Crimson Desert: How to Remove the Unstable Core With Axiom Force

The unstable core objective sits in the middle of Gate to the Otherworld, the Hernand-region main mission that plays out at the Scholastone Institute. After all four batteries are seated and Octavius refuses to shut his experiment down, the game asks you to pull the glowing blue orb off the central pillar using Axiom Force. The prompt itself is simple. The input is not, and it stops a lot of players cold.

Quick answer: Lock onto the blue core with Axiom Force, then hold the pull trigger and push the right stick (or move the mouse) slowly and steadily upward for roughly four to six seconds without releasing. The core will not visibly move at first — keep holding the upward input anyway and it pops free.

The exact inputs for the unstable core pull

Stand facing the central pillar in the domed plaza with a clear line of sight to the blue orb. You do not need to be close, but nothing should be between you and the core.

Hold the Axiom Force grab input to lock on. On controller that is L3 or the left stick click, and on keyboard it is the Axiom Force key after holding the modifier. A red targeting line with a white reticle should land on the core, not on the sky or a pillar behind it.

Hold the pull trigger — L2 on PlayStation, LT on Xbox, Q on PC — and keep holding it. This is the input the on-screen prompt labels “Pull” next to the “Cancel” option.

While still holding the trigger, push the right stick upward slowly, or drag the mouse backward in one smooth motion. Fast, jerky movement cancels the pull. The core stays put for the first few seconds, which is the part that makes people give up early.

Maintain that upward pressure for about four to six seconds. The core destabilizes, implodes, and takes the surrounding stonework with it, which hands control straight over to a cutscene.

Action	Controller	PC
Lock onto the core	Hold L3 / left stick click	Hold the Axiom Force key (Tab), then the grab key
Begin the pull	Hold L2 / LT	Hold Q, then left click
Extract the core	Push right stick up, slowly, 4–6 seconds	Drag mouse back, slowly, 4–6 seconds

Note: PC prompts do not always match the keys the game displays, which is why some players see a Q prompt where a walkthrough mentions R. Trust the keys above over the on-screen glyph if the two disagree.

How to tell the pull worked

There is no ambiguity once it triggers. The core collapses in on itself, the stone structure around the pillar is blown apart, and a cutscene takes over immediately. Octavius shouts “No! My work is almost complete!” before the energy consumes him. Kliff is thrown backward by the blast and scholars run in asking if he is alright.

Cutscene with Octavius on the courtyard floor as a robed figure confronts him, subtitles on screen — The post-explosion cutscene, with Octavius down in the courtyard. Image: Pearl Abyss

After that, the quest log rolls over to the next objective, Approach Tenebrum. If the log still reads “Use Axiom Force to remove the unstable core,” the pull did not complete and you need to re-lock and try again.

Kliff knocked to the ground by the core explosion as scholars approach him — Kliff is thrown clear of the blast as the scholars rush over. Image: Pearl Abyss

Scholars gathered around Kliff in the ruined plaza after the core detonates — The plaza after the core detonates, with the objective about to switch to Tenebrum. Image: Pearl Abyss

Why the core pull fails

Almost every stuck attempt comes down to one of a small number of causes, and none of them require a reload.

Moving the stick or mouse too fast. The pull reads as a sustained, gradual input. A quick flick breaks it instantly.
Letting go after a second or two. The core gives no visual feedback for the first few seconds, so it feels like nothing is happening. Hold through it.
Hunting for a “correct” angle. Swinging the core around the arena looking for a sweet spot does not trigger anything and can damage you. Up is the only direction that matters.
Not being locked on. If the beam is pointing at the sky rather than the orb, cancel out and re-acquire the lock before touching the pull trigger.
Running out of mouse space on PC. The upward drag can eat a lot of desk room. Lift and reposition the mouse mid-pull rather than stopping.

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Where this objective sits in Gate to the Otherworld

The core pull is the third of five objectives in Gate to the Otherworld, the 56th main mission, filed under Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge and the Forbidden Knowledge sub-chapter. It becomes available after finishing On the Right Path, and the domed plaza event only runs from 14:00 onward — if you arrive outside that window, rewind time with the prompt in the lower right corner.

#	Objective
1	Activate the lock device switch underground
2	Insert the batteries to activate the device
3	Use Axiom Force to remove the unstable core
4	Approach Tenebrum
5	Use Force Palm to subdue Tenebrum

Reaching the Institute in the first place is handled by the earlier Scholastone objectives, which route you north out of Kharonso and up the cliff into the courtyard.

Quest HUD reading Find the path to Scholastone Institute while running through a mountain village — Heading north out of Kharonso with the Scholastone objective active. Image: Pearl Abyss

Forest run toward the cliff with the Everfrost Basin waypoint and Scholastone objective on screen — The uphill approach to the cliff wall below the Institute. Image: Pearl Abyss

What happens right after the core is removed

Tenebrum, a mass of dark energy, appears above the open dome once the cutscene ends. Reveal its weak point once with Blinding Flash, then use the updraft over the gap in the middle of the plaza — double-tap jump to deploy your wings — and hit it with Force Palm in midair while it hovers to charge an attack. Spirit drains quickly, so drop behind a pillar and hold both stick clicks to recharge between passes.

Clearing Tenebrum ends the mission and leaves an Abyss Artifact floating where the core used to be. That artifact is the sole reward for Gate to the Otherworld, and the questline continues on to Spire of the Stars.