NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: Is the Mana Alive?
The next few days carried the same routine. The nights were filled with secret whispers moving through the mist, while Geth would spend his days building. Zolis would practice her movements, both wielding her weapon and practicing her Skill.
The kids would run back and forth across the acreage, even learning how to swim in a short amount of time. Geth had created a type of canteen so that he could store water for his journey. They were very simple, they had no lid, and he had to snap the top open to drink the liquid. This being the case, he had to form the bottles underwater.
He'd made them thin so that they wouldn't take up too much weight. His Inventory Pouch now had nothing but water in it and its weight was maxed out. He'd put another 20 pounds of fruit into his Satchel as well. With the cores he had left, that left him with around 77 pounds to spare. He would make sure to collect as many cores and as much material as possible on his journey.
They needed salt, meat, and fur to make clothing and bedding. His staff was in his hand, Satchel slung over his shoulder with the Pouch tied to it. His black leather pants and armband being the only clothing that he wore.
During this time of fighting, finishing the small home during the day, and the intense cardio every night, his stomach had slimmed down quite a bit. Albus also told him that when evolving to take on the Mana of this world, their bodies would constantly evolve to reach their maximum potential.
He had decided to spend one more day after finishing his preparations before leaving. Geth spent time running around and playing with his children, chatting with Zolis, and double-checking things in the area.
The easiest way he could explain his leaving to the kids was that he was going to go and look for their brother. They were excited at the thought of seeing him again, he was one of their favorite people. They gave him hugs and kisses as he tussle their hair.
"I'm going to miss you guys, try not to be too much trouble for mommy, okay?" He looked at each one of them. "I love you two."
"Love you, daddy." They both responded in unison, making him smile.
He turned to Zolis next and put his arms around her. "I love you, too. Make sure to talk to the kids more about their Grimoires. Albus said that after the assimilation, their learning capabilities should have increased tenfold. Maybe you can help them get a general understanding."
She nodded in understanding. "I'll make sure to do that. I don't want them ruining their future, but it would be safer for them to have some Attributes."
He had left enough cores for each of them to get to Level 4 in one of the chests he'd gotten rewards in. They weren't to use them until they had a general understanding of what it would mean for them in the future.
"Be safe out there, make sure to come back in one piece. I'll pull the barrier back to the bend and put the Guardians in front of it until you return." She kissed him gently. "I love you."
After that, there was nothing more to be said, he walked towards the exit. On his way out, he stopped to check how his status had fallen behind over these 5 days.
:World Leaderboard;
1. Geth (Lvl 16)
2. Xan Yiu (Lvl 16)
3. Wang Bao (Lvl 15)
4. SwolePapi (Lvl 14)
5. Zhao Ju (Lvl 14):
'Wow, it seems that the Chinese have really adapted quickly. I wonder what happened to the Pussy guy?'
:He either has less overall experience than the other Level 14's, or he died:
'Hmm, the second option is more likely. I don't see many people stopping as I did. I wonder if he tried to face a Dungeon?'
He let his thoughts wander as he left the cave, casting Restoration on the Level 5 Slime on his way out. About 30 Level 1 Slimes were hanging out with it.
He quickly reached the entrance of the cave to see a big, round, double door blocking the way. He smiled at how much the door looked like a big version of a hobbit door. He smiled and stepped out into the sunlight, this was the true beginning of his adventure.
The sunlight struck his eyes, causing him to squint and lift his hand up to block the light. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he opened them to reveal that the landscape in front of him had completely healed from his previous battles.
Even the pit from the Spell backfiring on him looked as if it had been hilled in, fresh grass had grown over the top. Albus responded to the questions forming in his mind.
:This world is filled with Mana, and Mana doesn't like change. Aside from the inside of the Dungeon formations, the Mana won't allow changes to be made. If structures are built out in the open, it is likely to cause the Mana to react violently. It can't interfere directly, but there would be natural disasters and constant attacks from beasts:
'Is the Mana alive?' He wondered, getting no response.
Just from that little bit of information, Geth had realized just how important the Dungeons would become. "Strengthening and protecting them will be a major thing in the future, I wonder if there are more Dungeons in the area."
Flipping over to the map page, his exploring progress was piss poor. The area he'd walked between where he'd awakened and the Dungeon were highlighted, but that was it. 'Based on the size change, I've barely explored the field behind my neighborhood.' He chuckled a bit.
After thinking for a while, he decided to head back towards where he'd woken up. If he went back to where his home once was, he could get his bearings and be more precise on which direction to walk. Albus had already marked the Dungeon on his map, so he could find his way back no matter where he was.