Once again, I release the kinetic energy before it builds up, and clashes against the wind outside. My heart continues to beat, building more and more kinetic energy. For the first time, I feel my mana reserves depleting. Really slowly but surely.

The construct works differently than I thought. It doesn't only use 30% of my generated mana. Well, it does, but it also starts reaching for more as time passes. Currently around 35% of my mana?

Interesting. So, what did I screw up?

Forcing myself to calm down, I examine my construct and my heart, but I can't find anything that should be stopping me from turning off the construct out of my mana flow. Is the mana heart much more delicate than I thought? Is it difficult to work around it and does it mess up my construct?

Another wave of kinetic energy explodes outside of the hole inside the room, and I ignore the roaring wind that blows into the room and hits my body strong enough to push it. The wind is just a distant sound in the back of my mind as I examine the mess I've made.

A few minutes pass and once again the construct ramps up, taking a bit more mana than intended. Now I have to release the energy every few beats and my massive mana pool depletes a bit more.

Will it turn off when I'm out of mana? Probably, but it could also be dangerous so let's not allow that to happen.

Maybe I can cut off the construct's access to my mana… Oh, I can't. It's now closely hugging my heart, an intricate web of mana circuits that touches the surface of my heart and beats together with it.

Okay. Mistakes were made. Let's calmly think over the solution.

Using [Disruption] so close to my heart doesn't sound like a good idea.

I can use an upgrade token for my [Mana Manipulation], but I would like to keep it as the last choice.

"..."

Okay, I have a genius idea! I'll create another construct!

“...”

I'm not dumb, I swear! I'll create a construct to control my construct. Easy, isn't it?

Quickly, I dive in, and another web of intricate circuits starts to form around my heart.

More time passes, and now I have to release absorbed kinetic energy every two heartbeats, continuously shooting wave after wave of kinetic energy outside. The room I'm in is shaking.

Cautiously, and more carefully than before, I create small points, small dense points of circuits that I plaster to three places where my web of Kinetic mana heart connects to my mana pathways that feed it with mana. I blend them, taking some damage as I do so, as I'm not able to fully focus on everything.

After a long time, I once again feel like being on the first floor when I was unable to control my mana as it now once again thrashes my body, creating bruises, cuts, and pummeling my muscles all over. But I do not let it get in the way of what I have to do.

Both parts of my [Focus] work on creating and implementing my third construct and I start to have to release the kinetic energy after each heartbeat when I finally hear the notification.

Congratulations, you have created your third Construct. The name will be kept as such and it will be shown in the status under active skills and over passive skills. Well done!

Mana Regulator - A mana flow controller acting as an integral safeguard for the Kinetic Mana Heart and other constructs. It precisely manages mana transfer rates to prevent excessive energy build-up, maintaining a consistent and controlled energy output.

With my body shaking and sweat drenching my clothes, I quickly use the Mana Regulator to set the mana input to a minimum, and then silence ensues.

My heartbeat sounds quieter, there is no energy buildup and the construct does just what I wanted it to do. It's a derivative of something I thought I built into the Kinetic Mana Heart construct, but it got messed up by my mana heart.

With a tired sigh, I lean back and lie with my back on the ground, my chest moving up and down, my breath ragged, and my body sending pulses of pain to me.

Hahaha.

That was so royally dumb.

Hahaha.

I feel a smile crawling on my lips, more amused by my screw-up than scared. And I feel so alive, even though my body screams in pain, my head is spinning, and I'm taking in every single sip of breath.

Let's be more careful next time.

That was so goddamn dumb.

Hahaha.

I barely crawl back into the room with the fireplace while being on all fours and close the door behind myself, currently using a bit of mana to keep my body strengthened to help me endure my injuries.

I ignore the looks the trio and little girl give me and lay down, close to the fireplace, taking in some heat into my pummeled body. Only now I remember that I almost lost my left arm, again. It's almost funny.

I look around once more and then sigh.

“Isabella, if you stay up for a night and keep an eye on them, I promise that I'll get the doggo to play with you a lot.” I look towards her, and I really mean it, “If they try to attack you or me, you can burn them.” I add without any hesitation, being sure that they very well know how powerful the little girl's flames are.

Isabella, probably feeling my honesty, smiles brightly at me and nods. Two small fire orbs form near her and slowly start to spin around the kid.

Only then do I close my eyes, too tired to stay up any longer, and fall asleep.

What wakes me up is small touches on my face and when I open my eyes, Isabella quickly jumps back, hiding something behind her back. Something that I identify as a small piece of charcoal from the fireplace.

Haaa. She did draw something on my face, didn't she? But seeing how happy she seems to be and feeling that I owe her a bit, I decide not to clean it off my face.

God damn it.

“Thank you,” I say to the girl and ruffle her hair.

Right away, I realize how hungry and thirsty I am. My body still hurts and even the little mana I use moves slowly and painfully through my pathways.

Damn it, who knew that the most dangerous thing in the tutorial isn't extroverts but my own dumbness? Won't I get to kill myself faster than the tutorial can at this point? Too much mana, misused skills, my greed, my what can be called at best experiments on my own body?

I also don't like how often I have to rely on other people after messing up.

I inspect my body once more. Okay, this will take a good day or two to calm down, and even then my body will be hurt, but I should be able to use my mana a little bit.

Feeling Cipher's eyes on me, I turn to him and for a moment I do not avert my eyes, just look straight into his. I hope you are not getting any funny ideas. Even in the state I'm in, I can mess you up, all three of you.

His response is a small calculating smile and he moves closer, giving me a small bottle filled with water.

“I was able to create it while you were sleeping.”

Taking it from his hands, I slowly drink it while still looking at him. I know the man. He is calculating. He is someone who will step over you, who will bully you, and who will enjoy doing it.

But only if he judges he is stronger than you or that he has something he can use against you.

Obviously, he is not showing it, he may even think I don't know it yet. But I'm sure, the man is a wolf that cares about himself only and attacks when he smells blood. But only if it will benefit him.

Smart, calculating, ruthless. Yet, somehow it feels more comfortable than the kindness others show me.

Flashback - Nathaniel Gwyn (10 years old)

A small boy with black hair and eyes of two different colors carefully opens the door and enters the room. He is in a small apartment that even though it's clean is showing clear signs of being worn down. The apartment you would find in poorer parts of any small city.

“Vic, Victoria” he whispers and enters the room, being met with the firm gaze of a 15-year-old girl that sits behind the table, giving all of her attention to the book in front of her and notes she is taking.

“Nat, how many times did I tell you to knock?” she sighs and turns to the boy, knowing that she won't be able to focus now that he is here.

“Do not call me Nat.” the boy complains, yet he still smiles. Even though acting annoyed, he seems to enjoy the small teasing of his sister. He jumps on the bed, “This is also my room so I don't have to knock.”

The girl nods and turns around in her chair. The black hair is so similar in color to her brother, yet her behavior is more composed. A weird look for someone so young.

“I won everything I competed in today,” he says, his face smiling, happy to share it with his sister.

“Well, that's not unexpected, you are talented when it comes to this, Nat.”

The boy shakes his head, “That's not true, Vic. John is faster, Thomas is stronger, Ben is bigger, and Liam is much more talented.”

Slightly intrigued, his sister shows a bit more interest, “So how come you always win, Nathaniel?” She is examining him, honestly curious about his answer.

“Do not call me Nathaniel,” he complains automatically, not even realizing his mix-up and not noticing a small smirk on the face of his sister, “They are just lazy. They never train as hard as me, they don't put so much work into it or practice after school. They…” he pauses looking for the right words.

“They don't put enough effort into it?” the girl called Vic, or Victoria offers the answer.

The boy nods, this time a bit more seriously, “They are scared to get hurt, they don't like to sweat while exercising, they always complain when their bodies are sore.” he pauses, “They're weaker even when they're stronger” he finishes.