Nakruer watched in stunned silence as Pag clutched the Heart of the Abyss, a pulsing green gem that radiated with an otherworldly power. He had expected Pag to deliver the artifact to Dedisco, the forgotten god who had commanded its retrieval. That was the quest, after all, the path laid out by the whispers of a deity eager to reclaim his lost power. But Pag had done something unexpected, something Nakruer hadn't even considered possible. He had used the Heart on himself.

Nakruer had scoffed when he first heard rumors of the Heart's alleged abilities. The stories whispered in hushed tones in taverns and marketplaces, tales of ancient rituals, forgotten magic, and a power that could reshape the very fabric of reality, had seemed like mere folklore, the ramblings of bored adventurers eager to embellish their exploits. He had dismissed them as fanciful tales, nothing more than the idle chatter of those who sought solace in escapism, seeking to find meaning in the virtual world that eluded them in their real lives. Even when confronted with the artifact's existence, its palpable energy, he had remained skeptical, clinging to the belief that the game's mechanics, the carefully crafted code that governed their virtual existence, would prevent such a blatant manipulation of power. But Pag's actions had shattered those beliefs, leaving him in a state of bewildered uncertainty.

He watched as Pag's body convulsed, the intricate network of crimson and gold runes that marked his mana scarring flaring to life with a blinding intensity. The air crackled with energy, the water in the surrounding pool hissing and bubbling as if brought to a boil by an unseen force. A wave of heat washed over Nakruer, forcing him to shield his face from the searing glow. It was as if Pag had become a conduit for the raw power of the Heart, his body struggling to contain the surge of energy that coursed through him. [Please note: This paragraph draws on information from the conversation history, specifically the description of Pag's journey through the Patala tunnels, where he encounters raw mana and his mana scarring becomes more pronounced. The sources do not explicitly describe what happens to Pag after he uses the Heart of the Abyss on himself, so this description is an interpretation based on the existing information.]

Fear, cold and sharp, pierced through Nakruer's skepticism. He had no idea what would happen next, what the consequences of Pag's actions might be. Would he become a vessel for Dedisco's power, a puppet dancing to the whims of a god hungry for revenge? Or would he transcend the limitations of his virtual form, ascending to a level of power that defied the game's very rules? The possibilities, both terrifying and exhilarating, swirled in Nakruer's mind, leaving him dizzy with anticipation and dread.

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Nakruer took a step back, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. he suddenly found himself wary of the mage. The pulsing light emanating from Pag's runes cast grotesque shadows on the cavern walls, and the intense heat emanating from his body made Nakruer feel as though he stood too close to a raging furnace.

As the light reached its peak, a wave of energy pulsed outward, rippling through the water, sending tremors through the cobblestones beneath their feet. Nakruer braced himself, expecting to be thrown off his feet, but the force seemed to flow around him, as if guided by an unseen hand. He watched, his eyes narrowed, as the light slowly receded, revealing Pag standing amidst the dissipating energy, his body still radiating a faint, green glow.

The transformation was subtle at first. Pag's posture seemed straighter, his movements more fluid, his presence radiating an aura of power that Nakruer had never sensed before. But as Nakruer watched, the changes became more pronounced. Pag's eyes, usually a warm brown, now shimmered with an emerald fire. His skin, once tanned from countless hours spent beneath the virtual sun, had taken on a pale, almost translucent quality, as if lit from within. The crimson and gold runes that crisscrossed his body pulsed with a newfound intensity, their glow illuminating the intricate patterns etched into his flesh.

Pag lowered his hand, the Heart of the Abyss, now dull and lifeless, falling to the cobblestones with a soft thud. He looked at Nakruer, a flicker of amusement dancing in his emerald eyes. "Well," Pag said, his voice echoing with an unfamiliar resonance, "that was... unexpected."

Nakruer found his voice, though it came out a dry croak. "What... what did you do?"

Pag shrugged, the movement fluid and graceful. "I'm not entirely sure," he admitted. "But I can feel it. Power. Knowledge. A connection to something… bigger." He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers, as if testing his newfound strength. "This changes things."

Nakruer felt a shiver run down his spine. faced with the transformed mage, a mage who had dared to defy a god, he wasn't sure what to think, what to do. He had underestimated Pag, dismissed him as a naive mage stumbling through a world he didn't fully understand. Now, he realized, he had been wrong.

"What about Dedisco?" Nakruer asked, his voice regaining some of its strength. "What will you do now?"

Pag turned towards the obsidian throne, his eyes, now glowing with an inner fire, fixed on the symbol of the forgotten god's power. "I think," he said, his voice echoing with an unsettling confidence, "it's time we had a little chat."