Chapter 36: Little Planet
I groaned in pain and rolled onto my back. "Ngh," I moaned, gazing up at the sky.
"What's going on here?" I wondered, slowly sitting up. My hands grasped the soft grass covering the ground.
Glancing up at the sky again, I confirmed my initial observation was correct. A black hole loomed in the center of the sky.
Strangely, I felt mana in my body and let it circulate to heal my injuries faster.
Meanwhile, I looked around and realized I was on a small planet, reminiscent of The Little Prince. The planet was covered with grass and small trees, but there was no rose in sight.
I stood up and circled the planet. No matter where I went, the black hole in the sky remained directly above me.
On the other side of the planet, I came across a small machine. It was about a meter tall and had a screen and a bowl with a hole in the middle as its top part. The screen read "Create Mana Stones."
"Is this my Gold Blood Item?" I wondered, opening my status.
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Personal Information: Bloodline
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[Gold Blood Item]: A Royal Human can create any item, be it a weapon, armor, hat, or other. This item is irreversible and forever connected to them. Depending on the user's desire and their sacrifice, it can have up to a maximum of three special abilities. Limit. Unknown.
---> {Tiny World}: Effect 1: Create Mana Stones
Effect 2: /
Effect 3: /
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I frowned. That was a rather short explanation for such a complex phenomenon.
"Do you know more, Assistant?"
[Negative]
Too bad.
I turned back to the machine and pressed the "Create" button. I was prompted to select the quality and quantity of stones I wanted to create. There were three options: low-class, mid-class, and high-class. Unfortunately, no mana crystals.
Without hesitation, I chose high-class.
Below the selection was the required time. As I increased the number of stones, I watched the time increase. Since I could never have enough, I opted for a million stones. The maximum setting.
[Duration: 11.57 days]
I confirmed my selection.
[Mana is absorbed and multiplied]
Suddenly, I felt the concentration of atmospheric mana around me increase. I looked up at the sky and watched as glowing mana flakes snowed out of the black hole. These enhanced the atmospheric mana, which the machine absorbed and spat out into high-class mana stones.
I was speechless, observing the process as I slowly stood ankle-deep in the stones. "Incredible!"
After a while, I began to cough as the atmosphere grew denser. I activated my mana again to protect me and thought of leaving the tiny world.
Instantly, in the blink of an eye, I found myself on a vast, barren plain. No trees, no bushes, no grass. Just earth.
In my hand, I held a small black marble, diligently absorbing the surrounding mana.
"So, this is my Gold Blood Item?" I chuckled, playing with the marble. "A tiny marble? Cool!"
Thinking of entering the marble or {Tiny World}, I found myself back on the small planet. However, I immediately left it again, as it felt like being deep underwater.
"What happens to the marble when I enter it?" I asked the Assistant, not expecting an answer.
[Unknown]
I shrugged and securely stowed the marble in my backpack. The sun was high in the sky, so I decided to spend the rest of the day hunting and then set up camp.
…
Over the next two days, I roamed the Monster Continent and killed every type of monster, provided they were at least A-level.
I had a lot of time to think, and apart from thoughts of Mia, I noticed I hadn't encountered any demigod monsters since then.
"Was the dragon the only demigod monster?" I wondered aloud as I traversed a desert. The black sand blew into my face and would have damaged my clothes without my protective mana.
Here roamed nearly just S- Rank Monsters.
I continued eastward, crossing canyons lush with green and isolated from the black sand. Suddenly, I heard the roar of the sea.
I quickened my pace, and beyond the next rise, the sea stretched to the horizon. Below me, it surged turbulently against the cliffs, and strange birds plucked large fish from the roaring blue-green sea.
"Wow..." I marveled, letting the salty air tousle my hair. I sat on the edge of the cliff, enjoying the view. It made me wonder if I had ever been to the sea before.
I pondered. Yes, I had been to the sea with my grandfather, for health reasons. But they weren't pleasant memories because it was shortly after he picked me up from the streets.
It was more like a detox clinic, now that I thought about it.
I shook my head, thinking of my past deeds. With a confident smile that today was better and that I will learn from my past, I stood up and began the journey back.
Suddenly, the birds flew off with warning cries, and a giant octopus emerged from the sea. Its arms shot out of the water and lunged toward me, filled with mana and intent on killing me.
*Krach!*
The arms broke the sound barrier. As all eight came at me, I approached one to block it first.
*Boom!*
I was tossed through the air and landed a few hundred meters away on the ground.
"Was that it?" I asked calmly, though internally surprised. I scanned the octopus and assessed its strength.
"Speak of the devil!" I laughed.
The octopus rose and changed colors.
It clapped a few of its tentacles.
*Boom Boom Boom*
It no longer sounded like clapping but like explosions. If I hadn't protected my body, I would probably have taken damage.
I cracked my fingers. "Let's do this!" I said, empowering my body with mana.
I leaped off and charged toward the octopus, which defensively hurled its tentacles in my direction.
I circulated my mana as strongly as I had in a long time, feeling the golden blood make me stronger and more effective. I raised my hand behind my ear, extended it, and infused so much mana into it that a nearly material sword formed in my hand.
"Short and sweet!" I called out to the octopus and swung my arm quickly and powerfully.
*Wooosh* I sliced through the air, leaving a tear in space. The octopus was effortlessly halved.
I landed calmly. "Oops!" I chuckled sheepishly and scratched my head, seeing the mana knife continue to fly and leave a deep trench in the water.
The two masses of water collided with a deafening noise, making the ground beneath my feet tremble. I looked at it with an Little empty feeling.
I shook myself briefly and quickly collected the two 20-meter halves of the octopus.
I stuffed them into my backpack and waited until the afternoon to see if another octopus would appear.
None did, so I started the journey back.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone