Mana corruption is a topic that has inspired many to a lifetime of study. To reduce it to the essential facts, we must make many simplifications. Mana occurs in different concentrations in nature. While a certain amount of it may be helpful to the body, and obviously enables us to cast Spells and activate Skills, too much can be harmful.

  Your body’s tolerance to mana increases as you Level up and your own internal mana concentration increases. However, if you are exposed to mana densities that exceed your tolerance for an extended period of time, it can damage the body in strange and unpredictable ways. The effect is much more significant when you also sustain a physical injury, as the damage to your body creates an opening for the foreign mana to enter, just as it does for physical disease vectors.

  - Tercia Lazarova, Level 34 Weaver of Life, A Healer’s Primer

  I attuned the first mod, then Inspected it, examining all the possible effects.

  Item: Omni-Modification – Attuned

  Level: 4

  Effect – Armor: Fire Resistance – slightly increases your armor’s resistance to fire.

  Type: Passive

  Effect – Weapon: Fire Damage – adds a minimal amount of fire damage to your shots.

  Type: Passive

  I giggled for a moment at the thought of shooting flaming bread-tiles at Raylan, or better yet, Elin…

  Seriously, this is a hard choice. I need to keep my infused barrel and choke mods unless I get a better version of the same thing. And I also really like this new sight. I guess I should check the last mod first and decide that way.

  Item: Omni-Modification – Attuned

  Level: 4

  Effect – Armor: Lightweight – slightly decreases the weight of your armor.

  Type: Passive

  Effect – Weapon: Ammunition Capacity – adds 1 round to your magazine capacity.

  Type: Passive

  Effect – Ammunition: Ammunition Capacity – adds 4 rounds to the capacity of your bandolier.

  Type: Passive

  Shit, I think that’s better than the first one. Expanding my bandolier is basically like adding to my mana capacity. Plus, I’ll have more flexibility to keep different types of ammo ready…

  Making up my mind, I applied the ammunition capacity to my bandolier, replacing the sonic capacitor and watching as four new loops appeared for a total of eleven – wait, shouldn’t that be ten? I looked carefully at my gun, seeing that the magazine tube had extended again, and Inspecting it confirmed that I could now put six shells in the magazine plus one in the chamber. I get an extra shell every two Levels, it looks like.

  Then I applied the first omnimod to my armor, hesitating for a moment on which mod to replace before deciding on the fast charge one. It was probably more useful than self-repair, but I decided it was worth the slight risk to keep the Level 3 mod so that I could give it to Elin later. I did not want to have to pay her off.

  I took the torch from the ground and walked back to find my expended shell, then retrieved the box of slugs from my Inventory. I placed four of them into the new loops at the bottom of my bandolier, and the rest into my pouch, tossing the box away. Then I fully loaded my gun and filled the rest of my bandolier slots with standard ammo, feeling my mana drain away.

  I stumbled and almost fell as my focus dropped close to zero briefly. Raylan grabbed my arm to steady me.

   he asked.

  

  Nodding in understanding, he released my arm, and we resumed our walk down the tunnel towards the junction the orcs had appeared from. I was surprised that the sound of my gun hadn’t drawn more of them to us. As we approached, we could see that the tunnel also continued in front of us, curving slightly to the right. To the left, the orc tunnel continued a short distance before it appeared to split off in two directions, the new intersection just barely visible in the flickering torchlight.

  Zaire pulled out the paper and pen and quickly sketched the beginnings of a map as I considered which way to go. It seemed that the ‘main’ tunnel we’d entered through was roughly following the shape of the cliff outside. I decided to follow that first, instead of heading into what I assumed was orc territory.

  Moving at a careful pace it didn’t take long to find the exit of the tunnel. We stopped just inside and looked out at an area that looked very similar to where we’d fought the running battle with the treants. The only difference was that this side of the dungeon was peaceful, without the smashed trees and shattered rocks we’d left behind.

  Gesturing to the others to stay hidden, I crept towards the edge of the cliff. I could see the massive elder treant towering over the valley below, but it didn’t seem to react to my presence, even when I got close to the edge. Looking down, I could see we’d passed through the cliff behind the waterfall, and across the valley floor I could see the stairway of boulders we’d climbed to reach the opposite ledge.

  The roar of the falling water easily reached my ears, and I wondered if it had been this loud before. I thought back to when we’d appeared in the dungeon, but it was hard to judge. I couldn’t see it thanks to the rock wall extending a bit out past the edge of the ledge.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  

  Shortly I was joined by all of my teammates, the others apparently not wanting to be left out. Well, we’re not the most disciplined group ever… starting with me, if I’m being honest.

   I asked.

   Raylan agreed. Then he pointed down.

  I frowned as I saw that he was right. It was hard to judge sizes from up here, especially with the massive tree distorting my perspective, but it seemed to be a lot more water than before.

  

   Zaire pointed out.

  

  Everyone seemed happy with that decision, and we were soon back at the intersection. We were all alert as we moved down the short passageway, which was only about thirty feet long before it split into two more tunnels, each roughly the same size. The one to the left appeared to descend while the other sloped upwards.

  

  The tunnel sloped down gently at first, but after a hundred yards or so the natural stone suddenly stopped, replaced by wide, poorly fit blocks and rough stairs leading down. The staircase descended into the dark, curving to the left out of the light of our torches. I looked at the others, shrugged, and started down, trying to move quietly – which I found to be more difficult in my new, heavy combat boots than in my lighter leather ones.

  As we made our way down the stairs, I noticed a faint rumbling sound that was getting louder and louder with each step. I spotted the bottom of the stairs ahead of us, a small flat area leading to what looked like an open doorway, with light coming through from the other side.

  

   he replied, handing his torch to Zaire before moving softly down the steps.

  Shit, I guess I am the boss right now… Who thought putting me in charge was a good idea again?

  Raylan hugged the wall and carefully peered through the doorway. The opening was barely tall enough for him, but plenty wide. He drew his head back quickly, waited a moment, and then took another, longer look.

  

  

  I moved to the opposite side of the doorway and drew in a slow breath. Raylan’s short description was accurate, but it didn’t do the room justice. The noise was louder now, a roar that would have made it difficult to hear each other speak out loud. It was also humid, the air smelling of fresh water.

  I counted five rows of four platforms each, half of which were empty. On the other half, still dressed in rotting furs, lay dead orcs, their flesh gone and their bones almost gleaming white. The tall room was lit by light coming from the far end through a wide opening which started above another door and continued up at an angle into the rock.

   Raylan said,

   Zaire noted.

  

   Raylan pointed out.

  

  I considered our options for a minute. We had the torches, which were pretty sturdy, and might make decent clubs. And if we broke them, well, we still had our regular weapons as backups.

  We took up a formation with Elin at the center, flanked by Raylan and me with our new toys, and with Zaire behind us on Elin’s left side. My idea was to lure the skeletons to us and fight them just on our side of the doorway one at a time, with Elin blocking them from advancing while Raylan and I smashed them from the sides and Zaire backed us up.

  Moving down the steps towards the doorway in our little formation, I was a bit embarrassed when nothing happened as we reached the doorway, even with Elin in full view of the room. I sighed.

  

   he asked plaintively.

   I answered logically. It definitely didn’t have anything to do with me not wanting to do it myself.

   he replied as he stepped into the room.

  The skeletons just lay there on their stone beds, until finally he walked over to the closest one and poked it with his club. There was a rattling sound, barely audible over the background roar, and suddenly all of the skeletons shuddered and twitched. Raylan dashed back into position, and we went to work on the first skeleton the moment it stepped through the door. It had to duck low just to fit through the cramped opening, and Raylan brought his torch down on its head with both hands.

  Facing three higher-Level, armed opponents at once, the skeleton was down in moments, collapsing into a pile of bones on the floor with its skull smashed. One of the leg bones bounced forward, towards Elin, who kicked it out of the way, sending it flying through the door. As we broke apart the second skeleton, the one behind it picked up the discarded femur and tried to use it like a club.

  Sadly, the fire of our torches went out quickly as we swung them around. I tried not to be too disappointed at the lack of flame as we smashed into our foes. Eerily, the skeletons never made a sound as they fought, even when they took a powerful blow. Despite their size and a growing supply of improvised weapons, the weak monsters didn’t last long and I was grinning madly as we hammered the last one to pieces.

  ? Mysteries of Sacra [Isekai] [Weak to OP] [Beast Companion] ?

  by Robert Wolf

  Thrown into a world of beasts and magic, Kai must fight to survive and hold on to the last pieces of his humanity.

  One moment, Kai was an ordinary teenager on Earth. The next, he’s torn into Sacra, a savage realm ruled by spirit beasts, ancient mana, and fallen gods.

  Alone, untrained, and relentlessly hunted, Kai’s only goal is survival. But when he saves a dying beast and somehow kills a deadly predator, everything changes. He discovers a terrifying power: the ability to absorb the souls of his enemies and claim their skills as his own.

  Each soul strengthens him, but also warps him. Their memories claw at his mind, threatening to consume what’s left of the boy he once was.

  Can Kai master the powers within and become something new, something the world of Sacra has never seen? Or will he lose himself to the darkness and become the very monster he fears?

  What to expect:

  Follow Kai as he struggles to balance unimaginable power with the fragile threads of his humanity.

  In a world where kindness is weakness and morality is a luxury only the strong can afford, Kai must decide who he wants to be and what he's willing to sacrifice.

  His companions are more than allies; they're his anchor.

  Umbra, fierce and loyal, and Scry, wise and offlandish, refuse to let him lose himself to the darkness growing within.

  To escape Sacra and return to Earth, if that’s even possible, Kai will have to evolve into something new.

  Along the way, he’ll find allies, rivals, and maybe even a flicker of love…

  But every step forward brings him closer to a prophecy no one dares to speak.

  ***

  Chapters are uploaded every week, Mon - Fri

  Thank you all

  >>>Winner of the Royal Road Writathon challenge<<<