Chapter 7

One minute Mark was falling, and the next, he landed with a heavy thud in the cold, damp darkness. He sagged in relief, grateful for another chance at life. He lay there, ragged breaths wracking his exhausted body, his mana practically non-existent. His hand instinctively went to his sword, only to find it absent.

He lay on the floor, breathing in and out, trying to steady himself. His mana had been nearly exhausted, ticking up by 2 every second, and his stamina was depleted. He didn't know where he was or how he would leave this place.

He also checked his status and saw that all his physical stats had increased by 1. He tried saying "system," hoping for a response, but heard nothing. He sighed and continued checking his status. Now, he had regeneration time for his health, stamina, and mana, and some of his skills and recently gained skills' levels had increased.

Mark Reynolds (Human - Tier 1)

Figure: Average Human (Base: 5) Health:1200/1950/2HPS

Level 2(250/3000) Mana:100/1710/3MPS

Stamina:300/1440/4SPS

Titles:

- Pioneer (Grants +20% stat boost)

-Progenitor (Grants the perception of opportunities for bloodline advancement)

Statistics:

Strength: 9.6(8) Constitution:9.6(8)

Agility: 10.8(9)

Endurance: 7.2(6)

Willpower: 9.6 (8)

Perception: 16.8 (14) (T1)

Intelligence: 8.4 (7)

Wisdom:9.6(8)

Vitality: 10.8(9)

Skills: Abilities:

Identify (Lvl 4) Hunter’s Instinct (Lvl 3)

Meditation (Lvl 1) Weak Mana sense (Lvl 2)

Sword fighting (Lvl 9) Mental perception (Lvl 7)

Bloodline:

- Hidden (1%)

Inventory:

- Divine Meridians Card, Dry rations, Water bottle

Quest:

Gain as much experience and level up before 24 hours elapses (19 hours left)

He had a suspicion that his status was getting updated as he acknowledged or discovered anything related to the “weave”. His suspicions were confirmed - his status was indeed updating based on his observations and discoveries. This meant the system wouldn't coddle them, forcing them to grow stronger through exploration and resourcefulness.

Determined to explore further, he waited for his health, mana and stamina to be full. But first, he decided to check his Weak Mana Sense skill. Mana played a huge role in helping him in the fight against the Alpha wolf.

Then, he activated his "Weak Mana Sense" ability. He felt a faint wisp of energy within him, similar to what he encountered during the fight. Focusing deeply, he found it within him.

He attempted to control it, mirroring his actions from the fight, but the process proved more challenging this time. He combined this attempt with his newly acquired "Meditation" skill, finding that focusing his mind aided in manipulating the energy.

As he focused and cleared his mind, he noticed the wisp of energy becoming clearer. He tracked its path, observing how it flowed through his body and it seemed to follow a pattern in his body. He heard a chime but ignored it and continued following the mana wisp.

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He saw patches of something around the injuries and bruises on his body, different from the wisp he saw. As he continued, he noticed a tingling sensation around his injuries, he observed the energy swirling around his wounds, appearing more concentrated than the wisp itself.

As he saw that, he heard another chime but still ignored it. The energy around his injuries seemed to be a condensed source of mana and looked like it was healing his injuries at a very fast pace.

But he felt a nagging sensation at the back of his head. There was something about how the mana wisp kept moving.

With sheer willpower, he managed to control the wisp, tracing the memorized route based on his observations. Several notifications flooded his vision, but he remained focused, channeling the energy through a network of pathways and nodes he intuitively felt within his body.

The process was agonizing, especially when he tried directing the wisp through nodes around his eyes. But he persevered, pushing through the pain. He didn't realize that his actions would have shocked any experienced mana user. He was unknowingly performing a feat typically requiring specialized techniques, purely through his own will and mana control.

When he passed the mana wisp around his eyes, he saw a little crack on the nodes and tried to pass the mana wisp through the nodes in his eyes, he started to feel some pain.

Finally, after a surge of pain around his eyes, a fleeting vision of a blue, planet-like core appeared as he slightly passed mana into those cracks. He checked the nodes behind his eyes and saw that it had widened, but when he tried passing mana through the wisp wouldn’t budge.

He stopped channeling the mana, exhausted but exhilarated. He decided to follow the flow again, counting the nodes he encountered. As the mana passed through his pathways, there were little hitches around and he guessed that they should be nodes, he identified two on his head, two on his hands, and one in his spine. He sensed more but couldn't pinpoint them yet.

He deactivated his Meditation skill and Weak Mana Sense ability and was flooded with notifications:

- You have discovered your mana pathways.

- You have discovered how to take control of the mana within you, and you then cycled it through your mana pathways. You have been given the skill Mana Control (Rare) and Mana Channeling (Rare).

-You have discovered the nodes in your body. You have opened the optical nodes (5%). Will it be a boon? You have been given the skill Mana Sight (Rare).

- By opening your optical nodes, you have discovered your core. Continue to open all the nodes in your body to unlock your core.

- Your skill Weak Mana Sense has evolved to Moderate Mana Sense. Your skill Moderate Mana Sense has evolved to Mana Sense (Rare) (Lvl 5).

- Your skills Mana Sense, Mana Channeling, mana control and Mana Sight have merged and evolved into the skill Mana Augmentation (Mythical) (Lvl 1).

Mana Augmentation

Mana Augmentation empowers you with unparalleled mastery over magical energy. With a mere thought, you command mana to surge forth, shaping it into powerful spells and abilities. In battle, you wield this energy with precision, striking down foes with devastating force. Beyond combat, Mana Augmentation is a catalyst for transformation, allowing you to transcend mortal limits and unlock hidden reservoirs of magical power within yourself. With each revelation, your mastery over mana grows, guiding you on a path towards greatness in a world teeming with peril and potential.

- For using your Meditation Skill in a creative manner, your Meditation skill can evolve. Take a look at your options and evolve your skill.

Zen Mastery (Rare): Embrace the tranquility of the mind and delve deeper into the realm of meditation. With Zen Mastery, you achieve a heightened state of mental clarity and focus. Distractions fade away as you tap into the essence of inner peace, enabling you to channel your mana with unparalleled precision. This evolution enhances your ability to meditate under even the most chaotic circumstances, granting you resilience against mental attacks and increasing your mana regeneration rate.

Empathic Insight (Rare) Expand your perception beyond the confines of your own mind and into the thoughts and emotions of others. With Empathic Insight, you gain the ability to sense the feelings and intentions of those around you, allowing you to navigate social interactions with ease and empathy. This evolution of the Meditation skill fosters deeper connections with allies and enables you to anticipate the actions of adversaries, granting you an edge in negotiations and strategic planning.

Harmonic Resonance (Rare): Harness the power of harmonious vibrations to attune yourself to the natural rhythms of the world. With Harmonic Resonance, you become adept at synchronizing your mind and body with the energy of your surroundings. This evolution enables you to amplify the effects of your spells and abilities, imbuing them with an additional layer of potency and finesse. By harmonizing your inner and outer energies, you achieve a state of balance that enhances your overall effectiveness in combat and daily life.

You have gained the title Mana savant. Bestowed upon those who exhibit exceptional mastery over mana, the title "Mana Savant" signifies profound insight and innovative utilization of arcane energies. As the first to uncover a rare mana skill, you have demonstrated unparalleled proficiency in manipulating mana, earning recognition as a true savant of the arcane arts. As a Mana Savant, you gain enhanced control over mana, accelerated mana recovery, deeper arcane insight, and a natural affinity for mana-based skills and abilities. This title represents your status as a trailblazer in arcane studies, granting unparalleled prowess in mana manipulation and spellcasting.

He decided to choose his evolution option after finding a safe place or investigating where he was.

He took the card he took from the wolf out of his inventory and took a look at it and it was an uncommon tier longsword.

Uncommon Long Sword: A finely crafted weapon imbued with subtle enchantments, offering superior balance and durability in combat.

He willed it out of the card and grabbed it. His resources had been topped up, and he felt stronger. He activated his Hunter Instinct ability and Mana Augmentation skill, and it was like everywhere opened to him. He was able to see clearer and instantly blinked his eyes to focus.

His journey began with a terrifying descent, followed by an unsettling silence. He explored his surroundings, cautious of the lurking shadows. He ventured forward, drawn by an opening that led him out of the cavern.

With renewed senses thanks to "Mana Augmentation," he honed his "Hunter's Instinct" and detected a nearby presence – a single goblin. He dispatched it with ease.

There, bathed in the morning sunlight, lay a bustling goblin community. A chime resonated –

He checked his notification, his eyes widened at what he saw, he had discovered a "Goblin Lair(9999/10000)”.