Adam gasped, drawing in a deep, shaky breath. The raw, ambient mana of the Red Zone surged into him, guided by Lyra's internal presence. The exhaustion that had threatened to cripple him minutes ago slowly receded, replaced by a profound sense of recovery.
His muscles, though still tired, no longer screamed in protest. The sheer intensity of controlling dimensional rifts, of manipulating reality itself, had been immense, but the payoff was exhilarating. A surge of confidence, bordering on invincibility, swelled within him. He'd conquered fifteen max-level goblins. The Unknown Lands, once a terrifying death trap, now felt like a challenge he could conquer.
"That was… incredible, Lyra!" Adam exclaimed, a genuine grin spreading across his face. "I felt like I could do anything! This place won't know what hit it!"
Lyra's response, however, tempered his newfound bravado with a dose of stark reality. "While your performance was exceptional, Adam, it is crucial to understand the nuances of your current abilities. You did not gain experience points from the Red Goblins because they are not 'defeated' in the conventional sense. They are merely in stasis within a personal dimension you control. They are still alive, and their experience is thus not transferable."
Adam frowned. "So, no levels from that? But I did absorb their weapons, right?"
"Correct," Lyra confirmed. "You now possess multiple crude goblin spears and obsidian-tipped arrows within your dimensional inventory. These may prove useful in situations where direct physical projection is required."
The Limits of Power
"However, Adam," Lyra continued, her voice regaining its analytical sharpness, "despite your remarkable evolution and the newfound ability to create dimensions, your physical body remains fragile. It is still Level 1. The speed and efficiency of your recent combat were critical because of this inherent limitation. While your mind can now manipulate vast amounts of mana for dimensional creation, your body cannot sustain prolonged high-mana output."
"If you were to engage in extended battles, or exert excessive mana into complex dimensional manipulation for too long, your internal mana reserves would deplete rapidly. Your body would then lack the sufficient mana and control to regulate against the high-mana density of the Unknown Lands. This would inevitably lead to a rapid onset of mana poisoning once more, far more severe than your initial exposure."
Adam felt a cold knot form in his stomach. The euphoria of victory began to recede.
"The initial symptoms of mana poisoning, such as mental fog and physical lethargy, would quickly restrict your body's movements and severely impair your mana control,"
Lyra elaborated. "In essence, you would be unable to open defensive rifts or escape, succumbing to the environment or a subsequent attack. My rapid tactical calculations for the goblin encounter were specifically designed to conclude within the optimal window before exhaustion and mana imbalance could set in."
Lyra's warning was clear and unequivocal. "Therefore, Adam, I strongly advise against engaging in prolonged battles or situations that demand continuous, high-level mana exertion. Your new abilities are formidable, but your physical vessel has significant limitations. Survival in the Unknown Lands will require strategic thinking, precise execution, and a deep understanding of your personal endurance."
The silence that followed was heavier now. Adam looked at his hands, feeling the faint hum of power within them. He was not invincible. Not yet. He had a profound new ability, but also a profound new vulnerability. He had escaped one trap, only to find himself in a world still teeming with dangers, and his own body, a fragile container for immense power, remained his greatest weakness.