Versatile: Alternate World

[Welcome Back, Bladeheart]

I spawned inside the mansion. A few seconds later, I received a message that Harmless Sparrow has arrived and she is waiting outside. I looked around the mansion if my mother and father are here but apparently, they are not, and when I checked, they are currently offline. Perhaps they have taken a break since they keep playing straight.

The others are online but since they are not here, I decided to just accompany Harmless Sparrow and help her with her awakening process. When I arrived, she is standing there, staring at the sky,

"Hey, are you thinking about something?"

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about the reaction my father has and how my fiancee is getting mad at me as I ruined the reputation that he built for a long time to keep his facade solid."

"Are you regretting doing all of those?"

"No, not really. It's just that it feels like I am going to be labeled as a bastard daughter who does not even have respect for her family. I am worried about what will come and happen in the future."

"Well, you already did this, even if it's too late, there is nothing you can do but move forward and face the consequences head-on. Anyways, are you ready?  We will begin your training to help your mana awaken in your real body."

"I am ready... but what is the connection of playing the game and awakening the mana in my real body?"

"As I said before, your body will feel all the changes that is happening in the game. Lately, have you been feeling a bit weirder than usual, like you seemed to feel like your body have changed, or some senses in your body has gotten enhanced?"

"I do feel that, is that perhaps a sign of..."

"Yes, it is indeed a sign that you are almost awakening. From the results, it seems the players with the Nexus version is the only one capable of feeling the awakening after playing the game. Janus and the others can only feel it slightly after I instructed them how to do it from time to time but it seems that the synchronization rate of our real body and our game avatar must be the main reason."

"Wait. Are you saying that due to the synchronization rate of our machines, we are much more advanced and can feel the changes in our body almost immediately compared to the ones with the cabins?"

"Yes. That is why, we should take advantage of this and allow you to awaken as soon as possible with it. Although it will take a bit of time, it all depends whether you can understand how your power works and how it can affect every single thing in your life. Now, let's go to the nearby field. It is just near the mansion and this place can help you relax."

The field that I am talking about is a place near the mansion. I already know this place in the past as it is known to be a safe area and considered to be the untainted area during the time when this place was overrun by undead and the mansion became an abandoned building without any purpose. If not for my action of buying it, this place would become a regular spawn for undead monsters. Thankfully, its no longer as convoluted as before and the areas where the undead spawns are controlled.

Of course, on the way, undead and skeletons are going to block our way.

"Alright, since we have enemies, let's start the awakening  of your mana here. It isn't much stable and it isn't much reliable due to how low the chances of getting it done. But maybe we have some luck and we can awaken it just fine this way."

"Are you sure this is safe?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I have proven and tested it. Also, it's not a guarantee, that is why I said to not rely on it. We will just try and see if you get to awaken using this method."

Harmless Sparrow nodded and she pulls out her sword out before imbuing it with the [Flaming Sword].

"I'm ready, what should I do?"

"Okay, first step is to imagine a large pool of empty lake in your body. Focus it around your stomach. Make sure to keep it there and don't lose your focus. Once you lose focus on that then you have to start all over again."

"Is that all of it?"

"Yeah, once you have visualized it up, go and kill enemies. Once you feel some sort of power flowing on you while killing enemies, let it flow and direct it towards the imagined pool of empty lake. It might sound simple but its not. However, it didn't matter whether you don't manage to do it or not. After all, its hard to do it, but you are welcome to try. Don't worry, I will be following behind you."

She nodded and started to rush towards the enemies and started killing enemies. I just followed closely and monitored whether she will be in danger or not. With her mind focusing on maintaining  the imaginary pond, its not going to be something easy for her. As for me, the reason why I used to awaken her in the game rather than in the real world is due to the main fact that she is too stressed in the real world.

Without natural mana in the real world to help, its not going to be easy to help her awaken there since stress can easily disrupt the mana awakening. In the Alternate World, mana is freely flowing around and even if she is stressed, she can still awaken with the help of that mana to trigger her own body.

She easily mowed down all of the enemies in just a few swings. With the level differences, the monsters are nothing but twigs to her. It's not even a question whether they are a threat or not.

Once all the undead was disposed, I approached her who seems to be having a hard time breathing.

"Are you alright? Don't push yourself too hard."

"I am alright. Still, maintaining this ability is plain hard. I don't think I will be able to do it."

"So you didn't managed to do it?"

"No, I managed to maintain it and I was able to keep it that way. I also managed to let something flow and it seems like the pool that I was imagining is staying even though I am no longer focusing on imagining it or even thinking about it. I can forget it and yet it still remains."

When I heard that she can maintain now the pool without the need of thinking anymore, I was amazed by the result. I was expecting her to fail but to think she managed to lay the foundation without meditation is already incredible. No wonder she is able to become strong in real life, it wasn't just because she was lucky, she is just that compatible with it.

"Ha, and to think I was worried about you, I didn't think you already awakened."

"Wait, what? I awakened?"

"Yes. The main proof is the pool that you are imagining are present in your body now even if you don't think much of it. Since it is now present, filling it up with content is going to be much easier now. Alright, now that you are ready, let's go to our current destination, that is where we will continue our training."

Due to the result, Harmless Sparrow was now excited and she is now getting ready to do her best to continue her streak of success. I expected this but not this fast. Still, that is great since that only proves she has the talent for it.

...

[You have entered the Grove of Holy Pond]

[You are in a safe zone, combat is not available here]

According to the lore, the reason this place has become untainted and became a safe area, is due to the small lake that is surrounded by the grove of thick trees that makes the place stands out due to most of the trees that were standing outside the pond's vicinity are all dead trees.

"Wow, this place is beautiful! I didn't expect to see a place like this in the middle of the place where the undead is very common!"

"Yes, and due to this place being such a peaceful area without enemies and monsters that will disturb us, plus this place is heavy in mana, this is a very good place to awaken your mana fully."

We look for a good shade in the sun as that will help her calm her nerves.

"Now sit cross-legged here and feel the mana in your body. Try to feel the mana dormant in your body and urge it to move towards the pool in your body. Don't rush it and make sure to just keep calm when doing this. Don't rush as that will injure you in the process."

She nodded and she followed my instructions. I decided to stand guard  near her and observe her in case something bad happened to her.

I was about to relax when I received a text chat from Hagane.

"Bladeheart, you are now being hunted by players from Blue Sky Guild. Rika is with you right? She also is a target and both of you have bounties in your heads! Expect players to try and PK the two of you!"