Lee looked away from the two small children staring at him with wide, fear filled eyes. "Damnit!" He instead looked out the glass doors to the porch where a giant snakehead flashed past the third story balcony. "Damnit!"

Another boom sent vibration through the floor and from outside he could hear a strange rattling that took him a moment to place. "A rattlesnake?" Someone screamed outside. "Shit… how bad would the venom be if you got bitten?" He paused his train of thought. "Nevermind. The fangs must be like spears and it's more likely that it'll just swallow you."

He looked back at the children. Their eyes darted from him to the porch and both mouths gaped wide as lungs filled with air when he heard something bang into the glass behind him. "Please don't…" He turned his head back to the porch and saw the snake just as the screaming started. The snake's nose was trying to force its way through the glass and Lee watched cracks shivering into and out of existence across the window as the Legendary building fought to keep it intact. "Shit."

Something caused the snake to pull back suddenly and its head darted towards the ground and out of sight before the building shook slightly. Lee couldn't hear the impact over the screaming children as he rolled off the couch and crawled toward the window. He wasn't sure if the window would hold but he wasn't about to risk it. As he crawled he pulled up his skills to see what he had to work with.

[Rune Creation(Initiate V)](Rare)

Create Runes without having to draw them out by hand or tool. Allows for direct mental control of Liquid Mana. Requires high focus and concentration.

"I basically cheated my way into the higher tier, though with my low Dexterity maybe it's for the best." He looked at the other Skill.

[RuneScape Creation(Initiate V)](Rare)

Create RuneScapes without having to draw them out by hand or tool. Allows for direct mental control of Liquid Mana. Requires high focus and concentration.

"Same thing basically but so much harder." He couldn’t imagine ever being able to create something like that, at least not anytime soon. Maybe higher Intelligence would help.

He collapsed on the floor in front of the window, laid a hand against the glass and closed his eyes. "Focus…" He envisioned the Rune in his mind, the simple one he'd used last night, and let his Mana flow out from his hand pressed to the glass. To his surprise he could feel the Mana, like sweat against his palm. Lee couldn't help it; he opened his eyes and in defiance of gravity the Mana pooled on the window under and around his hand. It was bright, even backlit by the bright blue sky and he had to squint to look at it as it flowed and swirled aimlessly on the glass. Beyond the window he saw the snake looking at him before something smacked into the side of its head. "Was that a rock?" The snake turned and dove out of sight.

"Damnit. Focus." He scolded himself and shut his eyes to better visualize the Rune. The correct shape seemed to leap into existence even as he pictured it. "That was almost too easy." He thought of another Rune and once again the Mana leapt into form but that time he noticed it. "Something is helping me?"

The screams in the apartment background noise gained a higher intensity and Lee snapped his eyes open in time to see the snake diving toward the glass at high speed.

"Fuck! Stop playing around and focus!" He desperately tried to reform the correct Rune but even as Mana moved on the glass he knew it was too late. "Shit."

Lee couldn’t help but to reflexively close his eyes as death descended on him. As his eyes flinched shut he felt something stir all around him, a faint air of attention narrowed down onto him. Then the building shook violently and Lee was thrown sliding a few feet across the carpet, away from the glass door.

His eyes popped open and he stared in astonishment at the snake's jaws opening and closing inches from the glass. "It held?" He thought in surprise but then noticed blood running down the metal railing on the front of the small balcony.

The snake was now obviously trying to pull back as its head twisted and thrashed and the building around Lee shook and rattled. Finally with a screech of metal on stone the snake withdrew, leaving the metal railing bent and dangling, halfway ripped out of the wall on both sides.

Lee could now see the row of two foot long spikes that jutted up from the top of the warped railing. Blood dripped and ran down the metal while the snake thrashed in pain with a row of bloody holes across its neck.

"I love this building." Lee thought as he scrambled forward.

The snake suddenly stopped thrashing and stared at Lee. He could see its body coiling as it prepared to strike again and the rattling of its tail stopped.

"Fuck defense." Lee thought, his mind already forcing the Runes into shape on the glass. "You have soo got to die."

A Rune settled into the glass and flared with Mana while another Rune rapidly formed around it. Lee screamed as Mana raged through him and the snake dove.

The second Rune flared and another grew out of it as the snake reached the porch. The final Rune burned into life as the jaws opened and massive fangs loomed.

"Die!"

Mana drowned Lee in a raging torrent as it tore through him and into the Runes so he didn't see the glass vanish in between heartbeats. He didn't see the glittering horizontal blade that appeared in its place and instantly snapped out and away from the building with the crack of displaced air.

Buried in the fires of liquid Mana he didn't feel the new burning line of fire appear down his back and he didn't hear his front door crashing open, instead he sank into a blissful unconsciousness accompanied only by the chime of System Notifications.

~~~~~~~~

Alejandro

~~~~~~~~

Alejandro was right behind his wife when she barged through the stairwell door and onto the sidewalk surrounding the building. The roaring rattling of the snake's tail almost drowned out the horrible scratching hiss of its scales sliding over asphalt. Almost. He clenched his teeth as his wife yelled, "Man Down!" Her form blurred as her Skill launched her across the small apartment complex street to where someone was crumpled against a garage door beneath a row of one story condos. The snake's tail whipped through the air just behind her as she went and Alejandro looked up to see its gaze following her. "Damnit woman!" He cursed internally. Its head paused and he saw the strike incoming. "Get Behind Me!" He yelled, activating one of his abilities and targeting his wife.

Mana rushed out and swirled around him and his body zipped through the intervening space, whereupon he found himself standing behind Maria as she tried to save the life of the man on the ground in front of her. Her hands were glowing blue and her lips moved but he couldn’t hear what was being said over the sound of sliding scales and crunching cars as the snake's long body writhed around in preparation. "Here it comes!" The snake lunged at him and his wife, jaws agape and sword-like fangs glistening.

The sword in his hands felt like a toothpick against the snake but he tightened his grip and activated another Skill. "Be my shield." The same ability he used the night before coated the sword in a blue glow. It made the blade essentially worthless as a cutting implement but since all of his abilities were defensive, it was no loss, although it did make him wonder why they had rushed out here to attack something that they definitely couldn't defeat. But Maria was behind him so he raised it up against the snake. "This is going to hurt." He thought.

The instant his glowing sword touched the giant fang he activated another Skill.

[Parry]

Mana drained out of him as his sword flared and his hands moved by themselves to force the snake's head away across the street and to his left where it slammed head first into the wall of the building they had just left.

The apartment building withstood the booming impact while he saw its tail strike and plow through one of the condos on his right as the snake writhed and pulled back. He gasped and staggered as the Mana drain left him trembling. "I can't do that again." He realized his Mana was now too low. "Maria!" He yelled. "¡Muévete!"

He heard her say something and when he saw the snake was distracted looking at one of the apartments he glanced back to see her dragging the injured man towards the door they came out of earlier. He looked forward just in time to see a young man step out of a still standing condo and yell "Stone Missile!" Mana swirled around the man and a piece of cement ripped free of the sidewalk and launched itself at the snake like a… well like a missile.

Alejandro felt a moment of relief. "We have help!" The stone struck the snake in the side of the head. And bounced off. His heart sank as the snake turned its attention to the newest attacker. In an eyeblink the snake struck. The ground shook and the next moment, the place where the young man had stood was only shattered cement. He watched the snake lift its head to the sky and thought he saw something wiggling as it slid down the snake's throat.

"Jesus Christ!" His hands shook as he stepped in pace with his wife as she dragged her patient across the street. Keeping himself in place between her and the snake.

But the snake was once again not interested in him, instead staring at one of the apartments. He was glad for the distraction until a thought made his heart skip a beat. He frantically tried to count the windows and prayed he was wrong as the snake reared back and struck. "Nooooo!"

The world shook with a booming crash and his sword tip dropped towards the ground as his knees threatened to buckle under him.

The snake's body thrashed violently and Alejandro felt hope waring with despair when he saw the blood pouring out of the snake and raining onto the sidewalk below. The reptile wrenched itself free and he noted that the blood was only on its neck and not its jaws. "Maria!" He called to her but when he turned she was already disappearing through the door and up the stairs. "God, give her speed." He begged, even as his own body screamed at him in pain. Parrying a giant snake had taken a toll and he knew he couldn't get upstairs in time to help.

The snake was focused on the apartment again and his heart sank as it reared up again, seemingly ignoring the blood running from its ruined neck. Alejandro threw his sword at it. "Fight me you coward!" He screamed as he fell to his knees. "Not the children." The snake ignored him and the sword that bounced ineffectively off its scales. It struck. "God no." Blue light flared against the snake's gaping jaws as its head vanished into the building.

There was a sharp crack that shook the air and the snake's body spasmed and then fell slowly limp until the head slid out of the building and crashed to the ground in front of him.

Well, part of the head. The whole top of its head was missing and enough of its back had been cut off that he could see down into it's slightly twitching throat.

He sat stunned as hope rekindled in his heart and tears of joy spilled from his eyes when he heard in the new found silence, two children crying. "Thank you God!"

The sound of a door opening brought his gaze back down. "Is it dead?" A man's voice asked. Alejandro saw the older man peeking around the door of one of the still standing condos.

He stared at the oozing throat. "Is it…" He sprang to his feet at a thought and looked around in a panic until he spotted a rolled up garden hose. He grabbed one end and thrust the rest into the newcomers hands. "Hold the end." He told him as he headed for the snake.

"What?" The man asked in confusion.

"Hold the end, and pull me out!" Alejandro yelled.

"What are you doing?" The man's voice was trembling.

Alejandro pointed at the snake. "That boy could still be alive." The other man's eyes widened and he nodded once as he unrolled the hose and took a firm grip on the other end.

He started yelling for others to come help while Alejandro took a deep breath, pulled a small knife from his belt and dove into the snake's throat.

"Get out here and help! The snake is dead!" Was all he heard before the sound was muffled. "Be my shield." His knife lit up with a blue glow and he squinted against the glare before stabbing it into the snake and pulling himself deeper. The knife didn't actually pierce the snake but it did give him a better grip to pull against as he wiggled and squirmed through the slippery tube.

An eternity later, lungs and muscles burning he found what he was after. A foot. He dropped the knife and latched a hand onto the leg while his other hand tugged hard against the hose. Nothing happened. He tugged again and again. "Come on!" Someone tugged on the hose. "Yes!"

Foot by agonizing foot he was dragged back out, helped along by the slimy tunnel, while he just focused on keeping a grip on the hose and the leg. When his lungs felt ready to explode and his arms had gone numb he finally spilled out into blinding sunshine. He squinted and gasped for air even as he scrambled to pull the young man the rest of the way out.

Hands pulled him back and voices reassured him, "We got him!" And "I know cpr!" He relaxed onto his back in the sun with eyes closed and just breathed until he heard the beautiful sound of someone coughing and gagging.

He rolled onto his hands and knees. "Upstairs." He wheezed. "Wife… healer…" Someone helped him to his feet and led him stumbling towards the stairwell, a glance behind saw someone pick up the young man and carry him along.

Alejandro smiled as his vision tunneled and hands caught him as the ground came up towards him.

"A good day's work."

~~~~~~~~

Maria

~~~~~~~~

Maria pounded up the stairs with panicked haste. She slammed through the door at the top of the stairs without slowing and turned onto the courtyard balcony. "The door will have locked when Alejandro closed it behind us…" A loud crack sounded out ahead and her heart shook. "No no, I'll go through the walls if I have too." Her train of thought was abandoned when she saw the front door was slightly open ahead. She was torn between relief that she could get in and anger that someone had left it open.

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She hit the door at speed and didn't even hear it slam into the wall as her eyes tracked over the room. Hope fought with terror as she saw and heard her babies unharmed and crying while sitting in front of a giant snake's head.

A heartbeat later, even as she scooped them into her arms, Maria realized that it was only the top half of the snake head. She had activated her [Patient Diagnosis] the instant she touched the children and it confirmed what her eyes were telling her. Unharmed, though still upset as they clutched at her.

Maria was about to step out the door, children in her arms, when something flickered in her peripheral vision. She spun, adrenaline spiking, but saw only her young neighbor laying face down on the floor… Well, her old neighbor now.

She hesitated, even from where she stood she could see a bloody tear going down his back. "Where is that idiot?" She cursed silently as she glanced outside looking for her husband. She cursed again out loud and headed for the neighbor, going wide around the snake. Only when she reached his side did she realize that the glass was gone from the sliding door. Ignoring that oddity she knelt with one arm around her kids, the other hand touched the neighbor and she cursed louder. With another cautious glance at the snake she set to work.

[Cleanse Wound] pulled most of the venom that was in his blood back out and a [Stitch] sealed the long cut. Another [Patient Diagnosis] showed that he was barely holding on. "Damnit!" She laid her hand on him and activated her only actual healing Skill.

[Improve Regeneration(Initiate II)](UnCommon)

Stackable Effect:

Double targets HP Regeneration

Mana cost increases for every additional application.

Maria cast it and with that she felt the last of her Mana drain out. "That's all I can do." She thought wearily, as she looked down at the frail looking man. "You'll have to…" Mana suddenly surged up from her feet and once she got over her surprise and read the notification, she activated her Skill again, and again. Over and over until the final casting drained her entire Mana pool at once. She trembled and her whole body felt raw, almost burnt, even as her Mana pool filled up to full almost instantly. "Now that's all."

Eventually the figure under her hand stirred and she sat back in relief and pulled the children onto her lap and held them tight. They had stopped crying by now, with the exception of the occasional sniffling hiccups.

All three of them jumped when the front door opened and Alejandro came through leaning heavily on someone's shoulder. She stood up from the couch, her kids in her arms and rushed to him but stopped short when she got close. She smelled it before she saw that he was covered in something slimy and disgusting. "Are you…" She started and he cut her off. "I'm okay." He pointed a thumb behind him as he moved out of the doorway. "But he needs help."

Maria backed up when she saw the young man being carried in. His clothes were down to a few shredded rags and his skin was bright red with oozing patches everywhere.

"On the floor." She ordered the men carrying him. Her kids were set on the couch and she asked, "What happened?" Alejandro answered. "Snake swallowed him. I pulled him out." Maria shuddered. "Acid then." A glance at her husband showed that his clothes were also falling apart, though much less so than the other man.

She touched the young man and used her Skills. A couple [Cleanse Wound] removed the remaining acid from his skin as well as his lungs and throat. She loaded him up with [Improve Regeneration], taking full advantage of the apparently endless Mana. The last casting burned worse than before and her hands spasmed even as she stepped to Alejandro and began the process again. She cleaned the stomach acid away and applied one [Improve Regeneration] before Alejandro caught her shaking hands and stopped her.

"I'm okay, love." He wrapped his arms around her and led her to the couch. "Rest now." She glared at him but didn't resist and instead settled down onto the couch, where her children promptly crawled into her lap.

Alejandro smiled and turned to thank the strangers that had helped him.

~~~~~~

Lee

~~~~~~

Lee woke up slowly and in pain. He could hear voices from where he lay on the floor and he doubted he had the strength or desire to try and get up. So he just tried to relax and breathe while he reviewed his notifications.

It was the usual stuff, almost dying, a level or two and a new skill.

You have gained Passive [Venom Resistance I]

And an odd notification.

[Building 3] Emergency Protocol. Provisional Mana Access Granted. Subject: (Maria)

Lee was curious about that one. As he thought about it he realized that he had been getting more Mana without touching the Well like he had the night before. Apparently the building could now give Mana, from the Well presumably, to anyone.

"I love this building." He reread the bit where it said, Provisional Access, and tried just willing the building to make it… non provisional? Official? She had just saved his life after all. And while he was at it Lee asked the building to add Alejandro as well. It worked.

Full Mana Access Granted. Subject: (Maria) Subject: (Alejandro)

"Thanks, Three." He thought and was pleasantly surprised by the new notification.

Change Designation of [Building 3]?

New Designation [Three]?

Lee agreed to the change with a mental smile and then noticed that the voices had stopped.

He opened his eyes to dirty carpet and slowly and gingerly rolled onto his side. His back was feeling better by the minute but it still hurt. He almost jumped when he saw Alejandro standing near his feet and looking down at him with a huge smile.

"Hi." Lee said, wearily from the floor. Alejandro held out a hand. "Let me help you up."

Lee lifted a hand. "Sure, just watch my…" He was abruptly on his feet and Alejandro threw his arms around him in a bear hug. "...back." Lee finished with a gasp of pain.

"Thank you." The man said, and loosened his hug to stare into Lee's eyes. "Thank you." Lee looked away feeling awkward. "Relax." He said to Alejandro. "I was saving myself too. What was I gonna do, run away?" Alejandro just laughed and hugged him again before setting him on the couch.

Lee sighed and took in all the new people in his apartment. One laying on the floor and a few more standing clustered together and having a heated but quiet conversation. Lee looked at Maria who was sitting next to him. "Thanks." He said softly. She just stared at him, for long enough that he started getting nervous. "De nada." She finally said with a nod.

"Here." Alejandro held out a glowing piece of glass. Lee took it excitedly and was momentarily disappointed that it wasn't more stats, before excitement kicked in again.

You have found a [Core Fragment(Shard)].

[Skill Shard(Rare)](F Rank)

Effect: Attempt to Learn Skill: [Mana Sense]

Absorb [Yes/No]

"Interesting."

[Mana Sense(Initiate)](Rare)

Effects:

A Passive Skill that allows the user to sense all Mana within 1 Meter Radius. Higher Ranks and Levels may increase range and sensitivity.

"Shit." His excitement faded as he realized something. "Guys…" He started but was interrupted by another notification.

Greenfield Village has been Claimed as a Outpost by (Wilson Peters)[Outpost Commander]

[Greenfield Village Outpost] is now a Defended Area. Potential Dungeon Incursion Variations Reduced.

No Dungeon Portal will open within (1km) Radius

All Official Residents in the Area of Effect gain:

+1 Strength

+1 Dexterity

+2% All Regeneration Rates

Build your Defenses!

Prepare for Invaders!

"Huh." Lee said, before another notification.

You are within the Radius of [Greenfield Village Outpost] and eligible to become an Official Resident. Do you wish to Join?

Yes/No

Lee wasn’t about to move out so he chose Yes.

Welcome Recruit! Contribute to the Outpost to gain Rewards and Higher Ranks

"Recruit!" He thought. "I'm not joining no…"

You have Added the Legendary Structure [Three] to [Greenfield Village Outpost]. Contributions Earned.

A Legendary Structure [Three] has been Added to [Greenfield Village Outpost].

Outpost Ranked Up to Fort

[Greenfield Village Fort] is now a Defended Area

No Dungeon Portal will open within (5km) Radius

All Official Residents in the Area of Effect gain:

+1 All Base Attributes

+5% All Regeneration Rates

+5% All Ability and Skill Effects

Build your Defenses!

Prepare for Invaders!

You have the highest Contributions. Would you like to Claim the Rank of [Fort Commander]?

Yes/No

"Hell no!" He thought, almost panicking. "No way do I want to be in charge."

You have been Promoted to [Deputy Commander]

"Aw come on!" He tried to reject it but nothing happened. Next he tried to promote Alejandro to take his place.

Recruit (Alejandro Morales) Promoted to [Major]

Lee sighed while Alejandro asked him why he had promoted him. "Want me to demote you?" He asked the man, not sure if he actually could.

"No no." Alejandro said. "I could get used to it." He struck a pose, hands on his hips, chest puffed out. "Major Morales." He turned to the other people in the apartment. "Recruits!" He said loudly. "We have work to do." They just stared at him. Finally one of them asked. "What work?"

"The snake!" Alejandro said while pointing at the giant snakehead still oozing onto Lee's carpet. "We need to harvest and cook as much meat as we can!" One man looked a bit green at the statement but the other woman in the room was nodding. "Yes." She spoke up. "That's a good idea, but do you think it's safe to eat?"

"I'll take the first bite." Alejandro promised. "Maria can heal me if it's not good." He pointed at his wife. "Also." He pointed at the older man. "You need to move into this building." He looked at the others. "All of you should. Well have a barbecue in the courtyard." He pointed out the front door. "Tell everyone."

Lee thought about telling them that he could make a refrigerator with a Rune but he decided to leave it for later when they all started arguing on the way outside. He looked at the young man still unconscious on the floor and then at Maria and her children, both of whom were staring at the snake head.

"Maria…" He hesitated but then plunged ahead. "I need to tell you something. You know that Mana the building gave you?" She nodded at him. "Well…"

He told her about the Mana Well and let her see the Skill Shard. He shared his suspicion that the snake had been attracted by the Well and that he suspected it would happen again. He looked at the kids but she finally spoke. "We go back." She pointed towards her apartment. "Only stay to help you." Lee looked away. "Thanks." He said. "I really do appreciate it." She patted his shoulder and he jumped in surprise. She laughed. "Like Alejandro say. You less scary today."

Lee smiled back. "By the way, I think I can make your refrigerator cold." He told her. "Or at least make something cold to keep food in." He looked at his legs. "You might have to drag me though."

She shook her head. "No. We go. You make here first. I come back, heal you when you explode."

Lee laughed. "Maybe you're right." She stood up. "I go cook. You hungry?" His stomach growled and Lee chuckled while she just nodded. "You good?" She looked at the open balcony door where he could see glass reappearing around the edges.

"Yea I'm fine." He told her, though he was actually just a tiny bit scared. "I am a badass magic man. I'm not scared of monsters." He told himself. She likely saw through him but she just nodded and picked up Anita and led Gabriel by the hand as they walked out.

Lee watched Maria pause and touch the unconscious man briefly before she left. He glanced nervously at the porch before he remembered the Shard in his hand. "Might as well learn it." He thought, and accepted the prompt.

You have gained the Passive Skill [Mana Sense]

Lee couldn't breathe.

He could feel all the Mana within one meter around his head. And there was a hole in the world. Right next to him. Mana raged out of the hole and went somewhere… or maybe back into the hole. It was some weird extra dimensional shit that he couldn’t really wrap his head around.

"Probably shouldn't have learned that while sitting next to the Mana Well." That was the last coherent thought he had.

The Mana wasn't actually touching him but the 'noise' in his head, in his new senses, was deafening. Like sitting in front of the world's largest subwoofer, while at the bottom of the ocean, in freefall.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

The radius of his skill increased with the level up and the lower edge dipped into the floor.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

His mind trembled as he sensed the Mana flowing through the building.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

The intricate Runes that covered every inch of the building.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

The flow of Mana as it moved in, out, and through everything.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

And deeper, beneath the Mana.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

Something burned.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

It burned into his mind.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

Burning White lines of power.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

Source.

Skill [Mana Sense] Level Up

Skill [Mana Sense] has reached the Threshold of (Initiate). Upgrade and Evolution Available.

He lost consciousness.

When he came back it was dark and everything looked wrong. It took him a moment to realize he must be in the neighbors apartment. A snore caused him to look over the edge of the couch where he saw Alejandro sleeping on the floor. The motion made him realize his back had recovered. A delicious smell followed by a rumbling stomach led him to a plate on the small table at the end of the couch and he retrieved it as quietly as he could.

Plate on his stomach, he sniffed at the now cold meat. It smelled delicious or he was just starving, either way he popped a piece in his mouth. "So good."

While he wolfed it down he looked at his latest notifications.

You have taken Mental Damage and Recovered. Willpower +5

You delved deeply into the magic of a Legendary Structure. Intelligence +5

You Leveled a Sensory Skill to the next Tier in under 1 minute. Perception +5

"That's one way to do it I guess."

Skill [Mana Sense] Upgrade or Evolution Available. Proceed?

Yes/No

He could still feel the Mana around him but it felt muted, far away, or removed and he very deliberately tried to ignore it.

He chose Yes. Two options appeared in his mind.

Upgrade:

[Mana Sense(Apprentice)](Rare)

Effect:

A Passive Skill that allows the user to sense all Mana within 10 Meter Radius. User may focus Skill to increase Range or Precision in a specific direction.

"It gained the ability to aim, I guess. Could be handy." He looked at the other option.

Evolution:

[Mana Mind(Initiate)](Epic)

You control a Mana Well.

You bathed your mind in Raw Mana.

You gazed upon the Source.

Your commitment to deeper understanding of Mana has Unlocked this path.

Effect:

Your mind becomes intrinsically linked to Mana granting you greatly increased Mana Awareness within 20 Meter Radius.

Your mind consumes Mana granting you +20% Effective Intelligence while Mana is full.

All Mana Manipulation +20% while Mana is full.

All Effects null at 50% Mana.

All Effects grant full negative Value at 0% Mana.

Permanent loss of Intelligence Attribute points will occur if 0% Mana is maintained.

"Wow." He liked the sound of the second one. Though it appeared that the Evolved Skill restarted at Initiate instead of Apprentice. He would have to level it up again which wasn't a big deal to Lee considering all he'd done the first time.

"Maybe it was a good idea to learn next to the Well…" The requirements that he always have at least half Mana weren't really a problem as he had the Well, plus the building feeding him wherever he was. At least inside it. "I really won't be able to leave. At least not for long." The thought wasn't too upsetting as he wasn't about to leave [Three] behind. Also he literally couldn't lose the Mana Well except by dying, which would make it all moot anyway.

"No risk, no reward." He thought and chose.

Skill [Mana Sense] Evolved into [Mana Mind]

"Woah…"

Lee floated in a thick web of Mana. It didn't thunder or burn his mind anymore. No, now it flowed around and through him. Like a peaceful and gentle babbling brook, it carried his mind wherever he directed. He could see the Mana inside Alejandro lying next to him. And Maria in the next room. Along with the children. It was more diffuse inside of them. Harder to see details.

He was amused when he noticed that he could see Mana flowing inside his own body. His Mana was clear to see and he followed his noticeably larger [Liquid Mana Channels] from his [Liquid Mana Core] throughout his body up to his head where it looked like a small storm of infinitesimal Mana particles danced and weaved. It was hard to see clearly at such tiny scales and when he tried the storm only intensified until he realized he was literally watching himself think.

He managed not to laugh out loud and sent his attention back outside of himself.

All around he could see the tapestry of Runes that made up the building. Dazzling and beautiful in their intricate intermingling, yet frustrating in their complexity that he still couldn't comprehend.

"Are you there Three?" He got no response and couldn't see any identifiable hub or storm like cloud that his mind created. "Are you just a computer, running on algorithms?" He thought. "Or did I create something more?" Only time would tell. He could see Mana rebuilding the glass door in his apartment. He couldn’t tell exactly how the building was doing it. Not yet. But he knew that this Skill would teach him many, many things. In time. He would learn it all, in time.

But for now he relaxed into the couch, belly full of rattlesnake, and soothed to sleep by the beautiful glow of Mana.