System prompts flashed at a visible speed.
[Shadow Breathing Activated]
Circulating [Shadow Breathing] Tier 1...
Shadow Stone Catalyzing! Absorption efficiency +50%!
[Status Update]
[Shadow Breathing]: 3.8% → 4.2% (+0.4%)
Shadow Energy: 8 → 10 (+2)
VIT: 7 (Slightly strengthening)
AGI: 16 (Slightly strengthening)
Combat Power: 32
Feeling the slight increase of energy within her, the ecstasy in Elena’s eyes grew. The pain was real, but the increase in Strength was even more so.
However, just as the cultivation reached a critical point—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A violent pounding on the door shattered the silence of the night.
The landlord’s shrill, biting roar echoed from outside.
"Hey! Elena! Are you dead in there?! The neighbors are complaining that you're making weird noises in the middle of the night! If you keep this up, I’m throwing you out! Don't say I didn't warn you!"
Elena was at a vital juncture of energy circulation and couldn't afford to lose focus to respond.
Seeing no response, the landlord’s temper flared.
"Dammit, trying to play dead with me?"
The landlord took out a spare key, and with a click, he unlocked the door. He kicked aside the table blocking the handle and stormed in.
"Did you hear me talking to you! Keep acting like a damn ghost and disturbing the peace, and you can get out today—"
The landlord’s shouting stopped abruptly.
His eyes bulged, his mouth hung open wide enough to fit a fist, and he slumped against the doorframe as if struck by lightning.
In the dim room, Elena sat cross-legged on the bed. Her skin was deathly pale, and her body was tightly coiled in wisps of black mist that writhed like snakes. The black mist radiated a chilling, eerie aura.
When Elena coldly opened her eyes, disturbed from her trance, her pupils flickered with a soul-piercing dark purple light.
Confronted with this terrifying scene, the landlord was scared out of his wits.
"Ghost... GHOST! AAAAAAAHHH!!"
He let out a piercing scream, his face turning paper-white as he fell backward, scrambling to crawl away. He tumbled down the stairs and bolted into the streets of the Outer Reaches, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Help! Someone help!"
"That waste Elena whose Mana Core was ruined... she’s practicing forbidden dark arts in her room! She’s summoning a demon!"
"Call the City Guard! Arrest her! AAAAAHH!"
The sharp screams echoed far into the black night of the Outer Reaches.
On the bed, surrounded by the swirling black mist, Elena slowly stood up. She looked at the open doorway, her eyes narrowing as a cold, lethal glint flashed within them.