I glance around the room, now illuminated by ceiling lights, and find a perfect cube. Each surrounding surface is identical with black tiles lining the room. The surface area of the floor fills about 30 feet by 30 feet space. The door that I entered through also seems to have disappeared.

Then some crackling noises ring throughout the room. "Uhh, hello? Hello? Man, I hope this thing is working. That blasted light broke and I can't find a freaking replacement. I'll, uhh, just check if a file is made afterword." The crackling clarifies to become Thomas's voice. Though he sounds much more exhausted than usual.

"So, umm, right, the challenge. Alice, my challenge here is to advance your various magical skills. You may notice at certain times that the air feels heavier. This is normal. I am simply just flooding the atmosphere with extra mana. New York itself has an above average mana density, though recently it has been in decline, and I am currently making the air about 20 times denser."

"Man, I should not do these at 3AM. Alice, this increased density will heighten your mana regeneration and spell crafting abilities. Of course, creatures remaining in high mana concentrations is NOT good, but your intelligence should be high enough. If you have any Mana Vision skill, I would not recommend using it as it will blind you."

The speaker pauses for a moment before a much less tired Thomas begins speaking. "The first challenge of today is to get your Mana Regeneration into the double digits. The sensors in the chamber will detect when your body is diffusing enough mana with the surrounding area. Good luck and don't get poisoned or oversaturated."

And with that, the speaker cuts off.

I sit criss-cross on the floor and assume a meditation position like people do in movies.

"…I feel dumb," I murmur into the empty room.

I begin using Meditation and Mana Circulation. The stands of mana course through my veins, empowering me, but I keep sitting.

The mana feels like the circulation got cut off in my body, but instead of the pins and needles, it feels more like slightly cooled water washing over me.

[ Due to training, your Mana Regen through skill: Mana Circulation(Minimum, Active) has increased by 0.5 ]

Wonderful. My Regen should be around two by now. I guess I'll just be here for a while. Can't really move while these skills are in effect either. I wonder if this'll increase my Magic in the process, or not?

[ Through repeated actions skill: Meditation(Minimum, Active) has ranked up to Meditation(Minor, Active) ]

[ Through repeated actions skill: Mana Circulation(Minimum, Active) has ranked up to Mana Circulation(Minor, Active) ]

With the new skill rank ups, the flow of mana becomes more noticeable. If the previous ranks were like a pipette drop, then this is a sink. But…I don't feel like I'm actually absorbing the mana around me. It just feels…passive. I think I actually need to grab some mana around me and force it in.

This probably won't go well if my Danger Sense is telling me anything.

I focus on finding the feeling of mana that I felt within my soul, but on the skin of my body.

[ Through repeated actions you have unlocked the skill: Mana Manipulation(Minimum, Active) ]

[ Mana Manipulation - A skill that allows mana to be manipulated both inside and outside the entity. However, this skill is not required to move mana inside the entity, but does make the process easier. ]

Oh, I expected to have that one earlier. Well, now that I have a grasp over this mana, let's force it inside me.

Alright this was a mistake.

With the new influx of mana, my body feels like it's on fire. No, each individual cell is burning. Argh, my stomach is doing too well either. Status, uh, everything!

[ Name: Alice Windshaw

Species: Lunares Wolf Beast-human

Age: 24

Level: 11

Experience: 410/850

Titles: Rank F Adventurer, Hero's Disciple

Effects: Mana Sickness, Mana Over-Saturation

Health: 500/500

Magic: 51/51

Mana Regen: 2.3/hr

Power: 194

Endurance: 158

Intelligence: 153

Wisdom: 137

Agility: 136

Dexterity: 97

Skills: Enhanced Senses(Maximum, Passive)

Minor Physical Regeneration(Major, Passive)

Observe(Medium, Passive)

Transcription(Passive)

Mapping(Passive)

Danger Sense(Maximum, Passive)

Presence Detection(Minimum, Passive)

Inspect(Active)

Sharp Teeth(Major, Passive)

Powerful Jaw(Major, Passive)

Claw Swipe(Active)

Beast Transformation(Active, Hereditary)

Partial Beast Transformation(Active)

Bite(Active)

Jump(Medium, Passive)

Night Vision(Passive)

Sleep Immunity(Passive)

Poison Resistance(Medium, Passive)

Mental Resistance(Medium, Passive)

Radiation Resistance(Medium, Passive)

Alcohol Resistance(Major, Passive)

Soul Resistance(Minor, Passive)

Pain Resistance(Minimum, Passive)

Lunar Power(Passive)

Telepathy(Active, Hereditary)

Meditation(Minor, Active)

Mana Vision(Passive)

Mana Sense(Passive)

Mana Circulation(Minor, Active)

Mana Manipulation(Minimum, Active)

Earth Magic II(Minimum, Base)

Water Magic I(Minimum, Base)

Radiation Magic I(Minimum, Base)

Non-Elemental Magic III(Minimum, Base)

Rock Hand(Minimum, Active)

Earth Bone Enhancement(Minimum, Active)

Summon Water Sphere(Minimum, Active)

Summon Mud Sphere(Minimum, Active) ]

What? What do those mean?

[ Mana Sickness - Foreign mana is unable to merge with your pool. Vomiting may occur. ]

[ Mana Over-saturation - Your cells contain a possibly lethal amount of mana. Spontaneous combustion possible. ]

FUCK! I'm might explode?! Nonononono! I really don't want to die! I actually enjoy living a lot! I may be overly passive, but…please! If any of those various gods that Thomas mentioned are listening, please help!

Alright, let's calm down. Let's just…circulate all of this. Yeah. That should help.

[ Due to training, your Mana Regen through skill: Mana Circulation(Minor, Active) has increased by 6.7 ]

[ Through repeated actions skill: Mana Circulation(Minor, Active) has ranked up to Mana Circulation(Medium, Active) ]

[ Through repeated actions skill: Mana Circulation(Medium, Active) has ranked up to Mana Circulation(Major, Active) ]

[ Due to training, your Mana Regen through skill: Mana Circulation(Major, Active) has increased by 19.3 ]

[ Through repeated actions skill: Meditation(Minor, Active) has ranked up to Meditation(Medium, Active) ]

[ Through repeated actions you have unlocked the skill: Mana Absorption(Minimum, Passive/Active) ]

[ Mana Absorption - A skill that passively boosts that Mana Regeneration of the user. If used in Active, the boost greatly increases, but the chance for mana related status effects increases equally. ]

One of the panels slides outwards and down to reveal a circular door. It clicks and slides open to reveal the next room shrouded in darkness.

I'll just lay here for a bit.