Opening my eyes to darkness seems like the normal day to day cycle now.

I try to raise my body, but I seem to be stuck. The floor feels so inviting, I wonder if I should rest a while longer. My head is still in mild pain from using up my mana, so I don't think I've recovered properly yet.

I remember landing on the mossy side of my room to avoid injury from falling. It seemed like the right choice at the time but now that I am unable to move, I'm questioning myself over whether it was the right move to make or not.

It's gotta be the moss right.

'Erin you have to cast a fire spell on yourself quickly to escape the Oran is slowly killing you.'

Knew it.

Never trust the moss.

"Seriously Temi? I know we're not exactly best of friends but set fire to myself, I'm not as stupid as you think ya know."

'Anyone that ends a sentence with 'ya know' has to be some type of stupid. That is beside the point though. I'm actually trying to help you right now.'

"By having me set fire to myself? There has got be a better way for me to get up. I mean, it's just moss right?"

'It is most certainly not moss. It is a sticky plant called Cali Oran. It steals mana from the host's body, slowly draining them until they die. They apply a secretion to their victim to numb the pain from the mana drain. The only reason you are still alive right now is the fact that this place is rich in mana so your recovery speed is outmatching the Orans draining potential. If you want to escape the only way is to set a fire between yourself and the plant.'

Temi seems super serious.

I really want to trust her on this as, honestly, I have no one else to turn to. I just can't help but feel like she's trying to burn me, agaIn.

LITERALLY!

Why does it seem to be one situation after another at the moment? What I wouldn't give for a nice bath and good sleep.

Reluctantly, I decide to act.

"Ok Temi, one more time, please. Do I really have to set myself on fire?"

'Yes, you must put all your mana into it as well, unfortunately. It will be the only way to kill it.'

"Kill it? So it's a monster?"

'No it is a plant, but mana has made it into something more and as it possesses mana it will award XP and loot upon its execution.'

Oh shit.

My first taste of XP, yet another reason to proceed with setting myself on fire.

Why does a bad idea seem to end with what seems like good rewards?

The logic seems backwards but I've already decided to act so, what the hell.

Damn it.

No matter what it is still a daunting prospect to set myself on fire, made even worse when faced with the idea of adding more mana to it once it has begun just like I did with my sphere of light.

I hope I survive this.

Once more I try to pry myself from the moss, so I don't have to follow through with Temi's crazy idea, but it seems to have surrounded my body with ease seeing as how I have no clothes on.

Another reason why I might be starting to shit my metaphorical pants.

"How do I do this without dying Temi?"

Come on trusty sidekick, best friend, super assistant.

I know you got my back this time.

Please.

'The safest way to do this would be to imagine a wall of fire between your body and the Oran. A master of magic should be able to do this without even being burned, but for you, we will settle with surviving the outcome. You have enough mana to cast the spell and add mana to it 'exactly' as you did before. The hard part is when the pain comes once your mana bottoms out, you are going to have to hold the spell for a second after you hit 0, to make sure the Plant catches fire before you pass out again.'

A wall of fire?

Doesn't that seem too complicated?

I'm imagining it now but I can't distinguish between myself and the plant. It just looks like we're both on fire to me.

I am not happy at all but I suppose it's time to reclaim my balls from this plant.

Here goes everything.

I feel the butterflies in my belly start to move and turn becoming a swirling vortex in the shape of a sphere, it almost feels like it embodies my soul form in the Astral Plane.

I let out a deep breath as I pull my Fire Wall from my mind and my vortex from within, melding them together, creating magic once again.

I would love to be screaming about how awesome I am right now, creating magic once more, however, the only thought going through my mind right now is pain.

I've burned myself whilst cooking before I think. I can't picture the memory but I can remember how much it hurt and I know it was nothing compared to this.

I haven't even added the rest of my mana yet and it already feels as though it's passed the point of what I would call too much. Clenching my teeth I press on with Temi's instructions. I add what mana I can, from what I have left until I know that my MP is gone as even more pain assaults me. This time from both, within me and doubling up the pain I feel outside.

Skill: Pain Resistance Level 1 has reached Level 2

I almost drop the spell, almost instantly like last time but I react quickly even though my mind and body are both in agony, fast enough to keep a hold on my spell.

I can no longer see the moss. From an outside point of view, it probably looks as though I'm just laid in fire like some crazy guy. When in reality, you would have to be a crazy guy to set yourself on fire in the first place.

Excruciating pain is washing over me like a wave. It rolls over my body repetitively. Temi said to hold this spell for a second but has it been a second? It feels like it's been an hour, I don't think I can hold this fire any longer, I was surprised I could even keep holding on to it after my mana ran out. I'm just hoping I did enough to prevent myself from because this plants candy, as my eyes are being forced to close after exhaustion takes me away. My last thought?

I hope I don't burn to death.

You have Leveled up.

All stats increased.

Special attribute points received.

You have Leveled up.

All stats increased.

Special attribute points received.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

You have Level......

Awareness creeps upon me, rousing me from my unconscious state of mind.

Surprisingly, I feel really good.

Not sore as I was expecting, even my mind feels great.

I feel as though I've just had the perfect sleep.

I take notice of surroundings as I pick myself up off the hard ground. My Night Vision hitting level 4 has made it so I can see the small room more clearly. The walls look old and cracked but still as strong as the day this place was created. The spring sits in the centre of the wall, opposite the tunnel and starts at head height, coming straight out of one of the many cracks, and falling to the floor where it drains down the hand-sized hole, presumably to the next floor. I see old deteriorated bones in the right corner, furthest from the spring and to the right of my exit, where the plant had collected its spoils from the many victims it has had over however long an amount of time it has been down here. The left side of the room is as bare as I am.

The 'moss', or Cali Oran as Temi called it, has shrivelled up and now looks like a pile of dried up autumn leaves.

How was that 'thing' killing me?

I brush off what I assume to be dirt, or what I really hope is not remains, off my smooth, naked, hairless body.

That's right.

Not only am I naked, but now I have no visible hair left on my body.

My hairless arms feel soft and smooth to touch. My scalp, I let out a solitary tear as I caress it, left without a single hair. My manhood.............let's not go there. I was expecting to hurt like hell after just burning up like a bonfire however to my surprise, I feel great all over.

"Temi, why do I feel so good?"

........

"Temi?"

'Pfffffft, you look so ridiculous, hahaha.'

Seriously!

Since when did she gain a sense of humour.

This was her idea, how dare she mock me right now.

"Oi, don't laugh at me, you said it was going to kill me and that I had to kill it!"

'Oh, you did have to, yes.... pfft... but I er, may have forgotten to mention you could have killed it by destroying its core.'

Fucking Temi.

I knew it, I fucking knew it!

God damn, why did I listen to you?

She sounded so concerned and serious and in the heat of the moment, I was panicking!

'It would have been much harder for you to pinpoint its mana core and destroy it before you ran out of mana yourself, therefore fire magic seemed like the appropriate choice.'

"Appropriate choice my ass. You know what, I'm so done with this dungeon. I'm hungry and I smell like an old barbeque. All I want is some semblance of peace. If your listening god, why is this happening to me? I saved another persons life in my previous world, I don't deserve this fate right?"

'The gods rarely answer so I doubt you will have much look communicating with them.'

Another bombshell, not just a god but gods.

Plural.

Temi just keeps dropping information like a child carrying too much chocolate.

Whatever, there's too much happening right now for me to even care about the existence of multiple deities.

Once again my stomach reminds me that I haven't eaten anything since arriving and my mind quickly shifts to the Oran in the corner.

Temi mentioned loot before, not that I expect this plant to give me any sustainable food but even berries will suffice for the moment.

Let's hope she doesn't screw me over this time.

"Temi, how do I loot the bodies as you said before?"

'Just place your hand on the corpse and the loot will be displayed to you.'

"Really? Now you want me to go touch it again after you said it was draining me dry before?"

'Yes. It is dead now. It cannot harm anyone again. Once looted it will be absorbed by the dungeon ready to be respawned at a later time.'

"I don't trust you Temi, not one little bit anymore.

I was beginning to trust you but now I look as though as I have had a full body wax my tolerance has lowered a significant amount for bull shit.

First, you tell me that I died and that I'm going to a new world as a weak nobody with nothing to help me.

Then you say I have to set myself on fire, even though you clearly knew another way to kill the plant.

Now you're saying that I have to go back and touch the mana draining creature to claim my loot?

Well Fuck that, I'd rather starve."

........

'Really Erin?'

"No, not really! I'm hungry as fuck so of course, I'm going to go over there and touch the damn plant, I'm so mad at you right now that I can't even think straight. I never swear this much but look at what you have reduced me to."

Instead of moving towards the Oran, my feet slowly start to carry me to the spring water instead.

I'm so hungry and I do actually hope, and pray, the plant will give me something to eat but, first things first, though I need water. My throat is dry and harsh and the water I can now visibly see looks appealing to me, more so than the dried-up plant on the floor.

I cup my hands out to gather up some of the fresh, cold spring water. If I remember correctly then spring water is supposed to be delicious and nutritious especially directly from the source.

In the back of my mind, I'm worried that this may not actually be spring water, for all I know it could even be poisonous. Even with my Night Vision helping out, everything in my immediate surrounds looks grey at best. There are no colours for me discern, in fact, the only colour I have seen here is when I was burning alive and I would rather not remember that memory if possible.

'You should not drink that water, Erin.'

Well, that probably means it's poisonous if Temi doesn't want me to drink it, but frankly, I couldn't care less right now. I'm that thirsty and hungry that I would happily offer myself up as a test subject for new experimental types of food that may have hazard health effects at this moment in time.

That's how bad I feel.

Plus, who knows what Temi is thinking. This bitch has it out for me and if I'm being honest it is kind of my fault. Not that I would share that with her any time soon.

Set me on fire.

I'll show you how to hold a grudge.

I hold my hands firmly together to avoid the water seeping through. Slowly and very carefully I bring my hands up to my mouth where I slurp down the water greedily.

It tastes delicious.

"Ahh, I really needed that."

I cup my hands together once more and place them back below the running water ready to take another mouthful.

Skill Acquired: Poison Resistance Level 1

"Well shit."

As reluctant as I am to drink the poisonous water from the spring, coming from somewhere above in the dungeon. The first mouthful I had, has awoken a beast inside me. Even knowing that it is definitely poisonous thanks to the system doesn't dissuade me from wanting, no, needing more. My hands, still cupped in the spring, gather more falling water and I hastily swallow it down in bliss as it reaches my lips.

Skill: Poison Resistance Level 1 has reached Level 2

Honestly.

I can't even taste the poison, I must have been that dehydrated that anything I drank was going to taste spectacular.

My poison resistance was raised really fast then. Where can I check it out without waiting for it to rise in level again?

"Temi, is there any way I can view my stats and skills that I've received so far?"

'Just say or think 'status' and the system will provide you with the details you require. Although it's not like you listen to me anyway.'

"You told me to set myself on fire Temi! I'm still pissed off over that, it was only afterwards that you mentioned the plants' core and a different way to kill it!"

'You killed the Oran and survived, I don't see why you are so emotional.'

Whatever.

Moving on.

So, just think or say status.

Really? If it's that easy how come the other inhabitants of Tironia are unable to use the system. Surely if all I have to do is say status, then someone else must have randomly said the word before and brought up there own status screen right?

Maybe they can see it but there unable to interact with it?

What if it has to do with how much mana your body is made up from. No that sounds stupid. I'm glad I didn't say that one out loud.

'Is this going to be a repeat of my overview on mana where you criticize the information without testing it first Erin?'

I'm going to criticize everything you every say after today, however just like the mana explanation I will give her the benefit of the doubt for this.

Here goes.

"Status"

From out of nowhere, the systems familiar light blue, star-filled, rectangular screen appears before as if it had always been there. This time though, instead of just a communication screen, it's more like an information panel or a graph chart. Which seems appropriate seeing as how it is showcasing my stats.

Name: Erin Health: 48/48+ Race: Divine Being Mana: 6/50+ Level: 7 Stamina: 45/45+ Title: None Class: None

STR 37+ WIS 46+ MAG 44+ VIT 37+ AGI 39+ INT 45+ LUCK 2 DEX 36+

Skills Spells

Night Vision Level 4

Starvation Level 2

Pain Resistance Level 2

Poison Resistance Level 2 (NEW)

Sphere of Illuminating Light

Fire Wall

Hell yeah!

Now it's time to loot the Oran.