When players settle down to sleep, they often activate their equipment's mana regeneration function simultaneously. This is because the process requires a minimum of four to five hours to complete; if a player moves too much or leaves their original spot while the function is active, it is immediately cancelled.
The system charges a fee of 10 mana units per 1 copper coin for this service. Naturally, if the process is interrupted midway, the fee is non-refundable. However, the financial loss pales in comparison to the potential loss of over half the mana that had been regenerating.
While this might not be a major issue for Rank D players like Natee and his group—who possess only a few hundred mana points—it is a different story for Rank C players or higher, who command pools of mana numbering in the thousands or tens of thousands.
For them, it could mean wasting hundreds of thousands or even millions of baht for absolutely nothing in return. Consequently, players must activate the mana regeneration function in a safe location where they won't be disturbed for several hours.
As the sun began to rise, Natee and his friends woke from their slumber. Thanks to the regeneration function, the mana depleted during battle had been almost fully restored. Coupled with a good night's rest, everyone looked refreshed and ready to welcome the new day.
"I wonder what Nawa is thinking..."
"Going out all alone in that condition?" Ploy exclaimed, looking around and failing to spot Nawa.
"Why are you so worked up? He might just be taking a walk nearby," Nathee said calmly, though his eyes held a complex look, as if he were concealing some underlying unease.
"Yeah, Ploy. That guy is strong enough to take down a High-Professional rank monster all by himself. He's not someone we need to worry about," Mai added.
"Are you guys blind? Didn't you see how badly injured he was yesterday? In that state, let alone a Professional rank monster, he'd struggle to handle even a Common rank one," Ploy snapped back at her friends, clearly agitated.
Because Ploy's mana had been limited yesterday—and since most of Nawa's injuries were internal—her healing skill (which was only Rank C) hadn't been fully effective; consequently, she hadn't been able to heal him completely.
Just as Ploy was about to go look for Nawa, she saw him jogging out from the edge of the forest.
"What were you thinking? Don't you realize you haven't fully recovered yet? What would you have done if you ran into a monster?"
Nawa was taken aback by Ploy's angry outburst. He tried to recall what he might have done wrong but couldn't think of anything, so he gave a vague answer:
"I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk." "Is that so?"
"You really haven't changed a bit. You always have a way of making people worry about you."
As soon as Ploy finished that sentence, everyone turned to look at her in unison. Mai tugged at her arm and whispered into her ear:
"Ploy, what are you saying? We've only known him for a few days."
"Who says we just met? I knew him before I even knew you. Nawa used to date my older sister."
Everyone's jaws dropped. Nawa, in particular, was momentarily stunned, though it seemed something soon clicked in his memory. But before he could say anything, Ploy spoke up first.
"I'm Phorn's little sister. Seven years ago, you even took me sightseeing all around Chiang Mai for a whole month."
Finally, Nawa remembered. Back then, during the long university break, Phorn would bring her younger sister along to stay with her.
Since he was fond of children, he had acted as a sort of babysitter for Phorn's sister for a while—and that young girl was Ploy. The reason he hadn't recognized her was simply that the Ploy in his memory was a young girl in her early teens, not the beautiful young woman standing before him now.
"Ploy? Is that really you, 'Piggy Ploy'? You've grown into such a young woman," Nawa said, affectionately pinching both of Ploy's cheeks.
"Ouch! P'Nawa, that hurts!" Ploy exclaimed, though she let him pinch her cheeks just as he used to.
"How is your sister—no, how is Porn doing?" Nawa asked, his voice tinged with a hint of concern.
Ploy assumed Nawa was asking because he wanted to see her sister. A small smile played on her lips as she explained, her voice bright, cheerful, and brimming with pride.
"You wouldn't believe it if I told you—that wonderful P'Porn of ours has become a Player now. And she's incredibly skilled, too; she even made it into the Blue Dragon Guild's second hunting team."
"Is that so?" Nawa replied calmly, though his eyes betrayed an attempt to conceal his true feelings.
"Did you know, P'Nawa? P'Porn is actually on her way to Matterhorn City. She'd be absolutely thrilled to run into you," Ploy said, her face beaming with delight.
"Listen to me, Ploy. Your sister and I aren't as close as we used to be. Running into each other would only make things awkward. Besides, I have no plans to return to Matterhorn City right now. If you and your friends want to go back, that's fine by me. Just... please give my regards to Porn."
Nawa smiled and gently ruffled Ploy's hair, treating her like a little child.
"What are you saying, P'Nawa?"
"How can you travel alone in your condition? Actually, a Low-Rank player shouldn't be traveling solo anywhere, period." Ploy spoke, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and stubbornness.
"Thanks, but I'm feeling much better now. I can take care of myself. You should go with your friends; there's no need to worry," Nawa said, gently stroking Ploy's head.
"Don't lie to me. Others might believe you, but I'm a Healer. You might look fine on the outside, but your internal organs are severely damaged. How can you even think about traveling alone in a state like that?"
Ploy's skill worked by stimulating cellular activity to accelerate the body's natural healing process. It was highly effective for external wounds that came into direct contact with the skill, but its healing efficiency dropped significantly when dealing with internal injuries.
Given Ploy's limited mana reserves, healing Nawa enough for him to regain his combat strength would take at least three days. Yet, she hadn't even started serious treatment, and less than a day had passed—there was no way she would believe his claim that he was fully recovered.
"What kind of person do you take me for? In all the time you've known me, have I ever lied to you?"
Nawa asked, extending his hand toward her.
For Healer-class players with a psychic-based healing ability, a simple touch was enough to sense the various injuries within another person's body. ...reminiscent of an ancient Chinese physician.
"Impossible... your injuries..."
Ploy exclaimed in astonishment upon discovering that Nawa's injuries had recovered by over 80%; even his broken ribs had mended, leaving behind only faint hairline fractures.
"I'm not sure... maybe it's because my innate psychic ability is telekinesis. I read somewhere online that people with this type of ability tend to have a much higher recovery rate than the average person."
Nawa spoke while avoiding Ploy's gaze. Deep down, he knew full well that while his unnaturally rapid recovery might be linked to his telekinesis, the true cause was actually White Snake.
Ever since acquiring White Snake, his body had undergone numerous changes; his physical recovery rate, instincts, and sensory perceptions had all become vastly more efficient. After the molting process last night, those capabilities had surged to an even higher level.
"So, are you saying your innate psychic ability isn't Pyrokinesis—the power to control flames—but rather something as useless as Telekinesis?"
Nawa had originally thought this explanation would simply clear up everyone's confusion regarding his abnormal physical recovery. Instead, the result was quite the opposite; the looks of astonishment on Natee and his friends' faces only deepened.
They had always assumed Nawa's innate ability was Pyrokinesis, given the powerful fire-based magic skills he frequently unleashed. They had presumed his Telekinesis—used to set up camp—was merely a secondary skill he had trained to acquire later on.
In theory, any human with brain efficiency exceeding 12.5% is capable of using any type of psychic power. In reality, however, things don't work that way. Personal preferences, emotions, temperament, lifestyle, and even deep-seated psychological complexes all shape a person's strengths and weaknesses.
Psychic abilities are no exception; individuals naturally have aptitudes for certain types over others. The ability one is most naturally suited for is known as one's "innate psychic ability."
Training skills aligned with one's innate ability is relatively easy and yields highly effective results. Conversely, mastering an ability that doesn't suit one's nature is incredibly difficult. One might train for a decade without success; even if mastery is achieved, using such an ability often consumes vast amounts of mana while delivering less than half the usual effectiveness.
Consequently, most Players tend to focus their development around their innate psychic abilities. The only exception involves those with a base psychic affinity for Telekinesis. Skills compatible with this specific affinity are incredibly scarce—so few they could practically be counted on one's fingers—and not a single one directly enhances a player's physical strength.
Consequently, players with a Telekinesis affinity are often forced to train in other psychic disciplines instead. Naturally, this compromises skill efficiency, as the techniques do not align with their innate psychic nature. As a result, players with a Telekinesis affinity are often viewed as nothing more than trash within the player community.
Yet, the Fireball skill Nawa unleashed surpassed even the output and attack power of those with a Pyrokinesis affinity. It was hard to believe his base psychic affinity was actually Telekinesis.
After being pressed for answers for quite some time, Nawa reluctantly revealed the truth to Natee and his friends: he hadn't trained in any other psychic disciplines. Instead, the reason his skills were so powerful lay in the "Space-Time Field Theory" he had discovered five years prior.
Einstein, the legendary scientist, had discovered that mass and energy are essentially the same thing and can be interconverted. However, Nawa's discovery went a step further. He found that it wasn't just mass; *everything* is energy—including time and space itself.
These elements can shift between states, forming the fundamental laws and the very heart that creates and drives the universe.
Armed with this knowledge and understanding... Nawa realized that his basic telekinetic ability wasn't simply about manipulating objects as most people understood it; rather, it was a power that controlled the space-time field. By warping this field, he could exert force upon objects—which explained how he could move things without physical contact.
Yet, that was merely the tip of the iceberg regarding what telekinesis could achieve. With his understanding of the space-time field, Nawa could elevate his telekinesis to a new level, allowing it to manifest in ways similar to a magical spell.
Nawa explained this with a serious expression, though it seemed no one truly believed him. His theory was something even the world's most brilliant scientists had yet to discover.
Although Ploy and her friends didn't fully grasp or believe everything Nawa said, they trusted him implicitly. Beyond the fact that he was like an older brother to Ploy, he had just saved them from a pack of wolves. Naturally, they weren't about to let him travel alone.
After traveling for half a day, the landscape began to shift. The firm ground gave way to mud and pools of stagnant water. The large trees they had seen earlier were replaced by ones with exposed roots—resembling the mangrove trees of Earth—while the short grass transformed into towering weeds over three meters tall, obscuring most of the view.
"Everyone, stay alert."
"We're about to enter the Bueng Phet territory," Nathee said to the others, his expression serious.
Bueng Phet was a vast lake located not far from Tha Ban Village. The surrounding area consisted of a mix of mudflats and swamps—a habitat for reptilian monsters and a demi-human race known as Lizardmen. These creatures possessed a hybrid form, blending human and lizard traits, and could grow to over ten feet tall when fully mature.
In terms of raw physical strength, Lizardmen were comparable only to mid-tier monsters. However, their threat level far surpassed that of wolf packs because they possessed intelligence. While not as clever as humans, they were smart enough to wield weapons and utilize various tools.
The terrain they inhabited—thick, treacherous mud that hindered movement—significantly hampered human combat capabilities. Even high-ranking players could easily find themselves in a precarious position if forced to battle Lizardmen on their home turf.
For this reason, few players ventured into the Diamond Swamp to hunt monsters. However, anyone intending to travel to Taiban Village or Mount Matterhorn found traversing the swamp unavoidable. Fortunately, amidst the mire and wetlands, there was a path unaffected by the harsh terrain—a main route used by the villagers of Taiban to connect with the outside world.
Naturally, this path was not common knowledge among players. Had Natee and his friends not been willing to pay a hefty sum for the system's map functions, they would never have discovered it.
After wading through the mud for a short while, Natee's group came upon a massive rocky mound—dozens of meters wide and over ten meters high. Upon closer inspection, they noticed distinct geometric shapes within the formation, suggesting it was not a natural occurrence but a colossal structure built by intelligent beings.
Once atop the mound, they realized it was not a road at all, but the ruins of a gigantic wall destroyed long ago. A rough estimate of its original scale suggested that, in its prime, it would have dwarfed the walls of Matterhorn City by dozens of times.
From the top of the wall, a vast expanse of water stretched as far as the eye could see—a massive lake surrounded by mangroves and wild vegetation, with a mountain range encircling the horizon in the distance.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind... This lake might once have been the site of a colossal metropolis, yet for some reason, nothing remained of it but these massive, ruined walls.
Nawa couldn't even fathom the sheer destructive power required to completely erase a city of such magnitude. The mere thought caused large beads of sweat to break out uncontrollably across his forehead.
Five years ago, Nawa had encountered a being capable of such a feat. In the memories of "White Snake"—glimpsed through his dreams—he had witnessed god-like entities clashing; the destructive power they unleashed against one another was easily enough to obliterate an entire city.
To those god-like beings, humans were no more significant than ants. Nawa believed that even with the most advanced weaponry currently available on Earth, humanity stood no chance against such entities.
Perhaps opening the gateway to "The Oneness" hadn't been the wisest decision, but it was too late now. The Oneness had become inextricably linked to the world—even if it meant plunging humanity into a catastrophe far more severe and terrifying than any world war.
"Haa..." Nawa sighed softly, telling himself that what was destined to happen would happen, as he shook the distracting thoughts from his mind.
The most important task facing him now was finding a cure for his father's illness—and he had just taken another step closer to achieving it. According to Somkid, a healer living in Taiban Village possessed a formula that might cure his father's illness.
Although the massive wall was so damaged it barely resembled its original form, its sheer height made Nawa's journey much safer and more convenient. It also served as an excellent vantage point for hunting monsters. Strangely, however, Nawa's group hadn't encountered a single soul—villager or player—hunting in the area along the way.
"Natee, did we take a wrong turn? We've been walking for ages without seeing anyone."
Ploy asked, looking at Natee with a puzzled expression. Even if this wasn't the main route to Taiban Village, it wasn't exactly a top-secret path; it was unlikely that no one knew about it.
Natee opened his system interface to check the map again before replying.
"We're on the right track. The system map clearly shows Taiban Village at the far end of this path."
"Taiban Village might be facing some kind of trouble,"
Nawa interjected, recounting the quest he had received from the guards: the village healer, Mandis, hadn't delivered potions to Matterhorn City in a long time.
After hearing this, the group speculated on the possible causes and what might be happening at Taiban Village.
They eventually narrowed it down to two main theories: either an event at the village had caused such a surge in potion demand that there was no surplus left to sell to Matterhorn City, or the village—or Mandis himself—was in some kind of danger. ...making it impossible to deliver the potion.
Nawa could only pray that it wasn't the latter scenario, as the situation involved the formula needed to cure his father. After traveling a bit further, Nawa felt a sense of relief; in the distance ahead, he spotted a group of people battling a monster.
"Are they hunting a Roc?" Nathee exclaimed, his expression and eyes betraying his disbelief at the scene unfolding before him.
"Is there a problem?" Nawa asked, noticing that the others looked just as surprised as Nathee.
"You probably don't know about the Roc, P'Nawa. It's a legendary monster in the Kingdom of Jotundia. It resembles the shoebill stork from our world but is hundreds of times larger—even before reaching full maturity, it's bigger than a Boeing 747. They're known as the rulers of the skies over Mount Matterhorn. The reason they're so famous is…"
Nathee was about to elaborate, but Nawa raised a hand to stop him before speaking.
"I don't care about the rest. I just want to know why you all looked so surprised to see that group hunting one."
"Even the weakest Roc is classified as an Elder-rank monster. Those people don't look like high-ranking players at all—the weapons they're using are merely 'Fine' grade. Hunting a Roc like that is practically a death wish."
Although there is only a one-tier difference between 'Profess' and 'Elder' ranks, the gap in hunting difficulty is immense. Beyond possessing stats that are several times higher, their defense is vastly superior to that of Profess-rank monsters; without using weapons of at least 'Premium' grade, it is extremely difficult to even inflict a wound on an Elder-rank monster.
The group surrounding the Roc numbered over twenty, yet there was no sign they could subdue it. Upon closer inspection, however, it was clear the Roc was already injured; one wing appeared broken and immobile, and one of its legs was also hurt.
Had it not been for these injuries, the creature would likely have broken through the players' encirclement—or perhaps even turned the tables to hunt them down instead.
"It looks like that Roc was already injured by something else. Otherwise, a group with their level of power wouldn't dare mess with an Elder-rank monster."
Natee's observation mirrored exactly what Nawa was thinking.
From Nawa's perspective, regarding the combat capabilities of this group—if they were indeed players... They appeared to be mid-level Rank D players; perhaps one or two among them possessed skills rivaling high-level Rank D players. That was far too few for hunting an Elder-class monster.
According to "The One" Association's guidelines, hunting an Elder-class monster required a team of at least five Rank C players or the presence of a single High-Rank player. Yet, that wasn't their most critical issue; the real problem was that none of them possessed premium-grade weapons.
"Natee, should we go help them? With our weapons, we could probably take down that bird," Somchai interjected.
Natee turned, frowning slightly, before speaking.
"We don't know them. If we rush in blindly, we might be misunderstood—accused of trying to steal their kill."
Natee fell silent for a moment before continuing.
"How about this: we'll move in close to observe. If something goes wrong, we'll step in to help. But if they manage to handle it themselves, we can take the opportunity to ask about the situation at Taiban Village."
Almost everyone agreed with Natee's proposal—except for Nawa. Even so, Nawa didn't object; Natee was the team leader for this hunt, after all, and it would be inappropriate for Nawa to voice too many opinions. Besides, Nawa's concerns were based merely on a hunch, with no concrete evidence to back them up.
Before long, the group cautiously approached the Roc. They stopped when they were within a thousand feet. A crowd of over thirty people was currently surrounding the massive bird. Fewer than twenty fighters remained.
"If we're going to save them, we have to act now, or it'll be too late."
Ploy spoke urgently upon seeing the many wounded; she feared that without immediate action, those injured might lose their lives.
"Wait," Nawa interjected in a serious tone, causing everyone to turn and look at him. But before anyone could ask a question, the Roc let out a deafening roar.
*SCREEECH!*
Suddenly, the Roc's eyes turned a deep, blood-red, and the wing that had appeared broken began to move again. When monsters of Elder rank or higher find themselves in dire straits, there is a high probability they will enter a frenzy—a state that forces their bodies to tap into latent power.
It is akin to a human experiencing a massive adrenaline surge during extreme shock, pushing the body beyond its normal limits; however, the downside is that the frenzy strips the monster of its sanity, leaving it no different from a madman.
The Roc violently thrashed its broken wing. The sound of cracking bone was loud enough to make one's eardrums ache, yet the creature seemed oblivious to the pain. The movement of both wings generated a powerful gust of wind.
While not enough to lift the Roc's massive bulk into flight, the blast was strong enough to send everything within a radius of several hundred feet—players, boulders, and trees alike—soaring into the air. They were all uprooted and swept high into the sky by the powerful wind.
"Watch out!"Nawa shouted a warning at the top of his lungs.
With his brain operating at 100% capacity and an understanding of the space-time field superior to anyone else on Earth, Nawa instantly calculated the landing trajectory of the airborne debris. Among the objects was a boulder larger than a car, hurtling straight toward the spot where he and his friends stood.
Had he been alone, Nawa could have easily dodged it, but the others would struggle. Although he had shouted a warning, their reactions were too slow.
Left with no other choice, Nawa abandoned any thought of evading the impact. He thrust both hands forward and unleashed his telekinesis with full force, attempting to halt the massive rock's descent.
Unfortunately, due to his currently limited mana reserves, he could only slow the boulder down; he could neither stop it completely nor alter its trajectory. Still, it bought enough time for Ploy and the others to escape.
Yet, none of them did what Nawa had expected. Once they regained their composure, not a single one of them thought of fleeing to save themselves.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!* Mai unleashed a barrage of strikes with her short sword—enhanced by a blade skill—against the giant rock, riddling it with holes, yet the boulder remained intact.
Somchai didn't hesitate; he activated his "Detection" skill at full power. Instantly, a yellow aura enveloped the shield in his hand, causing it to swell to more than twice its original size. Meanwhile, Natee also unleashed his "Berserker" skill to its limit, a deep red aura surging violently around his entire body.
*BOOM!*A thunderous crash echoed as the boulder slammed into Somchai's shield and Natee's claymore. The giant rock shattered into pieces, yet the residual impact sent everyone flying backward like kites with severed strings.
As the dust settled, the group lay bloodied. Somchai and Natee, having been at the epicenter of the impact, lay motionless. Ploy, who was nearby, rushed over to cast a healing skill, immediately tending to their injuries.
Nawa gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand. Although he was worried about the safety of Ploy and his friends, the immediate threat remained; the Roc was still in a frenzy, destroying everything in its path. If they didn't act, they would surely be killed by the beast.
Nawa extended his hand and summoned a bow from his dimensional inventory. He drew the string back fully while activating his "Air Bomb" skill at maximum power to amplify the shot.
*BOOM!*
The next instant, a thunderous sonic boom rang out as the arrow streaked forward like a shooting star. Given the distance and the Roc's massive size... Even without using telekinesis to guide the arrow, Nawa was confident he wouldn't miss his mark.
The real issue was whether the arrow's destructive power would be enough to kill this Elder-class monster.
After all, Nawa's bow was merely of "Fine" quality, and the arrow was nothing more than a standard one; piercing the hide of an Elder-class monster would be difficult. That was why Nawa had aimed for the eye—not only was it a vulnerable organ, but it was also a fatal weak point capable of killing the Roc in a single strike.
*Thwack!* The arrow slammed into the Roc's eye, but it only embedded itself a few inches deep—nowhere near enough to penetrate the brain and deliver a killing blow.
"Skreeee!"
The Roc let out a roar of even greater fury. It tried to use its remaining eye to locate the one who had inflicted such pain. It didn't take long to spot the culprit, and almost instantly, it charged madly toward Nawa's position.
Nawa stood his ground, not moving a single step. He drew his bow once more, channeling every last bit of his remaining energy to gather the surrounding wind currents around the arrow. He knew full well that if he failed to take down the Roc with this shot, neither he nor Ploy and his friends would survive.
His plan was to strike the exact same spot again; since the previous attack had already destroyed the eyeball, hitting that same point... The arrow would pierce through the eye and reach the Roc's brain.
For this reason, Nawa had to wait until the Roc was as close as possible; the closer the target, the greater the arrow's destructive power and accuracy. However, just before Nawa could loose his arrow, something else shot toward the Roc's eye from another direction at high speed—moving just as fast as, if not faster than, Nawa's arrow.
*BOOM.*
It pierced the eye and instantly shattered the Roc's brain, causing its massive body to go limp immediately. The carcass skidded across the ground for several dozen feet before coming to a halt right in front of Nawa. A man clad in black appeared atop the Roc's head; when Nawa looked up, his eyes widened in astonishment.