The fighting was similar to the goblin waves, the werewolves kept coming much stronger than the previous ones.
However, it was still no issue for Michael, he believed that until he lost his sense of touch, he could still perform at nearly full power.
He knew it was merely a matter of time though, it was inevitable, yet he was not prepared for it in the slightest.
He could currently feel everything, the connection stayed the same even through mana, however, when that disappears, won’t he just die?
‘Can I really do this?’
Who knows, if you can’t you will die, hope that helps.
Michael’s expression soured ‘Yeah..’
He was not any closer to achieving this so called mana core, he was getting stronger, but aside from his mana growing stronger, nothing else happened.
Your mana concentration is high, trust me, all of it is not for naught.
Michael nodded and prepared for the next wave of monsters, this time they had sharper claws, but still not durable enough to survive a sword through the skull.
As he was waiting for more monsters to appear, he was pleasantly surprised to find out he was teleported to a different location.
He felt dirt right below his feet, a relieving notion as that meant he had not yet lost his sense of touch.
Michael sensed a road nearby and headed towards it, there appeared to be a few people there.
They had swords but he couldn’t tell if they were hostile or not, he just hoped they think of him as some passerby cripple and take him along.
They don’t appear to be friendly.
As the system’s words resounded, Michael saw one of the people drawing their bow and launching an arrow at Michael.
‘So be it’ He summoned a Mana Shield and began casting his Swords of Mana, however, in that short moment, he lost all feeling, his Detection felt as if he was in the middle of the air, it was all empty.
Everything he felt just moments ago disappeared, the only thing left now, were his thoughts.
‘Shit.. it just had to happen now’ Michael did not hold back as he began casting spells in the direction of the people he felt just mere moments ago.
He kept casting until roughly 20% of his mana was used up, he did that just to be safe.
‘Did I get them?’ He wondered, it would be strange if they were still alive after the barrage he had just unleashed.
Your HP is decreasing, there is still someone remaining.
Michael was shocked, he had removed his Mana Shield the moment he lost control of his sense of touch, it was a bit hard to control after all.
Trying to step back as far as he could, he sent a few swords which traveled in a horizontal line, he didn’t want to risk trying to do it around himself.
If he did, he would most likely be left in two pieces.
‘All good?’
Yes, well probably, your HP is not decreasing anymore at the very least, I can’t see or feel anything either.
‘Well it’s fine, probably’ Michael thought as the reality of the situation finally dawned on him.
He was able to react because he still knew they were there, if not, then he might have died from his own spell.
‘This feels so.. uncomfortable’ He thought as the only thing he could do was think, if not for the system’s help in notifying him about his HP decreasing, it might have gone bad.
He attempted to walk in one direction, or he thought he was walking anyway, he didn’t even know if he was standing right now.
Your HP decreased again, though it wasn’t by a big amount, you probably hit a tree or something.
‘Wow.. this trial really is something else, what am I supposed to learn here exactly?’ He felt like he was being tortured instead of tested.
Michael didn’t know how long this had been going on, his perception of time had been a tad bit distorted ‘System?’
3 hours.. no 4 or maybe 5? 6.. I don’t know.
He face palmed, or well at least hoped he did.
‘I don’t even know anymore…’ Michael tried sensing the mana and just barely succeeded, he had struggled quite a lot to get this far.
However, now he was able to at the very least sense his body, and what do you know? He was sideways, definitely not standing.
‘Why was it so hard to sense my mana?’
You were looking for something in a world where mana was rich, your mana did not differ from that of the surroundings, you did a good job finding it, now you only have to learn to sense other people.
‘Sounds easier said than done..’ He tried standing up, however, he leaned and fell once again, it felt like he was a newborn again.
It felt impossible to tell apart up and down, he just kept trying until he could finally stand, took only a few minutes to do so.
Your HP decreased by a decent amount, you are being attacked.
Michael instantly reacted and raised his hand, creating multiple Swords of Mana around it and sending it all around himself, almost as if he was shooting a machine gun.
There are more.
He cast a Mana Shield around himself and waited for an attack to land, ready to counterattack at any moment.
A sword impacted his knee and he immediately shot a sword of light in that direction, possibly killing the person or monster behind that attack.
‘This is pretty easy’ Michael thought as he began this little minigame, no attack came from the same direction and even if it did, he was prepared to shoot back.
However, the more he fought, the more his uneasiness grew.
That was until the attacks ceased, it appeared he managed to kill everyone present.
So I have good news and bad news for you, which do you want to hear first?
He was a bit surprised ‘What? Good, I guess?’
So the good news is, this trial was short and that battle just then was the end of it, you will soon be teleported out.
‘Okay?’
Now as for the bad news… you just massacred an entire city of innocents or at least that’s what just happened according to the notification.
‘Huh?’ Michael’s heart began racing faster, his completion objective was to kill an entire city? That’s impossible.
However, the more he thought, the more he came to a realization.
Since the start of the trial, he was being conditioned for battle, any kind of an attack thrown at him made him react in kind.
He must have stumbled into a city somehow and the guards tried to stop him because he looked suspicious.
‘Fuck.’
Michael was played by the trial, now he didn’t even know if this was the correct way to complete it, he just hoped that the synchronization would provide him some more clarity.
All of a sudden, every single one of his senses returned, one by one in the order they disappeared.
First, his Sight, in front of him lay a bunch of people that were completely mutilated, if someone told him a human did this, he would not believe it.
Second, His Hearing, it sounded as if a river was flowing, however, it was all blood.
Third and fourth, Smell and Taste, the smell was horrid, it seemed he fought for longer than he thought as the smell of decomposition reached his nose, he could also taste blood in his mouth, doubtful if it was even his.
And lastly, Touch, he could finally feel everything again, his Detection was still up but just as quickly was turned off, for just a moment he felt everything, literally everything.
As he was about to throw up, he was teleported out, back into the temple.
