In the following weeks, my routine was always the same:
I would run and exercise in the morning, spend almost the entire rest of the day at the Temple, and train combat against the simulations in the optimized training zone for the remaining two hours before night fell completely. I would have dinner, go to bed exhausted, and repeat everything the next day.
Meanwhile, my parents spent the day cultivating and tending to the crops. They also set aside about two hours of their day to exercise inside the optimized training zone.
Thus, little by little, our attributes increased. Mine, more quickly than my parents', due to a Player condition advantage and the time spent on exercising.
Thanks to the diaries and books written by Eleton, my research became much easier. I was able to discover, find explanations, and begin learning the skills and techniques necessary to pass through the protections around the ancient city of Astar.
I also learned to make basic healing potions and intelligence attribute increase potions, the most difficult attribute to raise after luck.
Unfortunately, there was no potion recipe capable of increasing the luck attribute.
Because of this, I also learned a bit of herbology, which allowed me to recognize the best plants to take cuttings from and bring to my parents to cultivate, whether they were medicinal herbs, spices, or food.
I learned seven other languages besides ancient Astarian and simplified Astarian, and I managed to collect a considerable amount of information about the workings of Mundus, its species, kingdoms, and peoples. For this, I had a little help from the Player System and the Global Map.
During this time, my skill Peer Beyond also evolved and was renamed See Beyond. Among its features, in addition to some updates to the ones it already had, two more were added.
[Activating skill "See Beyond".
Responding to player request…
Description of the skill See Beyond:
Features:
Information Collection and Absorption:
- Passive Function: Constantly collects all information the user comes into contact with and sends it to the system's database.
- Active Function: When activated, makes it possible to gather more information than is visible to the naked eye (item and place names, basic information, among others). Also allows the user to see through illusions and perception enchantments to a certain extent. Can absorb information and, if compatible, functions for the system and store them in the database.
Access to Third-Party Profile:
- Unique Function (Active): Allows the user to access the profile of other living beings, regardless of race or condition. Enables the player to see, to a certain level, through skills, spells, enchantments, and items that might make an individual immune to skills like "Peer Beyond".
Database and Query:
- Passive Function: Stores information and functions in a database that is constantly fed by the "Information Collection and Absorption" feature.
- Active Function: Allows the user to query the database through requests and questions. But beware, the information the system can provide to the user is limited to the information present in the database.
Analysis and Decoding:
- Unique Function (Active): Analyzes and decodes symbols, signs, and patterns after exposure to them. Also capable of decoding sounds, images, gestures, and behaviors, provided it has access to the necessary material.
Weak Point Analysis:
- Unique Function (Active): Analyzes and identifies the possible most vulnerable points of a target, be it a living being, animated or inanimate, item, object, or place. Also capable of performing such analysis on simple spells and enchantments.]
During this time, my parents and I also explored the other parts of the safe area, including the Astar cemetery and the memorial built by Eleton for the almost fifty thousand murdered, or rather, massacred by the Tiélvian Union. I left there some flowers I found very beautiful that grew only within the Temple gardens.
However, at no point did we encounter another person or individual of an intelligent species. And, during this entire period, we remained completely isolated from the outside world.
Three months later, I had finally progressed enough in the necessary skills so that I could cross the protections.
However, I was the only one ready for this. As for my parents, they still had a long way to go.
Thus, it was decided that I alone would try passing through the protections and take a look at the inhabited location closest to where we were, as indicated by the Global Map, which was a Mundus village.
It would be a 25km walk to get there, and I had no knowledge of the possible dangers I might face along the way on this journey, so preparations were necessary.
Thanks to the optimized training zone, the materials I found in the Temple library, and my Player condition, I was able to progress in this period the equivalent to twelve months of training, and my progress was considerable.
Beyond the numbers in my profile, the results of the exercises also showed in my body. My figure was now athletic and my muscles more defined.
[Profile
Name: Lilia Costa
Condition: Player
Age: 25 years
Species: Human
Level: 1 Experience: 0/10
Attributes:
Strength: 4 >>> 12
Agility: 5 >>> 14
Defense: 2 >>> 9
Endurance: 2 >>> 11
Intelligence: 18 >>> 24
Luck: 6
Mana: 10
Class: (Unavailable)
Skills: See Beyond (Open skill description); Lucky Strike (Open skill description); Mental Fortitude - Level 3 (Open skill description); Mana Manipulation - Level 2 (Open skill description).
Achievements: "Recognized by the Temple of the Knowledge of Astar", "The One Fortune Smiles Upon", "Triumphant Underdog".]
The skills I learned to pass through the protections around where we were were Mental Fortitude, for the mental enchantments, and Mana Manipulation, for the magical energy barriers.
[Description of the skill Mental Fortitude:
- Passive Function: Provides a strong mindset even in times of adversity. The higher the skill level, the more refined the function.
- Active Function: Protection against mental skills, enchantments, and spells. The higher the skill level, the more refined the function.]
[Description of the skill Mana Manipulation:
- Passive Function: Enables the detection of mana, a type of magical energy. The higher the skill level, the more refined the function.
- Active Function: Enables the manipulation (density, shape, frequency, etc.) of mana, also known as magical energy. The higher the skill level, the more refined the function.]
As for beastials, I could defeat a level 1 one with some ease, two level 1 at the same time complicated things a bit, but I could still defeat them without suffering major damage.
I was also capable of defeating a level 2 beastial, but not without losing a few fingers in the process, according to the optimized training zone.
My goal for the day was to defeat three level 1 beastials at the same time, and defeat a level 2 beastial without losing any fingers, or any other part of my body.
The problem with level 2 beastials was that they had higher defense, which made the kitchen knives, and even the cleaver, which I used as weapons, become useless. This way, I was forced to fight them empty-handed.
At the end of the two hours, when only the moon and stars lit the sky, I had managed to fulfill both my goals.
I delivered the fatal blow to the level 2 Shrakil I was battling.
It had its head and face covered in plates and spines made of a bone-like material. Its back featured a row of large, wide spines and its hooves and feet were made of the same material. The rest of its body was covered in fur. The beastial was entirely white and the size of a sheep.
As soon as the simulation was defeated and vanished, I sat down panting on the ground of the optimized training zone and looked at the starry sky. I then began to mentally prepare myself to travel tomorrow to the village of High Mine.
Before leaving, I checked everything I was taking with me: food and water, two basic healing potions, one intelligence attribute increase potion, three kitchen knives, a cleaver, a first aid kit, extra clothes, a tent among other things I deemed useful.
I stored almost everything in the Infinite Inventory Bag, and only a few items of minor importance and an extra water bottle I was carrying in a backpack on my back.
Before leaving, I took the opportunity to view my parents' profiles.
[Name: Renato Costa
Condition: Common
Age: 55 years
Species: Human
Level: Individual does not possess the concept of level
Attributes:
Strength: 6 >>> 10
Agility: 5 >>> 9
Defense: 4 >>> 6
Endurance: 4 >>> 8
Intelligence: 10
Class: (Unavailable)
Individual does not possess skills]
[Name: Sandra Costa
Condition: Common
Age: 56 years
Species: Human
Level: Individual does not possess the concept of level.
Attributes:
Strength: 4 >>> 7
Agility: 4 >>> 7
Defense: 3 >>> 5
Endurance: 3 >>> 7
Intelligence: 9
Class: (Unavailable)
Individual does not possess skills.]
I gave them one basic healing potion and two attribute increase potions that would be capable of increasing intelligence by up to 4 points. I also left them written instructions on how to train to acquire the skills Mental Fortitude and Mana Manipulation, which were necessary to pass through the protections around Astar.
However, first they would have to increase their intelligence to over 20 points, which would not be easy.
I intended to return the next day, even if it was dangerous to spend the night out.
Since it was a Mundus village and we knew nothing about the situation of the outside world, to attract less attention, I decided it was better to walk there than to go by car.
And also, I wouldn't be able to get a car through the magical barrier anyway. Not yet at least.
My parents accompanied me for the five kilometers to the edge of the safe area.
If something went wrong, they would have to give me a healing potion and carry me over seven kilometers back to the Temple. My contingency plan was to throw myself into the dragon fountain again.
However, none of that was necessary.
With the See Beyond skill, I managed to see through the perception enchantments. Thanks to the Mental Fortitude skill, which was already at level 3 due to how much I had trained it, I was able to resist the mental spells and enchantments.
To pass through the three magical barriers, I needed to use the Mana Manipulation skill.
"Good luck, and save travel" my father said while my mother hugged me.
I nodded, then turned to carry out the task ahead me.
I created a protection around my body that was a kind of bubble made of mana. Sweat began to accumulate on my upper lip due to the effort. It was a skill that required a lot of concentration and mental effort.
I approached the barrier and gradually fused my mana bubble with the barrier. I needed to make the mana bubble around my body have the same density as the barrier, and it took me a few minutes to achieve the desired result.
When the fusion was finally complete, I began to manipulate the mana around my body to propel myself forward and allow me to pass through the protection, while the bubble I had created would occupy the space I passed through.
It was a very delicate process, and any slip would result in my instant death.
After a time that seemed like an eternity, I managed to complete the passage and could breathe again. From now on, I couldn't even hear or see my parents properly. If I made a mistake, I would certainly die.
If it wasn't for the Mental Fortitude skill I most certainly would be panicking already.
[Congratulations! Your Mana Manipulation skill has leveled up!]
I sighed. With the skill at level 3, it would be a bit easier to pass through the other two magical barriers. However, it would still demand a lot of effort, energy, and concentration from me. So, I wiped the sweat from my face and rested for 10 minutes before repeating the same process with the next barrier.
Even though I had increased my skill level, passing through the second barrier was not easy feat.
After I completed the process, I sat on the ground in the space of about two meters that separated the second from the third barrier. I rested for fifteen minutes this time.
I repeated the process for the third time and, as soon as it was completed, sat on the ground once more, panting.
I was mentally exhausted but smiled. The worst part was over.
Ahead, there was only a mental confusion spell and three perception enchantments which, after having overcome the magical barriers, would be like taking candy from a baby.
Twenty minutes later, I was already on my way to the village of High Mine. It would be a walk of over six hours, so I should be able to get there after three o'clock in the afternoon.
The landscape outside the safe zone wasn't very different from the inside. The same trees occupied a small part of the large clearing, and no road could be seen from there.
I walked twenty kilometers before coming across a short dirt road. There were a few trees on each side of the road and the vegetation along the path became denser.
I was a bit hesitant to walk on the road, but considering I had walked most of the way across a clearing, the road might be safer. My fear, however, was unnecessary. Soon the village came into my field of vision.
It was exactly like one of the villages from the fantasy games and movies I used to like during my teenage years.
'It's like I'm in an isekai!' I thought, until I realized that was the truth. I was indeed in a kind of isekai.
Cautiously, but with my fingers tingling with excitement, I began to approach the village entrance.