[You have defeated: Putrid Rat]
[Experience gained]
I stared at the messages for a moment. Experience. So, it really is like a video game. This made me think about my future—how much I could grow and become stronger.
When I turned to look at the rat's body again, I noticed it was decaying far too quickly to be normal, as if something were corroding the rotten flesh. In the spot where it had fallen, a small stone appeared, resembling a raw crystal.
"Is this... loot?"
I picked up the stone and examined it closely. It was irregular, glowing with a faint green light. I had no idea how to use it, but I decided to store it in my backpack.
"I need to be smarter and plan my next steps. That battle caught me completely off guard."
I sheathed my spear and started heading back to the cave. The way back was uneventful, with no more unpleasant encounters. I noticed something interesting—the cracks in my ribs, caused by the rat's attack, were slowly disappearing. My HP seemed to be regenerating on its own. Maybe that was another advantage of being an Undead.
When I arrived at the cave, I felt safer. Apparently, no monster had yet claimed this place as its territory, so for now, it was peaceful. I sat near the entrance, using the time to reflect on everything that had happened.
"Okay, let’s organize this:
- I can gain experience by defeating opponents, which helps me level up and grow stronger.
- The system seems to reward me for repeating actions or accomplishing important things, like gaining skills by fighting or meditating.
- If I really want to become strong, I need to focus on training and increasing my options. Especially magic. Being able to use magic would be a game-changer."
I decided that I had experienced enough adventure for today. The rest of the day would be dedicated to training. My goal was clear: unlock a mana manipulation skill that I could use without having to meditate constantly.
I sat in a comfortable position on the cave floor, leaning my back against the wall. I closed my eyes… or at least imagined that I did, since my empty eye sockets had no eyelids. I started breathing slowly—or rather, mimicking the sensation of breathing—to focus.
First, I entered a meditative state. The familiar feeling of calm enveloped my body, and I began to sense the mana flowing within me. It was like a silent river, winding through my bones.
"Okay, I can already feel it. Now, how do I control it?"
I imagined the mana as a glowing liquid, spread throughout every part of my body. My goal was simple: move it. I concentrated on pushing the energy toward a single point, like my hand. At first, it was frustrating. The mana seemed to resist, like water trying to escape through cracks.
After several attempts, I managed to move a little to my right hand. It was a warm sensation, almost comforting, though dulled by my lack of real sensitivity. I opened my hand and tried to release the energy, but nothing happened.
I realized I needed to be more creative. Simply pushing the mana wasn’t enough—I had to guide it with intent. This time, I visualized a sphere of light forming in my hand. It was a visualization exercise I remembered from RPG books I used to read on Earth.
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Focusing intensely, I began to feel the mana react. It was weak, almost imperceptible, but I knew it was working. I maintained my concentration for several minutes until, finally, I felt warmth emerging in the palm of my hand. I opened my eyes and saw a faint bluish glow flickering there.
"Did... did I do it?"
The glow quickly faded, but it was enough to excite me. This proved that I could shape mana in some way, even without meditation.
Determined, I kept practicing. I repeated the process several times, trying to form the sphere of light. Sometimes, the mana slipped out of my control and dispersed; other times, I could barely move it. But each attempt seemed to slightly improve my precision.
After hours of practice, a new notification appeared:
[New skill unlocked: Mana Manipulation.]
I let out a relieved sigh. This new skill meant that I no longer had to rely solely on meditation to access my mana. I could use it actively and, over time, create spells.
"Okay, David. You have a lot to learn, but it looks like you're on the right path. Let’s see what else this world has to offer."
I decided I needed something more concrete than just manipulating mana—something that would truly give me a chance to fight or defend myself if another "Putrid Rat" or something worse crossed my path.
My first idea was to project mana outward. I focused on the energy in my hands, trying to push it out like a wave. At first, it seemed to work, but controlling the shape and direction was impossible. Every time the energy left my hands, it dispersed into the air, vanishing before doing anything useful.
"This isn’t going to work like this..."
I went back to the basics. I re-entered a meditative state, using mana manipulation to better understand how this worked. I closed my "eyes" and, instead of just focusing on the energy within me, I tried to expand my senses. If mana was like a river flowing inside my body, could I feel other rivers around me?
At first, I felt nothing. Everything seemed empty, a void where only my own mana existed. But I persisted, deepening my concentration. After long minutes—or maybe hours—of effort, I sensed something—a faint breeze, like a distant wind, flowing around me.
It was so subtle that, for a moment, I thought I was imagining it. But the more I focused, the clearer it became. The sensation started to change, becoming something more tangible, as if the air itself around me was filled with tiny, vibrating particles.
That’s when I received two system notifications:
[Skill: Enhanced Meditation.]
[New skill acquired: Mana Detection.]
I felt a wave of satisfaction. My efforts were paying off, and the system recognized it. When using the meditation skill, I noticed subtle changes—I could focus faster, and my connection to mana was clearer.
As for the mana detection skill, it was like unlocking a new sense. When I activated it, I could "see" or, more accurately, "sense" the energy currents around me. I still didn’t know how to manipulate them, but recognizing them was already a big success.
With renewed hope, I decided to try something more ambitious—creating a spell. I moved away from the cave to avoid drawing attention. I knew that magic, even the most basic kind, could attract unwanted attention, and the last thing I wanted was to lure in enemies.
My first idea was to recreate common spells from games, like lightning or fireball. However, I quickly realized I had no idea how to transform my mana into elements. It was like trying to cook without knowing the basic recipe.
So, I thought of something simpler and more practical. Magic Missile was a classic in almost every RPG, and theoretically, it seemed to be just condensed mana fired at a target. I could start there.
I began focusing mana into my hand. Now, with the mana detection skill, I could feel the energy around me and use it to help with control. I visualized the mana gathering in my palm, shaping it into a sphere.
The energy felt hesitant, as if reluctant to take the form I wanted. Every attempt resulted in the sphere dissolving before stabilizing. I kept trying, adjusting my focus, my simulated breathing, and even my posture.
After several failed attempts, I decided to use my mana manipulation skill to feed the energy more steadily instead of forcing it all at once. I concentrated on a constant flow and visualized a small projectile in the shape of an arrow, made of pure energy.
This time, the mana responded. The projectile began to take form, glowing with a faint blue hue. When it seemed stable enough, I aimed at a nearby rock and released the energy.
A soft buzzing sound filled the air as the projectile shot forward, hitting the rock with a small impact that left a visible mark. It wasn’t exactly devastating, but it was enough to make me want to jump in excitement.
At that moment, a notification appeared:
[New spell acquired: Magic Missile.]
"Now we're talking. Let’s see what else I can do."