Ryan closed his eyes and tried once more to sense mana. He pictured that faint blue energy swirling around him.
But once again, his efforts yielded little success. Despite his best attempts, Ryan couldn't shake the feeling of frustration creeping into his mind. He clenched his fists as minutes turned to hours, feeling a surge of disappointment welling up inside him.
*****
"Maybe Jake was lying and magic is fake and this is all a trick, I bet I look so stupid… fine, one more attempt" Ryan muttered to himself.
If it is real though…
Ryan began to imagine himself in a robe, throwing fireballs while levitating…
Fine I'll try one last time…
With renewed focus, Ryan continued to meditate, pushing past his frustration and allowing himself to become more attuned to the energies around him. After a while, he felt a faint tingling sensation in his fingertips, and as quickly as that tingling sensation came, it went. Ryan chased that sensation again and again to no avail. Even with the following failures, he could not have been more happy.
Finally, a sign that I am doing something right!
Ryan, now overjoyed, slowly opened his eyes. Even though he had been awake ever-since he had arrived in this deadly world, he surprisingly felt very well rested after that meditation session.
Ryan, after a few stretches, slowly climbed down from his nest, watching out for any unwelcome guests.
As Ryan reached closer and closer to the ground floor, he felt a growing anxiety.
I wonder why there are no monsters here? Speaking of, how come there hasn't even been an insect in this valley?
Suddenly, he halted.
Why's the ground over there... bubbling?
Ryan scrambled back up his tree, gripping it tightly to keep himself steady as he scanned the ground below.
Where he came into the valley, the ground was perfectly normal with a couple of trees, and a few berry bushes. But at the center of the valley, there were countless bushes accompanied by soil, soil that was ever so slightly, bubbling.
Thankfully, he had not entered the inner area of the valley yet.
This world sucks.
Ryan quickly decided that although this place was safe from monsters, and there was food, one single misstep in the dark could lead to him possibly dissolving or sinking into… whatever was over there. Who knows, maybe the dirt had a monster under it that might come out. He had to leave.
As Ryan left, he grabbed as many berries from the outer ring's bushes as he could, while moving safely over to the other side of the valley.
Now on the other side of the valley and with pockets full of berries, he could continue on his journey by following the setting sun.
But before he could do so, curiosity overtook him and he picked up a rock from the floor… and threw it into the center of the valley.
The rock fell straight into the bubbling soil, and then the soil… splashed upward with the consistency of jelly. The rock was then rapidly absorbed into the soil, disappearing from Ryan's sight.
"Now I am pretty sure that is not how soil works," Ryan said outloud with a chuckle.
Ryan, whose curiosity was sufficiently quenched, began the climb out of the steep, enclosed valley.
Not a minute later he opened his mouth again, heavily panting. "Even after th—the countless cherry strength boosting berries I feasted on, I still struggle to climb up—a hill… "
After a bit more arduous climbing, he reached the peak of the hill and surveyed his new surroundings.
An endless sea of trees and plants filled his view.
Fantastic! More trees!!!
I wouldn't be surprised if this world was just one large jungle.
—Four days later—
This world might actually be just one massive jungle.
Ryan popped another one of his Cherry Strength Boosters into his mouth.
He hadn't taken many breaks, only stopping when he was forced by his brain to sleep.
He also hadn't made much progress in his mana meditation. The only difference was that he felt the tingling feeling a bit more often.
Ryan, who was back to cosplaying as a monkey, was too focused on meditation to sense the impending danger.
"Hahaha!" A high-pitched, prideful laughter echoed across the forest.
"Justus! You truly are an idiot!" The voice continued.
"Shut up! We're not lost; I'll get us back to Foles soon!" A slightly squeakier, younger voice replied.
Zirakus, the prideful one, was not worried about being lost, after all he was a half-step Adept Mage! And Justus was an acolyte. There weren't many things that could harm them in the outer section of this forest.
"Crack" The snap of a twig could be heard from their right.
Startled by the sound, Justus and Zirakus turned in its direction, only to catch sight of a… human sitting still on a tree.
"Haha, this will cheer me up!" Zirakus whispered, grinning from ear to ear.
The pair started walking over to the oblivious Ryan. Discussing what they would do with him.
"Killing him wouldn't be enough," Justus said
"Torture him first?" Zirakus replied.
"We could bring him back to Fortus, he would love a fresh slave."
"Great idea!" said Zirakus, his tall elf body shaking with excitement at catching a runaway human.
"Crack"
Another sound, it came from the same bush as earlier. But the two elves ignored it, staying completely zoned in on their prey.
A heavy silence fell. Then—Zirakus screamed, "TERRA VESTIMENTUM!"
An earth barrier formed around Zirakus' body.
Justus, who hadn't sensed anything, was extremely confused, "What's wrong?"
"WHOOSH" A strong wind blew across Zirakus' dirt armour.
"What was that!" Zirakus shouted at Justus.
Yet no response came.
"Justus?" Zirakus turned around to check on his friend.
A large stone dart was lodged into Justus' eye.
Justus collapsed to the ground.