Mind World

Three hours had passed since the massacre. Jenny, Cynthia, and a small group had managed to fend off the remaining gang members who hadn't been there at the time.

They had also cleaned up the blood and bodies before the stench became unbearable.

Alexa had been tended to, and with Jon's silent yet obvious care for her, even the temporary leaders kept their distance. No one dared to approach her now.

The survivors frequently glanced toward the door Jon had disappeared through, murmuring among themselves, wondering what would happen next. The main enemies were gone, and Joe had bled to death, a fitting consequence, a heavy karma he had to bear.

During those three hours, Jon had cleaned himself up and spent an hour in silence, mourning his lost friend. But if there was anything strange about his mourning, it was his face, unchanging, emotionless.

He wanted to feel. To grieve. To rage. But he couldn't. The emotions refused to come. It was as if he had to force himself to be angry, to be sad.

So, after an hour of staring at nothing, he had picked up the book he'd found earlier from an orb: Blacksmithing for Dummies by Mervil. Opening to the first page, he read:

"If you're reading this, first I'll say this, blacksmithing is NOT for everyone, so don't force yourself down a path that isn't yours. Secondly, blacksmithing is not just about creating or building; it is about the mind."

That sentence caught Jon's attention immediately. He already had a skill related to the mind. Maybe this would be easier for him than others.

The book continued:

"If you have a skill related to the mind, then congratulations, you've just made this 10% easier for yourself. Thirdly, you should already know the rankings of the items one can craft: unranked, black, bronze, silver… Well, I'll stop at silver. If you ever reach that level, well, good luck."

The introduction was short but intriguing. Even for someone without a mind-based skill, the writing compelled them to turn the page. And so, Jon did.

The book described blacksmithing as the act of creation, from nothing to something. Blacksmiths were named for their work with forges, but crafters for their work with their hands. A highlighted section emphasized two key attributes necessary for any beginner: imagination and skilled hands.

An hour passed as he read, absorbing knowledge with growing curiosity. One concept stood out to him: the Mind World.

According to the book, it was a mental space where crafters stored ideas and created blueprints before forging them into reality. The foundation of any great blacksmith or crafter.

Forming it, however, required extreme mental focus.

Jon smirked. Didn't he already have the perfect skill for that? He activated Composure, allowing his mind to stabilize, then closed his eyes.

Sitting cross-legged, he rested his hands on his lap and focused attempting to connect with the moon.

The connection wavered.

He frowned. Then, realization dawned.

It was daytime.

He was beginning to understand. Moon was a nighttime ability. If he unlocked the Sun series, he'd dominate both day and night. But for now, the weakened connection would have to suffice.

How did one form a Mind World? The book's answer was simple: You will it into existence.

Jon exhaled. He focused and willed it.

A shift occurred.

Suddenly, he stood in a vast, fog-filled space. His body felt ethereal, barely there.

"This is it?" he murmured, confused by how quickly he had formed this place. But before he could process further, the ground trembled beneath him.

A searing pain shot through his mind.

Jon clenched his teeth, gripping his head. "What was that?"

As the pain ebbed, the fog thinned, revealing a small, ten-meter radius around him. The floor and sky were stark white, featureless.

He tried to move, only to realize his body refused to respond. Then, it clicked. Like everything else here, movement had to be willed.

He commanded himself forward.

It worked. He stepped. Again. And again.

Until he hit an invisible barrier. He couldn't move beyond the ten-meter radius. But that was fine. For now.

According to the book, most people failed to form a Mind World on their first attempt. Yet, he had done it. Instinctively.

Now came the interesting part.

Jon willed the space to store everything he knew, skills, memories, ideas.

Like magic, orbs of varying colors flickered into existence. Each one held a fragment of his knowledge. A soft-blue orb, tinged with silver, pulsed, his Moon skill. Another, covered in complex arrays, radiated power, his Instant Calculation ability.

Even long-forgotten memories floated here.

He could relive any moment of his life.

But he chose not to. Especially those involving his parents.

He wasn't ready for that yet.

Satisfied, Jon placed his memories at the top of his mental storage and kept his skills within reach. He exhaled.

"I should read more."

With a thought, he exited the Mind World.

Back in reality, his eyes fluttered open. A series of notifications greeted him:

[YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE 'MIND WORLD']

[YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF SKILL 'MOON' HAS INCREASED]

[YOUR LEVEL IS TOO LOW TO INCREASE LEVEL OF SKILL 'MOON']

[YOUR ***** LEVEL HAS INCREASED]

[YOU HAVE RAISED YOUR FOUNDATION]

"My what—?" Jon began but stopped. He wasn't alone.

Two figures stood before him—Jenny and Cynthia.

Three hours had passed in the real world. To him, it had felt like minutes.

Jenny's expression softened in relief yet caution lingered. Cynthia, as always, remained composed.

Jenny was the first to speak. "H-Hey, how are you feeling?"

Her words triggered a flood of memories. The betrayal. The loss. The emptiness.

Jon exhaled. "Well… I feel betrayed."

Yet, his face remained the same, unchanging.

Cynthia crossed her arms. "We're trying to decide what to do after the storm outside passes."

Jon frowned. "Why do you need me for that?"

The two women exchanged glances, then looked at him as if he had asked the dumbest question in the world.

After what he had done, there was only one possible outcome.

"After showing that kind of strength," Jenny said, "it seems you're the new leader."