But first 'updates'.

DING.

Skill level up, Inspect 4 > 5

Skill obtained Mana Manipulation

Title awarded Pioneers of Magic

Please select a spell

Skill level up, meditation 1 > 2

Status healed: Poisoned

Skill obtained Poison Resistance

Cantrip spell learnt Disinfect

Spell rank up, Disinfect early > basic

Title awarded Lucky Mana User

Uh-huh. 'Status, thanks'.

Name: Zane Fair Prayoga

Specification: Male. Human. Argead.

Level: 1 (20/1000)

Hp: 56 / 100

Mp: 297 / 324

Sp: 110 / 110

Str: 10

Con: 10

Dex: 10

Int: 12

Wis: 12

Wil: 12

Cha: 10

Ap: 1

Syscred: 3

Fp: 0

Titles: [Mind as old as Time], [Memories of Forever, Forever lost], [Pioneers of Magic], [Lucky Mana User]

Traits: Adaptable, Metamorphosible Mana, Immortal Mind, Memory Vault

Skills:

Sneaking 2

Mace Proficiency 3

Inspect 5

Unarmed Combat Proficiency 1

Meditation 2

Mana Manipulation 1

Poison Resistance 1

Spells:

Disinfect - Basic

Some skill level ups, some new Skills and Titles, mana pool increase and a new Spell! There is quite a significant change this time around. I guess almost getting killed is a great incentive for growth, though I’m really starting to doubt the poison could’ve killed me in the first place.

Anyways, let's get this over with. ‘Inspect’ x14.

Attribute points (Ap). Represents the qualities of an individual, be it their physical abilities, mental capacity or charm. 1 free point available.

Syscred. A system currency used in the multiverse. Its lack of variation leads to overwhelming digits. Only useable in the System's Store. Grants foundation skill, CredStore.

Foundation Skills. Basic skills necessary to live with the system, does not show on status profile and is unable to level up.

CredStore. Foundational skill, summons the system store. Anything you think you need, The System knows and knows it better.

Sneaking. Some jump in guns blazing. then there's you, you crawl in all sneaky sneaky like rodents and creepy crawlies. Helps conceal you from other's senses, best used in the dark.

Mace Proficiency. Looking for a head to give to your enemies, look no more. Smash'em, smack'em, squish'em, the one stop solution for a clobberin' job. Gives bonus to damage and weapon mass on hit.

Inspect. Ping the system to request basic data from the system archive about a visible target within skill's range.

Unarmed Combat Proficiency. Never find yourself unarmed ever again. Your palm a sword, your fist a hammer, your kicks a whip. Bonus damage and physical resilience during combat.

Meditation. Enter a state of harmony with oneself to allow greater understanding of the body and mind. Boosts resource regeneration and blunts external stimuli.

Mana Manipulation. Exert control over mana, the building blocks of all magic across the multiverse. It is the construction of a good foundation that will stand the test of time.

Poison Resistance. What didn't kill you, you stay away from and feed to your enemies! Unless you enjoy a little growing pain, or a toast with your nemesis. Decrease poison effectiveness and duration.

Disinfect - Basic. Cantrip spell. 10 mp. Kills hostile microorganisms in the touched area. May also target hostile microorganisms within the target's body. Area of effect limited by Int.

Lucky Mana User. Luck is skill, some say. Well, luck is luck, The System says. But, lucky or otherwise, anyone who taught themself one spell without a teacher or system assistance deserves recognition and a little help in getting to cast more spells.

Pioneers of Magic. It's the first day of system integration. Was it luck, knowledge, or fate that brought you before the path of magic, oh so very soon. As a pioneer it's only fair you're the more magical.

Please select a cantrip spell.

Geez, that was a lot of reading, and that's some sales pitch right there on CredStore. Though I'd wager it'll be worth the effort, better to read and know now in the safety of a secure home than when I'm out there and rushing for time. Eager to move on, I willed the Spell selection.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

DING.

Light

Unsoil

Distill

Ignite

Mend

Soften

Coat

As I pondered on which of the spells to select. Something started bugging me, it feels like I'm going to be missing out on the some stuff if I do. Not one to ignore that, I ended up checking and inspecting my status again.

Then, it clicked! "Oi Hen, did you get mana manipulation? Pioneers title?" I inquired, earning me a nod. "Selected your reward yet?"

His answer was barely a millisecond late when Jennifer chimed in "ohh, are you guys coordinating your Spell choices?" She gave us two thumbs up, "great teamwork!"

I gave her a smile and a half-hearted thumb up back. Henry answered me with a 'not yet'. Then he looked at her and offered "you wanna hear the options?"

Before they fall too deep into their own world. I tried to, with a flick of my finger, will a certain Inspect result at Henry. Seeing him flinch then read out loud "Lucky Mana User, taught themself one spell."

It took him a moment, ignoring his girlfriend who kept trying to get his attention, before his eyes focused on me. "You gonna tell me what you got?"

"Disinfect." I grinned. A look of realization dawned on him.

"I got 8 options total, disinfect included. So you only got 7 options?" I nodded. With a glint in his eyes, his mouth mirroring mine, he added. "Race you the others, take that one as a handicap."

"You're on!" I accepted the challenge. We'll be trying to figure out the rest of the cantrip spells. But in accordance with the Title's criteria; without assistance. I had a hunch the Title is only the first of a series, and judging by his reaction, he seems to agree.

Back to my own devices. I tuned out snippets of Jennifer's questions of the 8 Spells and Henry's explanations from my mind. It's about time Metamorphosible Mana gets some much deserved attention—I know there's currently a race going on, but it's not like we agreed on a reward and punishment.

A refresh is in order. 'Inspect'.

DING.

Mana has always been accommodating to change. Your mana, instead, is levels above and beyond that. They'll be the elements in the palm of your hands or the roof over your head and sometimes even the cold metalic death of your enemies. They are essentially the products of your design.

Some keyword of note here is mana being accommodating to change, in which I agree. Hard to dispute that with all the things people can do manipulating them in fictions—my go to reference for real life lately.

So it lists the elements in my hand, which I assume means the usual elemental spells. Then it gets weird. Roof over my head? Like my mana can make a roof? A house? And cold metalic death, I take it that means cold weapons? Swords, spears, and the others?

Final clue, my mana is the product of my design. That could be anything, the only limit being my imagination—or my skills in making a design, should've taken an art minor or something!

Well, pretty sure a baseball bat isn't gonna cut it, literally. Which means a new proper weapon is in order. Maybe something well known to be simple to use even for a beginner, the spear!

I begin to design the weapon in my mind. A hollow metallic pole, about two meters long, light but sturdy… hmm.

It only took me a few seconds before the search result of a spear loads on my smartphone. Average spear is 8 feet which is about 2.5 meters. Let's go with a simple tip, leaf shaped, thicker on the lower end, replace one end of the pole, approx fifteen centimeters. Done! Then what?

I scratch my head in frustration, the design in my mind fades the moment my concentration wavers.

Maybe more Meditation and Mana Manipulation training for now. Can't make anything if the mana is stuck inside me. Also, note to self, try something smaller.

A peek at my competition shows I'm probably a step behind as both are sitting with their eyes closed. One is definitely Meditating, the other is trying, but is probably halfway to sleep instead.

It took a while, yet no longer than last time until I find myself once again looking at the flows of energy inside my own silhouette, and am soon moving threads of blue around by force of will—practice does make perfect as the act feels increasingly familiar with every passing minute. I imagine this is what it feels like to exercise an atrophied muscle.

Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 1 > 2

An hour or two later, judging by the time on my phone. It's just about time for lunch. My practice so far have finally allowed me to comfortably manipulate my mana without entering the state of Meditation. Though at first, moving it outside of the Skill felt like regaining use of a muscle I've long forgotten about.

A glance told me the couple is still as I left them several hours ago. One is definitely very asleep. Correction! I seem to be coming ahead instead! Maybe I can spare some time for lunch and coffee.

"You got more of that?" Jen asked me. "Mm-hmm" I answered with my mouth full, halfway through my third ham and cheese sandwich, though I managed to free up a hand to point at the sandwich tray, then at the coffee maker, "cof-mm-m". I specifically chose the simplest to make, and plenty to boot. Just stacked ingredients and pressed some buttons on the airfryer, wait a while. Rinse and repeat a few times. Eat!

There's magic to make, just not on an empty stomach, and coffee!

"Thanks!" She helped herself. Why thank me, it is her house. I finished my fourth and the third glass of coffee, satisfied at last. That is way more than my usual portion, but could kinda guess where all the extra space came from.

"Huff, that's it for me." I tell Jennifer, mouth finally free to speak. All in all, it took me approx an hour for all this. In response to my words, she slowly looked at me, dismay evident in her eyes, "you ate like it's your first time in years." Her stare is judging my lack of table manners.

"I missed breakfast," was my reply, and as a consequence, I can guess from the looks of her face that there will be nagging. Time to bolt, "and I have stuff to do! You enjoy your lunch, I got some nerd to defeat!"

At the rolling of her eyes. I made my way back to my earlier spot and prepare to begin experiments on expelling mana. Multiverse beware, for today marks the birth of a new Archmage!.. "Urk!" My stomach rumbled from too much coffee!

Emergency taken care of and back in my usual spot. I impatiently got started. Right palm up, I took control of my mana. Here, outside of the inner world of Meditation, controlling mana feels more like pulling an unending strand of noodle—from the point a few centimeters above my solar plexus—using a slippery chopstick rather than simply willing it to move.

I persistently guided the string past my shoulder to my arm and into a Zen made pool near the skin of my palm. Then, to not give myself the time to doubt, I push-willed the mana up through my skin, holding it in place slightly above my open palm in a sphere, it is about 10 centimeters in diameter.

This is easier than expected.

Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 2 > 3

"You praying or something?" The coffee maker asked me, which after a glance turned out to be Henry getting his dose of heavenly goodness.

"No man, I managed to expel some mana right here." I pointed at my sphere of mana with the other hand. Proud that even talking, I can maintain control. The ball is hovering there, awaiting. My. Design?!

Inspiration coursed through my brain cells, I pushed in more mana. More. MORE! all compressed into the sphere. Allowing it to expand to slightly above double its previous size, reaching an approximate diameter of 25 centimeters. Inside of the sphere, I imprint my design.

A dagger. Half hilt, half blade. Modeled after an elongated leaf with smooth keen edges, with a small crossguard between them. The whole thing is made of one whole piece of solidified mana, as manifesting any true material—steel for example—feels like it would need more mana than what I have available. Finally, a simple sheath to hold it completes the design.

I unwaveringly pushed all my magical resources into the sphere, the design metamorphosing into mana matter, forming the first item I've made in mana. There was a lull in my consciousness, then a feeling of completeness. Finally, I push my right hand into the mana cocoon hovering right above it, my fingers grasping around the simple sheath containing my new weapon.

In an instant, most of the mana cocoon rushed into the dagger while the rest slowly faded into the air. That was the last thing I registered before darkness took me.