Chapter 3: Level UP
Mitch’s fingers tingled as he reached for the familiar sensation of his weapon creation skill, drawing upon the wellspring of mana that had become as natural as breathing.
But nothing materialized in his grasp, no comforting weight of steel or wood, just the hollow echo of depleted energy.
"Damn, what a mana-hungry skill," he muttered, flexing his empty hands in frustration.
The irony wasn’t lost on him. Thanks to his newly acquired passive skill, [Apprentice Mana Manipulation], Mitch felt a deeper, more intimate connection to the mystical energy that permeated this strange world.
The sensation was like discovering a sixth sense, he could perceive mana as a faint but persistent pulse in the air around him, threads of power that he could almost reach out and touch.
It flowed through everything: the ancient stones of the cave, the twisted branches of the alien trees, even the morning mist that clung to the forest floor like ghostly fingers.
The thought of extracting mana from slime cores crossed his mind, but his pockets were disappointingly empty.
He needed more cores, both to fuel his growing understanding of magic and to purchase the [Small Pocket Space] skill that would finally free him from the constant burden of carrying everything on his own.
The sun hung low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of amber and crimson. Darkness in this world brought dangers he wasn’t ready to face, and hunting slimes by moonlight seemed like an unnecessary risk.
With reluctant steps, Mitch retreated into the relative safety of his cave sanctuary, settling cross-legged on the smooth stone floor.
He spent the remaining hours of daylight in meditation, guiding mana through the pathways of his body in slow, deliberate circuits until exhaustion finally claimed him.
The night passed without incident, save for the distant howls of creatures that made Mitch grateful for his stone shelter.