One hour passes, and I continue to fight.

It feels as if I will be torn apart by my mana and the absorbed kinetic energy if I lose my focus even for a second.

The rain continues to fall down even harder, and at this point, the raindrops nearly hurt.

My body's burning.

My muscles are screaming.

My head feels like it's about to explode.

Yet, I feel so alive.

I lead mana through my circuit. It moves at dizzying speed, and it hurts every time I lose control over it and it crashes inside my body.

But I continue to improve even more. I move faster and more recklessly. I do not fear.

My mana pool feels bottomless and I continue use more and more mana, yet there's still a lot left over.

It's fun.

I dodge, and a cone of absorbed kinetic energy blows off the monster's head.

[You have defeated a Bear - lvl 15]

I jump up and the oscillating mana coats my hand, slashing through the troll's neck.

[You have defeated a Troll - lvl 14]

Raindrops freeze in the air, and when they move again, the monster is pushed away from me, breaking against the rocks nearby.

[You have defeated a Bear - lvl 11]

At some point, I almost don't move and just absorb the kinetic energy from the stronger and stronger rain.

It's hard to see, but my [Mana Perception] pierces through the rain, and I attack all moving mana signatures that aren't human.

I stand there and absorb energy from the monsters as they attack me and from the heavy raindrops falling from the dark sky.

Another head blows off.

Another mangled corpse flies away from me.

Notification and I invest stat points.

Into mana.

The rain weakens, and I start getting less kinetic energy from it.

But it's okay; I just increase efficiency.

Don't waste; use it all.

Another notification.

At some point, monsters stop attacking me, so I dash at them.

It's easier to see now.

I stomp, and the rain gets pushed away from me, along with a bunch of smaller monsters that surrounded me.

Multiple notifications about the kills.

A two-headed wolf is collecting mana in its mouth, and I dash at it while propelling myself ahead.

It shoots fire at me, and I jump over it.

While I am in the air, another head shoots its flame at me, and my mana flares up even more. I waste so much mana it almost makes me feel disappointed in myself, but I propel myself towards the ground, pushing against the air.

I slash through the monster's neck with my hand covered in oscillating mana.

Notification.

And then nothing.

Huh?

I look around, the rain is gone.

There are two suns in the sky.

Huh?

My [Mana Perception] sends a wave of mana into my surroundings and covers almost twice as big an area as before.

Nothing, only humans.

Again.

Still no monsters.

I slow the mana rushing through my veins.

The world… the world becomes a bit louder as I exit the [Focus], but at the same time, it feels less alive.

POV Kim Min-Jae

I watch as mana explodes from Nathaniel's body, causing the rain to stop as if time itself has come to a halt. The droplets slowly fall, and in that instant, a monster's head bursts into a fine red mist. The mana I feel from him makes me sick.

He continues to cast it into his surroundings as if without any care in the world, but I can see the patterns in everything he does. He moves only when he needs to, and the mana that looks as if it's about to tear him apart bends to his will.

Through the heavy rain, I catch a glimpse of Nathaniel's calm face, illuminated by the glowing drops of water.

A shiver runs through my body.

The monster slows down in front of him, coming to a stop the same way the raindrops did, and then its head explodes when the rain stops for half a second.

As the battle continues, I feel less and less mana from him, at first thinking that he's close to being depleted, but then I realize that he's only improving so much that I can barely sense any mana from his body anymore with my low level.

Without any hesitation and with calculated cruelty, Nathaniel goes through the monsters while Tess supports him from a distance. She moves around swiftly, using her skill to boost herself, and continues to kill monsters with ranged attacks as they try to assault Nathaniel.

Behind me, Lily's quiet sobs continue while she watches the man with an emotionless face and a frightening aptitude for mana before us.

The rain slowly calms down, and we continue to fight against the weaker monsters that Tess lets pass to us.

After what feels like an eternity, the rain stops, and two suns appear in the sky.

Then I feel it: a massive pulse of mana from Nathaniel. It passes by me at an insane speed, and goosebumps form all over my body as I feel it touching me.

It's as if a wild monster is looking for prey.

Another pulse, even stronger this time, feeling almost like a question.

Then nothing.

When I look back at him, he still looks the same, but somehow, I can't force myself to take a step towards him. The fear is palpable, and I can't help but wonder what lies beneath the surface.

I feel the touch of his mana again as it measures me and my own mana.

Our eyes meet for a split second, and what I see could be described as a disappointment.

When he looks away, I can't do anything other than clench my teeth so hard they feel like they are about to break.

[Name: Nathaniel Gwyn]Difficulty: HellFloor: 1Time left until forced return: 4y 336d 19h 53m 42sTraits (1/3): Mana Circuit (Passive)

Lvl 21Strength: 13Dexterity: 12Constitution: 27Mana: 46

[Primary Class: Unavailable][Sub-class: Unavailable]

Skills:Focus - lvl 9Mana manipulation - lvl 9Mana Perception - lvl 8Oscillation - lvl 5Kinetic Redistribution - lvl 8

[Skill Points: 0][Stat Points: 0]

Hehehe.

I am so dead.

Fuck.

We find others huddled in a group. Disheveled, wounded, bloodied, and surrounded by dead monsters.

A few more people have died.

The corgi is looking at the broken, mangled, and bloodied body on the ground that I hardly recognize as its owner.

Biscuit quietly leaves and comes to join me, bumping his head into my leg.

(Gone) I hear it in my head, and I gently caress his head.

I am sorry, but that's all I can do for you, little guy.

Sophie is there, only with Maya and her sister.

Hadwin is together with the twins and the bus driver, Jacob.

From our little group, no one has died, but Lily's eyes are still wet, and for some reason, she's avoiding my gaze.

Even Kim avoids looking at me, and I see his clenched jaw; Kevin seems to be less cheery.

So that's it.

It's fine.

It might be better if it stays this way.

Only Tess seems to be behaving the same way she did before. I catch her eyes with mine and look at her for a long moment.

She is looking at me without any hesitation, not dodging my gaze, not shuddering when I move.

I… see.

I just nod at her, and she nods back.

My [Mana Perception] flares up towards the sky, and I feel the mana collecting again, the same way it did before. It will take a few hours, but soon enough the same thing will repeat, so I need to become even stronger.

Lately, I have become too complacent and even started worrying about what others will think of me.

Not anymore.

I stop in front of Maya.

Her gaze is calm, and she looks at me without any worry. Mana is already circulating through her body, and she exudes the calmness that I know so well.

My body moves so fast she is unable to even dodge as I kick her.

She goes flying through the air, and I slowly walk towards her.

Her face is still calm as she stands up and brushes the dust off her body. A translucent armament made of mana appears around her body, and I start to observe it.

Behind me, someone screams, but then I hear Tess's weapons flying around and the crackle of lightning she is now able to infuse into them.

I continue to observe Sophie, but there isn't even a wisp of mana coming from her, and she holds her little sister in her hands.

Maya dashes at me. Her mana doesn't move that much, so I recognize it as pure strength or dexterity stat.

I dodge under her swing and hit her with my knee, sending her flying again.

When she lifts her face from the ground, I am already in front of her, and while giving her enough time to use her skill, I kick against her translucent armor.

I observe the way her mana moves and the way it reacts to my attacks.

She jumps to her feet and stands there, observing my movements as I slowly walk towards her.

Hmm, that's not enough. I should break her skill to observe it a bit more.

Even while in [Focus], she is slightly impatient and rushes at me.

Her movements slow down under the influence of my skill, as she gets closer and closer to me. I lower my output and hit her chest armor with absorbed energy.

That makes the translucent armor shatter into fine particles of mana, and I continue to observe as it slowly reforms.

"You fucker…"

Huh? Are you slipping out of [Focus] already?

She dashes again, this time attacking me from the side where my arm is missing.

She is probably the fastest one among the survivors.

But.

I only take a small step back, and her kick misses me. Then I take another step, and two of her swings miss me again.

Quick jab against her armor, and it breaks again.

Then I move my own mana, and as she is reforming her translucent armor, I try to copy it.

It fails, and the mana in my hand dissipates.

So I attack her again, and she again activates a skill.

I watch it.

I feel it.

Mana forms in my hand and slowly extends.

I focus more and move the mana.

It gets harder and harder, but I push through.

Soon, a pale translucent blue light appears in my hand, taking a shape reminiscent of a short sword.

Then I hear the notification about acquiring a new skill.