On the fourth day, Lennok's insomnia and physical exhaustion peaked and his demeanor became gloomy.
His co-workers now avoided him.
The supervisor relegated Lennok to a remote corner of the workspace to keep him out of sight and mind.
Lennok's weakened state made it seem like he could collapse at any moment and cause disruptions to work.
However, this was actually an advantageous situation for Lennok, who thought of creating a commotion to direct the attention away from him.
After handling the parts for a while, Lennok stood up and headed down the hallway.
He made eye contact with a co-worker who was working with a blank expression, but the worker just turned away as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.
Lennok quickly slipped out of the parts room as the supervisor swung a whip at a worker with a flushed face.
As he stepped outside, the fresh air was a relief to his breathing.
He knew that if he stayed put, it would only be a matter of time before he was caught.
Lennok leaned against the wall of the hallway and moved cautiously.
The hallway was filled with old frames, broken window frames hanging precariously, dirty floors, and a noisy fan.
It was an unremarkable scene, but that made it all the more strange.
This was because the game "WORLD," Lennok played had a typical medieval fantasy setting until version 2.0.
If this world was different from what Lennok knew in the game, the situation would become more complicated.
Losing the ability to use his game knowledge would also mean losing one of Lennok's sources of hope.
The thought made Lennok anxious, but there was no avoiding it.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Lennok continued down the dingy hallway, trying to retrace his steps.
Fortunately, Lennok's memory was exceptional, so it was not difficult for him to recall the way back.
Not only did he remember, but he was also able to precisely map the path in his mind, including the moment the corridor bent, the distance, and the surrounding space.
He could even predict the direction and layout of the factory just by analyzing the shape of the hallway splits.
Lennok didn't walk far, but his journey down the hallway was enough for him to construct a mental map of the entire factory.
As Lennok continued down the hallway, he was suddenly hit by a strong, pungent odor.
It was the smell of a highly addictive cigarette, or something similar, that strongly stimulates the sense of smell and the brain.
Lennok stopped walking and moved closer, until he reached the end of the hallway where a small side door led out of the factory.
He could hear faint voices accompanied by the acrid smoke coming from the slightly open door.
Lennok found a discreet vantage point where he wouldn't be immediately seen if the door was opened, and listened to the voices.
"These new workers are too slow with their hands. I doubt we can deliver on time."
"What do you expect from the beggars and orphans abandoned by the city? We'll just have to beat them more and make them work faster. Or the chief will beat the sh*t out of us."
"Fuc*ing hell. I still remember the last time I got hit, I cried a little. F*ck you, chief."
The man's crude swear words were followed by laughter.
Lennok thought that the people talking beyond the door were supervisors, similar to the furry giant who had beaten him earlier.
"Why are the union members so punctual? Every time they show up and make noise, the chief takes it out on us more and more."
"Didn't you hear? The items made here are sold to Warlocks by the union."
"What? Why do those who use magic need a grinding machine?"
Lennok was shocked to learn that he had been making a grinding machine all day without even realizing it.
The fact that there was magic in this world was a relief to Lennok, as his talent wouldn't have meant much without it.
He took a deep breath and listened to the supervisors' conversation once again.
As the man spoke, another voice replied in a hushed tone,
"It's obvious why a Warlock would buy a Grinding machine. For bodies, of course."
"Dammit, Blimey…I feel sick now. I need another smoke."
"Keep it down. I'll light it for you."
Lennok saw a thick hand holding a lighter through the crack in the door.
"Nice lighter. How much did it cost?"
"I bought it recently at Calvin & Cubs. It's powered by mana."
The man clicked his thumb and a blue flame erupted from the end of the lighter.
This triggered a massive upheaval within Lennok, who was observing.
A shock surged through his head, as if someone had pulled the trigger.
This was a new sensation that he had never experienced before, stimulating his body and mind in an instant.
It was his sixth sense, beyond the five senses, a third eye, and a second ego.
Lennok realized that this was the basic force that made up this world and the driving force that defined existence.
It was always present, but he had been oblivious to it until now.
He was now fully aware of the magic and mental talent within him, which his previous self, weighed down by despair and pain, had suppressed.
But this was a different Lennok, awakened by just a small trigger, like the flame of the lighter.
The shock of discovering mana opened Lennok's eyes to the true power flowing through his body.
This was his most valuable asset, weapon, and hope. And he savored this moment of awakening, lost in thought.
Lennok whispered softly, bringing his thumb and index finger together.
"Light," he murmured.
WOOF
With the chant, the mana in his body merged with his thoughts, breaking free from his imagination became a reality.
This was magic.
Lennok shuddered at the sight of the blue flame that appeared in his hands, echoing the flame he had seen through the door's crack.
The world may have changed, but magic remained the same.
This thought brought Lennok some comfort.
Later, Lenok overheard the supervisors' conversation moderately, escaped before being caught, and returned to the parts room.
The supervisor in the parts room noticed his disappearance and went wild, but fortunately, he only got a few hits.
Listening to what the workers around him said, there seemed to be a vicious rumor going around that he was now looking for a grave where he could die.
He emptied the dry porridge at once and lay down in his bed, lost in thought.
‘Three days left before the union members come to collect the product.’
Lennok eavesdropped on the supervisors' conversation and gained valuable information.
He knew that the only chance he had to escape was when the union members visited the factory, as the supervisors' surveillance would be relaxed.
Lennok's physical condition was worsening and he couldn't wait any longer.
Despite the harsh conditions, he was still able to maintain a clear mind thanks to his mental abilities.
But there was no telling if he would be able to keep his sanity once his body was completely worn down.
He was running out of time, but he still had a glimmer of hope.
Lennok covered himself with the blanket and turned towards the wall, curling up.
With two fingers gathered together, he envisioned a blue flame, causing a soft light to appear within the blanket.
It seemed that he no longer needed to chant, as he had previously used magic.
He gazed at the light, trying to bridge the gap between his knowledge of magic and reality.
The Magic musketeer character he played in the game only used magic through memorized chants, hand signs, and designating impact points.
But now, Lennok was using magic through sheer willpower, something he had never experienced before.
There was only one possibility that came to mind. Maybe it was because of the magic-related ability that he raised to the limit when he created the character.
Presumably, Lennok was actually embodying the magic that remains vague in his head with only his talent.
A talent that was capable of using magic even without knowing about Chant and Sign.
Lennok was amazed at how strange and incredible this was.
He realized that with his knowledge of the game and this new talent, he could improve quickly in a short amount of time.
However, there was one problem – Lennok's understanding of magic was limited.
In the game, his character could only use the common magic system called "Dexter," and he only knew rumors about the unique magic system "Sinister" used by real wizards.
But for now, this was enough.
There were many useful spells in the common magic system, and even a small spell made a big difference.
The only thing left to do now was to start preparing for tomorrow.
Lennok, who clenched his fist and extinguished the flame, straightened his body and closed his eyes.
The terrible insomnia was still bothering him, and it has been four days since he repeatedly woke up without sleeping.
He had already given up on getting a good night's sleep in this room, where the low snoring and stench mingled, so he continued to practice using magic until it was time for everyone else to wake up.
He knew that he had to get used to this sensation in order to have a future.
He had only one chance to escape, and he couldn't think of any other option.
And it was all because he made Lennok this way.
