I look down at my extremely skinny body, rid of both fat and muscle. This boy was truly weak, you could even see his bones!
Through my thin arms and pale skin, I could see the faint outline of my new body's arm bones. I will really need to build this body up, step by step.
From the boy's memories, I know that the place he lived was an apartment building. The rooms were small, and he only barely 'lived' here.
When I compared the place to the vast palaces and colossal castles which had been offered as mere gifts to me, I shuddered. The difference was so vast that even a peasant could live better than this!
From the room's window, I could see outside, to the bustling city. It was morning, and the sun had just risen, shining down onto the buildings.
Metal machines which were called 'cars' travelled quickly down the grey roads. They sped faster than mortals, but to me, they looked like toys. If they want to impress me, they should have at least a spaceship capable of traversing galaxies in minutes.
I scoff, and take the boy's wallet from the bedside table. I changed into the nicest feeling clothes the boy had, and left the apartment.
The halls of this building were downtrodden and worn. The red carpet which should have been vibrant, was more brown than anything, dusty and dirty. The lights overtop my head flickered every so often, letting out static noises.
Leaving the building, fresh air ventured to my lungs. I coughed, finally free from the stagnant and heavy air within my room. How long had the boy stayed in that room? Did he ever leave?
I arrived at the gym a few streets away, it was a large building sporting two floors. The boy used to come here a few years ago, but no one could recognise me as I entered.
I received all kinds of gazes, but most were ridiculing. His thin figure, which looked like it would break like a twig wasn't suited for such a place.
"I would like to purchase a monthly pass." I speak to the person behind the desk. He was quite large, and obviously used the equipment here regularly.
He was bothered by my weak build, and spoke to me kindly. "You're under 18 right. Then it's free since it's the summer."
"Yes, I am." I pulled out the boy's student ID, which read his age and name, and showed it to the man. My weak arm shuddered somewhat from being held up, making it hard for the man to read.
My pale and skinny face was a replica of that in the picture, only my body is now even skinnier. The name column read Noah Jones. That was my name now, huh. 'Noah' wasn't too bad.
The man smiled, and handed me a new card. It was blue, with a black and white barcode on the back, "Okay, here you go. Don't lift more than you can!" At the end, he gave a helpful reminder.
I left for the 'weights area' by scanning the blue card on a machine. It beeped and I was let through.
Such technology was truly incredible. Without mana, they managed to advance a civilization so much. But it paled when compared to the inventions of mana, which could overcome the laws of the worlds.
This world had little mana, as it was spread thin, but it was still enough for me to absorb. I sit down on what is called a 'bench press' and begin to push the metal bar up and down with my chest. I could only do it a few times, but that was okay.
Because, a moment later, I was once again doing them. And this time, I did many more.
In order to gain strength, you have to break yourself, then heal yourself. This strengthening method was a technique I invented, absorbing mana while injuring yourself. And everytime you healed, you would become stronger!
It was a slow process, but it built an incredible foundation. Once I no longer felt tired when doing the no weight on the bench press, I moved onto squats. Once again with no weight, I began the destruction and reconstruction of my muscles.
This process could be done normally without the use of mana, but it would take days, and the effects would be lesser. As I reconstruct the muscles, I am enhancing each fibre and cell with mana, creating a body which has no weaknesses.
I do so with every muscle in my body, until each is capable of such feats. Then I increase the weight of each exercise. I slowly absorb the mana, sure to not absorb too much or too little.
I aim to create a body which is unreliant on mana, unlike my previous body. I let my body completely transform the mana into its own strength, exiling the remnants from my system.
If my body is once again reliant on mana, then it will be vulnerable to techniques which control mana, like that of the Divine Clan.