9 Exploring : This Feeling... 2 (1/2)

Everything was blank.

Nothing to hear.

Nothing to see.

'This feeling... is familiar.'

I can feel something swelling inside of me. It is... a sense of complacency, as if this is how I should be. Despite the dulling of my senses, I can feel the world around as if it was my own body. The mana gathered in my body, trickling in from the world, and a faint warmth hovering in the middle of my chest.

It is shapeless, without a designated form. The warmth branches out from the hot center, waving with intelligence as if they are tentacles.

'My soul...?'

I 'gazed' at this warmth, an image of it forming in my mind, before a chill ran down my back. Focusing back on the world around me, I realized sounds were rushing towards me, and light was flooding into my opening eyes.

”Welcome back.”

For a moment, I laid on the lush green ground as I stared at the woman before me. Feeling the warmth move to my eyes, I noticed that every detail was visible, the dimples indenting the form of her pale cheeks, every pore on her gentle skin.

”NO! Please... comeback...”

I could feel a weak protest form on my lips, as a suffocating chill washed over my body, and the warmth pulled away.

It feels as if someone has a hold of my heart, rubbing ice along my arteries.

[Your mental state is deteriorating.]

[You are experiencing...]

[Please remain...]

[Gentle Woman's POV]

”Hello...? Shiro... I-It's not polite to stare at a woman like that you know, at least try to hide it,” I puffed out my cheeks at Shiro, feeling warmth gather on the surface of my cheeks.

'I would reprimand him more seriously but...'

Shiro's eyes are noticeably shaking, and his pupils are expanding and contracting, as if they were camera lenses from his old world that were being readjusted.

”\u003cLesser Diagnose - SM\u003e.”

I grimaced for a moment, feeling the unnatural hands of the system tug and pull at both my mana and soul. Normally, I'd avoid using the system because it is less effective and the spell process is invasive, but it is much faster than my own casting speed. Especially when it comes to using magic skills, which call for the use of both your soul and mana.

[Condition of 'Player' undergoing analysis...]

[Results :

Anomaly: Target is currently experiencing both Minor Mana and Minor Soul Shock.

There are many viable reasons, like extreme stress, so no single reason can be determined.

The negative effects, such as temperature fluctuations and paranoia, will dissipate shortly, but the stress of such an experience for the first time may result in extended periods of unconsciousness.]

”Obviously,” I sighed with relief.

These symptoms are obvious signs of both Soul and Mana Shock. If I look a bit closer... his pupils are shining like someone placed a light behind them. However, the shine is very dull. In a serious case, the light would be shining similar in intensity to a... car headlight?

'I'll probably just leave him to rest... Pitiful child...'

**

'This feeling...'