Chapter 5 - Dark Crow

"Nrnnn..."

Riku's consciousness backs its original states as he slowly opened up his eyes. The place was surrounded by green grasses and tall trees. The wind blew strongly, then the sound of leaves was dancing went to his ears.

"W-What the hell? Where exactly is this place?"

He placed his hands on the surface and slowly pushed himself into a stood-up position with a blanch expression. He looked around and the memories of what happened to him flashed inside his head.

"No, way-"

Riku remembered the concerned face of her fiancee that was looking at him.

This is the main reason why his father didn't want him to become a mutant. Being a mutant is the twin of death.

"Another world or dungeon?"

He was not that surprised after spitting these words. Since first of all, no one successfully discovered where was the origin of the dungeon and the monsters, what kind of world they were exist? Maybe in the other world? Or in this place, he could find his mother?

F*ck! What he should say to his fiancee? His father? Or even to Harun? Once he couldn't find a way back they were treated him as a dead person.

At this point, the only thing he could promise to himself was that he'll find a way back to his home no matter what happened to him in this world. Meanwhile, Riku saw the mana plate next to him. It appeared when pillars sucked him they also brought this mana plate.

It came to his mind, he was not familiar with this place or rather say in a new world, so that means there was a high tendency for a strong monster to approach him sooner or later. It was better if he check his ability before he moved out of the forest.

"Right, my ability! I succeed to become a level 1 mutant, and even my physical strength didn't get increase just like what Haru said. Still, I think it can help me."

Before he checked his ability, he noticed the size of the mana plate shrunk as he can hold it with just his hands.

No scratches or dents in the mana plate, so he was hoping it could still work how they were used earlier.

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"How can I activate this?" He paused for a second and remembered what Haru said to him a month ago.

'Master Riku, if you succeed to become level 1 mutant, and you want to see if you gain a new power, skill, and ready for the second evolution. Just let your mana flow throughout your body and transfer it into your body.'

'Haru, I didn't know what the mana feels like. How I possibly do that?' Riku asked while blinking his eyes in confusion.

'Concentration, this is specifically a way of how you can let your mana flow inside your body. I know you can do it, Master Riku, you always surpass my expectations.' Haru said, and the scene that happened flashed in Riku's mind slowly faded away.

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Riku smiled as he was glad that Haru has been with him for several years. He thought him how to fight, to think, at the same time, to become a good people.

"Haru, I know you'll do everything to find me. But I brought all the lessons you have taught me, don't worry I'll be fine."

First, he took a deep breath enjoying the fresh air given by the forest. Also, made him to quit from thinking that he was in a different world even for a few minutes.

"Hnnn... Now, I should try this mana plate to see my ability. There's no room for any mistake if I fail here there's a high possibility this plate would destroy."

He walked towards the tall tree and sat under it. He reclined his back and when he felt comfortable, he closed his eyes. Riku clear his mind and removed all the things that could distract his concentration.

"Mana, please, flow inside my body..."

The sound of leaves, the gentle warmth was given by the sun, and the breeze touching his face helped him to build up his concentration.

After a few seconds, thin blue-white light was coating his body, and even Riku couldn't see it, he knew the mana was flowing as a mild heat crawling up.

It seemed Riku managed to trigger the mana inside his body, so the next step he needed to do was transmit it directly to the mana plate. His mana right now was thin just like a thread, so once he break it problem surely occurred. As he has to find a new mana plate before he could see again his ability.

Why he didn't break the mana plate when he was doing the awakening? It has a simple answer, in that time his mana was still not active so if an ordinary stepped on it there was no something going to happen.

"Now, the next thing I have to do is the mana transmitting. I'll just need to think about which part of my body I want to flow my mana."

At this point, Riku was kept thinking about the image of his hands as in this place, where was the mana plate located.

Ding!

And all of a sudden, Riku heard an unfamiliar tone next to him, the reason why he lost his concentration and the mana in his body disappeared.

At first, he was worried, but after he saw the details on the mana plate he felt relieved. Knowing he already triggered the mana plate, so he could see his ability.

"Yes! I made it, Haru! I'm glad that I listening to all your words." Riku's grin easily faded after he read the context of the mana plate.

[Do you want to see your ability? Yes/No]

"Of course!" Because of his eagerness to see the ability he had, Riku clicked the yes sign without thinking too much.

Boom!

Riku crossed his arms, as the mana plate exploded right in front of his face. But he didn't receive any damage as it just likes gleaming white dust.

In exchange for the mana plate, a blue screen appeared in front of him.

[You've been granted!]

[Skill(s) acquired!]

<Manifest> you have the ability to copy the monster's genes.

[Your based gene <Dark crow> 1st evolution]

"No way! Really? This is my mother's genes"