Some minutes after...
I figured some things out after being halfway done with my task.
The guide the tutorial imparted about Absorb Matter was lackluster. First, focus your intent to use it, then visualize the effect to be made, concentrate and set parameters on the target, recite the name in your mind, and finally, release.
The first time I tried, it was less about doing it with knowledge and reasoning and more about following instincts and intuition. Instincts and intuition that are so foreign yet so natural. Things I would come to discover being a dungeon core now; I wonder what more there are?
As I continued to use the ability, I became more skillful and familiar with each use. Less time was needed to focus, easier visualization, and less effort to lock on the target.
I became faster, steadily increasing the volume I absorbed each time. It eventually became as natural as walking.
Becoming instinctual made me have the luxury to think about my other abilities.
The ones greyed out. I couldn’t feel or get anything at all, which led to the conclusion they were locked or sealed, most likely unlocked in the future, putting my bets on during the tutorial.
Among the available, Expert Mana Sense stood out. It made me feel little particles; some were pulled into my core like a vortex. I could sense my core slowly absorbing the particles as they touched my core. The particles were everywhere, some denser than others. They were ubiquitous; they were mana.
Another thing I could ‘see’ and ‘feel’ was that my core slowly released mana particles, much less than what my core absorbed, but there nonetheless. It was different from the ambient mana. It was somehow pure, wild, and untouched.
Then, as I ‘saw,’ I realized the light coming off my core was mana, as it somehow intertwined and weaved together to become light. It was still the same pure feeling, but more solid and bigger.
As the lights reached the walls, I felt the light reflect off the stone. As it did, I sensed multiple mana particles dispersing into the pure mana I first felt when the light hit the stone.
But not all; few remained in their light form, hitting another part of the stone, then continued one last time, the light form barely holding on, becoming the pure mana particles as it hit the third time, some floating in the empty space and some seeping into the stone.
A realization hit me as I focused on my ‘vision.’ I can now truly perceive it; I can feel the stone, the light coming off the core, the clusters of different feeling mana and structure to what I assume are ores and some gemstones or crystals. Is that how I was able to ‘see’ all this time? No, not seeing, sensing. Feeling the mana, the structure of how everything is built with it. A 360-degree view is like a 3D printer, in my mind, creating a 3D model.
But there's a limit, a barrier; past the limit, I’m very much blind, not sensing anything, just nothing—the limited view of my world, a 1m radius around my core.
After recognizing the barrier, I decided to test something.
Stopping my expansion, I looked once again at my sphere of influence. It seems I dug a space out with a radius of 60 centimeters, my core at the center. In the middle my core, a 3-centimeter dodecahedron gem of ever-shifting hues of color. Suspended mid-air by the upheaval of mana rushing from all sides my core attracts, along with the constant mana my core discharges.
I gathered my now much-aware mana senses to the perimeter of one side of the barrier. Using Absorb Mana, trying to reach beyond the barrier. For the first time, my ability failed.
The answer was quite clear to me. While preparing Absorb Mana, I gathered all my spare attention on my mana sense. First, there was the intent, and then I could sense a change in the mana; I could feel the mana become malleable, willing, and fluid. Yes, like I could manipulate it.
Then, the visualization, the first time doing it, I couldn't quite get my head around it. In the ability's name, there's absorb, but to where. So instead, I thought about transferring (teleportation, if being fancy)—the destination—my ability Interdimensional Storage recorded on my Status. I had to have it even if I couldn't feel it right; The System would not lie, so with confidence in that notion, I visualized a transferring stone from one place to the Interdimensional Storage I had but could not perceive.
Obviously, it was a success, and as something entered the Interdimensional Storage, I could feel its existence in my core. Not physically there, but another dimension connected and anchored to my core. In my storage, the stone was suspended in a vastless void, a lot more brittle and weathered, which I've deducted is due to the absence of mana. There's a reason Absorb Mana and Absorb Matter are separate abilities, right? I couldn't think why otherwise.
When visualization began, I noticed an inconspicuous change in the malleable mana. It became otherworldly? connected to another place, not here. Yet, such a minor change to truly distinguish it from before unless exceedingly susceptible.
As I target my ability beyond the barrier, I imagine a cube going beyond the borders of the barrier, and precisely as I do so, all the latent mana present in the aforementioned imaginary cube sector changes to the same otherworldly feeling mana, this time more noticeable than before yet still easily missable if not for my current heightened sensitivity.
At the thought of release, however, the changed mana reverted to its original state without any sign or a hint at the previous event.
I once again willed my ability, this time stopping at the very limit of the barrier. Observing the trying to find differences, I feel in great detail as the ability operates without hindrance. All the same processes except before, where the side of the cube touching the barrier was hazy, unstable, rough, and in disorder. Compared to the orderly-formed mana of the cube this time, it is somehow stable, solid, and clean; it just felt right.
As I come to the end of my test, letting my attention wander in my 1-meter-radius sphere of visuality, I notice a mental fatigue that went unnoticed during my hyperfocus.
'Huh, got to watch out for that.'
So, let's summarize what I found out. Absorb Mana or/and Expert Mana Manipulation attracts ambient mana to my core, where Absorb Mana allows me to absorb it.
I speculate Expert Mana Conversion changes the absorbed mana or, at the very least, converts the mana when using Absorb Matter.
Similarly, Expert Mana Purification is likely the cause of pure mana emitting out my core; whether purification is happening only to the released mana or also to the mana I hold in my core (speculating from the status screen) is unknown.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Expert Mana Sense allows me to perceive all this and, most importantly, substitute for visual organs I do not possess.
Expert Mana Manipulation seems to allow me to do all the abovementioned things more fluently.
So, my conclusion 'Am I a magical plant?!'
I mean, you can see my reasoning, right? The ambient mana is carbon dioxide, whereas the mana I release is oxygen. Now that I think of it, Absorb Mana and Absorb Matter function like a plant to absorb air and minerals, respectively. Of course, I know I'm a dungeon core and know its purpose. I've had multiple D&D sessions, most of them as a DM. There is also the obvious grayed-out Summon Monster and Create Trap. I have eyes; wait a moment; actually, I currently do not possess eyes, but you know what I mean.
But being a DM was about creating engaging stories and NPCs, balanced enemies to encounter, choices to make and consequences, and trash mixed with loot. Sometimes, it was more about annoying traps or riddles, just for the heck of it. Loot to make players fight over, random-ass strong NPC for those murder hobos, and a lot of impromptu stuff pulled out of my ass for underestimating the stupidity of players. Sometimes, it is caused by ingenuity overlooked, but mostly stupidity.
There's no information on how a dungeon operates, how it's created, or its purpose beyond adventure and loot.
'Man, this D&D talk pulls me back. The friends then grew apart as we grew older, and one thing came to another: we all stopped seeing each other gradually. It's been years since I met them. I wonder how my friends are doing now. I wonder if they will ever get to hear about my death. I hope it doesn't hit them too hard.'
While reminiscing about some of our more memorable D&D sessions, a screen appeared, notifying me that I had finished my task. This was followed by another tutorial screen.
Tutorial Step 2
Please use the ability Summon Companion
Imparting basic use guide of the ability Summon Companion
Impart achieved
Task
-Summon a Companion
Oh, the greyed-out ability is now available. Let's hop to it then because being alone and talking to myself in a confined space underground is perfect for going insane. And I certainly don't want that; someone to talk to or companionship alone will do wonders for my mental health.
So, I follow the knowledge imparted to me. First, the intent as the surrounding mana becomes malleable, then the visualization as I think of it, 'someone I could communicate with, someone whom I would feel comfortable with, someone who won't give up on me.' It succeeds as the mana changes ever so slightly. Then, targeting setting the location in front of my core as the mana changes, forming a circle with undecipherable patterns inside.
A new step: injecting mana. It didn't specify how much, so the more, the better. I'm going all in. Feeling the mana in my core, I send all of it to the circle. As mana leaves my core and touches the circle, the circle's presence grows, becoming solid and growing its existence; as the circle glows, it starts vacuuming all the ambient mana and pure mana in the air, shining brighter and becoming more concrete as mana fills it.
As I drain all the mana in me, I release for the finale.
Then I watch as the light converges and compresses into a floating sphere, and soon, appendages start growing, settling in a humanoid form with wings. Then, the form takes on more details; the head gains a face, ears, and hair; human hands and feet instead of the stumps before; the body gets curves and groves, and finally, the wings start to become more than light, three sets of wings shaped and thin like a dragonfly yet somehow looks to be made of prismatic crystals.
As I watched the process, I understood some parts of it. The glowing mana felt solid; the mana was turning into matter.
When all the glowing mana at the beginning was converted to making this fairy at the height of 50 cm, I felt something like a pull, a bond tethered by something mana but more personal, private, and special. As the bond was finalized, I knew that this bond was unbreakable. Then a System message appeared, except this one seemed more fractured and transparent than all I had encountered.
Detected Bond of The System Chosen with Companion...
Proceeding protocols...
Increasing Authority for Acess to System Knowledge of Subject Companion...
Increasing Imparted General Knowledge of Subject ≘⊘⊩panion...
Increas⊩⊃⋧⊷ Limit of Anato◼◻ ⥷⦧ ⦲ubject Co∲∑≅≘⊘⊩⊃n
Rem∉⇷≅∧∪≈ Lim⋉⊾ ⊠⊠⊊ Ego and Consc⥷⦧⦲⦻⧰ ⧒⧫ Subject Com⨡⨊⧰⩰⩛⩞...
⤸⤰⥇⥿ ⦥⥷⧏⦩ ⧊⧠ ⨴⨝⩍ Last <⇶∑≍≏ ≶⊘ Help ⊷ ⤤⦿⦰ Give
⟅⟀⟡ Com⊁⊏⊕⊽⋕⋨⋯⏐◻ ⟠⟞⟩⟍⟊⟊ Guide ⥣⎵⋧ ⊟⊘⊔⊙ ⊛⊤ ⊴⊾
G⨀⨨D ⧭⦽⥫⥰ AIDEN
If you wish to see the unbroken message, click the spoiler below.
Detected Bond of The System Chosen with Companion...
Proceeding protocols...
Increasing Authority for Acess to System Knowledge of Subject Companion...
Increasing Imparted General Knowledge of Subject Companion...
Increasing Limit of Anatomy of Subject Companion
Removing Limit for Ego and Conscious of Subject Companion...
This Will be the Last Piece of Help I Can Give
The Companion Will Guide You Along The Way
GOOD LUCK AIDEN