Mana and It's Intricates

After that, I took a break to recover mana once again, observing my surroundings, and watching my creations work. Melessy and Beatrice worked hard with the robots to start building sturdy walls with the materials I provided. The outlined plan was to make more than one layer of walls, starting with one just before the mist. Due to the fact that I assumed the mist would just dissipate the moment that the protection period was over. Altrea was training her fellow elves in archery and stealth. 

Soon enough I'm sure that she will be taking them off to hunt some zombies and see what type of resources they can provide. If it weren't for the fact that I could draw most things, I fear what it would be like to not have access to food and water. Since skills are randomized, I'm sure that many people got the short end of the stick. It was sad to think about, but there was nothing I could do at this time. Especially since I'm not even in a region that has anyone within it. I'll just hope that by the time I gain access to world chat, that there will still be a decent chunk of humanity still alive.

Another few hours passed, then I made several pairs of the glasses that I drew earlier, barely costing more than three mana per pair. So I created four at first, one for Altrea and her fellow elves. Then recovered a bit before making two more for Melessy and Beatrice. The glasses themselves were black in color, sleek, and auto-fitted to whoever wore them. I went back inside my house and took a seat at my desk. Relaxing in my chair, I looked over my monitors, checking over the different environments and monsters.

I took a look at the jungle again to see if I could spot any variants within. Any undead that don't follow the stereotype like the ones found in the other three regions. I couldn't spot any obvious ones, and they ignored the local wildlife, so I noted that down. The zombies themselves didn't seem to need any sustenance, and tended to just slowly walk around without any specific direction in sight. Although they did tend to roam close to the mist wall. 

Not too close that it might be worrisome, but close enough that it would probably be a good idea to clear out the nearby ones. As I was taking further notes on their habits, I started thinking over how I would draw a paladin of some kind. I didn't know if I could since I assumed that the holy power that they utilized would cost more than I currently had. As I was contemplating, I decided to create quivers that would infuse the holy element into arrows fired, and for the warriors, I could make their swords have the holy element. 

"Creator, we are ready to head out into the jungle and take care of some nearby undead." Altrea walked into the house with her fellow elves and saluted me, before she delivered her message. 

"Good, before you head out, let me switch out your quivers with one that will help you even further." They nodded, then I pulled up their drawings, replacing their quivers with one that gave them the holy element. That proved to almost be a mistake since it drained me of all of my mana reserves, the full 20, just to give Altrea a quiver that did what I wanted.

"I stand corrected, for now, Altrea, you will be the one to wield arrows infused with the holy element. We will have to test how effective they are in comparison to normal arrows. I might have to shelve the idea of creating paladins for now. It all depends. There has to be a way to increase my mana reserves." Altread nodded, then headed out with the rest of the elves towards the jungle. I thought to myself, since my mana seemed to be recovering faster as I use it, but it is not increasing. I'll have to deal with this issue soon. 

I watched intently through the monitors as Altrea and her group disappeared into the dense foliage, their movements fluid and silent. The leaves and vines seemed to part for them, as if the jungle itself was an ally in our cause. My hand idly sketched abstract shapes on a piece of paper, each line an attempt to channel my thoughts and perhaps stumble upon a solution to my mana limitations.

As night fell, the screens lit up with the eerie glow of the jungle. I could make out shapes moving in synchrony—Altrea's quiver glowing faintly with that newly infused holy power. The elven archers took position around a cluster of zombies, their bows singing as they released their arrows into the undead. Each shot was precise, and I watched with bated breath as the holy arrows struck; they shimmered upon impact and set forth a radiant light that seemed to sizzle against the undead flesh.

The effect was... astonishing. Zombies recoiled as though scalded by boiling water, their forms disintegrating under the holy assault. Elation welled up inside me—this was a significant breakthrough. Yet, there remained the pressing concern of my own expended energy; such powerful creations demanded more than I currently had to offer. The zombies themselves dropped a few strange blue orbs. Altrea also managed to gain a level so she could increase her stats.

The elves returned victorious but weary from their foray. Altrea came before me with reports of their success. She then handed the three orbs that they gained from the zombies they destroyed.

"Based on the glasses that you have given us Creator, those orbs are able to permanently increase mana." My breath hitched for a moment, then grabbed a pair of glasses from one of the other elves to see for myself.

Crude Mana Orb: Increases mana by 0.5, up to a maximum of an additional 20

I smiled when I looked it over. It wasn't much, but this gave way to increase my mana, and is probably the main way to do so.

"Alright, Altrea, I need each of you to take out as many undead as you can and gather more of these. The sooner the better, so I can increase my mana reserves, and possibly make even better things with my skill." Altrea and her fellow elves saluted in excitement at the mission I gave them.

A spark of determination lit within me as I watched them disperse, each elf eager to prove themselves and aid in our survival. It became clear that this new resource—the mana orbs—would be a game-changer for us. My mind raced with the possibilities that lay ahead if I could harness more mana. Perhaps I could even construct defenses or devices beyond my current imagination.

I turned back to my desk, cluttered with sketches, notes, and those mysterious orbs. The room hummed with the silence left behind by the departing elves, but my heart thumped with opportunity. Picking up one of the orbs, its luminous blue hue pulsated faintly in my palm. A thrill ran through me as I felt its raw potential.

Carefully, I absorbed the orb's energy, feeling a small surge as my mana increased ever so slightly. "Every bit counts," I murmured to myself, nodding at the tangible proof of the elves' hard work and my newfound direction.

My strategy needed an update—it wasn't just about survival anymore; it was about thriving. To do that, I needed to optimize our resource gathering efforts and ensure they were sustainable in the long haul. While they hunted undead for more orbs, Melessy and Beatrice would fortify our defenses further; their skills would be key in creating an impregnable fortress.

The door to my room opened with a creak, and Melessy stepped inside softly. "Boss," she began hesitantly, "the outer wall's construction is complete but we'll need stronger materials for further improvements." 

I snapped my fingers in thought. "Once the next layers of walls are complete, we could look into making iron walls. We already have brick, clay, and stone."

Her eyes lit up with understanding and a hint of excitement. "I reckon we can work something out."

"Of course, the sooner we finish the walls, the sooner we can start on any additional defenses and possible traps." I smiled reassuringly at her.

"Right you are." Melessy grinned before exiting.

Left alone once again, I poured over my sketches. If holy power could decimate zombies that way, what other enchantments could we exploit? Fire? Ice? Lightning? The possibilities buzzed in my head like a swarm of bees.

We weren't just going to survive; we were going to build something monumental here—a testament to resilience and ingenuity even amidst the apocalypse. During this thought process, I went to grab something to eat since I started getting hungry. I was filled with too much energy to go to sleep right now. So, while my mana recovered once again, after absorbing those orbs and gaining an additional 1.5 mana, I munched on some chicken nuggets and fries. More of a comfort food than anything.