With the massive wall of resources demanded by the system, I set about treating it like a checklist. Since the Tungsten requirement was the most numerous in terms of mass that I needed I began to try and create and set up a regenerating deposit of it.

Tried being the operating word.

I took what I can only assume was an hour with no outside frame of reference for anything to happen.

『NOTICE』

So, instead, I tapped into my mana to begin utilizing the low-quality ore template I had to make a small pile of the resource in an unused corner of the cavern.

『NOTICE』

I felt puzzled when I saw the message on my mental screen. Out of skill power? What did that mean? Was it like mana, the blue energy that flowed through my veins and allowed me to perform magic? I had just replenished my mana reserves a moment ago, so how could I be out of it? And why didn’t I feel any drain on my energy when I used the ore template?

I shook my head, dismissing these questions as presently irrelevant. Perhaps it was just some weird quirk of this world’s magic system. I had already learned not to question everything that happened here, since most of it defied what I knew to be logic and common sense.

I switched my attention to another menu on my mental screen, where I could see various numbers representing my stats. Three entries caught my eye: mutation points, skill power, and mana. They all had different values and colors, indicating that they were separate resources with different functions. Mutation points were red and seemed to be related to my physical evolution. Skill points were green and apparently used for creating ore deposits and other things. Mana was blue and used for casting spells and summoning golems.

I realized then that making ore deposits required skill power, not mana. That explained why I ran out of them so quickly. But how could I get more skill power? And more importantly what else could I do with them?

I decided to experiment with another feature I had been granted of this world’s magic system: the regeneration zone. Provided I understood it correctly, It was supposed to create an area where ores would grow back over time, using some kind of natural or magical process that I didn’t understand. Maybe it would work on the small pile of tungsten that I had created with the ore template.

I looked over at the corner where I had created the metal ores. They were barely visible in the dim light of the cave, but I could sense their presence within my borders with another yet unexplained ability. They weighed only a few kilograms each, barely not enough to trigger the pressure sensors on my golems' hydraulic arms.

I focused my mind on one of them and activated the regeneration zone skill. To my surprise, nothing happened. No error message appeared on my mental screen, and no sound or vibration indicated any change in the environment.

But then I noticed something different about the rock: it was glowing faintly with a blue light, similar to mana but softer and gentler.

It was working!

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I watched in awe as the rock slowly grew bigger before my eyes, expanding from its original size like a balloon being inflated.

It was painfully slow indeed; at this rate, it would take hours or even days for it to reach a significant mass.

But maybe there was a way to speed up this process; maybe if I increased my mana output or adjusted some parameters on the skill menu…

I summoned one more golem with what little mana I had left; bringing up their number to four: two blue golems and another two red golems.

I looked at them with a mix of pride and frustration. They were my only allies in this strange and hostile world, but they were also draining my precious resources. I realized that I couldn’t keep creating more golems or ore deposits without finding a better source of skill power and mana.

Maybe there was something out there in the cave system that could help me; something that I hadn’t seen or sensed before. Maybe there was a way to increase my capacity or regeneration rate; maybe there was a way to reduce my cost or consumption.

Or maybe there was nothing at all; maybe I was doomed to run out of energy sooner or later.

But I couldn’t just sit here and wait for that to happen. I had to take a risk and explore the unknown; maybe I would find something valuable or useful; maybe I would find something dangerous or deadly.

There was only one way to find out.

I arranged them around me in a diamond formation; two at each side; ready for any danger or opportunity I might encounter along my way.

Not to say that I knew what to expect.

I walked deeper into the cave system, leaving faint traces of mana that I could sense with my golems sensors. The mana was like a thin thread that connected me to the outside world, but it was getting weaker and weaker as I moved away from my territory.

The frozen cave was dark and silent, except for the occasional sound of reverberations from the surface or falling ice. My wireframe sight only showed me the outlines of the terrain, without any details or colors. It was like walking in a black-and-white sketch.

The golems were my eyes and ears in this environment. They used their sensors to scan for any signs of life or danger. They also communicated with each other through a series of beeps and clicks that I could hear through my mental link.

But so far, they had found nothing. No ores, no plants, no animals, no traces of civilization. Nothing but empty ice tunnels that seemed to stretch on forever.

I wondered if I was wasting my time and energy on this exploration. Maybe there was nothing here worth finding. Maybe I should turn back and look for another way to increase our resources.

But something inside me urged me to keep going. A curiosity, a hope, a stubbornness. I wanted to see what was beyond the darkness. I wanted to discover something new and valuable. I wanted to prove myself in this world.

So I pressed on, deeper and deeper into the cold and dark caves.

As I walked deeper into the cave system, I noticed a faint glimmer on one of the walls. I stopped and approached it, curious about what it was.

It was a cluster of crystals that sparkled with different colors. They looked like jewels embedded in the rock. I reached out to touch one of them, feeling a surge of energy run through my fingers.

It was mana! Mana in a solid crystalline form!

I gasped and pulled my hand back, startled by the sensation. I had never seen or felt anything like this before.

I looked at my mental screen and saw that my mana level had increased slightly. Just by touching one of these crystals, I gained some mana.

I wondered what would happen if I took one of them with me. Maybe it would boost my mana capacity or regeneration rate. Maybe it would make my abilities more powerful or efficient.

Or maybe it would have some negative effects too. Maybe it would be unstable or addictive. Maybe it would attract unwanted attention from other creatures or forces.

I decided to take a risk and find out. I grabbed one of the crystals and broke it off from the wall. It felt warm and smooth in my palm. Curling my fingers around the slightly blocky mass, I held it tight while pushing on.

I explored the cave system for a while longer, but I didn't find any more crystalline mana or anything else of interest. The cave was mostly empty and barren, with only some occasional stalactites and stalagmites to break the monotony.

I wondered if I had missed something or taken a wrong turn. Maybe there were other branches or levels that I hadn't seen. Maybe there were hidden secrets or treasures that I hadn't discovered.

But I didn’t have enough mana or skill power to keep searching. I was getting tired and hungry, and my golems could barely detect the mana trail that had been laid. I had to return to my territory and rest.

I checked my mental map just to verify that the trail had gone untampered and retraced my steps back to where I had come from. It was easier to navigate now that I had marked some of the walls with runes.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally reached the entrance of our territory. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I saw the familiar glowing runes on the walls.

But I also felt something else: heat.

It was much warmer here than in the rest of the cave system. I hadn’t noticed it before when I left, but now it felt like a blast of hot air hitting my face.

I realized that it was because of my territory itself. The magic that defined it also generated heat as a byproduct. Over time, it raised the temperature of my territory significantly. Not yet enough to cause any melting, or perhaps it was some form of magic temperature that only affected me.

Regardless, it felt strange and uncomfortable at first, but I started to appreciate it. It was cozy and soothing after being in the cold and dark for so long.

I smiled and entered my territory with my golems following me. I had returned home safely with some new resources and experiences.