"Another dungeon," Aarav muttered, pushing a spoonful of lukewarm poha around his plate at Sarah's apartment. "Why can't we just find a nice, comfortable Rank 1 dungeon with, like, sleeping monsters? Or treasure chests full of snacks?"
Sarah, who was efficiently packing a small bag with water bottles and a basic first-aid kit, rolled her eyes. "Because the Multiverse Lord apparently has no sense of humor, Sharma. And Aisha's intel suggests this 'Whispering Grotto' might have more Resonance Crystals." She tossed him a granola bar. "Eat up. We leave in ten minutes. It's about an hour's walk, or a quick rickshaw ride."
Aarav brightened. "Rickshaw? Fine, but I'm not paying."
"Of course you're not," Sarah sighed. "Your 'Adaptor' reputation doesn't come with a travel budget, apparently."
The auto-rickshaw ride was a blur of traffic, honking, and the pervasive heat of a Nagpur morning. Aarav complained about the dust, the noise, and the sheer inefficiency of moving from one point to another without simply teleporting. Sarah just ignored him, reviewing her notes on her small holographic display.
"Aisha mentioned that the Grotto has 'unstable energy signatures'," Sarah mused. "Could be a different kind of crystal, or maybe just more dangerous enemies."
"As long as they don't talk," Aarav grumbled. "Shadow Blights were bad enough, but talking monsters? Nope."
They eventually arrived at what looked like a small, neglected hill on the outskirts of the city. Hidden behind some overgrown bushes was a narrow, winding path that led into the earth. The air here was cooler, strangely still. A faint, almost imperceptible hum filled the air, barely audible but present.
[DUNGEON: WHISPERING GROTTO (RANK 1) - ENTER?]
The entrance was not a grand archway like the Sundered Ruins, but a natural-looking cave mouth, dark and inviting. Small, luminous moss glowed faintly on the rocks around it.
"Looks... damp," Aarav commented.
"Lead the way, Adaptor," Sarah said, giving him a gentle shove forward.
Inside, the Grotto was a labyrinth of winding tunnels and small, echoing chambers. The air was thick with the scent of wet earth and something faintly sweet. The persistent hum grew stronger, a low thrum that seemed to vibrate inside their very bones. It was almost like a very faint, distant whisper.
[DUNGEON RESONANCE (RANK 1) - ACTIVE: +0.5 EP/MINUTE]
[AARAV SHARMA]
[HP: 100/100, EP: 20/50, SP: 100/100]
Their first enemies were small, glowing insect-like creatures that fluttered silently in the dim light.
[HOSTILE ENTITY: GLOWFLY (LEVEL 1)]
"Cute," Aarav said, before one zipped past his ear, leaving a tingling sensation.
[SP -2]
"They drain stamina!" Sarah warned, raising her hands. "Don't let them touch you!"
Her [MINOR ENERGY SHIELD] shimmered around her, deflecting the buzzing insects. Her [LASER PULSE] easily incinerated them, but they were fast and numerous.
Aarav watched the Glowflies, noting their agile movements and parasitic nature. Small, fast, energy drain...
[ADAPTATION: ZAPPING DASH (TEMPORARY MIMICRY) - ACTIVE]
[COST: 10 EP]
[DURATION: 3 SECONDS]
Aarav suddenly darted forward, a faint trail of static electricity following him. He zipped past a cluster of Glowflies, disrupting their formation. It wasn't a direct attack, but it disoriented them.
"Nice move!" Sarah called out, taking advantage of the confusion to fire more pulses.
They cleared the initial swarm, moving deeper. The tunnels began to narrow, the hum growing more intense, making it hard to concentrate.
[AARAV SHARMA]
[HP: 98/100, EP: 15/50, SP: 80/100]
"This hum is annoying," Aarav complained, rubbing his temples. "It's like a really bad song stuck in my head."
"It's a form of ambient energy," Sarah theorized, her brow furrowed. "It's affecting our perception. Technomancy can't filter it out directly."
Suddenly, the floor before them erupted with thick, green vines.
[HOSTILE ENTITY: ROOT STRANGLER (LEVEL 2)]
The vines lashed out, trying to ensnare them. Sarah swiftly deployed her [MINOR ENERGY SHIELD], protecting herself, but Aarav found himself tripping over a thorny root.
Vines. Entangling. What else do roots do? Aarav thought quickly, looking at the vibrant green. They absorb.
[ADAPTATION: NUTRIENT SENSE (TEMPORARY MIMICRY) - ACTIVE]
[COST: 8 EP]
[DURATION: 10 SECONDS]
Aarav felt a strange connection to the ground. He could sense the Root Strangler's connection to the earth, its life force. It wasn't an attack, but an awareness. He saw a faint, almost invisible node on the thickest vine, pulsating faintly. A weak point.
"There!" Aarav shouted, pointing. "The glowing bit, right on the thickest vine! That's its core!"
Sarah, trusting his unusual Adaptations, immediately aimed a concentrated [LASER PULSE] at the spot. The root withered instantly, retracting back into the ground.
"Good eyes, Sharma!" Sarah praised, impressed. "That was... surprisingly specific. Your Adaptation is weirder than I thought."
Aarav just shrugged, a hint of satisfaction despite his grumbling. The hum of the Grotto continued, and somewhere deeper within, it felt like it was inviting them to learn more secrets.