As excited as I was to have found my goal...
It also came with a problem.
How was I supposed to do it?
Fighting the Cavetroll head-on was suicide.
The thing was enormous.
Even if I managed to stab it with my dagger, I doubted it would make any difference.
A trap?
What kind of trap could possibly kill something like that?
My head throbbed with frustration.
Think, Cole. Think.
You're a Silvervein.
Silvervein...
Blink...
I knew my family had once been renowned swordsmen and Blink Rune users.
But that legacy had ended with my grandfather.
If only there were someone to teach me.
Lost in my thoughts, my eyes drifted toward the pile of books beside me.
"What the hell are these instruction books going to do for me?"
I shouted into the darkness.
"GRAAAAHHH!"
The Cavetroll immediately roared back from outside.
"You just wait!"
"I'll kill you one day!"
I shouted back.
"Books..."
"Books..."
"Books..."
I muttered repeatedly while covering my face with my palm.
Then it hit me.
"Books!"
I quickly searched through my mental space.
One by one, I examined the remaining books.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Finally...
There it was.
A book on martial arts.
"Damn..."
Even if I mastered everything inside, there was no way I could defeat the Cavetroll with punches and kicks alone.
Still...
It was better than nothing.
And there was no better time to start than now.
Using my Storage Rune, I dug deeper into the rock, carving out more space for myself.
The excavated stone disappeared into my storage before I dropped it over the cliff outside.
I repeated the process until my shelter was large enough to live in comfortably.
I shaped a simple stone bed.
A stone chair.
Even a small table.
It wasn't much...
But it felt like home.
The only problem was the darkness.
I wished I could somehow obtain one of those glowing stones embedded in the cavern ceiling.
As I continued digging...
A flash of blue light burst from the wall.
I froze.
Embedded within the stone was a glowing blue crystal nearly as tall as I was.
It radiated a gentle warmth, bathing the tunnel in soft blue light.
"Well..."
"That solves one problem."
I carefully dug around it and pulled the massive crystal free.
As I rested on my stone bed, I noticed something strange.
The Flame Rune staff was glowing faintly beside the crystal.
"Hmm..."
"Are you absorbing mana?"
If that was true...
Then this glowing blue crystal...
"...is a Mana Crystal."
Excitement surged through me.
I raised the staff.
Blsshhh!
A stream of fire erupted from its tip.
A smile spread across my face.
That was another weapon added to my arsenal.
After all the digging and testing, exhaustion finally caught up with me.
Lying on my stone bed, I glanced into my mental space one last time.
"Wait..."
Was it just me?
When I absorbed the Fine-ranked Storage Rune, my storage had only been the size of a room.
Now...
It was as large as a house.
"When did that happen?"
Not that I was complaining.
It only meant I could carry even more.
Satisfied, I closed my eyes.
The only thing disturbing the peace was the distant roaring of the Cavetroll somewhere above.
Several hours later...
I woke up.
After storing the Mana Crystal inside my mental space, I climbed back through the tunnel toward the ravine.
The Cavetroll was gone.
I tightened my grip on my weapons.
My objective was simple.
Find the Miracle Water.
I checked my equipment.
Shield.
Dagger.
Flame Staff.
"I wish I knew how to use that sword..."
I began walking.
Every so often, I carved marks into the walls to make sure I could find my way back.
Then I spotted one.
A Ravihen.
Without bait, hunting one would be difficult.
They were incredibly fast.
But out of every creature I'd encountered down here...
They were the only things that looked edible.
I approached carefully.
Above the path was a narrow stone ledge.
Perfect.
I climbed onto it and prepared several boulders inside my storage.
When the Ravihen moved beneath me, I threw a rock behind it.
Startled, it sprinted straight toward my hiding place.
I leaped.
Driving my dagger into its neck.
It continued running, dragging me across the ground as I held on with everything I had.
Again.
Again.
Again.
I stabbed until its legs finally gave out.
After butchering the Ravihen, I stored the meat for later.
Then I continued my journey.
Walking.
Walking.
Walking.
Whenever I encountered a Stonecrawler, I fought and killed it.
Eventually...
I found the reservoir once again.
This time, I wouldn't make the same mistake.
Using my Storage Rune, I carved another hidden tunnel beside the reservoir.
I sealed the entrance behind me.
Placed the Mana Crystal inside for light.
And filled my mental space with Miracle Water.
I looked around my new sanctuary.
"This..."
"...will be my home."
"At least until I'm strong enough..."
"...to kill the Cavetroll."