It was my first time fully bringing out my aura since leaving the barrier. Not only was there previously no need to use it with such conviction, my resonance with the natural mana had also felt off. I had tested out my mana control here and there along the way through the forest, yet the process still felt somewhat wrong, as if I was prevented from reaching my full potential and the mana I’d been reaching for wouldn’t respond to my call.

[ The surrounding mana density is different from what you’re used to. ]

Mana density? Now that I began thinking about it, my condition felt as if a swimmer that had trained their whole life was suddenly forced to swim in ‘thinner’ water. It would still be possible, but every stroke wouldn't be able to pull the same amount of water they wanted. Was the mana beyond the barrier somehow less dense?

[ Trait, Adaptability (Lv. 2), is taking effect! ]

My perception of my surroundings began to change. I could feel in greater detail the natural mana in the area as if gloves had been removed from my hands. With my command of my aura being the same, I now became certain that the air in this area held less mana.

The titan let out a warbling roar as it took position to uproot another tree, tearing the roots through the ground as the sounds of shaking branches and leaves resounded towards my ears.

As I continued to feel the surrounding mana and my own aura, I came to the realization that my strongest output now couldn’t hope to be anywhere near the me before the Finale Event. Despite the power granted by Aeolus, it seemed that Spiritburner had still left some unseen scars on my being. Previously, I should’ve had the power to challenge a rank 8 threat, albeit with difficulty, yet the rank 5 threat titan ahead of me now felt more than imposing.

[ Your insights and experiences are developing a new ability! ]

The titan, uprooted tree now in hand, took a throwing stance.

Despite the imminent threat, I simply stood in place, still feeling out the mana around me. Analyzing the situation some more, I reached a certain conclusion: the outside world’s lower mana density meant the corruption’s influence held a greater relative advantage over anything that used mana. 

[ You have developed Mana Awareness (Lv. 1)! ]

Back in Hanakawa, I never had the need to understand how the mana of our auras worked, as it was nothing more than a natural part of life that became more of a followed motion than an understanding. Even now, some of the currents of mana in the air felt unnatural, as if my life’s experience still amounted to nothing in the face of true understanding. 

I attempted to lean my focus towards the titan and felt a splitting pain in my head. As I had suspected, the nature of corrupted energy as an energy form itself was chaotic and unnatural compared to mana, thrashing about like a savage animal trapped in an unfamiliar environment. Neither ‘Adaptability’ nor ‘Mana Awareness’ appeared to be able to comprehend it. Such disharmony would definitely be able to offset a thinner density of mana to a much greater degree. As if enraged by my attempt to understand the corruption, the titan hurled the tree towards me with a shout.

[ Mana Awareness (Lv. 1) is branching towards a new ability! ]

The scars from Spiritburner could only be healed by time or another person’s more powerful healing abilities, and the imbalance of power between corruption and mana appeared to be an unchangeable nature of the outside world. However, the lower mana density was something I could work around.

[ Mana Awareness (Lv. 1) has branched into Mana Manipulation (Lv. 1)! ]

An aura was no longer merely an ability I simply turned on or off. No, it could be much more than that. Now, it would be a phenomenon created by my intentional manipulation of mana.

[ You have activated Mana Manipulation (Lv. 1) and Weaving (Lv. 1)! ]

The threads of mana around my body began accelerating and crackled with both energy and speed, creating a whirlwind of mana with myself at its center. I suspected that creating a ‘vortex’ of my own aura would alter and attract the natural currents of mana, adding to my own reserves at a much faster rate, and the current feeling of empowerment meant my hunch was correct. I didn’t know how long the natural mana of this area could sustain this state for, but now, the only remaining step was to fight with my all.

I quickly sidestepped to avoid the attack as the tree brought down yet another few buildings. My body felt lighter than in my previous fight. 

With a turn and spring of my foot, I launched myself off from a nearby boulder lodged in the dirt, quickly closing the distance between myself and the titan in a sprint.

The titan, noticing my advances, now fully emerged from the forest and charged towards me.

Its speed was noticeably slower than mine, but its toughness would definitely end up posing a greater issue. A prolonged fight would only lead to an eventual complete exhaustion of mana, ultimately leading to my defeat, so I once again was left with the only choice of destroying this corrupted’s core in a single hit.

Sure, Aeolus might have left me for now, but there was still something I noticed he had left behind in the system for me.

[ Blessing of Aeolus has been consumed. Duration remaining: 0:03 ]

‘Blessing of Aeolus’ now had a duration rather than being consumed for a single action.

[ The criteria for Wind Attribute Mastery (Lv. 0) has been met. You are temporarily able to use Wind Attribute Mastery (Lv. 0)! ]

[ You have activated Wind Attribute Mastery (Lv. 0)! ]

A cyclone of wind and mana surrounded my right arm as I neared the titan’s legs. At this very moment, the wind was once again responding to my call. 

The titan roared once more as it swung both its heavy arms down towards me from above.

Its core was still beyond my reach.

[ Blessing of Aeolus - Duration Remaining: 0:02 ]

‘Wind Attribute Mastery’ had already reacted in the manner I had hoped it would, meaning the gambit for my next attack would rely on the only other ability I could utilize right now.

I leapt off the ground towards the titan’s rapidly approaching arms. Both victory and certain death were before my eyes.

[ Blessing of Aeolus - Duration Remaining: 0:01 ]

I felt my balance begin to waver.

[ The criteria for Aerial Combat Mastery (Lv. 0) has been met. You are temporarily able to use Aerial Combat Mastery (Lv. 0)! ]

[ You have activated Aerial Combat Mastery (Lv. 0)! ]

My balance returned in an instant as I felt the storm around my arm grow with violent strength.

[ You have forged a skill! ]

[ Mana Manipulation, Weaving, Wind Attribute Mastery, and Aerial Combat Mastery have forged the skill Cyclone Strike! ]

Krrcksh! The titan’s forearms shattered from the impact as I drove both my fist and its broken pieces into its core. A blinding burst of wind erupted from my arm, which was now enveloped in searing pain. My current state wasn’t yet ready to command so much power at once.

The titan had been knocked back a considerable distance and had fallen over similar to myself. The core was quickly fracturing as miniature shards fell from damaged spots in rapid succession. Soon enough, its core would fall apart completely.

[ Blessing of Aeolus has been exhausted. Time until recharge: 70:00:00 ]

The recharge time had shortened by two hours since the first time when I unknowingly activated the ability.

[ Wind Attribute Mastery (Lv. 0) and Aerial Combat Mastery (Lv. 0) can no longer be used! ]

[ You have exhausted the maximum tolerable mana supply! Mana Manipulation (Lv. 1) and Weaving (Lv. 1) have been forcibly deactivated! ]

I heaved a sigh of relief as I clutched my right arm with the other. The pain was slowly subsiding and it didn’t feel as if anything on the inside had been too badly damaged.

The glow emitting from the titan’s core was now gradually fading.

I helped myself off the ground and turned back to face the ruins. Now to try making my first ally.

[ A mysterious presence is preventing the destruction of the titan’s core! ]

The titan began emitting its signature warbling sound once more, only this time, the noise was ear-piercingly distorted.

I looked back to find the shards of the core not yet vanished. Rather, they were inching back towards the titan’s body and haphazardly reforming the core. No, it would be better to say they were ‘trying’ to reform the core. 

While a typical core held a rather perfect spherical shape aside from some vein-like growths, this new one appeared much more crooked and angular, as if someone had jabbed various shapes together at odd angles. 

Like a broken puppet with several severed strings, the titan’s body forced itself up into a stance that much more seemed like it was hanging from a thread than actually standing.

[ Reevaluating target… ]

< Titan-type? | Rank 6 Threat | ??? >

...Its threat rank increased?

[ The target’s information doesn’t match any archive entries! ]

[ The target’s information cannot be predicted by existing archive entries! ]

[ The target’s status cannot be comprehended! ]

The titan was now making its way towards me once more, a malicious energy stained in a dark blood red oozing from every surface.

I had used every ability at my disposal I could’ve possibly used. Of course, I still had ‘Spiritburner’, yet the absence of Aeolus seemed to have led to the criteria for ‘Aether Awareness’ not being met. Moreover, having excessively strained my body as well as consuming most of the area's natural mana, I doubted I could even call forth an aura capable of defeating a mere golem. My other, final option had long been forced to an abandoned corner at the back of my mind.

I broke into a sprint with all my strength as I exited the forest, gathering even the smallest traces of mana around my legs to slightly enhance my speed.

Psshhk. I felt something stab my leg. With a look over my shoulder, I confirmed that the titan was still slowly making its way through the trees. Then, how-

A small yet durable tendril of hardened corrupted energy had struck at a pressure point on my right leg, causing me to tumble over myself. My eyes following the tendril, I saw that it had emerged from the titan’s back as it rapidly snaked back into its body like some demented crystal tentacle. Just what the hell was this beast..?

Three more tendrils emerged from the titan’s body and closed in on my position as it completely halted its movements.

I scrambled to my feet, yet the tendrils struck my body again, this time targeting pressure points on the other three limbs that weren’t hit the first time. I winced from the pain and fell to the ground once more.

[ The corruption is attempting to enter your body! ]

[ You already have a minor resistance to the corruption! ]

[ Trait, Adaptability (Lv. 1), has slightly averted the corruption’s effects! ]

So ‘Adaptability’ could be used like this as well? I couldn’t tell whether this resistance was something I had gained as a part of my experiences or a blessing granted to me through the system.

Regardless, these messages made it clear that the revived titan was trying to infect my body and taint my existence once more. My encounter with Koharu flashed through my mind. Was that bastard really so persistent to take everything from me? Despite my suspicions, I still couldn’t be certain on who or what caused the titan to resurrect in such a manner.

The tendrils retreated into the titan’s body and it paused once more as if it were tasting the aspects of my blood. Releasing another distorted warble, the titan’s core flashed as a barrage of numerous tendrils rushed towards me in defined movements filled with conviction. It had made the decision to go for the kill. 

I desperately searched inwards and attempted to grasp the sensation of my aether once more. Trying to activate ‘Spiritburner’ without the proper ability or aid would likely be deadly based on Aeolus’ warnings, but such consequences would be far better than dying at the hands of this beast.

The few seconds felt like an eternity before a faint flicker of warmth brushed my fingertip. I tried to grasp the source of that warmth.

[ Warning! Attempting to wield your aether in your current state will result in fatal damage! ]

Hah. So that would be my outcome. I closed my eyes as I focused on my final decision.

The whizzing of the tendrils grew closer.

I had to act now-

Clang! Something had diverted the tendrils.

I opened my eyes to the sight of the back of the girl I had fought earlier, who now tightly gripped her staff and addressed me with a brief nod while ever so slightly glancing behind her.

“...Okay, so I’ll admit I was wrong. You’re not an ally of the corruption, nor do you seem to be in any sort of cahoots with them, so I’ll work with you until we defeat that thing”

I slowly let go of the feeling of my aether just within my grasp while straining every muscle to stand up. As I approached her side with a limp, I could see the faint outline of a system window in front of her. Had she just been connected to the system?

She seemed to be reading a lengthy message while the tendrils of the titan retreated like rodents that had whiffed the scent of a dangerous predator.

Without looking, she tossed me a strange bottle from her hand.

“Drink it. It’s a potion. It’ll stabilize your mana after all you’ve used and work to heal your wounds”

I quickly complied. Almost immediately after downing the strange tasting blue liquid, the pain from my wounds faded as they closed up at a still slow yet astoundingly visible rate.

[ You have received a direct message: This is the best I can do for you. From now on, it’s up to you to connect others to the system. Goodbye again for now. I’ve hit the word- ]

[ End of message ]

Aeolus? The message was certainly brief, but I felt sure it had been sent by him. I lightly chuckled to myself. It was nice to see he was doing well, and it was likely that he was the one responsible for allowing this girl to also use the system.

I glanced back at the girl who now nodded towards her window. 

“Kaito, is it? Pleasure to make your acquaintance”

She was speaking as if the fight from before had never happened. Also, did Aeolus give her my name?

Her staff began emitting mechanical noises once more as its shape extended, revealing an internal glowing compartment that shone with reserved mana. The mana began flowing out, enveloping her staff and creating a self-sustained aura armament without the aid of her own aura.

“The name’s Yukiko, second in command of Synoria’s Snow Guild”