[System Fully Online]
[Call Status Window For Full Display Of Your Abilities]
Eldrin's eyes fluttered open, slowly. The distant howls of monsters filled his ears, but he paid them no heed, instead focusing on the window in front of him.
"Status window," he said, his voice muffled from tiredness and exhaustion.
[Name: Eldrin Thornwood]
[Mana: 100/100]
[Rank: F]
[Advancement: 100/1000 Mana required to advance]
[Traits:
Essence Reading: The ability to read and analyse the essence of things.
Amplification: Permanently increase the effect of any item or skill by 5x. Can be activated once every 7 days. Temporarily amplify anything by 2x with mana. Mana scales with the thing amplified.
Essence Splicing: Can remove essence from anything without life. Can fuse various essences. Can craft any item with essence.
]
[Skill(s): Mana channelling: Can channel mana through the body or objects you are in direct contact with.]
[Inventory: One weapon choosing card]
Eldrin glanced through each column before stopping on the traits section. Seeing three traits there, each one broken beyond reason, he could not help but pinch himself.
He felt nothing; it felt as if his fingers had merely brushed his skin.
With no other choice, he slapped himself hard in the face. His eyes widened with stunning clarity, and even the last bit of exhaustion left his eyes.
"I am awake," he muttered, his tone tinged with anxiety. He finally calmed down after 2 minutes. "I awakened three traits, and they seem very strong."
Among returners, awakening a trait was considered legendary, and more so if they were truly useful.
He checked the first one, but nothing clicked. 'I don't understand this one,' he admitted.
His eyes drifted towards the next one, Amplification. It was simple in description, but terrifying in effect.
His eyes narrowed as he thought of what he could do with the amplification.
Then the last one, Essence Splicing. It was quite straightforward in explanation, too. "Why do I have two traits with essence in their names?" He muttered, surprised.
He did not know what essence meant, but he felt it was a high-level thing.
[You have 30 seconds to complete your preparations]
The window popped up again, flashing its words regardless of Eldrin's inner thoughts and turmoil.
"Bring out the weapon choosing card," he said to the status window.
Instantly, an aurora flash entered his eyes. As the light dimmed, a card was lying in his palm.
[Weapon choosing card: Allows the user to choose one basic weapon from the list]
[Longsword]
[Katana]
[Axe]
[Spear]
The list went on, filling Eldrin's view effortlessly.
"How the hell are we meant to check all the weapons here? Even a patient person looking for a specific weapon will have to do with the ones they can see clearly. They can think of other ones later."
"Katana," he replied.
The window flickered off. In its place was a sleek black katana.
He grabbed it by the hilt calmly.
[Preparation time is complete. You have to survive until you reach rank B.]
The window flashed again.
Eldrin read the words, but he was not too shocked. He had heard about this requirement when a returner was interviewed.
"Surviving won't be that hard, considering I have abilities this op," he flashed a grin.
His hand went on to uncover the hoodie covering his hair, allowing his hair to freely flow.
His hair was brown with hints of silver at its tips. His jaw felt like it was carefully chiselled by a god. With green eyes that perfectly complemented his face. It could be said that he was a work of art.
"My body has become much better due to receiving mana," he uttered, checking his once-frail arm that now felt more human-like.
[The safety barrier has dropped; you are left to fend for yourself]
A thin, non-existent veil suddenly collapsed around Eldrin. With the collapse, he finally smelt the thick, metallic scent of blood that wafted through the atmosphere of the crack.
"It is, as they say, a very unconducive environment," he whispered as he stepped forward, his katana gripped firmly in his palm.
The roars of beasts echoed through the expanse, wild and untamed, enough to make Eldrin shiver from the thought of having to confront them soon.
But he steeled himself as the thought of his uncles flashed in his mind again. "For mom, for dad, and for Mira."
With calm, cautious strides, he pushed through the empty terrain, his sight limited but still enough to see within 5 meters.
As he walked, he experimented with mana channelling, letting mana flow through his body slowly. He concentrated it on his leg and leapt forward with little strength.
Eldrin regained his footing, looking back in disbelief. He had crossed over 30 meters in a second, a feat that was impossible for him previously.
He continued moving, constantly experimenting with mana channelling, even trying to coat his katana with mana. But that was currently beyond his reach since the mana failed to flow into the katana.
"Is this a backwater area in the crack?" Eldrin joked.
He had been walking for what felt like an eternity, but had not come across a single demon. Talkless of demons, he had not even found any other thing in this place.
"Where the fuck are you, demons? Get out and hunt me," he yelled, his voice echoing through the air expanse of darkness.
In response to his proclamation, the darkness roared back, much more ferocious and loud.
Eldrin's eyes widened. "Was that a foolish decision?" He muttered, asking himself as the thumping of hooves against the floor spread. The sound was loud enough to make even Eldrin know that what was coming was far beyond him.
Without putting much thought into it, he began to run, his legs carrying him faster than they ever had since he was born.
There was only one thought in his mind at this moment, and it was survival.
Even his ability to channel mana seemed to have been forgotten by him as he dashed through the darkness.