Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale - Chapter 6: Unveiling the Crystals

... agon, his chest heaving from the intensity of the battle. The cavern seemed to hold its breath, the echoes of the dragon's final roar fading into a heavy silence. The air itself was dense, saturated with residual mana from the beast's demise. Though the fight had left him drained, Kael knew he couldn't afford to rest. The dragon's mana core still pulsed with raw energy—a treasure in this dungeon where nothing came without a price.

Taking a cautious step forward, he eyed the dragon's mass ...