As I made my way back to the inn, I stumbled upon a food stall selling some sort of meat on a stick, and the aroma was simply irresistible. I approached the vendor and paid 10 copper for the delicious-looking treat. Through this transaction, I realized that there were 100 copper coins to 1 silver, and the exchange occurred through system prompts and my intent. It was strange how comfortable I had become with these screens playing a role in every aspect of my life, but I was oddly okay with it.
Returning to the inn, I greeted Eleanor with a nod as I made my way back to my room. I couldn't help but reflect on my anti-social behavior, but at the same time, I felt a sense of confidence in how I was managing my situation. It seemed like I was slowly adapting to this new world.
I sat on the edge of my bed, lost in thought about my life before I had arrived in this world. I remembered how I had been sick for such a long time, and how it had gradually taken its toll on my mental health. I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sadness and regret as I recalled the relationships with my friends and family that had deteriorated as my condition worsened.
I remembered the days when I could barely muster the strength to get out of bed, and how the darkness of my room seemed to close in on me, suffocating me. My friends had tried to be there for me, but over time, their visits became less and less frequent as they struggled to cope with my declining state. I couldn't blame them, really; it must have been painful for them to watch me wither away like that. But the isolation that followed was unbearable.
As my mental health continued to slip, I found myself withdrawing from the world, becoming more and more reclusive. I could no longer enjoy the things that had once brought me happiness, and even the thought of socializing with others seemed like an insurmountable challenge. My relationships fell apart, and it felt as though I was trapped in a downward spiral from which there was no escape.
I would often lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if there would ever be an end to my suffering. As I pondered my past, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the darkness that had enveloped my life and the cold, terrifying void I had yet to encounter. Perhaps my years of wasting away in isolation and despair had, in some twisted way, prepared me for the horrors of the void. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. However, these feelings of sadness and regret quickly faded. I was aware of them but they once again seemed to sit in the backseat of my mind not weighing me down any longer. I was aware that was inherently wrong but found it hard to give it any more thought.
As I paced around my room unsure of what to do with my newfound free time, I decided to engage in some bodyweight exercises. It seemed like a good way to keep myself occupied and maintain my physical fitness.
I began with a series of push-ups, sit-ups, and squats, quickly losing count as I pushed my new demi-god body to its limits. My strength, endurance, and flexibility were all far beyond anything I'd ever experienced before. I felt invincible, capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.
After completing my workout, I moved on to a series of stretches, each one easing the tension in my muscles and leaving me feeling limber and revitalized. Once I had stretched every major muscle group, I decided to try my hand at meditation. I'd never been particularly good at it, but with my new mental fortitude, I felt that perhaps it was worth another shot.
As I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, I began to feel a sense of peace and tranquility wash over me. The world around me seemed to fade away, and I became aware of an odd light emanating from deep within my chest. Intrigued, I focused my attention on it, and as I did so, I could feel the light drawing energy from a network that seemed to cover my entire body. The sensation reminded me of chakra networks from eastern lore, or even an anime I had seen in my past.
I concentrated on the bead of light, it seeming to grow in size and strength at the attention. Slowly but surely, it expanded, becoming larger and more radiant until it was nearly the size of a basketball. Just as I was on the verge of a breakthrough, I suddenly snapped back to reality, my focus shattered.
Frustrated, I immediately tried to return to my meditative state and reconnect with the strange light, but it seemed to have vanished completely. That's when I noticed a system notification lingering in the corner of my vision.
A system notification appeared before me:
Skill: Mana Manipulation
Description: The ability to control and manipulate one's own mana, allowing the user to channel their inner energy for various purposes. This skill grants the user the potential to enhance their physical abilities, cast spells, or even create unique abilities based on their mana control. As the user's proficiency in mana manipulation increases, their capacity to wield their mana in more complex and powerful ways will also grow.
Intrigued by this new skill, I returned to my meditative position and focused my mind on Mana Manipulation. To my amazement, I could once again see the light and the mana network surrounding it.
I attempted to form the basketball-sized ball of energy, and while I managed to reach that size, I sensed that it couldn't grow any larger at the moment. Instead, I began to circulate the energy from the core throughout my mana network, trying to maintain the core's original size as I dispersed the energy. My network flared up and down as I struggled to stabilize it.
The process was physically and mentally taxing. I strained, sweat pouring down my face, and I felt incredibly ill. But I was determined not to give up. I laughed internally and thought to myself, "How could I drift through the void and endure all its horrors, yet be unable to handle playing with this strange light? No chance."
I continued to work with the energy, pushing myself to the limit, until finally, another system notification appeared: Mana Core Formed.
As I gazed at the newly formed Mana Core, I couldn't help but feel a strange uneasiness. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a minuscule pinprick of blackness at the very center of the otherwise radiant core. The darkness seemed to pulsate with an eerie, mysterious energy, and as I tried to focus on it, my mind and senses began to grow numb. A chilling coldness crept through my body, sending shivers down my spine.
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Despite the unsettling sensation, I quickly dismissed the notion, convincing myself that it was nothing more than a trick of the mind. Nevertheless, the enigmatic darkness left a lingering sense of unease, hinting at something hidden and potentially dangerous within my Mana Core.
As I once again entered my meditative state, I found that I could no longer affect the Mana Core, but merely observe it. To my surprise, simply observing the luminous core brought a deep sense of calm and serenity to my mind. My emotions, which had been mostly hidden and suppressed since my arrival in this world, suddenly felt more open and accessible.
It was as if the bright light of the Mana Core acted as a barrier, pushing back the oppressive darkness of the void that seemed to constantly loom over me. This newfound sense of peace and emotional freedom was a welcome change, and I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that perhaps, in time, I could overcome the shadows of my past.
A system notification appeared before me, stating: Daily Exercise Bonus Achieved: Your base stats have increased by 10% as a result of today's exercise. This bonus must be maintained through daily exercise to receive the same benefit. Consecutive days of training without interruption and increased intensity can further enhance this bonus. Adjust your exercise regimen accordingly for optimal results.
The message was clear and concise, encouraging me to maintain a consistent exercise routine to keep reaping the benefits.
Over the course of the next few months, my life fell into a steady and fulfilling rhythm. During the weekdays, Stonegorge and I would head out to the woods, where we would spend our time chopping wood and dealing with the occasional ent. As time progressed the quality of log I chopped and strength of the ents I faced changed as I leveled accordingly.
I spoke with Stonegorge about the possibility of bringing extra logs home on the weekends, and he agreed without hesitation. He understood my desire to make the most of my time and skills, and despite demanding what he called a fee to good for his own mother even I was granted my crafting materials.
On the weekends, I would take the logs back to my room at the Sturdy Boulder Inn and meticulously craft arrow shafts. Eleanor, the innkeeper, would provide me with meals, and I would occasionally exchange a few words with her or other patrons. My social skills were slowly improving, but I still kept mostly to myself. I had not developed a dodge skill for unwanted social interactions.
In my spare time, I would meditate, focusing on my newly discovered Mana Manipulation skill and observing my mana core. It was a serene experience, allowing me to connect with my emotions and temporarily push back the darkness of the void that constantly loomed over me.
Every day, without fail, I would exercise. Whether it was a workday or a day off, I committed to maintaining and improving my physical prowess. The system notifications encouraged me, as I saw the increase in my base stats and the promise of even greater benefits if I continued to train diligently though the 25% increase to base stats I now enjoyed had a profound effect.
During these months, I made the conscious decision to face my nightmares, choosing to sleep despite the horrors that awaited me in the void. As a result, my mental resistance grew stronger, increasing several times and bolstering my resilience against the darkness that sought to consume or break me.My mental resistance ultimately manifested itself in the form of a skill:
Skill Name: Void Resilience
Description: Through constant exposure to the void and overcoming its nightly torment, the user has developed an extraordinary mental resistance. This skill does not render the user immune to mental attacks, but forces all mental assaults to first succeed against the void's influence before affecting the user. Additionally, this skill enables the user to retaliate against their assailants by inflicting the void's touch upon them. However, this retaliation opens the user to the effects of the void, requiring them to maintain their mental resistance.
My character sheet reflected my growth as I mentally selected it.
Character Name: Dylan
Race: Demi God
Class: Unbound
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Level: 4
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 25
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 10
Charisma: 10
Hit Points: 250
Mana: 200
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Skills:
Woodcutting: 19
Mana Manipulation: 5
Void Strike: 2
Void Resilience: 1
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Perks:
* Void Touched: The character's abilities are influenced by the mysterious void, altering skills and perks in unpredictable ways. The effects and triggers for these changes are unknown and may manifest at any time.
* Divine Regeneration (Passive): The character possesses a divine gift that grants a slow, continuous health regeneration. Restores 2% of maximum hit points every minute, even during combat.
* Void Hunter: You gain the ability to sense the weak points, allowing you to target these areas for 20% increased damage. Your accuracy also improves by 15%. This skill is enhanced by the Void Touched perk.
I remembered the day I had unlocked the Void Strike skill while battling the tree ents. My Mana Manipulation skill at level 5 granted me the insight to infuse my strikes with the void-touched power that lurked within me. This new ability enabled me to harness the darkness, creating a potent strike that soon developed into a skill all its own, known as Void Strike. Unfortunately, Stonegorge wouldn't let me use Void Strike too many times while chopping wood, as the void's toxic and consuming nature ruined the quality of the wood we were supposed to harvest.
Over time, as my woodcutting skill reached level 15, my Void-Touched ability activated and further evolved my Voidwood Hunter skill into Void Hunter. Interestingly, the void now seemed to shroud additional words, and the system recognized it as a functional combat perk now granting me 15% accuracy in general not just at woodchopping. Despite growing closer to Stonegorge, discussing character sheets and stats still remained a taboo topic between us. This left me wondering if it was normal to gain such an increase in power through crafting, but I had no way to confirm it with him.
I continued with my initial plan of investing all my attribute points into Constitution. I was extremely satisfied with my decision, as my heightened Constitution made the days filled with physical labor and my daily regimen of exercise not only manageable but almost a source of enjoyment for me.