After my last conversation with Sophia, I decided to focus on my magical training so that I can build myself a home, a place to come back to whenever I'm done hunting.

Unfortunately now knowing that it's an intermediate grade spell, I'm going to have to go through a lot of I want to be able to use it.

While I sit down on the grass and take a deep breath in, I try to focus on the elemental earth energy or 'earth energy' for short.

The process is similar to how I did it with fire and light before, there are some slight differences. When it comes to fire and light they are correlated with one another. But when it comes to earth it's a different story altogether, since its energy is very abundant in an area like this, so it's very hard to regulate my mana to produce anymore without collapsing the balance, since that would be very painful for me. 

I don't know how to put it in simple terms, so I'll explain with an unusual example, let's say I'm in deep waters in the ocean with a special armor that protects me from the pressure, then I try to make artificial water to add up, but every time I do so there's a risk my special armor will break and I'll be crushed by the pressure.

-one week later-

For this whole last week, I've been focusing on the production of 'earth energy' through mana and I would occasionally stop to prepare a meal or just to rest and relax for a bit.

"I'm running out of meat and I'll have to go hunt again soon.... I didn't think it would be this hard to pass the first step when with fire it was even easier than with light."(Protagonist)

I say having realized that learning all magic like I want to, will be even harder than I thought, actually much harder than I thought.

"If I don't manage to do this by the next week I'll have to give up on the idea of using magic and just, try my luck construing something with my own two hands."(Protagonist)

I once again sit-in meditation and try to create 'earth energy' through the use of mana.

My breath is regulated, and my mana circulation which is the flow of mana in my body is as stable as it could be.

I focus on the image of creating dirt, by using my mana as a basis, and I feel the flow of the mana in my body slowly increase as I start hearing up.

Sweat starts falling down my face as the process slowly becomes more demanding and mana consuming, the discomfort I'm feeling starts getting greater and greater until...

*zzzzzz-boom*

The mana being concentrated and condensed by me exploded and threw me back, while I received a chock from the sudden disability in the flow of my mana. According to Sophia, if I'm not careful with this and rest properly after a couple of failures, I'll damage my mana stone and could very possibly lose the ability to cast magic, or worst case scenario die.

A mana stone is a solid concentration of mana, that depending on the area it stands can be affected by the elemental energy around it and gain an element. They are minerals and are usually found in caves and mines, or can also be obtained by killing certain monsters that have mana stones, and that's the case for me. The mana stones inside monsters work as a second heart and are the main reason why some masters can use elemental energy much easier than humans. 

"Another failure... After all this work I still don't seem to be any closer to my objective... Is there even a point in trying anymore? Doesn't this just mean I've reached my limit?"(Protagonist)

Faced with failure once again I start to questions the purpose of all this work I'm putting into it.

(Is this really worth it at all?)

That's the question that's disturbing me right now, not only am I in pain because of both the explosion and the mana chock, but I'm also starting to question the value this has to me.

(Of course, it's worth it! I'm doing this not only because it's part of my one of my objectives which is to master magic, but also because I want to make myself a home!)

My line of thought changed as I had decided that I would go forth with this.

(I don't want to keep being the same person that gives up because it's hard, I've already give up on my own life once, I'm not willing to give up on anything else!)

My conviction only became stronger as I started to build the values by which I want to live this new life.

"You know what? I want this! I decided that I'll do this until next week and if it doesn't go right until then, I'll just do it without magic and I can always learn earth magic another time."(Protagonist)

I say to myself as I am now quite excited and ready to go for another round after some reflection on the matter.

"It's good that you understand, magic is not easy and you shouldn't try to depend on it too much."(Sophia)

"I know, it's just hard for me to not want to get  there as fast as possible, I guess it's part of my nature..."(Protagonist)

I say with a wry smile as there's not much I can do about it.

"This impatience will cause you trouble."(Sophia)

"Relax, I'll be careful not to let myself get into trouble because of it"(Protagonist)

I say while smiling, it's somehow refreshing to have made this decision plus it's nice to know Sophia worries about me.

"Just be careful and don't overdo it."(Sophia)

"No problem."(Protagonist)

I say right away in response.

"Well, time to go for a walk, I might be lucky and meet some easy prey on the way."(Protagonist)

I get up and look at the skies realizing it's noon, then I proceed to walk following the current of the river.

-2 hours later-

I finally come to a stop and just take a look at the area I've reached and nos before me there's a valley with a waterfall, that now reflecting the light of the moon makes for a very memorable scene. The rocks down below have an unusual glow and shine with the colors of the rainbow, it all feels like a dream as I look at this phenomenon of nature.

"Beautiful..."(Protagonist)

I say as I lay on the grass and now focus on the sky above me.

"None of this feels real, even now it feels like at any moment I could wake up in the hospital... I like this, I want to make it work. It's not the perfect adventure I had in mind, but it's something I'm growing to treasure... It's been almost four weeks since I came to this world and I'm only at level 2, I'm definitely a failure as a cheat... Hehehehe."(Protagonist)

I say to myself, thinking about all of this once more.

"I'm a monster right?... Then should I be going against humans? Will I be hated and hunted down by everyone?... There are just so many things going on and I barely give myself time to think about any, no... I just didn't want to think about some of them, it's easier that way right?"(Protagonist)

"I guess I can't answer those questions."(Protagonist)

"Hum... I think you should know that monsters aren't completely rejected by the people of this world."(Sophia)

"Really?! Then, how are monsters seen in this world?"(Protagonist)

"Well, this world has a division of three sides... Actually 2 sides and a middle ground. Humans, elves, dwarves, and many other races decided to serve under certain gods and call themselves the intellectual ones, and on the other side monsters that serve a different group of gods are known as the wild ones..... While the intellectual ones as the name says try to live in harmony under order, the wild ones live by chaos being mostly composed of wild and irrational creatures. The wild ones and the intellectual ones are at war and hate each other."(Sophia)

"So, you're saying that the gods divided this world?"(Protagonist)

I ask hearing what Sophia said.

"You don't access to that information yet, but I can say that you shouldn't worry too much about that."(Sophia)

*sigh*

"Fine, I don't really feel like arguing about that anyway. But you mentioned a middle ground before, what did you with that."(Protagonist)

I say not losing time trying to convince her to speak.

"I referred to it as a middle ground because it's not composed by a group of United forces or anything, it's simply the side where everyone that doesn't belong to the intellectual ones or the wild ones stands on, they are known as the neutral ones, and are all the ones that serve the gods not involved in the war between the two other sides."(Sophia)

After Sophia finishes talking, I have only one doubt in my mind.

"What side do belong to as the apostle of the goddess of growth and evolution?"(Protagonist)

"You belong to the neutral ones"(Sophia)

*sigh*

I sigh in relief knowing I'm not involved in all of this.

"So, basically as long as monsters don't belong to the wild ones they won't be attacked?"(Protagonist)

"It's more complicated than just that, but if you're not a part of the wild ones you can register as a member of their society."(Sophia)

"As expected, it's not that simple but just knowing it's possible is already better than what I thought before, thank you, Sophia."(Protagonist)

I say to express my gratitude towards Sophia.

"I'm just doing my job, no need to thank me."(Sophia)

"Of course I do, this would be very much harder without you."(Protagonist)

I get up and finally prepare to leave, and go back home.

Then something unexpected happens.

"Uuuuuaaaahhh!"

A scream is heard as I see a giant ball of water rolling with a blond girl inside of it.

*Splash!*

Water splashed everywhere as the giant ball of water burst right in front of me, and the girl inside of it was now laying on the ground.

"Is she unconscious? Even better is she alive... Actually, how could I hear her scream if she was inside a giant water ball?"(Protagonist)

I ask to myself and start reflecting on it rather than worrying about the girl.

"She seems to be alive and about how you could hear her, it was a magic spell, it traps the target inside a giant ball of water, but still allows for communication. It's called water cell and it's a novice grade control spell."(Sophia)

"Huh, that's pretty interesting... Now-"(Protagonist)

I said after Sophia was done with her explanation, but I was cut in the middle of my sentence

"I'm LOOKING for tenkuyan TOWN! Do you know the way?!"(blond girl)

The girl got up while shaking and unbalanced as she asked me a question, being very loud and shouting but before I could answer her questions fell to the ground again.

*Dom!*

"What the hell just happened?!"(Protagonist)