How long has it been?

Actually, I know exactly how long it has been: 49 hours, 17 minutes and 5 seconds increasing.

For the past two days I've been locked inside the Dead Zone, slowly mastering the spirit art of . To prevent anyone or anything else from entering, the exit has been sealed. On the fifth day, Takashi will return to remove the boulder and hopefully find a moving skeleton... well, MY moving skeleton.

If I die will I return as a forsaken undead? I have a feeling I would, but I'm not sure if I'll stay the same person. Hrm, it might be something I want to investigate as soon as I leave this desolate hole.

As another hour slowly passes by, I find myself reminiscing about the day before I entered the Dead Zone...

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"Listen Enbos, all life is connected. Be it in the air, in the sea, or even through another being, everything exists as one. It's natural for any two souls to be drawn to one another."

Sitting by the fireplace inside the old cabin, Takashi is huddling by the fire with a warm cloak wrapped around him. The interior is almost barren with no windows save for one which is boarded up. I'm sitting opposite him, listening intently to his explanation.

"On the more mechanical level, all living souls release miniscule amounts of spiritual energy, too small to be perceived by . This is due to the recovery rate exceeding the baseline level, but instead of dispersing in the air, this excess is diverted into the World Stream. It helps maintain the very connection that gives us our mana and skills. is designed to make use of this connection, redirecting the ambient energy released by every living thing in the vicinity into the user."

"Hold on, I seem to recall you saying the forsaken also feed off the World Stream. Are they spawned with the ability to use ?"

"Not exactly. The forsaken are born with such a craving for life that they achieve a similar effect. Their ability only works in Dead Zones, where the World Stream's influence is weak enough to be reversed. is far more effective, making it a fundamental skill for any spirit art practitioner. Otherwise, we would have to increase the body's metabolism, which puts too much strain on the body and is simply impossible in your case."

Hearing Takashi's words, I recall the occasion me and the hunting party fought a Rakertus. So that's what Chiyoko's meditation technique was. She was using all along.

"Now Enbos, let us begin. Your first step is to control your circulation of spiritual energy. Right now, it's mostly concentrated in your which is quite frankly a terrible position to project any spirit art. Another added bonus is you can finally disguise your spiritual energy by matching it to those of a human."

Takashi stands up and walks over to his bag. While he rummages through its contents, there is one more thing I have to ask...

"Pardon me, Takashi..."

"Yes?"

"It has been hanging on my mind since we got here, but why are we right next to a Dead Zone?"

"That Dead Zone will be the final phase in your training, Enbos. requires you to strengthen your connection to the World Stream, but if you do it anywhere else and without guidance, the pull of the World Stream could tear your soul apart."

Gulp!

"That's why a Dead Zone is required in order to acclimatise to the World Stream's pull. In the end, you'll start at the deepest depths then slowly work your way to the exit over a matter of days..."

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... which is exactly what I've been doing.

When I first looked inside the desolate cavern, I was surprised to find some kind of luminescent fungi covering the interior. According to Takashi, all plants (and fungi) produce trace levels of spiritual energy, but this species releases a noticeable amount. It uses this energy to create a network from the World Stream into the Dead Zone, attracting the forsaken undead which protects it from animals. In return, it provides an indirect connection to the World Stream that the undead can use, and hence why I'm training here.

This cave isn't particularly cavernous or deep, but I've never been in a more alien environment. From instant I stepped foot in this tunnel, I felt lost. I never realised the sensation until it was gone. It's a feeling that has accompanied me since rising from the grave, the difference between silence and soundlessness; the absence of the World Stream.

Supposably, the position of the town's Life Well pulls mana streams away from this place, and the cave walls are lined with a rare ore that disrupts spiritual energy. The boulder is probably carved from a different quarry as it doesn't block the flow from the fungi connecting to the outside.

Being in such an environment, the first thing I did was test my skills rather than begin my training.

The results? With the exception of , my extra skills are practically disabled. Of course, this includes which is why I can't talk. Spells are now harder to cast and mana doesn't regenerate. Most of Crest's functionality, such as my stats, have been lost but I can still use it like a mental notepad. But aside from Crest, my Innate skills are largely the same. Since these abilities are spawned from my soul, it makes sense they rely on the World Stream the least.

As I step closer to the exit, I have to admit Takashi had good reason to be worried. Without his supervision, I have to carefully inch myself to the entrance where the pull of the World Stream is strongest. There were a few times when I lost my spiritual energy, and had to crawl back to safer waters. It's almost like a tug of war between me and the outside world.

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Having to maintain a consistent flow of spiritual energy, extend a connection and then tap into the invisible fungi network all from my mind is also a complicated process. I'm grateful Takashi taught me the steps before I entered this place. We thought it would take days of continuous training to achieve the required level of mastery, but by the end of the first night of the first day...

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"F-five hours... What took me a month to master took you five measly hours..."

... I had already mastered my flow of spiritual energy. I can even revert my spirit circuit and rebuild it from scratch without Takashi's help. Speaking of whom, he is currently sitting in the corner of the cabin as he dejectedly nibbles on some rations.

"Um, Master?"

"Please don't call me that. I'm not worthy of being your master. Ah, talent is such a cruel thing..."

"... Takashi, I think my Integrity stat is related to spiritual manipulation. After all, the tooltip says it improves spiritual offence and defence, and provides a Integrity growth bonus."

"Well that makes a lot of sense. I never thought anyone could blow through my training. At this rate, you may as well enter the Dead Zone as early as tomorrow afternoon."

"Sigh, if only I was half as competent with magic. Then again, I started off with 1 point in Magic back when I left the grave. In all likelihood, tonight is probably the last before you leave. I'm sure your family will be happy to see you return early."

"True, but I'm going to miss this experience. It has almost been two decades since I last ventured out with nothing but a bag on my back and a friend or two by my side. As much as I love my family, I do miss the old times when I explored Aren without a care in the world."

Lost in his own world, he gazes at the boarded window as he indulges in his memories.

"I love exploring fantastical places, meeting new people and finding undiscovered wonders. Even now, the recent discovery of the New Frontier sets my soul aflame. But alas, I'm too old now to accomplish such a feat."

"Maybe one day a branch from your clan will set foot there in your place. Come to think of it, I heard they discovered a plant resembling a potato in the New Frontier."

"W-what!? Are you saying I can finally taste a salted chip or bowl of meat and potatoes after all these years? That's it, I'm definitely not crossing over until I've had my fill."

"Ahahahaha! Good luck and good night, Takashi."

He slips into the sleeping bag while I practice for tomorrow's lesson. It's definitely more difficult to control spiritual energy outside my body like I do with mana. I continue my exercise in silence, but after a few moments I unexpectedly hear his voice.

"Enbos..."

"Ah, sorry Takashi. Was I too loud?"

"... thank you for saving my family."

"... Of course. I would gladly save Hachirou any day."

"While I am forever indebted to you for saving my son twice, no, make that thrice, you have also saved everyone in my family... and in our hearts. Thank you Enbos. We will always be there for you..."

As he peacefully drifts back to sleep, for a fleeting instant I remember the comfort of home. Throughout the night, between training and stoking the fireplace, I look at the same boarded window and think about the other cabin in the woods...

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Speaking of home, I think I've reached the exit. I'm practically a stone's throw away from finishing my training. It should take no more than 6 hours judging by the current strength of the spiritual flow, which leaves me with more than 48 hours of solitary confinement.

I guess I'll pour my remaining time into studying necromancy, though it's a pity I couldn't smuggle in a corpse. I'm getting better at controlling , but I'm still having trouble embedding predetermined commands and behaviour into the soul. It's as difficult as programming an AI from scratch, and it goes to show the importance of exploiting instinctual movements.

Pardon me for sounding crazy, but there is something captivating about studying thousands of years of accumulated progress after thousands of others have strived to make the perfect puppet. It's no different from admiring modern automobiles or aircrafts, though I admit it's far less tasteful. Regardless, if I want to save myself and, more importantly, resurrect Helena, I'll have to outdo everybody that has come before me.

As I crack open my black tome and sit down, I feel something writhe underneath. Understandably, I jump up and let out a silent scream.

What heck was that!? A zombie earthworm? Huh, looking closely it's mostly buried in the ground which is why I overlooked it the first time. With nothing but curiosity driving me in this lonely cave, I carefully excavate the buried thing.

Wait, this is-!

... Okay, I know I'm literally in a godforsaken place, but I can't help thanking a higher power.

Because in my hands is the mummified corpse of a large rabbit... and it's still moving. It's an ideal specimen with preserved skin stretched across its skeletal frame, and a throbbing weakly inside its hollow form.

How did it get in here? Did it try to dig a burrow only for the roof to cave in? The spiritual energy released by the fungi probably hid it from Takashi when he last sealed the cave. The fact it was underground also stopped the fungi from decomposing its entire body, and it might have Decay Resistance judging by the condition of its skin. But now that it's out...

I stare into its sunken eye sockets as I wonder what to do with Mr Bonny.