I opened my eyes to the familiar room with the brick walls. I looked at my body and instinctively stood up.
My body, it...looked fine? Even I, myself, felt my body was like usual. With mana coursing through my veins and strength. It was like what I experienced in the mountain was nothing but an illusion, which I refused to believe, but significant proof lied infront of my face.
Still, it all felt so real.
I didn't know how to explain it, I could only leave it to the wonders of the Labyrinth really.
After all, if I can't do anything about it, why worry?
Finally, after being without mana for what felt like eternity, I let loose.
"Fckk yeah!" I screamed and discharged lightning from all around my body, letting it out of my system. Bolts of purple lightning flew around everywhere.
After I was finally satisfied, I showed a smile. My mana was back, my magic was back, I don't want to feel as powerless as I had back in the mountain ever again.
I also realized that without mana, I was just nothing but a mundane human. Powerless to forces stronger than me, I hated that feeling. All mages were powerless without mana, that was common knowledge, however, I wasn't a common mage, and I don't want to become one, I hated the feeling of powerlessness so I ought to at least temper my body enough that at least I could do something if ever my mana was depleted.
A mage's weakness are their weak bodies, I should at least lessen that weakness right?
"The reward of the second trial is a lesser nirvana fruit." A ball of light manifested infront of me, I outstretched my hand to receive it, when the light receded, what was revealed was an orange fruit with beautiful fire markings around its surface.
Nirvana fruit?
I didn't know what that was but I bet it was something good.
"The lesser nirvana fruit, if consumed, will cause tremendous change in the consumers physical body, changing its very internal structure to allow its physical aspects to improve — going through the process of something akin to rebirth."
The monotonous voice explained in my mind.
If it was just as according to the monotonous voice, then this thing was damn amazing!
It would cover my weakness of having a weak body like a typical mage has, my stamina won't be as low anymore, even without mana, I should be able to last long on foot. Most of all, my bodily defenses will improve, making it so that I'm not gonna be vulnerable to sneak attacks and magic attacks.
With this fruit, I won't be as powerless without mana.
However, as how good of a thing it was, I weighed the decision of consuming it at this moment or maybe another time? The first option, if I did consumed the fruit, then it would improve my physical aspect tremendously — which means that I would grow in strength, shifting the difficulty of my incoming trials.
Was it worth it? Of course it was!
I didn't even need to think before bitting into the fruit.
A bit of time passed and I had swallowed the whole fruit down, yet nothing was happening to my body.
Though that quickly changed in a single second as every part of my body started to feel hot, it was tolerable at first but it soon started to worsen, to the point where my body felt like it was on fire.
I was having a hard time breathing, the pain was nothing to scoff at, it was like my blood boiling. But to me who climbed to the peak of the massive mountain, with all kinds of wounds on my body and fatigue wearing me down to the point where my body was about to break down, it was nothing.
I gnashed my teeth and endured the hellish process. When everything was done, I stood up and felt my chest being lighter, everything around me seemed to light up. I could feel bits of mana in the room, my sensitivity had gone up.
I also felt that my body was stronger, and that my stamina had rose to a high number. My body brimmed with power and life. I felt rejuvenated. Like my whole body was cleansed.
It was like I was reborn from death.
I felt amazing. This decision to consume the fruit wasn't driven by mindlessness but a well-thought conclusion. Eating the fruit might result in a much more difficult trial, but I don't know what kind of trials I will face next. The trials were unpredictable and random, from fighting hords of golems to climbing a massive mountain bare handed.
I won't even know what kind of trial awaits me next, what if it's a trial that will require for me to last long? Require for me to have a powerful body? What then?
So I decided to eat the fruit.
When I was in the mountain climbing, it was with my body. Just without mana. I realized how low my stamina was and how weak and pitiful my body is. I don't want to face a problem like that again, it was better to be safe than sorry right?
I had to prepare for what it was awaiting me on the next trial.
I needed all the ensurance I could.