After letting her release some steam and excitement by jumping and squealing, quite uncharacteristically to her, he pushed her down to sit on the sofa, inquiring about her experience.

  “How did you manage to do this on the first try? How did you manage to move around through the physic..al layer? How do you feel?” Ethan bombarded her with questions, his wording was off due to the uncertainty regarding the phenomena they spoke of, giving her leeway for a quick jab Ethan hoped she would miss.

  She rubbed her chin, considering her next words thoroughly and with an innocent smile she replied, “Is this a proper information for you to pray on?”

  Ethan decided to keep a straight face, keeping it cool, betrayed by his own cheeks getting a pitch redder.

  “Well it wasn’t really like you said it was, I don’t know how or why but I didn’t feel the ‘physical layer’ like you explained it”, She gave up on the joke and spoke back, her small grin the only giveaway of her enjoying his slight unease.

  It only took a moment for the excited look in her eyes to turn into a contemplating gaze directed nowhere specific on the wall, describing such a difficult and complex experience was not easy.

  Eventually she went for a surprising and short answer, “I don’t know…”

  Ethan’s deadpan gaze, quick series of blinking and long quiet was a clear sign for her to try harder, his interest got the better of him and made him throw pleasantries to the wind.

  “I don't think my answer would do you any good, but I will try” words left her mouth followed by a loud sigh.

  “all I can say is that, our experiences were widely different based on you words, my interaction to the physical plane was…meek at best, elusive, almost unreachable, but I think that we should gather more personal knowledge and unique experiences before allowing one experience and thoughts of the process affect another, the physical layer and the more mystical and mental layer treat them as they called, it's the best clue I can currently give you”

  Squinting his eyes at her last words, impatience and urgency struck true, but she carried her speech, throwing a thought, an idea that made his facial expression positively change the more she spoke.

  “Ethan, I have an idea, let's take the guards, we can teach them this meditation training, with more information we will gather we can make a more profound baselines to go by. Let’s go with 'physical layer’, or ‘mana layer’ based on your terminology. I think reaching it, watching past it or even breach it is not a common thing”

  “I will give you a better one”, Ethan tried playing with her idea, “let’s separate them in groups, each group will be told of something “customized” baselines to go by. We could achieve a result which is less biased by the information we give them, one group will be told everything, one will be told about just the mana layer, one will be informed of just the physical layer, and the third group will be told nothing but try basic meditation without any knowledge. We can then ask for their experiences”

  “This can work!” She nods excitedly, clearly enamored by the new experience she had been through.

  “Do tell me this though,” Ethan tried his luck, “What did you see? How did it feel to see through the mana layer?”

  Shaking her head, unhappy with needing to look for words about such an experience once again, she dropped her face on her palms, her forearms a small bridge holding her weight in a thinking pose.

  Learning more intensely caused a small squeaking sound to be heard from the table before talking once more, “I was like my mind tried to peek through a hole the size of a ballpoint pen…I can’t explain it…although my eyes were closed, my sight turned somewhat colorful behind my eyelids, like someone played with the room ambience. I guess that's the best I can do in putting it to words..”

  With the two hours of rest given to the people to recuperate from the events of the late morning at the entrance, Ethan and Dana took Rob who came back from one of his first destinations and put him up to speed, he will also join the meditation groups as an extra, they decided.

  His eyes beamed with expectation when heard about an inner realm and the opportunity to wield magic and his fist clenched tightly, the look of his face was one of determination and doubt, ‘The haunting failure of his role to keep this place safe from the goblins and letting his family wait for him is showing’, Ethan shook his head, not sure what to think of it.

  “So you want the rescue group to give up on the other two spots today? People might not like it” Rob then spoke out, realizing that this might cancel or delay them from the runs they need to do today.

  “So let all seven of your rescue projects join just for an hour. Might as well, do it separately. We could think of them as two other research groups and gain more understanding about this meditation and cultivation. Doing this for one hour would allow you to do the rest two runs today” Ethan returns with a quick solution.

  Rob nods furiously, “I really don't feel like missing such an experiment nor my rescue runs. We really are tight on times are we?”

  His sentence’s end tinged with desperation.

  Ethan just nods, “I am also level 7, I want to avoid reaching level 10 before maxing my abilities. I hope that the first class will be offered at level 10, and the options might vary based on our actions?” Ethan concluded with some heavy doubt.

  “I feel like Coming stronger and with more knowledge and skills to this moment will yield better results. To what depth and accuracy can this knowledge be used?” Ethan asked out loud with an exasperated sigh by the absurdity of the situation.

  “You know I was thinking about what you told us about this whole thing being so similar to games, legends and stories. Maybe it is part of the process? If we are speaking about multiversal entities and cosmic plans, Maybe it was not a mistake but a prep work, you know?” Rob spoke in a serious tone.

  “You are making a lot of sense, never knew you had this in you” Ethan laughed as he kept moving forward, he soon saw Dana in the peripheral of his sights turning and stop walking, “what are you doing?”

  Behind them by a few steps, Rob stopped following, “I…I got a mind stat by the system! You were right…this thing you said back in the meeting, this really feels like a confirmation by the system, how can this not be interpreted as this weird window giving me a thumbs up?” Exasperation oozing from his voice.

  Still uneased by the grandeur of the bigger picture, Rob still got excited and quite talkative.

  Until they reached the stairs of the first floor, he got so excited he almost spoke out loud in front of a few guards, he was stopped by Dana and reprimanded to grab a hold of himself, causing him to stop talking.

  Walking around they picked up Rob’s group and the rest of the fighters and guards leaving minimum guard duty, “It’s time for a quick check, follow along“ they explained vaguely.

  Nodding to one another they spread to three groups.

  Dana took some people to the training room and split them into three based on their agreement, closing the blinds. Ethan took Rob and the seven to another room where he explained half about the physical layer, and half about the mana layer only.

  Dana and Ethan watched their group. Hour and a half passed by and the three heads of the council met in Ethan’s and Dana's communal room by a table.

  “More backlashes and twitching, breaking of focus and grunts of pain came from people who didn’t know of the physical layer“ This was now certain, this event recurring in all groups.

  “This corresponds with my assumptions about trying to send inner focus inside a deeper layer ignoring the outer layer haphazardly - It is not only inefficient, it’s harmful, it seems” Ethan deduct.

  “Most of them retried the process slower and understood it has to be done in a more fine manner, they soon felt moving their ‘awareness’ around their body, that’s what they decided to call this” Dana adds.

  “How many people reached the inner barrier in your groups? Only one at my group, he was told only about the mana layer” Ethan asks.

  “Three from mine. one knew about both layers, one knew only of the mana, one only of the body” She states concisely.

  “Rob, tell us of your experience, please, this will help us a lot” Ethan asked of the left hand man of his combative force.

  “I didn't feel that mana layer you speak of. This physical layer though, my awareness wouldn't go past it. Everything felt so vivid it felt like I'm trying to navigate in a dense rain forest of what I could only assume to be my literal blood vessels, and muscles” making the difficulty and inconvenience of explaining about this phenomena a slightly comical repeating motif in Ethan’s eye’s

  “I don't think that's necessarily bad…Dana, didn't you say you felt the exact opposite happening? You could barely feel the physical layer but not only you have managed to reach the mana layer you almost achieved what took me three tries and breach a small hole into it. Rob, on the other hand, If you master moving your awareness through such a dense physical layer your control over your body and the sensitivity over your motion and physical movement will be very profound, efficient and powerful”

  Ethan was pondering his words as he spoke them, ‘Having a clearer sense around the physical layer would definitely make me be able to perform the physical enhancement more accurately and efficient’

  Thinking it over for a few more moments he continues, letting his companions hear his thoughts, “It's almost like the body is inherent in nature, biased even to a certain path in its base…Dana, this somewhat explains your rationalism and wit, you will have an easier time treading the path of mind and magic. You, Rob, will have easier time walking the path of the physical realm, warrior type paths for example seems like a good fit for you”

  “Isn't that again very game-like, you are basically explaining game concepts again” Dana ask skeptically

  “I don't make the rules” Ethan scratched the back of his head in embarrassment before adding a note, “I might even be mistaken”

  “Does that mean I won't be able to use magic?” Rob asked dejectedly.

  “Not sure, there is most likely some alternative, Everything must be balanced, somehow…? right?” Ethan asks.

  Dana took the initiative in answering, “So based on what you say, and your experiences you are most likely to be a balanced all rounder, being able to manipulate the physical control of your body and the mana layer as well?”

  “Ah, this…a magician can’t tell you about all of his tricks now, can he?” Ethan decided to neither tell the truth, nor he wanted to lie.

  Knowing deep down that the bloodline he has mutated something within himself when awakening, the depth and complexity of it is still a mystery he was afraid to uncover.

  The two heads of combat units looked at Ethan with wary, “I am gonna take it as a yes, for the record” Rob shrugs as Dana nods, thinking the same.

  “Tough luck for me. Let’s move on. Rob take your men and stab the next two closer rescue locations, we need to give the people a sense of progression with the rescue project. Me and Dana will stay here until you return and try to improve and research the knowledge on this inner sense, we might as well refer to it like that for now - ‘Inner sense’. Inner senses can manifest a body enhancement when focusing on the certain body parts or areas, subconsciously drawing mana to the physical movements and actions one takes or does, while if we could use it to reach and breach the inner energy and withdraw raw mana - theoretically, magic will be an option. we shall stick to script and call it ‘mana manipulation’ - per the game and novels, but let us yet to speak of it until further development” Ethan offers a course of actions as he sums up their latest experiment.

  Both Dana and Rob agree, as he stands up and takes leave, resolutely hyping his spirit to go outside once more.

  “Dana, please take all the warriors and teach them the knowledge regarding the body and inner sense, categorize them in three groups: Physical, Hybrid and mind. Explain what we figured and let’s try to create detailed and improved data and workable scaling to designate people to proper weapons or paths as crude as it may be. It goes like that…” Ethan lays out a categorization method.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Physical: People with high sensitivity and awareness to their body, their inner sense will allow easy and efficient body enhancement, such as warriors , archers, brawlers. Those shall be mastering the way of weapon and body. Hopefully another form of energy manipulation will allow an edge in this new world sooner than later.

  Mind: People who are less bound to the physical layer. Their inability to sense through the ‘physical layer’. Those are people with Less physical capabilities but they are more likely to be better thinkers and mana wielders, If such a thing comes to be. Those people might find paths that are of the more fantastical worlds like mages, illusionists, healers etc.

  Hybrid: people who have a solid sensitivity to the physical form, yet, not held down by it and can navigate around to the mana layer and with harder experiences and more time consuming efforts for a greater results that could potentially bring paths such as magic swordsman, or spearman wielding a mana spears or weapons.

  This is the best they could come up with, while staying realistic and down to earth, giving names or coming up with strict and detailed customized terms just for the system to rename or restructure it all in level ten, or even 100, will require serious readjustments - hopefully their knowledge and assumptions could be used as guidelines for some time.

  “In later stages we can expand the efforts to the other residents of this community and might as well train magic crafters” Ethan throws a wild idea making Dana eyes lit up.

  “This will be amazing!” she nods in agreement.

  Ethan concludes this conversation and sends Dana and Rob to their tasks.

  As she leaves he organizes his thoughts and walks around for a bit, making sure nothing out of the ordinary happens. By now, It’s mid day, Everyone is moving around either building, carrying stuff, or speaking in what looks like pep talks.

  Inside a store near the supermarket, Lunch is starting to get served to groups in turns.

  Watching it all happening from the third floor it looks like an efficient ant farm.

  Looking at the scene from above stirs his inside, pride and satisfaction wash over him as a young man from the first floor who walked purposefully holding his son's hand, took notice of Ethan and stopped to give him a small bowing gesture of acceptance telling his son to do the same.

  Clenching his fist tighter to this sight, Ethan made a promise to himself to not take any one who will show him such grace as granted.

  The acknowledgement of the system to this was not missed as well.

  [Ding! achievement unlocked: Leader - The one that takes his first steps in controlling not only his life but those he cares for]

  ‘The wording is a bit forceful but I’ll take it’ Ethan let out a small grin, overlooking his small dominion the size of a shopping center felt heavier and more meaningful in more ways than one.

  Noticing the exhilarating feeling of getting a boost in stats made him rush to his room, as he opened his status window, ‘Status’.

  [Ding!

  Class: None

  Level: 7

  Race: Human

  Stats:

  Strength: 16 (+2 + 3.5%)

  Constitution: 8 (+2 + 3.5%)

  Agility:14 (+2 + 3.5%)

  Mind: 17 (+2 + 3.5%)

  Charisma: 10 (+2 + 3.5%)

  Free point: 2

  Skills:

  - spirit of a warrior (uncommon)

  This is a passive skill that increases the efficiency of any living being wielding a weapon

  Buff: Efficiency is increased when wielding , training , or studying a weapon

  - danger sense (uncommon) - passive

  dangerous moments and ill intentions toward the user triggers the user awareness

  Buff: sixth sense that alarms the user from dangerous experiences and ill intentions directed towards by someone or something else.

  Bloodlines:

  - a spark of unknown origin (rare)

  A bloodline originating from ???, with the potential to ???, capable of ??? beyond limits.

  Talent 1: guided by ???

  Allows the user to use the ??? of the ??? to guide the user to a preferred and optimal outcome, based on duration and amount of guidance it receives, there shall be a weakening period after use.

  Talent 2: Devour

  Consume external energies, tames them and makes them one with ???.

  Talent 3: ???

  ???

  Achievement:

  - Bloody start - rare:

  Killing an enemy at the first minute of the world awakening.

  Buff: +2 to all stats.

  - Outer circle I - rare:

  Killing an enemy from one circle of power higher than yours.

  Buff: 0.5% to all base stats.

  - Leader - uncommon:

  The one that takes his first steps in controlling not only his life but those he cares for.

  Buff: 0.25% to all base stats || 3% to all base stats when in your territory]

  With his new status window in mind, Ethan smiles to himself slowly understanding the potential in this path, but conflicting thoughts surfaced representing his need to get stronger as an individual.

  ‘The power in numbers, and boons to be the leading figure close the gap, but to what extent? How evenly am I willing to take my individual needs and wishes against or with this role?’ overthinking took control putting his happiness about his new boost of power on hold.

  Spending an unhealthy amount of time into this he decided to walk it out, there was this one thing he wanted to check.

  Scouting the few people who seemed to know what he spoke of in his first appearance in front of the crowd of survivors of the shopping center - He found five people - three are warriors, and Jed who helps Zevik with weapon crafting, the last one crafts and builds around in a bit more general manner.

  Those five weren't surprised when Ethan spoke of the system and monsters, they didn’t even seem to bother and check the mental commands to operate the system so he mentally tagged them, tasking himself to take them for a talk.

  Calling the expression they wore excitement realizing the world is fucked up and became game-like, won’t be an overstatement.

  Naturally, they quickly got along being a group of cultured men.

  Ethan decided to brainstorm with them.

  His guess was on spot, those five were big fans of the fantasy and gaming genre - A Bonafede bunch of geeks.

  ‘They are the last to need information to be hidden from, their inputs might prove valuable’ Ethan understood that very quickly to see them heatedly speaking of the current world, their status, abilities and goals.

  They concluded that everything he shared with them sounded about right and with the proofs and his abilities, was there even a need to refute?

  “So we are actually living in a game-like world?” One asks overly eager, his eyes blazing with passion.

  “Seems like, I want to wait for further information to decide what craft to put my focus on” said the general crafter, a slight melancholy in his voice.

  “Do you have any suggestion or idea of what to get ready for?” Ethan asks the five.

  “Dungeon breaks”, “Events”, “field bosses”, “magic based diseases and poisons” four answers shot out immediately.

  In a small delay a fifth voice sounded, “I have two assumptions, I think we might consider this being a grace period before the real hell breaks loose. Also…”

  A moment of dramatic moment wash over the conversation, “Higher realms entities and interventions”

  They all stand still, afraid this sentence just summoned a god to the room, classic novel 101 moment.

  But no, such a thing doesn’t happen, a group sigh is being released to the circle.

  “What shall we do in such a case? Surrender? Find a patron?” the general crafter asks worriedly.

  “Too early to know, we must improvise this one out if push comes to shove” Jed answers making everyone in the circle nod.

  Butting in, Ethan came up with a surprising request out of the blue “I want you all to become close advisors of prominent council members”

  Picking random two warriors, “you are to go to Rob when he comes back, the outside world is full of unknown mysteries and your knowledge will be extremely important, You,” Ethan then pointed completely randomly on the third warrior who looks slightly less appealing, “You go with and be Dana advisor’s when she is in need”.

  This completely random pick made Jed stare at the ground covering their mouth, holding a laughter.

  “Weapon apprentice, you are to help Zevik and start teaching him stuff slowly, don’t hold nothing back, picking weapon crafting you have some pearls of knowledge to throw around, I hope, being old school geezer I will be surprised if he knows about weapons as we do, at least theoretically. Random crafter, go and join Kenny - the architect, help him make decisions that will be taking in account things that would work and tick in the future with less conventional manner, if you know what I mean”

  Unsurprisingly, The general crafter nodded furiously, a sign that Ethan didn’t overlocked, “if a random guy knows what I meant, our knowledge is far more common than I thought…”

  He looks at the five in the eyes seriously. “We are walking treasure troves of knowledge as things are right now, Be advised. It might sound corny, but the guards are already starting to be referred as ‘warriors’, next step, is for when Rob comes back he will let everyone outside know who we are and that we are not dealing with uncalled nuisances”

  “Any objections?” Ethan concludes.

  “I think this role suits you very much, we are lucky to meet up with you, even while knowing the situation better than anyone else. I couldn’t take the course of actions and take stage like you did. Individually and for us all, I am at your debt” one of Rob’s new advisors speaks up, his clenching fist shows his frustration towards past actions.

  “I couldn’t agree more” One echoes this claim.

  Soon they all nod, looking at Ethan with looks of reverence and .

  “Thank you, really! Now go, geeks!” Ethan jests with the five men, ‘Shoo’-ing them away.

  He turns to take his leave, On his way back to his room, he thus begins a session of training.

  “I hope You and the warriors could get strong enough so we can save and reunite us with our families” the general crafter left a last note before turning away, the slight melancholy in voice - now a full blown plea for help, his voice shaky.

  This unexpectedly shook Ethan to a stupor for three minutes, his fist clenching tightly and releasing repeatedly.

  Cooling himself with a mental cold bucket on his mind in a form of understanding that his crafter in one of endless stories that sound exactly the same he makes his way to the room.

  “Am I really gonna have time to train with no interruptions?” Ethan tried to entertain himself by wiping a non existing tear from his eyes, mentally ignoring the moisture of a tear that will never be formed at the corner of his eye.