《Chapter 5》Making Some Slight Progress

In the meantime, whilst my Dad is busy, preoccupied with working and procuring rock minerals and ores from withinside the mines.

I've then decided on the goal to rebuild and modified the dirt poor mud hut that we currently lived in.

'First thing first. I should focus on improving my control over the earth elements itself, utilising the {Minor Earth Control} skill.' I thought so to myself.

Following the instincts that were instilled within me since birth, and as a member of the Terrakhan race.

I then point the both of my hands outwards, and I instinctively felt a slight connection with the granules of the earth itself.

And whenever the regions of the earth that I'm targeting with the {Minor Earth Control} ability, the granules of dirt and earth gradually began to light up, imbued with my own magical power.

The granules of earth then move according to my will. With a mere thought, they wavered and swirled around on the ground.

'I wondered if it is possible to compress the earth together hard enough to form stone, with my {Minor Earth Control} ability, or is it because of my control over the skill is too low.' I thought so to myself, whilst continuing to experiment with my {Minor Earth Control} ability.

After about a couple of minutes of playing around with my {Minor Earth Control} ability, I saw a notification screen that sort of inciting my excitement.

Ding!

System Notice Your skill proficiency has reached a designated degree! The skill {Minor Earth Control Lv.1} has levelled up and become {Minor Earth Control Lv.2}!

At this current level, I can only move bits and granules of earth. Too low of a skill level to be useful in doing anything major or start off a building project.

Whilst, I was busy playing with my {Minor Earth Control} ability, increasing order to increased the skill proficiency and possibly levelled up the skill.

Without my verbal consent or command, Crowley then decided on his own to explore the outside world.

On the other hand, Grimsly was obedient, as he stood still by my side, protective and observant over my wellbeing, like a hound guard dog, which I don't mind.

Being the master of the two ash golems, and through the mental link that we shared together. I can somewhat sense how far the distance between us is, and the feelings and emotions that were conveyed by Crowley.

Several hours later,

Ding!

System Notice Skill proficiency has reached a designated degree! The skill {Minor Earth Control Lv.3} has levelled up and become {Minor Earth Control Lv.4}!

Through constant practice, and manipulating the earth with {Minor Earth Control} ability. I was somewhat able to cause a small size tiny scale sand tsunami, the size of a simple splash puddle.

'It was not much, but progress is progress.' I thought so to myself.

'Thank god, the consumption of magical power for utilising the {Minor Earth Control} ability is low, equivalent to the amount of earth that is being utilised with the skill.' I thought so to myself.

'The more heavier and larger the amount of earth that I want to manipulate, the more costing the amount of magical power will be.' I thought so to himself.

The advantage of the {Minor Earth Control} ability is that the granules of the earth are imbued with your own magical power and that it doesn't naturally dissipate until it is all used up.

And that means that you could freely control and manipulates the granules of sand or earth to your will, until the mana that is covering the granules is all used up, thereby severing the connection with the granule.

And Crowley has returned home after having finished exploring the surrounding area, habitat, and wildlife that which our mud hut was built around upon.

I then placed my left hand, the one that functions properly, over the head of Crowley, after which I immediately then gained access over the bronze core of the ash golem.

The bronze core is the heart, brain, and processor of the golem, and if it were to be destroyed then the ash golem would immediately die.

Following the granted access over Crowley's bronze core, I was able to scan through his memories and learned through what he saw.

And from the memories that I've gathered from Crowley, our home is located on the most outer edge of the village, in a nearly almost barren forest land, filled with numerous volcanic activities.

There were plenty of dried cracks within the ground, where there are patches of lava and magma spewing out from the ground.

Some trees and wildlife have managed to survive within these hot environments, capable of enduring against slightly extreme temperatures beyond a certain point.

The withering ash tree for example is a common tree plant that grows quite often within this region and environment.

It possesses naturally thick charcoal-like tree bark, capable of insulating, and isolating extreme heat and fires from burning its own insides.

And the flowing lava veins, glowing extensively like magma, on the surface of the tree bark skin.

The withering ash tree seems to be quite capable of absorbing the rich amounts of fire attribute magical energies from the ground and volcanic earth and slowly converts it into nutrients and sustenance to fuel the ash tree's growth.

This world's wildlife and evolution are capable of adapting to various changes, otherwise won't be possible on Earth.

With the main factor being the introduction of mana, and the existence of the so-called system, which then makes it seems all the more unbelievable.

'Fascinating!' I thought so to himself, slightly intrigued by it all.

'I wish that I could have a live specimen to test how far the creatures have adapted, greatly differing to the wildlife back on Earth.' I thought so to myself, whilst grinning.

On second thought, 'If possible, I want you to observe and make detailed recordings of all the surrounding creatures and the people that inhabited this place, Crowley. And make sure to not let yourself get caught or founded.'

I communicated to Crowley through the mental link that we shared and issued a master order.

And Crowley adhered to his master's orders, at his request. Crowley then nodded his head in affirmation, confirming that he clearly understands his master's intentions.

'Good.' I thought so to myself.

It was at this time when dusk was vastly approaching, and the sun was slowly setting in the distance, that Dad has finally returned home from working in the mines.

He was extremely tired and pretty much exhausted, whilst dragging his body wholeheartedly against the ground.

Despite losing one of his arms, though not the dominant one, it still made him a cripple. Drastically, greatly affecting his daily life basis, and making it even more difficult to perform a certain task, like carrying.

Dad has managed to successfully collect a few amounts of good rock minerals and ores from the mines.

Dad then gave a forced smile, as he looked in my direction, and said so to me. "Ah, Arslid. So how was your day, son."

He tries to faint ignorance of his exhaustion, but I immediately notice the signs, as it is plastered all over his face.

'I'm not that dumb enough of a baby to just plainly ignore what I've just seen.' I thought so to myself.

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He tries to play it off, but he could not hide the obvious signs of his exhaustion. And it made him seems all the more to pity and miserable.

"Aahhh (Dad)." I tried to call out to him.

But, my underdeveloped infant vocal cords could not make the proper correct pronunciations, so it came out as inconceivable childish baby sounds.

Seeing my facial reaction, Dad immediately knew that the gist was up, and he couldn't hide it any longer.

'To think that I've help gave birth to such an intelligent son or is it just that my poker face is just plainly not that good.' He thought so to himself, whilst genuinely smiling at himself.

A feeling of unrestraint frustration then slowly unravels within himself.

'Just look at me. I'm a no-good one arm cripple, so how could I not feel miserable.' He thought to himself and then continuing, 'Even my son is somewhat like me.'

However, he won't dare speak those words in front of me, afraid that it would negatively impact on my growth and developing mental behaviour.

"Ah, Arslid..." He called out my name, and slowly reached his only good right hand out.

However, upon realising that he only has one hand, and couldn’t hold onto me properly. He was quite hesitant to act out, and then immediately gave up halfway.

Instead, he reaches into his satchel bag, that is hung around his body, and pulled something out.

Dad then gave me pretty much most of the good quality rock minerals and ores that he had obtained from the mines and kept the most worst off ones to himself.

"Here, son. These are the good rock minerals and ores that I've managed to excavate from the mines." Dad said so towards me, wholeheartedly, with tears within his eyes.

"I hope that you can grow up and become strong, not like your dad over here. Someone who couldn't even protect those he love and hold dear to him..." As he then proceeded to pat me on the head a few times.

Before exhaustion then got the better of him, as he then gives in to his undying tiredness.

His massive demon body then falls over, tumbling to the ground, and landed on the flat stone table. Immediately, falling asleep, right beside me.

With the help of Grimsly and Crowley, my two ash golems, I then managed to push my Dad's unconscious sleeping body onto his sides. So that he could be in a better sleeping posture and not suffocate.

However, upon touching my Dad's skinny unconscious body, I suddenly made an unsuspecting discovery.

I grimaced, with a shock facial expression. 'He is all skin and bones, with hardly any meat on his body. How terrible. How could he have shown such neglect for ones own body.'

'Is it because of me?' I couldn't think of the possibilities, 'Or is it because of the loss of Mum.'

At the time, I didn't realise it, but when I was older that I've learned the truth, spoken out from my father's mouth.

He was on his last lane of life, ready to end it all, but when I suddenly came popping out of the egg. It then rekindled his hope and will to live.

At the time, he must have thought of something along those lines of 'How could I bare to leave the love child that you and I both conceived together, to live and fend for himself alone within this harsh world.'

'I won't be able to have any face to see you again in the Afterlife if I were to abandon him, and he eventually becomes an orphan.'

'How miserable life is living without you, Aina...'

And then an idea crossed my mind, 'Is it possible for our kind to even possibly eat meat, or can we just only eats rocks, minerals, and ores.'

'Hmmm...' I thought so to myself before continuing, 'I will need to test out this experiment of eating meat first on myself before I could even give meat towards father.'

I then opened up the list of summonable golems, that which of golems that I have already unlocked via creation.

List of Unlocked Golems Golem Race Golem Type Golem Creation Cost (Core Not Included) Golem Creation Cost (Core Included) Ash Jaguar Golem Beast Type 100 MP 200 MP (Interchangeable) Ash Hellhound Golem Beast Type 100 MP 200 MP (Interchangeable)

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Author's Notes:

Written on a Mobile Phone

Arslid's Status Screen

Status Screen Name: Arslid Sex: Male Age: 1 Day Old Race: Terrakhan {Rock Demon} Subrace: One Horned Terrakhan Bloodline: N/A Class: N/A Level: 1 State: Malnourished Titles: First Cry Stats/Attributes Health Points: 107.1/107.1 Mana Points: 228/228 Strength: 3 Wisdom: 74 Defense: 5.1 Intelligence: 43 Agility: 5 Willpower: 11 Endurance: 3.1 Spirit: 11 Dexterity: 4.1 Charisma: 2 Constitution: 4 Luck: 2 Available Stats Points: 0

Skill List Active Skill - [Astral Magic Lv1][Golemancy Lv1][Core Creation Lv10][Minor Earth Control Lv4][Thought Acelaration Lv.1] Passive Skill - [Automatic MP Recovery Lv2] Racial Traits/Exclusive Skill - [Mineral Absorption Lv1][Interspatial Storage Tier 1]

Grimsly's Status Screen

Status Screen Name: Grimsly Age: 1 day old Race: Ash Golem Golem Type: Beast Subrace: Hellhound Variant Grade: 1-star Core Rank: Bronze Level: Lv1 Titles: Stat/Attributes Health Points: 120/120 Mana Points: 106/106 Strength: 8 Wisdom: 4 Defense: 10 Intelligence: 2 Agility: 4 Willpower: 1 Endurance: 10 Spirit: 1 Dexterity: 6 Charisma: 1 Constitution: 10 Luck: 1 Available Stats Points: 0

Skill List Active Skill - [Fire Fang Lv1][Fire Breathe Lv1][Overcharge Lv1] Passive Skill - [Earth Skin Lv1][Fire Armour Lv1] Racial Skill/Traits - [Untiredness Lv1]

Crowley's Status Screen

Status Screen Name: Crowley Age: 1 day old Race: Ash Golem Golem Type: Beast Subrace: Jaguar Variant Grade: 1-star Core Rank: Bronze Level: Lv1 Titles: Stats/Attributes Health Points: 120/120 Mana Points: 106/106 Strength: 6 Wisdom: 6 Defense: 8 Intelligence: 4 Agility: 7 Willpower: 1 Endurance: 10 Spirit: 1 Dexterity: 9 Charisma: 1 Constitution: 10 Luck: 1 Available Stats Points: 0

Skill List Active Skill - [Fire Claw Lv1][Fire Slash Lv1] Passive Skill - [Earth Skin Lv1][Stealth Lv1] Racial Skill/Traits - [Untiredness Lv1]