Ahead of us stood the heads of the 3 clans.
The most powerful people in the entire tepui, all in one spot, and it seemed as though I was going to join their ranks.
As we approached the patterned floor the leaders spoke together in Welcome.
My father greeted them with a bow and spoke.
"It's my honor to have my child participate in the ritual alongside your own."
An elder with blue stones on his belt stepped forward and slapped his bowed back and spoke in a boisterous voice.
"Raise your head, there is no need for formalities among us! Today shall be a wondrous day as four strong new mages will begin their path from water, stone and life.
"Well said, your bloodline will join our ranks soon enough. Soon you shall no longer need to bow your head to any of us in public. for private occasions of course no formalities are necessary."
The one with green stones on his belt had spoken in a friendly tone.
"Enough chit chat, we should begin." The leader with brown stones spoke up in a stern deep voice.
My dad patted my back and told me to go stand in the inner circle so I turned to the children and took up my place alongside them.
The other 3 kids as well as myself were all standing equally apart from each other forming a square inside the middle of the hexagram.
To my left there was a boy standing confidently with his eyes closed.
To the right of me was a girl sitting on the ground twirling her hair with a finger, she had a bored expression on her face.
Lastly, the boy who was standing across for me was fidgeting nervously and looking around constantly.
I didn't say anything as none of the others spoke, so I mimicked the boy to my left and closed my eyes and waited patiently for the others to come over.
Soon I heard them walking over and opened my eyes to see each child's parent was moving to stand behind their child.
Standing behind the nervous kid was the leader with the blue stones, he spoke up and addressed the others.
"I will do the transportation and everyone else will be in charge of the generation and release of the pure mana. Since I will be responsible for both parts in my son's awakening I would like for him to go first. Are there any objections?"
He then looked to the others for their response.
I took this chance while he was speaking to scan the adults in the group, the girl belonged to the life clan and the boy was from the stone clan.
The man behind the girl replied "I don't think anyone here would object to that. You may start whenever you are ready."
After the words of the life elder my father put his hand on my shoulder.
I turned around to face him and looked him in the eye.
"Where would you like to establish your magic core? This decision will drastically increase the risk depending on the location."
I thought about it before deciding to go with my stomach, in cultivation novels on earth that is where the dantien is so it should be the lowest risk area.
But since it is better to be safe than sorry I wanted to ask a few questions.
"How specific can you make the location? How much mana is best to form the core? Can the magic core be shaped?"
My father sighed in relief as he heard all my questions.
"At least you don't make decisions rashly when it matters. The location can be as specific as you want. The core can be formed by any amount of mana but smaller amounts are easier for your body to adapt to since it is the first time the body comes into contact with mana. The shaping of the core is up to you. Our job is to provide pure mana and insert it into you and then release it, the taming and core formation in on you."
Thinking about this I decided to change my approach.
Originally I was thinking of taking a small amount of mana to be my core but now knowing the shaping and core formation is all up to me I had an idea.
What if I try to saturate myself and go crazy turning myself into a core?
"Hey dad, what would happen if I wanted you to fill my entire body with magic for my first core?"
"Have you ever seen what happens when you step on a lizard?" My father answered in a solemn voice.
Gulping at the realization I decided to modify my plan, going for something still ambitious but not as crazy.
I decided to go with a larger ball around the size of two fists. My plan was to split the energy between my dantian forming core and to saturate my lungs and brain with mana.
Along the way it should have an impact on the other areas the mana passes through the rest of me.
It should work and hopefully I won't explode in the process.
It was a crazy plan but it was the best one I could think of.
After all, making a normal score should be easy for me and I was stuck as someone without any options in my last life, this one I refuse to be passive.
After all, I did reincarnate, so things should go smoothly right?
Don't I get my isaki powers?
So I told my father of my crazy idea of splitting the mass of mana and using it to do a partial baptizing as it forms 3 cores.
He looked at me with a sad expression. "This is truly what you want? It will not be easy." He said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Yes. Please have faith in me, I am confident that I will do more than what you will expect, I won't be the lizard. I will be the boot stepping on the magic."
My father laughed in a quiet voice before saying in a determined tone.
"That's my boy, don't make me regret this. Those are some big words you're saying, you better live up to them."
"Easy, you just gotta have a clear mind and enjoy the adventure." I said back to him with a big smile on my face.
"You say that now" my father said with a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Show me how much mana you want"
I made the shape with my hands, it was around the size of 2 tennis balls merged together.
"I've got it, now turn around I need to see your back and concentrate. Calm your mind and prepare yourself for hell. And remember you asked me for this."
Heeding his words I turned around and closed my eyes again, relaxing and beginning the mind clearing meditation.
I continued this process until I felt my fathers touch on my shoulder so I opened my eyes.
In front of me were both my father and the clan head of the water clan, in a serious voice he spoke.
"You are ready right?"
In a certain tone I replied "yes I am"
"Good, close your eyes."
I did as instructed, I felt myself being placed on the ground.
Several seconds later there was an intense pressure on my abdomen as though something was being forced through the skin and muscle, then the controlled mana was released.