14 Chapter 14: Exploration 2

Only after casting my flame thrower more than hundred times do I manage to get used to it. Now I can cast it at a thought. Like raising my hand. So, I guess just like tree said training is all that matters.

Now that I can cast it so easily, I can try casting it like a fire breath from my mouth. But this time I need to be extra careful. One wrong move I can fry my head.

So first take a deep breath and will my elemental mana to my lungs and mix with oxygen I took. Then visualize my breath going out through a small home from my mouth. But before that I need to make a spark and exhale as hard as I can. Spark ignites and my breath comes out with elemental mana mixed in it and as soon as it gets in contact with the spark a crimson flame explodes forward.

Finally, a fire breath. Finally, I managed to tweak the spell to my preference.

Maybe because I mixed my elemental mana with oxygen my flame comes out with more intensity and pressure. I think after getting in contact with oxygen that I inhaled my elemental mana's properties changed a little close to air. That means mixing my fuel with air actually increased the firepower. So, using my lungs actually helped.

Well, whatever. Still feels good and looks awesome. Unfortunate part is because of my limited mana quantity I can barely hold it for 5 seconds at most before my mana runs out. I guess it still comes down to training my mana vessel. But still a good start.

I've been here for a while now. Let's check out the Interface and wake up. I try to directly will myself in front of the Interface but for some reason I can't. The door simply appears in front of me. It seems I need to get out of here first. So, I open the door and get out. As soon as I walk out my body dissipates. I try walking back in and my body appears again. Standing half through the door is actually very unsettling. Having an only half a body. Feels weird.

After coming out I will myself in front of the Interface and take look.

Welcome to The Interface

Warning:

User's body is adapting to increase in Body Potential.

Time needed for adaptation: 0:50:51

Hum. I've been in there for more than four hours. So, I got fifty more minutes before I can wake up. Suddenly I feel something from second door. Not sure what is. Just feeling that I need to take a look. And I do that. Open the door and enter. Surprisingly there is third and fourth frame on the wall. On both of them is another Spell Matrix. Third one is Matrix for fire thrower one I spew fire from my palms. Fourth one is Matrix for fire breath. Only first and middle part about conversion and vibration are same other parts are different. They describe how to direct my mana and cast the fire breath.

Hm. So this is why they felt so easy to cast after about hundred tries. My second door actually recorded the Matrix and I was simply using them. Still so convenient.

Don't know why. But I'm starting to feel tired. Feeling sleepy. I guess training for more than four hours is more than I can handle. Still strange that I can feel tired here.

Well, whatever. Let's just take a nap then. As soon as I think that, hello darkness my old friend.

After opening my bleary eyes first thing I see is a light from the opening to outside. And dried blood on my right sleeve. Damn it. I think fight with the wolf ruined my shirt. This is the only clothes I got.

"Hey tree can't you help me about my shirt somehow?"

Nothing, feels stupid talking to a tree.

Suddenly branch extends down from above and miraculously starts growing green shirt made out of leaves and branches. And I take it and wear it. It unexpectedly comfy and warm.

"Thanks."

I guess it is listening and watching me. Kind of unsettling but what can I do.

Now that I stood up took a closer look I seem to have grown little bit taller. I guess this is the increased Body Potential I suppose.

First let's get out of here and expand my search perimeter. Last time I headed west so this time let's head east.

Still the same green forest. Still no sign of other animals. After walking for about 30 minutes I come across a same little creek that I found when I headed west last time. So, I think this little creek flows around the World Tree.

So, that means if I cross this creek I will encounter another lifeform. I'm pretty sure, it will be hostile. If I get ambushed like last time, I will be royally screwed. I need to take a different approach to this.

Survival in forest is all about blending in. Being hidden. Hiding in plain sight. And I think my affinity with nature actually will help me with that. But first I need to learn to do that.

But how do I do that. I guess I can only go with my guts. First take deep breath, close my eyes and try to feel my surroundings. Every single leave, every single branch, every single grass. Take in the surroundings and try to become one with it. Blend in.

And I can finally feel it. Being connected with the forest. Seeing no, more like feeling everything around me. Like my roots branching out and seeing everything around me. For some reason I don't feel the need to breath anymore. My body itself is inhaling oxygen from the atmosphere.

As I open my eyes I can see my arms but not the way I used to. There is a thin membrane over my arms, my whole body and it is changing color and camouflaging me. So, this is blending in with the nature, huh. I feel like a Predator. Cool.

Now that I managed to blend in, let's cross the creek and explore some more. Now even my footsteps don't make any noise. Just silence.

I cross the creek and keep heading east. Just like west side after crossing the creek it's same, colder and more unsettling. Still I walk forward. Quietly and carefully. Maybe because blending in with the nature my perception is increased. I can feel around myself more clearly. Like I got a 360-radius sight.

Even though I can see my surrounding it is still unsettling, like something is about to pounce on me. My survival instinct is screaming for me to run back.

But something else is telling me to keep going. This disharmony is annoying.

While getting annoyed by my instincts I hear a rustling noise from nearby bushes to my right. And after a while I hear a hissing noise.

"HSSSS"

But I don't see anything even with my enhanced perception. That means whatever making that noise is invincible. That will prove to be problematic. Just as I was thinking that I see a trail snaking right in front of me. Looks like a snake trail. And just as I thought it's invincible.

It seems it didn't notice me it just left. But something tells me that snake was dangerous. Good thing I decided to learn to blend in before crossing the creek.