It was currently late in the afternoon. An endless display of clouds blanketed the sky. Storm clouds flickering with lightning were still churning in the distance where the beasts of Luster Mountain fought.
I was currently cloaked in a large, dragging cloth. I covered every part of my body as the pain of sunlight was a threat to this fragile form of mine. I had to act like a vampire for the time being.
I glanced at all the people around me. Mana Vision scanned the mana in their bodies and I got a rough average of their abilities. It was likely the same as I had written.
An average human had stats around F- rank after turning 16. Those who had a talent of [ High ] for either Physique, Mental, Charisma, or Spirit, usually had a base stat around F rank. A prime example would be Virion, whose talents in all four categories was [ High ].
Caelum, on the other hand, had the following talents:
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Talents
Physique: Low (Minus 1 Tier) (Base of G+ rank)
Mental: Average (Base of F- rank)
Charisma: Average (Base of F- rank)
Spirit: Low (Minus 1 Tier) (Base of G+ rank)
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What I wanted to do now was make it so that all my talents were just like Virion's, if not, even stronger. And to do that, I had to train and absorb nutrients. Like a plant being given excellent fertilizer while it was planted in good soil.
Thus, in my cloak, I drifted over to the outskirts of town. To where different types of farms were located.
This was an idea I got after I obtained Mana Vision and upgraded it to its maximum.
I would look for fresh vegetables and meat that had the most mana within them. Eating such food would supply me with the nutrients I needed to help nourish my entire being. This was how beasts and a few other creatures of Emerallia gained their strength.
The consumption of other mana-filled beings.
It was a path to power on its own, but I did not have the energy or time to consume such drastic amounts of sustenance. Gluttony was not a sin I indulged myself in.
Nor would I have the body to do so. Once I returned to being a normal Human, I would lose my immense sensitivity to mana for the purpose of heightening my attributes. I wouldn't be able to absorb mana from the food I eat as effectively as when I was a Lesser Human.
A glint of light flashed within my irises as I looked around.
It was farmland for kilometres and kilometres, extending into the Great Plains.
"Damn," I couldn't help but recall just how vast the Great Plains truly was.
I set the size of the Great Plains to be the size of Asia in its entirety. A region that was equivalent to a continent on Earth. I don't know if I overdid it or not, but I think I did.
The mana flow here moved in large swathes like a swarm of birds. They danced around to their own convection currents, moving with erratic grace.
I breathed in the mana-filled air.
"Haaaah,"
It was rejuvenating. Every breath I took seemed to lessen my weakness. Every gulp of air resupplied me with a fresh batch of mana.
I looked at my own body and got a rough estimate of my current stats through the flow of my mana. I was around the level of G, which was a given since I devolved.
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Physiscal Ability: G-
Mental Acuity: G
Charismatic Force: G
Mana Quality: G-
Luck: F-
Specialisation: N/A
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I walked towards one of the farms and stopped before the stall they had for fresh produce. These were stalls made for people who wanted the freshest of the fresh products and were willing to make a trip.
It was perfect for me.
"Hello," I greeted the middle-aged man who sat relaxedly behind the stall. A stalk of grass was in his mouth and he wore a strawhat to cover his face.
So far, he looked like a normal Earth farmer, until I glanced to his right. There, emanating a strong scent of blood, was a sword and a set of plate armour. They were clearly worn out but well maintained.
My nose involuntarily scrunched up at this smell.
"What can I do for ya, young lad?" The farmer spoke without moving an inch. He kept his face hidden behind his strawhat.
His voice was a raspy tenor in my ears.
"I spotted a few of your products that I would like to buy. Is it alright if I survey them up close?" I replied, my gaze was already locked on to the veggies I needed.
"Eh, go ahead."
I feigned a show of contemplation as to which products I wanted to buy for a hot minute. I made it seem like I was selecting my items at random.
In the end, I got an eggplant, an ear of corn, a few berries, and some potatoes. I picked them out and handed the farmer 3G for it all.
"Thank you," I said as I left.
I could tell, from the movement of his mana, that he realised that there was something different about me. He had been primed for combat the entire time I was picking out my items. He was ready to move if I displayed any hint of hostility.
He probably thought of me as an ellusive monster, hiding within the ranks of humanity.
I couldn't blame him though. I was truly suspicious with my flowing cloak and my translucent skin. I did not look human.
Just like this, I stopped by a few more farms, walking for several kilometres and spending the next few hours up and about. My pace was slow due to my weakness, but I was patient.
Every second I spent in this state of weakness would mean greater strength in the future.