As my victory woes etch their ways along the cobblestone walls, sweat disseminates from my body as I finally release all tension.
Raising one arm to the air, I pump my fist as I stick out my chest, bathing in the ecstasy of change--finally getting one step closer to becoming the person I'd always wanted to be.
Looking up, I notice a hot steam pouring out from my forearm, followed with reduced pain from the previously shattered bone left from the creature's attack.
While the arm was still injured, I could tell that it was undergoing the healing process much quicker.
Another thing to note that I hadn't quite realized at the time was that despite my arm having been decimated, the pain wasn't debilitating but instead only served as a minor nuisance.
Weirdly enough, it felt as if my pain were being numbed in some way.
[Pain Resistance: Level 1]
[Slash Resistance: Level 1]
[Bite Resistance: Level 1]
[Acid Resistance: Level 1]
[Enhanced Healing: Level 1]
[Enhanced Strength: Level 1]
[Enhanced Deduction: Level 1]
[Swordsmanship: Level 1]
Reading my abilities list, I take mental note of the 'pain resistance' and 'enhanced healing', recalling all the buffs I'd obtained once taking on this experimental system.
Cool!
Although, my arm was taking quite a bit to heal, and I didn't imagine it was going to finish up anytime soon. After all, I still don't even know how to upgrade my abilities yet.
However, as I continue to scour through my status window, I notice a little box in the bottom right corner that says, [Secondary Status Window].
Filled with intrigue, I hover over the button, eyeing it as a building sense of anticipation just barely finds a way to keep itself contained.
"After having passed your first trial, you have gained complete access to the experimental system."
As the system makes its statement, a 3-paged pop up appears without my intervention, revealing a great deal of new information that had yet kept itself hidden to me.
Status Window
General Stats:
HP: 127/150
MP: 114/120
SP: 200/200
Soul Integrity: 95%
Status Effects:
Active Buffs:
[Enhanced Deduction: Level 1]
[Night Vision]
Debuffs:
Fractured Arms (Decreased strength by 30%, slowed attack speed with arms until healed)
Inventory:
[Worn Dagger]
As I look down upon the numerous new details, I find specific interest in the newly acquired inventory feature that made its existence known to me.
As the 'worn dagger' sticks out as the only proprietary object in the inventory, I press on the button to its right with the text, 'equip', instantaneously forming a light as it materialized in my hand, the burning luminosity forcing me to look away for a second as I raise my right hand in defense of my eyes.
As the flaming light finally dies down, I can only look on in utter... disappointment as a ragged blade, equipped with rough edges and a worn down grip makes itself known to me.
The color scheme itself bland with a gray handle followed by silver blade that eventually contrasted its black edge that formed a color gradient, the dagger made no attempt to impress.
However, anything would beat my now-dull energy constructs, especially with what I'm planning.
"Mana infusion!"
Suddenly, a bright blue aura spiked up from the tip of the dagger's hilt all the way to its tip, separating itself from the blade's edge by more than a foot, creating an enshrouding force that intimidated even myself.
As it lit up the cave, I couldn't help but give it a test run, slicing away at the air as the blade's slashes left prevalent distortions in the air, slicing away at cobblestone tens of feet away.
Impressed by the increasing of strength of my blade by an order of magnitude, I again test the dagger, instead opting for stabs towards the nearby wall.
Hyah!
As I release a barrage of stabs, deep impressions are made into the wall as the air conforms to my will, forming honing missiles of destruction that are nearly unstoppable.
With this, no monster or human alike stands a chance.
"Warning! Mana levels have fallen below 10%. Prolonged usage at critical levels may result in Soul Integrity deterioration."
Suddenly, my limbs begin to go limp as my body goes weak, my consciousness fading in and out.
Glancing at my status window, I confirm my suspicions with my reading of 'MP: 9/120'.
It seems that as of now, I lack the proper MP to properly utilize mana infusion in a combative setting outside of a short burst in power.
As suddenly as this knowledge was brought to my attention, so too did it escape as my consciousness began to dim.
Feeling a heavy drowsiness begin to emasculate my psyche, I resist for a second, only to then follow with capitulation as the surge of relief followed suit, a clear reminder that all of the previous happenings that have occurred in the past few hours have drained me.
Whether it be beating a D rank beast singlehandedly, or literally dying just hours ago, any sane person would be thrice as exhausted as I was now.
Letting the darkness enshroud, I escape from reality and instead find myself trenching closer to the land of dreams.