Chrysalis

Thanks to my last encounter I’m finally starting to gain a little confidence in this new world. Perhaps I’ll be able to survive and find my colony after all!

I mean ... I’ve always been confident! Heh.

...

All right then. Time to focus on the next task at hand. Along with my purchase of the Mana Manipulation skill some knowledge on how to apply it has been planted in my brain.

It’s a little disconcerting to think that purchasing a skill is directly modifying my brain and memories. Exactly how intrusive is this system? I don’t really have the luxury of being able to worry about it now, so I push any doubts out of my mind.

According to my new understanding, the mana absorbed by my body comes from the air and is stored in my monster core. In order to use that mana I need to bring it out of my core and shape it. Hence the Mana Manipulation skill. With this skill I’ll be able to take the first step of using my MP to do something cool.

Time to make an attempt.

If I concentrate I can feel my core within me, sitting right in the center of my mid-section. It feels like a tight ball of heat, faintly pulsing with energy. That would be my mana. Before I attempt to draw my mana out, I want to have a firm image in my mind of what I want to happen.

Something simple for the first attempt, OK? Let’s go with ... I want to release it as a cloud from my mouth. Just a harmless puff of mana from the mouth, easy.

Concentrating hard I focus all of my mental energy on my core, sinking my mind deep within myself. My core is still tiny, probably the size of a grape. I’ll probably get chances to grow it in the future, my max MP is only ten right now, surely that isn’t enough to do much.

My consciousness locks onto the core and then draws within. I feel like I’ve been transported inside a crystal world. Fractal angles reflect off in every direction. Within this space, the mana is floating lazily, turning in slow circles. Without anything to direct it, this is the state it will maintain.

I can feel the moment when the energy within begins to respond to me. Gradually it begins to move, to flow in the direction of my thoughts. This is so damn hard! Forcing with all of my mental might the mana moves reluctantly out of my core and through my body.

I feel the force welling up in my throat now, like water caught in my oesophagus. Opening my mouth wide a small puff of glowing, transparent gas is released and quickly disperses into the air.

GASP.

I

ability to shift mana is as low as it gets

more then I

checking my MP consumption I see that I’ve only used two points. All of that effort for only

the faster my skill level will rise and the easier it will be to practice, causing the speed of

loop. The faster I get through these early levels, the faster

determination, I once again focus my mind on my core,

HHHHHRRRNNNNGGGGG.

*puff*.

Gandalf this is ridiculous! How did you master these mystic forces? Do I need

on the last my mental energy runs out and I don’t manage to force the

that I decide to have a bit of open-eye to recover. I wish I had some way of knowing how much time has

it hasn’t been that long, possibly three hours. I’m guessing based on how

all up until I get back to full. If I were to make another three attempts right now I’d only

haven’t gained one level of Mana Manipulation. I can already tell that

can only take on that challenge if I manage

to head

take a little time to conceal the entrance before I leave, covering up the hole with some dirt and vegetation. I may not even return to this nest but if I can create a few

Thankfully as I’ve been digesting my Biomass, the insured antennae has begun to regrow. If I continue to secure

gained so much from that encounter, the price

information gathering, not combat. Unless I’m able to identify a truly juicy opportunity I’ll

taking for the

massive cavern is just so wondrous to me. Such a ridiculous amount of open space under the surface just doesn’t make any sense. I mean, I’m not sure exactly how large caves underground were on Earth, but you could probably fit a city inside here, so long as

possible for it to

focused in all directions. I especially