System, Ali thought, the manic energy of his breakthrough settling into a focused, hungry curiosity. You said I was weaker than everyone here, that my skill acquisition was slower, because I didn't have mana. Now I have 0.0001. Heh. So… now what? My physicality should start improving, right? And my core is 'Fledgling'—that's the System's designation. Normal people are born with their cores at a set limit, right? But not me. I can better it. I can grow it. More capacity, faster collection, better control, density, all of it.
He took a breath, the air still feeling charged. So my skill acquisition and progression should explode now, yeah? And this 'mana sense'—I'm feeling details already at a rudimentary level. That's because of you, isn't it? A normal person wouldn't sense this much at this stage. Maybe they don't even get this sense at all.
A wave of sheer, giddy gratitude hit him. I am awesome, System. NO—YOU are awesome. I love you. If you were a woman— He cut the thought off, embarrassment washing over the triumph. ...Never mind. Sorry. That was… a lot.
He re-focused. If I understand right: the more mana I have, the more flows through my body—bones, organs, brain—and enhances them. That's just the natural passive effect, not a skill. So I need to hit '100' to fully saturate myself, right? Then after that, it's about quality, density, all that. And that will boost everything: my physicality, my learning speed, everything tied to my body and mind. Confirm.
The System's response was swift, its tone coolly analytical, unaffected by his outburst.
[Query Acknowledged: Post-Awakening Physiological & Skill Integration.]
Answer Set:
1. Physical/Cognitive Enhancement: Correct. Mana is a ubiquitous environmental nutrient in this biome. Your body has been operating in a state of severe deficiency. As your core charge increases and mana passively suffuses your tissues, you will experience gradual improvements in:
Cellular regeneration (faster healing).
Neural synaptic efficiency (sharper reflexes, slightly improved memory consolidation).
Muscular energy kinetics (increased endurance, marginal strength gains).
Sensory acuity (all senses slightly enhanced).
This is not explosive. It is a slow, compounding osmosis. Think of your body as a dry sponge finally touching water. The first absorption is dramatic to the sponge, but invisible to an observer. Full saturation (reaching a stable, healthy baseline comparable to a native of this world) will take months, even with optimal charge.
2. Core Development (The 'Awesome' Advantage): Your hypothesis is correct. Most natives have a static core grade determined at birth (Peasant-Grade, Commoner-Grade, Noble-Grade, etc.). It defines their natural capacity and regeneration rate. They can improve skills that use mana, but rarely the core itself.
Your [Mana Core - Grade: Fledgling] is UNLOCKED and MUTABLE. It is a System-designated starting point with no hard ceiling. Through training, stress, insight, and System optimization, you can increase its Grade (Fledgling → Novice → Apprentice, etc.), Rank (F- → F → E-, etc.), Capacity, Regeneration Speed, and Mana Quality/Density. This is your most significant long-term advantage.
3. Skill Acquisition & Progression: The improvement will be significant, but not explosive. Mana integration provides two boosts:
Passive Neurological Enhancement: Your brain processes physical patterns slightly faster. Learning a new [Brawn Task] skill might take 8 days instead of 10.
Active Mana-Skill Synergy: Once you learn to channel mana (a future skill), you can apply it to enhance existing skills (e.g., [Mana-Infused Striking]), creating potent hybrids. This is where true acceleration lies.
4. Mana-Sense (Rudimentary): You are correct. This is a System-augmented sense. A natural awakening at your minute core level would result in, at best, a vague 'feeling of wellness' or 'connection to nature.' Your sense is already pre-formatted as an analytical tool. It provides spatial awareness and qualitative impressions (warm/cold, vibrant/dull) of mana fields. This is a foundational skill that can be leveled and evolved separately from your core grade.
5. The '100/100' Saturation Model: Simplified but useful. Your estimated '100' capacity is your Core's Reservoir. The passive suffusion of your body is a constant flow from this reservoir. Reaching a full reservoir does not mean instant super-saturation of tissues. It means you have a larger 'bucket' to draw from for active skills and to maintain the passive flow. Tissue enhancement is a factor of time and consistent flow, not just reservoir size.
Conclusion: You have plugged yourself into the fundamental power grid of this world. You are no longer operating on a separate, weaker circuit. Enhancements will come, but they are granular and cumulative. Your core's mutability is your cheat. Your System-enhanced perception is your guide. The path is now clear: Grind Core Capacity → Enhance Body via Passive Flow → Unlock Active Mana Skills → Synergize with Physical Skills.
Ali absorbed the information, the final pieces locking into place. The sheer scale of it was daunting, but for the first time, it was a map, not a void.
He wasn't going to wake up tomorrow swinging an axe like Bryn. But every log he split, every stone he hauled, would now be done by a body slowly, secretly drinking strength from the air itself. Every skill he practiced would etch itself a little deeper into a mana-augmented brain.
He looked at his hands again. They were still rough, still weak. But they were now connected.
Alright, he thought, the giddiness solidifying into a steely resolve. New daily routine. Same labor grind. But now, every spare moment, I focus on two things: passively drawing in more mana to fill the core, and practicing directing this 'mana sense.'
He stood up from his pallet. The world still looked the same.
But he was different. The powerless boy from another world was gone. In his place was a fledgling battery, a dry sponge starting to soak, a locked canal with the first trickle of water in its gates.
The journey hadn't gotten easier. It had just become real.
He stepped out of the wood-shed, not with a swagger, but with a new weight of purpose. He had a lifetime of catching up to do. And he would do it one whispered breath of mana, one callused-handed task, at a time.
The true grind had just begun.