22 One step at a time

Hours went pass until the sound of his stomach growling, woke him up out his stupor.

The entire time Ryan been in a daze. He realize how little of a chance he have in surviving here.

Even if he were to train perfectly how can he beat a second rank beast. He always able to hear the near by beasts, he won't be able to avoid them.

Is it possible to leave this tree to find a safer place to train and get stronger. If he do find a safe place, there a limited of things he can actually train at.

Ryan couldn't help but feel regretful. He don't have any martial skills or spells to learn to increase his battle power.

The one lightning martial skill he was supposed to memorized he never did.

Even if he became strong enough to fight a second rank beast, it's highly unlikely that there only second ranks beast here. There probably higher ranks too.

Ryan felt even more depressed just thinking about everything.

So what if i get extremely lucky and make it out the forest. Than what, it will take years to just walk back home. Not to mention it still will be extremely dangerous the whole way home.

Outside the forest is still dangerous, beasts are not only found in the forest.

Ryan slowly sat up on the branche, his back against the trunk of the tree. Pulling out some food from his ring, His lifeless eyes was staring off in the distance.

Chewing the food he see a beast crawl into a hole in the trunk of a tree. Staring at the hole in the tree his brain was slowly starting to kick back on.

"That's it, what if i make a hole in the tree and sleep there. I just won't make one on the ground like the one in the distance. His head shifted up looking at the top of the tree. I can just set a big rock on top of the hole I make. The trunk is thick enough to sleep in and train the 2 basic mana technique that will give me a chance to win a fight against these beasts."

"Enhancing the body with aura and a mana barrier. I need to figure out exactly what my element is too.

My element may be useful at leaving this place. I may have an ability to hide in the void or something.

I will figure it out later, but first I need a safe place to sleep before it get to dark. Actually I need a safe place period." Thinking about the black panther like beast he saw earlier.

Ryan start climbing the tree like a gecko and he stops once he near the top.

Where the branch and trunk connect, he plan to dig downwards at a angle. Hollowing out the center of the tree but not completely. Just enough to lay down in any direction and have the ability to stand up.

Ryan pull out his sword, he stab down but not even a quarter of the sword went in the trunk. He realized that this may be harder than he expected.

Ryan thought for a second before remembering he have a core now. Using his mana to form his aura, he coated it over the sword.

He attempt to stab the tree again and to his surprise, it traveled all the way down until the hilt hit the trunk.

Thumb!!!

A loud thumb sound was heard traveling across the forest. Ryan froze as he start listening to his surroundings, hoping nothing get attracted to him from making that sound.

Feeling like the coast is clear, he pulled the sword out with a bit of difficulty.

Thinking to himself something was off when he went to stab. It felt like, like the sword was pulling me. I didn't try to stab it that far down, I just stab it casually.

Paying more attention he stab again at a different angle. He use less power to avoid making that sound by accident.

To his surprise yet again it didn't seem nearly as sharp than it did before. It went farther down in the tree than the first attempt but the second attempt felt so easy to make it all the way down. Something definitely not adding up.

Ryan pulled out the sword and did some practice swings in the air.

I wish I would of tried harder at learning the sword when dad was teaching me. Ryan sighing as he continue to practice swinging the sword.

It feels normal, but why did that happen when I first stab the tree with my aura. Thinking back to it, it almost like the sword was heavy and it pulled me down with the swing.

As soon as Ryan thought about making his sword heavy, he start struggling keeping the sword up.

Frowning Ryan narrow his eyes at his sword and thought about making it lighter.

Just as he expected the sword got lighter. He thought to make it heavier and didn't stop thinking it. He felt his mana start draining away, making him stop immediately.

He not sure if he should feel happy or sad. He was really hoping his element will give him a better chance to leave this forest.

Few ideas pop up in his but he stop thinking about it. This not the time to experiment, need a safe place to train first.

Knowing how to use his element now things went alot smoother. He kept stabing and pulling out chunks of wood.

He didn't stop his action the entire time, aiming to get it done before nightfall. It was already night by the time he carved enough room to sleep.

He preferred to have a rock cover the entrance but it was too dark out to head to the ground. Ryan had no interest going near the ground when its dark, just to be safe.

He temporarily covered the entrance of the hole with some leaves instead.

It didn't feel super secure but it was better than nothing. From all the worrying and stress he been feeling since he got here. Plus the lack of sleep, he fell asleep almost instantly once he laid down.