Ok.

Okay.

Fine.

I am not a person who tends to get angry easily, but even I have my limits. If I ever meet an asshole who designed this thing, I will fuck him up.

Well, let's not think too much about it. My mind is most likely being read even at the moment, so it's better if I make some plans after I come up with a way to counter it.

Now then, Mana.

I lie on the ground and roll under the bus. Let's try it here. I need to focus, and I don't want to get hit by a ranged attack from the forest. We are pretty far from it, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I close my eyes and try to use focus.

I have already used it a few times, so I know the feeling I should have. It's hard to activate it at will, but after 10 minutes, I am finally able to do it. It isn't as deep a focus as I was able to gain during fights, but it should be enough.

As I try to keep it activated, I start remembering the feeling of what I think is mana flowing through my body and strengthening it.

I start with my hand.

While slowly breathing in and out, my focus deepens.

What is it even? What needs to be done to turn something into a skill?

I quickly shake my head to get rid of useless thoughts and focus a bit more.

Sounds slowly fade out, and I can hear my heart beating slowly. Then I feel a slight tingling in my hand. It starts with my fingers and continues up to my wrist. It's the same feeling as before.

By force, I calm down my now-faster heartbeat.

I focus on the feeling and try to understand it.

It's hard to explain. It really is.

More than relying on my mind, I let my body do it. Maybe it's something like when you catch something falling down from a table, and at the end it's just your body that reacts by itself. Just a simple reflex. And only when you hold falling item in your hands, then you realize what happened.

So here I am, trying not to think about it too much. Somehow it feels cringy.

Allow your heart to guide you.

Sense it deep within your soul.

Do not think, just do.

Let force...

God damn. I just can't think of another way, not at the moment.

I try it again. The feeling extends up to my shoulder, and I squeeze my fist.

I can't be sure if it isn't a placebo, but I feel that my right hand is stronger than my left. I furrow my brow. I have a feeling that if I said it out loud, someone would laugh at me.

The system better not be recording my current thoughts or streaming them somewhere.

So, where is the mana coming from? That's what I am curious about at the moment.

Sure, I have a mana stat, but what does it mean? Did I get another organ that is producing mana?

Is it just flowing through my body, or is it stored somewhere and moving to the part of my body I want it to?

Let's try again, and this time, slower.

I once again enter the focus and let my body take care of the rest. I feel strength in my right hand, but I just don't know where it came from.

I cancel it.

Again.

...

Again.

...

Again.

...

After around twenty more tries, and when I start feeling lightheaded, I finally feel it. A thin thread of mana connecting my heart and hand.

Don't tell me.

I try it again, and now I focus on my heart right from the start. I barely feel it, but mana forms there and then slowly flows through my veins, reaching my hand. It's not using only one vein but multiple of them.

So that's how it is.

I spend another 30 minutes trying to feel my mana, and when I hear Hadwin calling my name, I find a new skill between my existing ones and one of my skills leveled up.

[Mana Perception Lvl 1]

[Mana Manipulation Lvl 1 > Mana Manipulation Lvl 2]

I guess it's something.

Under Hadwin's amused gaze, I roll out from under the bus and stand up. Other than that, he doesn't react to it, which makes it even worse. Asshole.

"Do you want to join us for another expedition? Damon and Sophie are coming as well, and I have one place I want to check out a bit more."

I grab my stuff and follow him after I nod.

"I noticed a spot where it appears to slope downwards. If we're fortunate, it could be a valley, and there may be a stream in the vicinity." Hadwin says.

We come near the other two already waiting for us. Both of them hold short spears in their hands, the ones goblins used.

I guess it's better than nothing.

"Of course, we have to be careful. If there is water, then there is a high chance we will end up running into more animals or… other creatures." he continues.

"Anyone else joining us?" I ask.

My answer is Damon's derogatory laugh, "They are busy shitting their pants every time they hear some noise."

Well, it's not unexpected.

"A few kids wanted to join but I turned them down," Hadwin adds in between Damon's trash-talk.

I ignore Damon's mumbling as he continues complaining.

Will I get a skill from it? Damon's trash talk resistance lvl 1? Hmm, maybe if I try hard enough?

While I am trying to acquire a new skill with Damon's help, Sophie is saying goodbye to her sister.

It's easy to see how worried she is. Somehow, I can't help feeling a tiny bit of jealousy.