10 Mana Alcove
The next day Lyrian spent totally in bed. He was far too tired to do any physical activity, but he could still talk, allowing him to make the excuse to his parents that he was "sleepy" that day in order to avoid any doctor visits.
He wanted to start his new training plan with no delays.
The next day finally arrived when Lyrian felt anew once again.
After not using his brain or body at all, he was even a bit more bright than the days prior, having time to think about his training plan in the meantime.
After finalizing some ideas in his head, he had finished the entire scheme.
His training area would be: The Eade Forest. During 6 hours of the night, he would go into the forest and use Gale there to cultivate mana.
Not only would this boost his mana growth, but it would also allow him to train without the worry of getting caught.
His plan was to enter the forest at 11 pm and cultivate for six hours before returning home, as his family would always be sound asleep at these times.
In the daytime, he would go into the forest again in the allowed times and train physically, also cultivating mana if he had spare time.
For food, he wanted to hunt animals during the day. He already knew how to cook, and if he were to eat his fill at home, there would be no food left over for his family.
It would not be easy by any means, but Lyrian didn't care about that.
He wanted it to be difficult, so that the difficulty could forge him into a stronger being.
Hunting would also give him the fighting experience he had been looking for.
Although animals were not humans, their reaction times and strength would be far greater, acting as good training objects.
Of course, Lyrian would make sure that he got sufficient sleep during this routine.
He was still young and had the most potential for growth.
Cutting out sleep would severely hinder his progress. Happy with his plan, Lyrian got ready and left his house.
After several minutes, he arrived at the top of the hill once again and looked down at the entrance of the forest.
The treeline expanded past the horizon, seemingly endless. It was as daunting as could be, but Lyrian squeezed his fists and marched forward.
Weakness was no longer a consideration.
The dull feeling of civilization faded away as Lyrian delved deeper into the forest.
The chirping of birds, rustling of leaves, and the distant howling of wolves became the only sounds he could hear.
It was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city, where noise and activity were constant.
Lyrian took in the natural beauty surrounding him. The trees towered above him, their branches stretching towards the sky, forming a canopy that allowed only dappled sunlight to filter through.
The ground beneath his feet was mostly hard, covered in grass, but some spots were soft and spongy, the thick layer of leaves and moss muffling his footsteps.
After walking for ten minutes Lyrian came across a small cave entrance on the mountainside.
It was just what he was looking for. Lyrian wasn't just walking blindly this entire time, no, he was looking for a place to not only cultivate, but also set up a trap for any small critters that wandered by.
If he hunted near his base camp, it would be like killing two birds with one stone.
Not only would he hunt from a good, hidden area that would in theory allow him to hunt more efficiently, but it would also clear out future pests from wandering near his home.
Lyrian took a deep breath and stepped into the cave, squinting his eyes as they adjusted to the dim light.
The first room was surprisingly spacious and bright, with sunlight filtering in through the opening.
Lyrian's mind was buzzing with ideas as he looked around, imagining all the ways he could turn this place into his new basecamp.
But he didn't want to get ahead of himself. As promising as the cave seemed, he had to make sure it was safe and suitable before he could start making plans.
So he cautiously made his way down the sloping hall that led deeper into the cave.
The air grew cooler and the light grew dimmer as he descended. Soon, he found himself in complete darkness, unable to see more than a few inches in front of him.
It was creepy as hell, but Lyrian didn't let it get to him.
After a few seconds he finally made it to the end of the dark and winding tunnel.
He stepped forward, and suddenly he was standing in front of a fairly large opening that felt like the entrance to a grand cathedral.
The round walls were covered in small orange amber crystals that radiated a soft and warm glow, filling the entire space with light.
Right in the middle of the opening was a large underground lake that shimmered with a blue light.
Lyrian couldn't believe his eyes. This was a Mana Alcove, a place where the mana of the earth was concentrated and amplified.
He had read just a bit about it in books but the chance of actually finding one was considered to be nearly impossible.
As he got closer to the edge of the lake, noticed that there were no actual mana crystals inside.
According to the book, even the weakest of mana caves had a single mana crystal, but this cave looked like it was already looted.
This was a bit disappointing, but there was no doubt that Lyrian could still feel an enhanced amount of mana in the atmosphere.
Even though the cave had been looted, that didn't mean it wasn't a mana amplification site.
It would probably take another few decades for the next mana crystal to form, but Lyrian was still happy that he had access to this empty mana alcove.
At the very least, it would progress his cultivation speed by double.
