My hand reached out only to find nothing but the gray ceiling. I grit my teeth at that, my gaze finding purchase on the wall as I sat up from where I was laying.
'Right out of reach' Were my only thoughts as I listlessly glared at the wall. I could feel the gazes of the Kobolds on my back as they warily took their distance from me.
Eventually I just sighed, I did not want to frighten the Kobolds any more than I had. My glare lifted and they seemed relieved at that, one in particular handing me a flower that I bit down on.
Familiar tastes assaulted my mouth as I swallowed it but it did not sate my hunger. Even with how nutritious it was it was still not enough.
Noticing this the same Kobold left to grab another one. Moments later he was back, the flower in his hands handed to me again.
And just like before I ate it, with that my hunger was sated.
I walked from where I sat, a pain in my whole body hindering me but I did not let that stop me. No, instead even while walking I tested my arms, my flexibility, and even my strength.
I did some basic exercises where in my the pain just rose to another level. Idly though, I noticed that the Kobolds had followed me in my exercise.
It was cute, in a weird way. The way that they curiously followed my movements, the way that they had noticed the effects it had on their own muscles.
I could hear the slight giggle that came from my mouth at the sight. However I quickly clamped down on that. I didn't want to laugh at their efforts. Instead after I had finished the last set of push ups that I was doing I walked over to them and properly instructed them on how to do the exercises.
…
Crush
I felt as the [Rune of Mana] was crushed in my hand. The mana stat that had sat stagnant rising by 0.1 but even then I could feel the effect of it.
Everything felt more alive? Yes alive was the word, the world around me felt as if it had come to life. As if a sense that I had never felt was being awakened.
Gently I followed the sense, my legs walking closer and closer before I could touch it. I closed my eyes then and felt again how that same life flowed through my hand and body then back to the plant. It was a loop that was relaxing to watch but I couldn't help but think about how I could trap that energy.
If this was truly mana then maybe I could use it. It was that very thought that brought my concentration through the relaxed feeling that I had.
With focus I was able to slow the energy. Not enough that it stayed in my body but enough that I knew what it felt like.
Again and again I slowed it down and down before trying to speed it up. I was not getting anywhere in containment so my next idea was to manipulate it which felt much more natural. Much easier.
Eventually though I was forced to let go of the source of mana. When my eyes opened I saw what had happened.
It was originally a plant but now it couldn't be called that. Right now it was dead, the very life sucked from it.
I looked to my hand and saw a faint glow emanating from it though it soon disappeared.
[Mana Manipulation (rank 1 0.00%)]
The notification had popped up while I was distracted with the glow that my hand had glowed. Soon though more notifications started to roll in, telling me of the increase in points I had. From 453 points it had gone up another hundred. Forty from the flower mission and another sixty from the killing of that creature.
Eventually though I was broken from my thoughts by one of the Kobolds tapping me on the back. I turned around only to be greeted with the sight of the determined Kobolds.
Their eyes were filled with fire. Noises of war on their mouths as they shouted for revenge, I didn't know what to say. It had all happened so fast.
One moment I was just looking at my status and the next the Kobolds were calling for war. It was a huge change. Though not one that I was disappointed with. Instead it inspired a smile on my face.
Though I would have to spoil their fun for now as I needed to arm them and to do that I would need materials.
It was why I immediately got to ordering them to start gathering the necessary things.
…
I sat on the ground, dozens of sets of materials laid out in front of me. I couldn't help the relieved smile on my face. One of relaxation.
I went through the motions of making another spear however it was different this time. Something had changed.
When I had gone to break the flint into shape I found those same markings that had appeared in my dreams when I had hammered that metal. It was showing me the optimal places to strike.
'No that's not right' I thought to myself, shaking my head of that thought. It wasn't that I was shown, it was just that I knew, but I didn't know that I knew if that made any sense.
It was like an instinctual action that I had done for years only to forget I had the skill to do such a thing. It was just that natural.
My eyes narrowed as I focused all of my attention on the flint in front of me, the rock in my hand falling with force onto it.
CRACK
The flint broke into two pieces, the smaller of which was swept from my knee and onto the ground.
CRACK
Again
CRACK
I repeated the same process again and again. The flint was slowly broken into the exact piece that I needed. Everything was perfect, or at least it seemed. There were still parts of it that I was unsatisfied with, rough edges, rough shape, the hole wasn't even.
So much to improve but that only stoked on my next attempts.
'Though…'
Before I could attempt any more I needed to create the spear that would be used. Carefully I tied the spear head to the piece of wood and secured it tightly.
I smiled as I looked down at the spear. It was done, it was better than my other attempts… so much better.
[Unnamed Spear]
[rank 1]
My eyes opened wide at the notification, it was something that I had not seen but was excited at nonetheless. It meant that my spear, the one I had created, was something worthy of the system's notice.
The smile that popped from my focused face could have split my face in half with how wide it was.
I immediately shot up from where I sat and grabbed at the spear. Almost instantly I could feel the difference compared to the sword that was given to me and the other spears I created.
It was so much sharper though that was the only thing that appeared to be different. It was disappointing that the only thing different was the sharpness but that meant another thing. It meant that the system would not interfere in the making of my weapons meaning it was all my effort.
All my own.