Tears streamed down his face as he fell onto the floor, almost hugging it.
The door opposite the door he exited showed a large room filled with monsters, and for the first time, he would have preferred the monsters.
He was dirty; his bandages had been torn from bushes and branches. His wounds had healed, but he still looked bloody and now covered in dirt. The injuries had turned into slight scars, crisscrossing his body, but he had no mind for that as he passed out from relief.
He had been forced to sleep in the clearing after a while, and with his discovery of the bubble, he felt safe, but he hadn’t slept well. The worry, fear, and frustration had gnawed on him, which caused quite a few restless nights, but now he fell into a deep sleep.
He dreamed of teleporting around the world, blinking around enemies as he beat into them, and deflecting attacks with spatial barriers.
He had no idea how long he slept, but he felt wholly refreshed when he woke up and rose to his feet with newfound energy. What he saw stopped him short, though.
The corridor was shorter; to his left was a barrier, and no doors, meaning it was the way he came, but he could now see the end of the corridor in the other direction.
Has it gotten shorter? Did making it through that trial mean I don’t have to travel as far?
His face split into a grin as he realized he only had two more doors before he reached the end, where a single door stood.
Rather than being on the side, the last door was dead ahead. His only hope was that it didn’t lead to more challenges. He really wanted to leave this corridor, but a part of him felt that he couldn’t return to his previous life.
He had been teleported into this space, fought for his life, and made exciting discoveries. It all pointed to some form of magic, and he felt the urge to dive deeper into its mysteries. He could only imagine the disappointment and boredom if he was put back into his old life.
To his surprise, two of the doors disappeared, and the end wall snapped closer like it had always been there. Mark’s eyes widened in shock, but he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and rushed ahead.
He opened a door at random and found an empty room, as expected, but rather than warping like the last time or a monster appearing, a small mat grew out of the floor.
He walked up to the mat and looked around but saw nothing else before he sat down on it. A book appeared on his lap, and something changed in his mind at the same time.
He felt a strange sense of serenity like he was entirely at peace and utterly focused.
He opened the book and saw it didn’t contain any words he could understand, but somehow the meanings were dumped into his mind.
The book had two aspects; one with a fixed impartment of knowledge and one which could help advance his understanding of something he focused on.
The fixed knowledge pertained to magic and casting spells, channeling the internal energies of his body to perform incredible feats. Mark’s eyes widened in joy and excitement as the knowledge entered his mind.
He already knew what knowledge to focus on for the free choice; space.
He sat on the mat and pored over the book. Time passed, but he had no idea how long. Eventually, he reached the end of the book, and whatever energies it contained were exhausted. He blinked his dried eyes and stretched his sore arms.
His joints were stiff, and his eyes hurt from how dry they were, but he still felt a deep sense of accomplishment, and he left the room with a pep in his step.
The other room had target dummies and sword racks, and he felt a wave of relief at getting the room with magic.
He turned to the final door and felt his heart beat faster and faster. His excitement mounted, but so did his worries. Was it the exit, or would it lead to another trial corridor?
Nah… That would be cruel, right? Fuck! It’s not like whoever is doing this has been kind so far… Let’s just get this over with.
He steeled his resolve and opened the door. The moment he touched the doorknob, he was transported somewhere else, and he could already see the benefits of his study session; he saw the ripples in space as he was moved from one location to another.
***
He found himself standing in a large square. Around him were many people, most of whom looked terrible. Wounds, and forlorn looks, mixed with those who looked angry, and countless were crying. He even spotted a few with missing limbs, and most of them simply crumpled to the ground.
Standing on a podium ahead of him, before a large stone building, was a woman.
She had long, wavy brown hair and a lithe figure, but what drew his attention was her ears; they were long and ended in a sharp point.
Is that an elf? What the hell?
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She spoke up before he could wonder any further.
“Congratulations on surviving your first trial,” she said. Her voice was soft but seemed to reach everyone, nonetheless. “You have been integrated into the System Multiverse and have just made it through the first phase of the Integration Tutorial.”
Several angry voices rose from the crowd, but the elf waved her hand, and everyone was silenced.
“In a moment, you will be granted a starter skill, perhaps more if you did well enough. These skills will set you on your path, and I advise you to make the most of it. There are few chances for retries in the Multiverse.”
She smiled, and messages flooded his mind in the same voice as in the corridor.
[Welcome to the System’s Integration Tutorial.]
[Your performance in the Corridor of Trials: A+.]
[Skill(s) granted: Mana Shaping.]
Mana Shaping: Increased control over Personal Energy(Mana).
[System Access Granted.]
[Partial Truth gained: Space.]
[Insight gained: Movement, Distance.]
[Insights merged: Movement, Distance -> Void.]
[Concept gained: Void]
Void: +15 Dexterity, +25 Endurance, +20 Intelligence. +5% Dexterity, Endurance, Intelligence.
[Title(s) gained: Space Prodigy, Insightful, Conceptual.]
Spatial Prodigy: Gain insight into the Truth of Space upon Integration. +10 All stats, +5% Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Insightful: Gain Insight. +5% all stats.
Conceptual: Turn insights into a Concept. +10 all stats. +10% all stats.
[Progenitor Titles gained: Insight, Concept.]
Progenitor(Insight): Gain Insight within 1 hour of gaining System Access. +5% all stats.
Progenitor(Concept): Turn Insights into a Concept within 1 hour of gaining System Access. +10% all stats.
Status:
Name: Mark Johnson
Race: Human(G)
Level: 1
Stats:
Strength: 35
Dexterity: 55
Endurance: 72
Intelligence: 67
Wisdom: 42
Truths:
* Space
* Void: +15 Dexterity, +25 Endurance, +20 Intelligence. +5% Dexterity, Endurance, Intelligence.
* Movement
* Distance
Skills:
Mana Shaping
Screams of frustration and fear reverberated through the square as people started openly sobbing, but Mark barely noticed. He was enthralled by his status, reading over his skills and imagining his future. The rush of power that came a few seconds after was immense, and he felt like an entirely new person.
He couldn’t wait to try out his new skills but felt it was risky in such a crowded place, so he started to look around for a way out of the square, but the elf spoke up again before he could get anywhere.
“From this point forward, you are a part of the Multiverse, for weal or woe. In the following months, you will face further trials. You can embark on missions to temper yourself and prepare for the real world. A word of warning; the Multiverse is no peaceful place, and those who can’t defend themselves will find it hard to live a full life.”
The square was silent, except for the intermittent sobs of those who despaired at their new reality.
“You have been provided a personal place to rest and cultivate. Food will be provided for free during the first two weeks, but after that, you must cook or buy the food. Missions and defeating enemies will grant credits, which can be used to purchase food and equipment. System vendors will open up for business tomorrow after the first missions are posted. Go forth, and prevail.”
The elf disappeared, but Mark saw the minute ripples as she did. He grinned and imagined himself doing the same thing in the future, but he felt it would take a long time before he could do that.
Some people were leaving the square, but many remained, looking lost. Mark didn’t have the energy to help them or the knowledge of how, so he followed those who left.
The moment he left the square, a humanoid, metal figure approached him and spoke in a mechanical voice.
“Mark Johnson, please follow me to your domicile.”
It turned and started walking without waiting for him, and he saw everyone had their own guide. He followed after it, and soon enough, they entered a modest, rustic-looking house.
Inside he saw a kitchen, a sitting area, a bedroom, and a bathroom, and it had a large backyard.
The rooms were basic, but the backyard was huge, unlike any garden or backyard Mark had ever seen.
Rather than plants, trees, and such, it was an empty, black space with a platform in the center. Four pillars stood at the platform's edge, and a mat sat in the center.
His guide explained before Mark thought to ask.
“This is part of a final reward from the System; A spatial Meditation Area,” it said in its monotone voice. “Furthermore, the System has granted you a tome explaining a cultivation method.”
It held out a hand, and a large book appeared on it.
Mark took the book and opened it. He started leafing through it but found that most pages were empty.
“Perform well on missions, and more pages will be filled. Note: Only the hardest difficulties will unlock pages.”
Without further ado, the guide disappeared, leaving Mark alone.
He looked at the empty space between him and the platform, wondering how he would get there, but could only conclude that he had to make some progress with magic. If he could bridge the gap with his Void concept, he should be able to get there.
Rather than try to jump or experiment immediately, he returned to the sitting area and sat down. He opened to book and started reading.
According to the book, cultivating was all about controlling the energy flow within his body. Doing it right would increase the amount of ambient energy his body draws in while purifying and condensing it.
This should also increase his potential in combat, as the purer and more condensed energy should affect his attacks.
He should also try to infuse the energy with his concepts, but that was supposed to be challenging, at least at first. If the area was infused with the correct energy, spatial energy, it should make it easier and improve the effect significantly.