With his newfound Mana Vision, Adam spent a few moments simply observing, feeling the currents of energy around him. He focused inward, on the subtle shimmering he now perceived within his own body.
Lyra's instructions on "Chi" and mana regulation had not just cleared his head, they had revealed a hidden ability. He concentrated, guiding the healthy mana to his minor burns and aching muscles. A warm, tingling sensation spread, and to his astonishment, the angry red welts began to fade, and the deep fatigue that had crippled him slowly receded. His body was regenerating.
"Lyra," Adam said, a new sense of wonder in his voice, "this is incredible. My body… it's healing itself. Is this a normal function of mana regulation?"
"For someone with your innate mana attunement, yes," Lyra confirmed. "By actively circulating mana, you facilitate cellular repair and energy restoration. It's a fundamental aspect of advanced mana cultivation, which you've instinctively begun. Now that you're no longer in immediate danger and your mana poisoning is stabilizing, we can address your location."
The Unknown Lands: A Deadly Spectrum
"You are currently within what is colloquially known as the Unknown Lands," Lyra began, her voice taking on a more formal, informative tone. "It is a vast, untamed territory, largely shunned and feared by civilized races. The reason is the extreme density and volatility of its mana. Most humans and weaker creatures cannot even survive the periphery, often succumbing to acute mana poisoning or being overwhelmed by the powerful fauna that thrives here."
Adam shivered, remembering his recent brush with death. "So, that Gloomfang was just… standard fare for this place?"
"Precisely," Lyra confirmed, a note of grim reality in her voice. "Those who do survive the initial exposure to the Unknown Lands' mana often undergo significant, and often violent, transformations. They become extremely powerful, yes, but also far more aggressive and dangerous, adapting to the hostile environment."
Lyra then brought up a mental map in Adam's mind's eye, overlaid with shifting colors. "The Unknown Lands are unofficially categorized by mana density zones, which correlate directly with the level of danger. You are currently in the Red Zone."
Adam stared at the map. Red. That sounded bad.
"The spectrum of mana concentration ranges from the most extreme, the Black Zone, to the safest, the Green Zone," Lyra explained. "Following Black, you have the Purple Zone, then your current Red Zone. Beyond that are the Blue Zone, Yellow Zone, and finally, the Green Zone. The Green Zone represents areas with mana levels safe for most sentient life and is where established societies and civilizations reside. You are very far from the outskirts, Adam. Your accidental teleportation placed you deep within highly dangerous territory."
Adam felt a cold knot form in his stomach. He was not just in a new world; he was in its most perilous corner, a place where even the air could kill him. The Gloomfang had been just a taste of what the Red Zone had to offer.