221 All ears

So like this?

I tried to form a fireball in my palm, but it didn't even properly burn. As I also looked like part of the shadowy figures, I'm not sure, but it seems that elemental magic does not work in this void.

I rested up a bit in the real world, but my curiosity took over my exhaustion. So, I immediately bought some mana potions from the system and drank them to refill my mana core. It took about twelve bottles of mana potions, which is quite an absurd amount, but it's reasonable considering that my mana pool has extended to a degree where I was able to go from five minutes in this place to thirty-five minutes, quite a drastic difference.

And came here.

Anyways, I tried to manifest the system panel, and something did come up, but it was fricking weird. The panel that floated in front of my eyes was glitching quite a bit, and the stats were too. Did it crash in the void, or is there something wrong with the connection between this owner, the Battery Core, and me?

I am still aware that the soul watcher is still inside me. Like whenever I level up, I have to locate it inside my body because it shifts its position. It's hard to spot it when it gets away from my core. Like this time, the soul watcher got near my sternum and took about three days to get back near the mana core.

Man, I want to see who this owner of the system is. Is it the same guy who I met when I came to this world? Or someone else... but since the owner changed, that means it can be anyone. A God or Demi-God, according to Blaze, every single grown dragon is already a Demi-God, and there are a few other races who live in the upper realm and can be considered as Demi-Gods too.

Whatever, I looked at my palm and, after dismissing the system panel, I tried to manifest a lightning sphere.

I need to work on my lightning magic too, as it's quite important, and I'm a bit bored of using fire most of the time.

It'd be fun to see the reaction of my family if they knew that I have lightning as an advancement.

Raw mana?

I haven't tried it yet. Can I form raw power here even though I can't form elements?

I tried to pull the raw mana out of the atmosphere and, to my surprise, a small string of white crackling energy formed above my hand.

"It's weak," I muttered, realizing that the mana in the void is scarce and doesn't support the elements.

I let out a sigh and decided to return to reality. My short exploration of the void had provided valuable insights into its peculiar nature, and it was time to rejoin the waking world.

With a final mental focus, I willed myself to leave the void. The sensation of falling returned, and before I knew it,

"Ugh,"I was back in my dorm room, standing beside the desk where I had initiated this.

Blaze, who had been patiently waiting for my return, immediately hopped onto my shoulder. "Well, how was it?" he asked, genuinely curious about my experience.

"It's a mysterious place," I replied, trying to put my thoughts into words. "Elemental magic doesn't seem to work properly there, but I did manage to tap into raw mana, although it was significantly weaker."

Blaze tilted his shadowy head. "Raw mana, huh? That's intriguing. This void has its own set of rules, it seems. And who knows, perhaps you'll discover more about it as you explore further."

He actually sounded like someone knowledgeable for a while.

I nodded in agreement. There was something strangely alluring about the void, its enigmatic nature pulling me in like a magnet. But for now, I needed to rest and digest what I had learned.

As I lay back on my bed,many questions in my mind.

For now, I would let those questions rest and focus on the tasks at hand. Tomorrow, I would have more runecrafting to practice and more to do.

*Tad*

But as I closed my eyes, I heard something... I smelled it too.

It was a burning smell, I got up immediately and looked to the side and-

Saw that the books on the desk were burning....how?

"Get em! You spent money for it!" Blaze shouted as he jumped on it and began patting it with his paws.

My heart raced as I tried to make sense of the chaos unfolding in my room. The books on my desk were indeed burning, and the source of the fire remained..... unknown.

*Skirk*

"Shit,"but my attention was soon diverted by the lightning sphere that appeared right in front of me, then vanished as quickly as it had come.

Before I could process what had just happened, a jolt of raw mana struck my ribs, sending a shock of pain through my body.

"What the fuck?" I gasped, clutching my side where the raw mana had hit.

Blaze, still patting down the burning books, looked bewildered as well. "I have no idea."

As a small but growing fire inched closer to my bed, I frantically searched for a way to stop it. I grabbed a nearby glass of water and splashed it onto the flames, hissing as the heat met the cold liquid. The fire sputtered and died, leaving behind charred remains of my books.

With the immediate incident under control, I realized I needed to understand what had just happened.

Looks like this is..... delayed reaction.

What I tried to do in the void happened here with a delayed time but it did happen.

"Smokeball, I think I have to be careful about using my magic in the void. It's like they're..... actually happening here."

He took a moment to understand.

And then,,"Yeah, I guess...you fuck up and then learn as always."

This Void is confusing.

****

[Third Person View]

Raven entered the bustling cafeteria with a sense of excitement bubbling within her. She had been looking forward to this moment for some time, the chance to meet the enigmatic Ren in person. While approaching his table, she couldn't help but be captivated by the young man's appearance.

Ren sat at his usual spot, surrounded by a formidable array of books and study materials. His focus on his work was evident, and it gave him an air of scholarly dedication. However, what struck Raven was his undeniable beauty. It was a kind of handsomeness that transcended the ordinary; he seemed almost otherworldly.

As she drew closer, she observed him more closely. His features were finely chiseled, and his expressive eyes held a hint of melancholy. Raven couldn't help but think that he carried an air of nobility about him, even though she knew he wasn't of noble blood.

With her heart pounding, she approached his table, her footsteps hesitant but filled with anticipation. She didn't want to interrupt his concentration, so she observed him from a short distance for a few moments.

...did she forgot that she once saw this man in very unpleasant situation? No she didn't but the more she was reminded of that the more she felt intrested in his ways.

It was during this brief observation that she noticed something even more unusual. There was a cat perched on the table in front of Ren, and it was patting his head with one of its paws. The scene was utterly unexpected and brought a smile to her face.

Raven couldn't help but find it endearing and amusing. She watched as the cat continued to interact with Ren, as if trying to comfort him. The moment seemed to encapsulate a peculiar but charming bond between them.

With a mix of curiosity and delight, Raven finally approached Ren, not wanting to disrupt the unique moment they were sharing. She offered a warm greeting, "Hello, Ren."

Ren looked up, his gaze shifting from the cat to Raven. There was a subtle surprise in his eyes, but it quickly gave way to a friendly smile. "Oh, hello there, Raven. I didn't expect to see you."

The cat, having finished its attention to Ren, gracefully hopped off the table and sauntered away, leaving the two of them to converse. Raven couldn't help but chuckle at the cat's quirky behavior. "I see you've have a feline friend," she remarked.

Ren chuckled as well, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yes, this is Blaze. He's a bit mischievous but keeps me company when I'm studying. And I must say, he's got a unique way of showing his affection."

Raven nodded, finding herself intrigued by the unusual name and the special connection between Ren and the cat. "Blaze, that's an interesting name. It seems you two have a special bond. I came here hoping to meet you, but it looks like I walked in on a unique moment."

Ren's smile remained, and he gestured to the empty seat opposite him. "Well, I'm always happy to have some company during my study sessions. Please, have a seat, Raven. What brings you to the cafeteria today?"

As she took the offered seat, Raven felt a mixture of excitement and shyness. She realized she had come here to speak with Ren but wasn't exactly sure how to begin. "I wanted to talk to you about something, Ren. It's about a my friends."

Ren..... he leaned forward slightly. "Go on, Raven. I'm all ears."