After a few more hours of unrelenting meditation, something finally shifted. It did not happen dramatically. There was no explosion of light, no thunderous revelation. It was quieter than that. A gentle internal click, like a lock turning after you had spent hours forcing the wrong key into it.

  The strands responded. Not just visually. They now moved with intention.

  I felt it. For the first time, I was not merely observing the mana threads drifting through my hollow. I was influencing them. Tugging at them—not physically, but conceptually. Something in my awareness extended outward and brushed against the strands like fingertips against silk.

  And they reacted.

  "…"

  For a moment, I simply sat there, stunned.

  I finally learned how to manipulate mana.

  Yippee.

  Two full days of starvation, thirst, and fighting off unconsciousness had finally paid off. My limbs felt stiff, my head light, my stomach hollow enough to echo, but none of that mattered. Because I had done it.

  In a moment of completely justified self-celebration, I performed what I can only describe as my gecko victory dance. To an outside observer, it would have looked like a small black lizard having an enthusiastic malfunction. I scampered in tight circles. I slapped my now grown back tail against the dirt. I bounced off one wall of the hollow and then the other. I even attempted a spin that ended in me almost falling over.

  But hey. I was too happy to care.

  The trial had been hard. Gruelling. Brutal. Two days without food, water, or sleep while forcing my consciousness to remain synchronised with invisible strands of reality. Not many could claim to have gone through that. And I never, ever… ever wanted to go through it again.

  Let me say this right now: never mock the homeless or starving children. You hear me?

  After experiencing forced starvation like that, I understood a fraction of their pain.

  The System chimed.

  [Skill – Mana Manipulation (Lv 1) obtained.]

  I stared at the notification for several seconds, almost reverently, to the point that I almost burst into tears at the very sight of the message. I straightened, cleared my throat, and decided a speech was necessary.

  "Today," I began grandly, pacing the cramped hollow like a statesman addressing a nation, "marks a monumental achievement. Through sheer willpower, discipline, and mild insanity, I have conquered the invisible fabric of reality."

  I paused for effect.

  "I would like to thank myself. Myself. And most importantly, myself. Without my incredible dedication, this would not have been possible."

  [System applauds. What a moving address. But isn't the host forgetting to thank someone?]

  "Erm...myself?"

  [...]

  "Alright, don't get to quippy. Thanks to a small contribution from the system as well. Okay, you happy?'

  [I am satisfied.]

  "Do not get sarcastic now," I muttered, though I was still smiling.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Then as if feeling left out of all the celebration my stomach interrupted.

  Rumble.

  The sound echoed in the hollow like a threat. As if my body had only just remembered its suffering, a massive surge of hunger erupted from my belly.

  Food... I need food.

  Like a zombie, I slowly turned my head toward the remains of the fish I had caught earlier.

  Thankfully, I had kept it in reserve.

  My mouth began drooling excessively. My eyes whirred, my brain going into overdrive. Fish had never looked so delicious in my life. The moment I locked eyes on the food, it was as if it was calling to me.

  My aquatic adversary. At that moment, it looked like the greatest treasure in existence. Yes. I could hear it. It was speaking.

  Master… master… please eat me. Engulf me. Become whole with me.

  Alright, I was pretty sure I was getting a bit deluded now. Anyway, I did not hesitate. I lunged and began eating with very little restraint. Gone was the composed cultivator. In its place was a starving reptile devouring preserved fish with singular purpose. I tore into it, claws braced, jaw working steadily until the ache in my stomach began to ease.

  NOM. NOM. NOM. CRUNCH.

  Only once I had finished did I lean back against the warm earth, breathing slowly.

  Energy returned and clarity followed. Finally, I had regained my senses. Now, it was time to focus on my new skill Mana Manipulation.

  Both excited and nervous, I addressed the System.

  "System, how do I utilise the skill?"

  [To utilise Mana Manipulation, you must visualise an attractor—something that will pull the mana strands toward you. Depending on your nature, your mana affinity will naturally move toward you. It is quite easy to acquire your natural affinity, but you must grow stronger to use other elements and abilities.]

  After receiving this extensive tutorial, I began imagining my attractor.

  I closed my eyes and considered possibilities.

  A vortex? Too abstract. A magnet? Too plain.

  Just like my system advised, I visualised an image repeatedly until it was firmly embedded in my thoughts. Inexplicably, my mind latched onto something mundane. A vacuum cleaner. One that was bright and red. The reason why? I had no idea. But once the image formed, it refused to leave. So I committed to it.

  Visualising the vacuum cleaner, I noticed thin red strands of mana beginning to move. They drifted toward each other like trains on a collision course. When they met, they tangled together like star-crossed lovers, interweaving into thicker threads before beginning to move toward me.

  Pairs of strands converged from different directions, forming small currents. When they reached me, they melted into my body naturally, as if they had always belonged there.

  I basked in the sensation. Then another message appeared.

  [Natural affinity: Fire.]

  [Skill – Flame Body (Lv 1) obtained.]

  [Mana Manipulation efficiency increased a little bit.]

  "Wait, hold on a second!"

  I blinked rapidly. So my natural element was fire. A slow grin spread across my face. Of course it was fire. The heat tolerance, potential basalt habitat on volcanic cliffs. It made sense.

  "Call me a walking wildfire," I declared dramatically. "I shall burn obstacles into ash."

  I paused.

  "…That sounded better in my head."

  Still, fire that was undeniably cool.

  "System. Description of Flame Body."

  [Flame Body – Envelops the user in flame. Attacks may inflict burn status and have a chance of increased critical rate damage. Cost: 5 MP/ 30s.]

  For my current level, that was actually quite useful.

  I wondered if the critical rate would increase with skill level.

  Either way, I had hit the jackpot.

  Next, I inquired about my received title.

  [Title: Loved By Mana – Granted to an individual who learns Mana Manipulation within the first week of life. Signifies exceptional affinity. Grants +10 Intelligence and +10 Mana permanently upon activation.]

  [Activate?]

  "Activate immediately."

  There was no need to hesitate, a permanent +10 buff to both my intelligence and mana. I would be a fool not to activate it.

  My thoughts sharpened. The mana strands became clearer, more vivid. The internal current within my body strengthened, flowing more smoothly through unseen channels.

  I checked my status updates.

  [Species: Aenyx Gecko]

  [Level: 5/10]

  [Intelligence: +10 applied]

  [Mana: +10 unlocked]

  [Titles: Early Riser, Void Eater, Loved By Mana]

  Look at that.

  A nice array of titles skills. I was in a much better situation than when I first arrived in this world.

  My MP bar, previously a humiliating zero, now existed.

  Progress. Real, tangible progress.

  Then a thought surfaced.

  "System. How many affinities are there?"

  [Eight primary affinities: fire, water, electricity, wind, nature, earth, poison, darkness, and light. Derivative and hybrid magics exist. Additional affinities may be acquired through growth, cultivation, or external artefacts.]

  Eight foundations with countless combinations. My tail twitched slightly with excitement. To gain more power, I needed more levels. To gain more levels, I needed more prey. The logic was simple. And somewhere in this forest, spiders were still crawling around as if nothing had changed.

  The pecking order would soon change here. Very soon, something small, black, and very flammable would be paying them a visit.

  I grinned.

  They were on a clock.