Chapter 13: Foundations of power 1

After the battle's decisive conclusion, Jason dropped to the ground where he had stood, the adrenaline ebbing away to reveal the toll the fight had taken.

Every fibre of his being felt drained as if the essence of life itself had been wrung out of him. His mana reserves were nearly empty, and his stamina was depleted to the point of exhaustion.

Even his breathing felt laboured, with each breath becoming a conscious effort.

The toll of using his skill so rapidly and repeatedly had pushed him to his limits. He could barely muster the energy to remain upright, let alone stand. The temptation to lie back and let the darkness of unconsciousness wash over him was strong, but Jason knew better.

He could not afford such luxuries, not here, not now. This was still a battlefield, even if he had dealt with the immediate threat.

Forcing himself to sit upright, he crossed his legs into a lotus position. The pose came naturally to him as if etched into his muscle memory.

With a slow, deliberate exhale, Jason closed his eyes, shutting out the world around him. The cacophony of distant voices, rustling leaves, and faint footsteps receded into the background as he focused inward.

Jason steadied his breathing, each inhale and exhale a measured rhythm. He began to attune himself to the ambient energy that permeated the air. Slowly, he extended his senses outward, pulling on the ambient mana in the air and drawing it into his body.

The sensation was weak but familiar, comforting even.

A lifetime of practice allowed him to tap into this invisible force with ease, even without the system's guidance. Most people in this tutorial, Jason thought with faint amusement, wouldn't even be aware of the mana surrounding them.

For him, however, it was as familiar as breathing. Slowly but steadily, he continued to pull the ambient mana into himself.

The process was both soothing and invigorating. As the energy flowed into him, Jason felt the mental fog from the battle begin to dissipate. His thoughts, which had been sluggish and fragmented, sharpened into clarity. The accumulated mental fatigue from the day's events faded away like mist under a rising sun.

Physically, though, his recovery was far less dramatic. The aches and pains in his muscles persisted and served as a constant reminder of his meagre endurance stat. His arms felt like lead, and his legs were weak and trembling. Every movement sent a dull throb of pain coursing through his body.

Jason let out a faint, self-deprecating chuckle as he reflected on his current state.

"Three in Mind and one in Endurance," he muttered to himself. "I feel like I'm in my larval stages again… No. Even then, I wasn't this weak."

The thought brought a faint smirk to his lips, but it vanished just as quickly.

Jason knew his stat distribution was far from ideal, but he had no regrets. For someone like him, prioritising mental stats like intelligence and mind was far more critical, as they would give him the mana capacity and density he desperately needed to allow his skills to have greater effects.

Because of his low level, he had a limited number of stat points, so he had to prioritise stats that would give him the greatest power output increase.

After all, his choices, though risky, were calculated, and he could always offset the rest with an unhealthy consumption of potions.

As his body slowly recuperated, Jason's mind drifted to another limiting factor. His lack of skill slots.

If he had an open slot, because he was currently 'mediating', the system would have offered him the chance to bind a new skill, likely "Meditation". It was a valuable skill, an 'Uncommon' ranked ability considered one of the 'three basic skills' for any player. Its stable and significant returns over time made it a staple for many.

But even if he had a free slot, Jason wouldn't have wasted it on something like Meditation.

He already knew how to meditate, and his method was just as effective, if not more so, than the system-based skill. Why waste a slot on something he could do on his own?

Skill slots were precious, and Jason had no intention of squandering them on abilities he could replicate through raw mana manipulation and experience.

Still, the thought made him reflect on the other two "basic skills." Of the trio, there was only one he would even consider taking, and that was because of its powerful evolutions and it being an ability that was far more difficult to replicate without the system's assistance.

However, Jason's moment of introspection was interrupted by the faint rustle of leaves.

Without opening his eyes, he became acutely aware of the multiple approaching presences. The survivors, who had been hiding in the forest, were finally making their way back into the clearing.

Jason, though, remained still, his senses alert, as the survivors emerged from the shadows of the trees. Out of the 500 people who had entered the tutorial, just over 300 now crept cautiously into view. Their faces were pale and drawn, eyes wide with lingering fear. They moved hesitantly as their gazes darted between the fallen giant and the lone figure sitting at the battlefield's centre.

Jason didn't need to look to know they were staring at him. Their whispers, though hushed, carried a mixture of awe and apprehension. The way he had single-handedly defeated the giant had clearly left a lasting impression on them, and now, seeing him meditating so calmly amidst the aftermath, their unease only deepened.

But, despite their curiosity, none dared approach him. The returned survivors seemed to reach a silent agreement not to bother him, especially as he appeared to be recovering from the battle. Instead, the survivors lingered at the edges of the clearing, whispering amongst themselves.

Minutes passed, and before long, the tense atmosphere shifted once again. Jason noticed the change before the whispers reached his ears, but when it did, the faint murmurs grew louder as a ripple of excitement spread through the crowd.

"Did you see this?" someone exclaimed. "There's a store! A system store!"

It was not long before someone other than Jason navigated through the system's notifications and discovered the status screen and, more importantly, the 'system store.'

The revelation spread like wildfire, and soon, the survivors forgot all about Jason. Instead, they turned their attention to navigating the system's interface, experimenting with this new and unexplainable blue window.

Jason cracked one eye open as he watched the change from a distance. The tension in the clearing gave way to tentative hope.

Reflected in Jason's vision, the survivors were huddled together in smaller groups, and one by one, crude weapons and basic armour began to materialise out of thin air. It was not long before the initiates armed themselves with steel swords, leather tunics, and wooden shields.

Some of the more bolder individuals even tested out their newly acquired skills, summoning flickering ball flames or arcs of electricity with nervous excitement.

Jason observed the scene with detached interest.

The discovery of the system store had injected a sense of purpose into the group, spurring them into action. The atmosphere that was once heavy with despair now buzzed with activity.

Next, new groups began to naturally form as people were drawn together by shared goals or mutual survival instincts. Even a few leader types emerged, with their voices rising above the crowd to offer guidance or promises of protection.

Yet, despite the flicker of hope, not everyone adapted as quickly.

Jason noticed a few individuals wandering aimlessly, still muttering that someone would come and save them.

"The army, the police… Someone has to show up, right?" they said, clinging to the belief that this was all just a temporary nightmare.

Others refused to accept their changing reality altogether, insisting it was a dream, a hallucination, or some elaborate prank.

Jason spared them a glance, his expression unreadable. He'd seen this kind of denial before, and he knew where it led.

Those who refused to adapt would be the first to fall.

Jason's gaze then shifted back to the emerging and newly formed groups, his mind already at work analysing their dynamics and categorising the individuals who had taken the initiative and may prove useful in the future.

Human nature was predictable. Fear bred desperation, and desperation led to alliances. But alliances, he knew, were fragile. People would stick together for now, but once resources grew scarce or danger loomed, those bonds would be tested.

The hours slipped by, and the clearing continued to evolve.

People came and went, some venturing into the forest in search of other survivors, others staying behind to fortify the camp.

The light from the sky above also began to dim, and Jason tilted his head as he watched the strange phenomenon unfold.

What should have been a natural sunset felt… off.

The 'sun', or whatever passed for it in this place, didn't sink below the horizon. Instead, it dimmed gradually, like an adjustable light being turned down. The unnatural shift cast long shadows over the clearing, causing a fresh wave of unease to rise among the survivors.

Then Jason's sharp ears picked up snippets of conversation from some of the returning expedition groups. A few small teams had ventured into the forest searching for exits, but it seemed they only returned with grim news.

"There's a barrier," one man said, his voice trembling. "It's invisible, but it's there. We tried going around it, but it's everywhere. There's no way out."

The revelation caused another ripple of panic to spread through the camp. The survivors clustered closer together as their voices rose in frightened murmurs.

Jason opened both of his eyes fully now, as his meditation was complete. His body still had lingering aches and pains, but his mind was sharp, and his mana reserves were nearly restored. He then took a moment to once again survey the camp with a calm, calculating gaze.

The survivors were adapting… slowly, but surely.

Groups had formed, leaders had emerged, and the discovery of the system store had given them a lifeline. But Jason could see the cracks forming already. Fear, desperation, and the looming presence of death hung over them like a storm cloud.

'This is only the beginning', Jason thought.

Feeling somewhat recovered and having satiated his curiosity, Jason turned back to his system screen and decided to work through the rest of his system notifications.