Absolute Cheater

As Asher and Valeris soared through the glittering void, leaving the jungle world's atmosphere behind, they rose higher—until the stars of this new galaxy stretched endlessly before them.

The galaxy was unlike any they had seen. Not just vast, but layered—suspended within it were countless floating worlds and fragment-realms, tethered by threads of glowing mana that connected them like constellations in a living web. These weren't merely planets orbiting a star, but suspended realms clustered into titanic formations, like continents drifting across the sky.

"It's like... a sky-archipelago," Valeris murmured, staring at the spectacle with wide eyes.

"No," Asher corrected softly, a smile playing on his lips, "it's a Realm Cluster. A massive mana system where multiple worlds orbit one another in equilibrium, tied by ancient laws and dungeon-anchors. I've read about these… but I never thought I'd see one."

In the distance loomed the grandest of these floating lands—a colossal world-ring surrounded by smaller isles. It pulsed with mana like a beating heart, and even from afar, they could sense the dense life and energy it harbored.

"That one," Asher pointed. "The central realm. I can feel hundreds of dungeons from here."

They flew closer.

As they approached, details sharpened—towers of white marble, cities built atop clouds, forests growing along upside-down cliffs, and rivers of mana coursing through the air like auroras. The atmosphere buzzed with life, magic, and countless presences—adventurers, mages, beasts, and guardians.

Above the largest landmass floated an immense monolith engraved with runes. From it radiated waves of law—this was the system core, the anchor keeping all the worlds tied together.

A name surfaced in Asher's mind through his Absolute Appraisal, glowing like a brand across his vision.

"Eidralis Nexus — Heart of the Dungeonborn Galaxy."

"This is it," Asher said. "This world is where we start. The peak of this galaxy… and our next trial."

Valeris smiled, wind in her hair and mana dancing on her fingertips.

"Let's see what makes this place special."

As the two descended onto the bustling central landmass of Eidralis Nexus, they were met with the sights and sounds of a world alive with magical purpose.

Skyships soared through the air, glowing platforms carried robed merchants and adventurers alike, and crystalline signposts floated beside every major intersection, glowing with information spelled in ancient runes and modern script. The air was thick with mana, every breath like sipping from a fountain of power. Even the buildings pulsed gently, absorbing ambient mana to sustain themselves.

At the base of a spire-city called Aetherreach, they landed softly on a platform that resembled a circular rune array. As soon as their feet touched down, the symbols on the platform lit up, scanning them briefly.

A voice rang out in the air, smooth and magical:

"Welcome, registered travelers. Mana presence detected: Tier 9. Verification complete. You may enter."

Asher and Valeris exchanged a glance, slightly amused.

"Tier 9, huh?" Valeris smirked. "If only they knew."

They passed through a crystalline gate, entering a city carved of luminous stone and threaded with rivers of mana that ran like glowing veins beneath the streets. Floating golems handled logistics, while adventurers in robes, armor, or exotic gear strolled by with mana beasts at their heels.

Soon, they arrived at what seemed like a realtor's tower—an enchanted spire with rooms that adjusted to their owner's desires. At the counter floated a round, metallic orb with blinking glyphs—it spoke in a clear, chirpy voice.

"Greetings! Need a home? Long-term stay? Dungeon hunters, magi, or sky-merchants—we house all! Payment in Mana Stones accepted, of course!"

Asher stepped forward, lifting his hand. A small pouch shimmered into view from his storage ring—inside, it brimmed with high-purity Mana Stones, crystallized essence they'd gathered during their travels and his own creation too. The orb immediately spun with excitement.

"Oh my. Premium-tier stones. Please follow me—we have an estate with an internal mana spring, floating garden, and defensive wards tuned to repel anything under Tier 10 threats."

Valeris chuckled. "Sounds like home already."

The estate was built into the side of a floating cliff, overlooking an endless ocean of sky and clouds. Aetheric vines curled around its edges, drawing in mana and feeding into the structure's runic core. It had multiple chambers, a training hall that synced with local dungeon ley lines, and a private portal node.

Once inside, they placed wards, adjusted the mana flow, and stood quietly in the main chamber.

The city pulsed beneath them, alive with ambition and magic.

Asher looked out the wide, crystalline window, the glowing spire of the dungeon core in the distance pulsing like a second sun on the horizon. The energy it gave off wasn't just light—it was rhythm. A steady beat of ancient mana echoing across the land, calling to the brave and the foolish alike.

Valeris stepped up beside him, her presence as smooth and steady as ever, and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her voice was soft but eager.

"Should we start now, then?" she asked, resting her head lightly against his shoulder.

Asher smiled, leaning into her warmth.

"Well, that's the whole reason we're here, isn't it?" he said, glancing down at her. "But I gotta admit… this place? It's better than I expected."

From their vantage point, they could see the true structure of the world they'd entered. Across the skies and on distant cliffs, dozens—no, hundreds—of inter-world portals shimmered. Floating platforms arrived from other worlds within the galaxy, each carrying adventurers, magi, and dungeon seekers of every shape and kind. Mana beasts flew overhead, and in the distance, vast rune circles opened and closed like gates in a grand celestial network.

"It's like a crossroads," Valeris murmured. "So many worlds tied to this one central plane… and they all send their dungeon seekers here."

She pointed at one portal in particular—a dark red swirl leading into what looked like a volcanic realm. Moments later, a group of armored figures emerged from it, battered and bloodied, dragging behind them a glowing dungeon core shard.

Asher's eyes gleamed.

"Each of those dungeons might hold pieces of ancient arts, unique cores, or even the essence we need to break into new ranks," he said, his tone sharpening with resolve. "This world isn't just a rest stop—it's a forge. The kind that tempers legends."

Valeris nodded, stepping away to stretch slightly, her fingers already crackling with mana. "Then let's sharpen ourselves, Asher. If this world is the forge… let's become its finest blades."

They stood in silence for a moment more, watching another skyship dock at a platform below.

And then, without another word, they turned and walked toward the inner sanctum of their estate. The mana-rich air responded, swirling around them like coiled dragons waiting to be unleashed.

Descending the sleek steps of their newly acquired estate, Asher and Valeris entered the main plaza of the city—a sprawling, tiered platform floating amidst a sea of mana clouds. Crystal bridges connected to other platforms, some bustling with arcane merchants, others filled with adventurers fresh from dungeon dives, their armor scorched or glowing with recent upgrades.

The city itself was a marvel—Verdenth Spirehold, they had learned it was called. Built upon a colossal mana crystal that pulsed like a heart beneath the surface, it served as the beating hub of the entire realm. Floating islands surrounded it like moons orbiting a planet, each one holding access to dungeons, testing grounds, guild halls, and mysterious sanctums locked behind rank-based barriers.

The people here weren't ordinary cultivators—they were mana forgers, essence shapers, dungeon-binders, and relic seekers. Instead of spirit stones, their entire economy ran on Mana Stones, harvested from slain dungeon cores or refined from the world's dense ambient mana. Luckily, Asher and Valeris had converted much of their old resources into high-tier mana stones using Asher's Soul Alchemy—and wealth had never been their problem.

After passing through the Verification Spire, a transparent pillar that scanned their mana signatures and ranked them, the city granted them full access. As high-level beings arriving from another world, they were quickly offered a private residence near the Third Ring, where most elite explorers and cross-world travelers lived.

Now, walking through the market street en route to the Central Dungeon Nexus, Asher glanced at a group of robed scholars gathered around a glowing mana map, discussing dungeon tier fluxes and dungeon rebirth patterns. To his left, a scarred man offered enchanted runes in exchange for purified core fragments, and a few steps ahead, a beastkin woman sharpened a blade that buzzed with unstable, explosive mana.

Valeris walked beside him, her gaze sharp and predatory. She was dressed lightly now—her armor enchanted to breathe with the mana of this world—like moonlight wrapped around tempered steel.

They finally reached the Dungeon Assignment Hall, a monolithic floating citadel tethered by chains of condensed mana. Inside, hundreds of screens displayed available dungeons. Each had a symbol, a danger level, and rewards based on the core tier within.

Asher approached a terminal and pressed his palm to the screen.

A soft hum.

The display shifted, then flickered. And then—"Unique Dungeon Discovered."