The familiar warmth of the sun blanketed my body.

It brushed me awake, whispering gentle promises of a better day. I tried opening my eyes, but there was an unfamiliar lethargicness to the action. It felt like my eyes were glued shut, refusing to budge at all.

Panic settled in. Am I going blind? Why does my whole body feel so weak? What happened?

A familiar box appeared in the darkness of my vision in lieu of an answer.

『Skill Unlocked: Mana Sight - Level. 0』

It brought with it memories of the past, filling the gaps in my blinking consciousness. The events of the previous day played in my mind like a movie.

All the battles I’ve observed.

The discovery of not one, but two skills that challenged everything I knew about what is possible and impossible.

The existence of a physical organ that allowed said skills. The evidence of mana.

Mother, shining brighter than the sun.

I felt a soft brush on the top of my head.

By instinct my head tried to lean up towards the stimulus, but I was too weak to even move my eyelids, let alone my head.

More brushes, softer this time.

I felt the wind churn, coalescing around my beak. It gently coaxed my beak to open.

Something noodly and delicious was pushed into my mouth. The wind followed behind it, pushing the meal down my waiting gullet.

A small drop appeared in the vast emptiness of the dried lake that is my stomach.

『Level 1. Horned Jade Worm devoured』

『EXP + 5508』

More than just experience, I could feel my stomach turning it into vitality that my body craves like nothing else. I had barely finished tasting it before a weak chirp had involuntarily made itself out of my beak.

The head-pats intensified as more of the Jade Worms were shoveled down my open beak.

『Level 29. Jade Worm devoured』

『EXP + 3014』

『Level 3. Horned Jade Worm devoured』

『EXP + 5912』

『Level 5. Horned Jade Worm devoured』

『EXP + 6325』

『Level 20. Jade Worm devoured』

『EXP + 2203』

I ignored the System messages that appeared as I focused solely on chugging down as much sustenance as I could. With each passing one, I could feel myself gaining more and more energy as the emptiness within me abated.

Yet even through it all, I could feel a different kind of emptiness in me. A marble-sized hole, right under my heart, a hungering core that laid in wait.

It wasn’t until I was half-full that I felt it. Like a leech stealing away blood, what meager supply of energy I had was suddenly siphoned away to my mana core.

My stomach growled in protest and sent hungry pangs up my brain.

I opened my beak just a bit further, allowing the worms to slide down easier.

It was on my 10th worm that both my stomachs felt half-full. The ravenous desire for sustenance ebbed away into a soft whining one, the head pain receded. I finally felt like I was in control over my body.

I opened my eyes to be greeted by an expanse of white feathers covering most of my vision. At the top of the white clouds, I could spot a gleam of jade.

I realized it was Mother’s wing covering my head when the claws giving off that beautiful light started scratching softly at my scalp.

I leaned into her touch. I can’t help it - animals were right in asking for headpats.

I was thoroughly enjoying the pleasant sensation when Mother retracted her wings, bringing it back to her side.

A small grumble most definitely did not come out of my mouth.

Mother chuckled, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement. A moment later her eyes darkened, turning into a golden caramel.

I saw - but mostly felt - something shift in the air around me, before a row of swirling dark circles appeared.

A second later they disappeared, and filling their place was the color green.

Dangling in the air in front of my eyes were probably a dozen Jade Worms. Horned ones, normal ones, chubby ones, small ones. They were all struggling against rings made out of spinning, solid green wind that locked their body in place.

One of these worms, a horned one with black beady eyes, floated from its place in a slow beeline to my beak.

My beak opened by itself. I didn’t need her prodding. I’m half-full, but there’s definitely more space for these Horned Jade Worms and their hornless friends.

While I was gulping one slimy noodle to the next, my mind replayed what I just saw. Mother has used those swirling darkness in the past to summon a Jade Worm.

But were they summoned? I imagined it would be very handy to have an unlimited supply of food. Although I doubt that was the case. It would be too powerful. A spell that provided unlimited supply of food and experience? No way.

More importantly, if they’re summoned using mana as the fuel, then logic dictates they should be magical. Though their taste was downright magical, there was a physical aspect to them that is undeniably non-magical.

Unless one’s mana can transform into real flesh. Really, I’m a bird applying logic to magic. Anything technically can happen.

The other possibility is storage magic. It explains her need to fly away from the nest everyday to collect these worms. But then that meant these living worms were stuffed into a magical container, shouldn’t that kill or at least affect them? There must be a consequence to that. How do they breathe? Does magic take care of that too?

I inwardly grumbled. The more I think about it, the more questions come up. I'm sensing a pattern here, and I don't like it.

My eyes caught Mother’s golden ones. I blinked quickly three times, then slowly, then quickly again.

Her only reaction was to tilt her head, her face forming an expression I realized now meant confusion.

I accepted reality and continued to swallow more of the worms. It’s so frustrating to not be able to communicate properly. I can only hope that it’s just this infant body that is incapable of communicating my thoughts. I need answers, mom.

If these Jade Worms can evolve into a Horned one, it only makes sense that I can, too. Judging by their levels and how not a single Jade Worm is level 30, that should be the cut-off point, so I should just take them all in.

I can’t wait to evolve and do proper magic. Maybe I can control the wind like Mother and make wind blades? Not to mention flying.

I gulped in excitement at the thought. I remember videos of people in flying squirrel suits, soaring through valleys and canyons. How amazing would it feel to actually have wings that can do it naturally?

Images of me bombing a nest of Ultra Horned Jade Worms with wind blades as I hovered above them filled my mind. Another one of a giant tornado blasting away a colony of mutated tigers.

I shook my head, my mind set. The only path to that is more levels.

Swallowing another level 1 Horned Jade Worm, I opened my beak as wide as they could go for the next one.

But it was then that the supply of meals stopped.

My eyes caught mother’s, and the empty air between us.

No way. No way, right?

I even prepared myself properly!

I gave my best rendition of puppy bird eyes to Mother. It was not very effective, considering the amused glare she returned instead.

Her wings extended, the claws on her wingtip pointing to my enlarged tummy.

It’s rude to point, Mother! What kind of example are you setting up?

I quickly covered my body with my wings before cranking up my pleading gaze to a 11. Yes I’m full but I swear, I’m just one more worm away from a level up. I can feel it with my body!

But Mother was unmovable. She extended her wings over me so that her claws could ruffle the tufts on my head.

I definitely did not lean my head onto her touch.

She gave me a final rub before withdrawing her wings back. Then, giving me a good stare as if to ask me to behave, she jumped to the side, where my siblings were waiting with open mouths.

I've never felt more envious of an only child than that moment.

Grumbling, but realizing there’s no way around it, I decided to play around with the skills I’ve unlocked before.

It didn’t take long for me to have their corresponding boxes floating in front of my vision. The moment I had started thinking of them, they appeared.

『Farseer - Level 0.』

Gleaned primarily from the Sightless Spiders of Arak’nathul, the adapted skill allows a Roc to wield the spider’s unique talent of projecting their viewpoint wherever they wish it to be.

Requires a clear image of the observed target or unobstructed view to the observed target.

Mana Usage: Constant

User restriction: Roc

I take all that I said in the past back. System, you’re definitely the best. This is such a comprehensive description.

If I’m thinking it right, the skill is not so much as seeing something as it is magically being there near it, without actually being there. Kind of like how an oracle would be able to view an event even when they’re not physically present.

The description also meant that so long as I have had a good look on the target beforehand, I can spy on them again. I have a great memory, after all.

Also, that restriction. Honestly, I know I’m amazing, but there’s no need to puff my feathers that much by saying only I can use it, you know? A skill only for me? Isn’t that a bit broken? Not that I’m complaining.

What did you say? Siblings? As if they’re smart enough to unlock it. It took me 3 days of constantly watching my surroundings to unlock it, you know? As if those bird brains have the drive to replicate that. Peh!

I turned my attention to the second skill box.

『 Mana Sight - Level. 0』

A basic universal skill present in any species capable of spell-casting.

Mana Usage: Constant

Restriction: Mana Core

Oi, System, there’s something wrong here, right? I give you one compliment and you decide to skip on the job? What kind of lackluster description is this, oi?!

Did you forget how this Mana Sight drained my entire mana pool in a few seconds, huh? Shouldn’t you put a warning in its mana usage somewhere? Something like Intense or High Mana? Huh?! You useless System.

I grumbled to myself, checking the skills again. One seemed so much more advanced and would require more power, when in reality it’s the less intense one. While a ‘basic, universal skill’ knocked me out after a few seconds of using it. Is it because Farseer is restricted to only a race? Is that why it required less mana uptake? Or is it that a skill that can be applied to so many races would naturally be high in uptake to accommodate that attribute?

I can’t trust these descriptions at all. Only what I’ve experienced is a safe bet.

With that in mind I pictured the green monkeys from before. To be precise, the tallest of that group, the one with the majestic white antlers growing from its head.

The word of the skill rang through the darkness of my head. It was uttered by a soft voice equally familiar and foreign; an echo from a past life.

Farseer.

Mana started to pump from my core. A stream of liquid power snaked through my body, going through a different channel from yesterday. It took a few seconds before it reached my eyes. I realized that the physical connection formed between the two organs was shorter than before.

It meant that my core pumped a bit slower, requiring less mana than before.

I felt color start to bloom in the darkness behind my eyelids. Like paint strewn across canvas, slowly, bits by bits, the darkness was pushed away by life.

I first noticed the golden half-moon high in the sky. It overlooked the prairie where my target was currently sitting cross-legged.

Its people were surrounding it, their identical backs to the antler-head, watching unblinkingly the forest around them.

A formation of white stones circled them, half of it gleaming gold from the moonlight above. The antler-head was sitting cross-legged on the middle of the stone circle, verdant orbs staring straight up.

I watched as its majestic antler crown glimmered and shifted in color between its original white to gold. As if fighting for dominance against the moon’s radiance, everytime it glowed gold, a sharp light would break through, washing the antlers white once more. Only for the moon to paint it in its colors in the next moment.

Over and over, again and again, flashing from one to the other.

I - or rather, my vision - was placed at eye level of the sitting figure, and from where it’s situated, I was able to see first-hand how the antlers grew.

Barely a few centimeters at times, but it was a definite growth. A branching offshoot breaking out from one side. A tip lengthening. The whole crown, in its entirety, widening in bulk. With each crawling growth, I could feel the power emanating from the creature grow.

It was a magic ritual. One that allowed it to increase in power without leveling up.

Everyone knows that all games have a level cap for both monsters and players. To be able to increase your power without inching forward to that inevitable end of your progress? That's a dream come true.

I thought of them as just green monkeys, but really, I am the savage here. There is so much to learn from them.

With an intent to Observe, I held my attention on the leader of this group.

A second later, the System rewarded me with information.

『Ancient Dryad - Lvl. 10』

Dryads. It certainly matches their general description. Green, glowing orbs instead of eyes? Vine and bark in lieu of skin? They fit the mystical forest guardians to a T.

But even with this information, I felt annoyance rise in me.

This can’t be it. There has to be more to see. More to figure out than just a species name.

I focused my will to Observe, shouting at the System to give me more. To allow me to do what mother did and peel back the secrets hidden within.

The mana core in me complied. It pumped harder than before, creating a new surge of mana that moved towards my eyes.

The moment it arrived, I felt it clash with the connection of Farseer.

Both skills vied for control. One insisted on keeping the vision active, while the other demanded to unveil the secrets of what it was seeing.

Each insisted on its own purpose. Working against each other, both parts demand more mana from the same core so they might overwhelm the connection of the other.

The chaos continued as I tried to wrestle both in place. To force them to mix and coexist.

The vision in front of me grew unstable. The images warped and blurred. I knew it was dangerous to continue, I could feel my mana depleting fast, and who knows the risk of running two sight-based skills at the same time.

The consequences might be far-reaching.

But a small, insistent, and vocal part of me refused to back down. I could stop, yes, and try another day. But why?

Why wait for tomorrow?

I forced all the mana remaining to focus on my intent to Observe.

As the connection of Farseer crumbled, as the images collapsed, I commanded the skill to focus only on one part: the Ancient Dryad’s figure.

For just a short second, the image stabilized, holding in place the image of the Ancient Dryad as it sat cross-legged, hands on top of its knees. Green orbs staring straight at me.

It was enough.

The whole vision disappeared, crumbling into darkness.

I slumped back onto soft hay, exhausted from the ordeal. Exhausted, but victorious.

A new line of information had appeared before the vision disappeared.

『Guardian of the Forest - Lvl. 30』