(Violet Storm POV)
I managed to use the technique properly after my 12th try. I was third in our cohort, just after Amina and Julius who came first and second respectively.
When I entered, a scene of a massive sprawling city appeared in my vision. It was similar to New York, and also incorporated parts of Tokyo.
Visiting Japan with my family was one of my fondest memories. The beautiful city and the delicious food left a deep impression on me.
Beautiful pink cherry blossom trees lined the pathways, with the leaves constantly flying in the wind. It was continuously falling, yet it never made a mess and infinitely regenerated.
There were also thousands of people walking on the sidewalk with cars going down the street. I inspected one of the people and noticed they had no key features and reminded me of NPCs.
Whenever I crossed a road, the cars would go through me as if I was a ghost, allowing me to walk unimpeded. The sounds, the atmosphere and the smells all reminded me of Earth.
They also had cities here that were similar to the ones back on Earth. However, the designs of the vehicles, buildings and different fauna made them distinct from the ones back on Earth. Objectively, the cities here looked better, but I preferred the ones on Earth.
I touched my face and realised that I had tears rolling down my face. An important question then popped up in my mind.
'Do I prefer this world or home back on Earth?'
If I had to answer this question, I would pick the latter. Though I enjoy the feeling of having superpowers, I would much rather be on Earth, having fun with my friends. There are no responsibilities on me I was just an ordinary student.
But as of now, I was stuck here. If I had the option in the future, this would matter. I felt extremely guilty for thinking this way.
It made it seem that I hated this world and didn't care about the relationships I formed here. I loved my parents in the world dearly and care about my friends with classmates.
But I still desperately wanted to see my old parents and my two brothers. I would give anything just to see them again. I had long since given up on that, but seeing the scenery from Earth reopened old wounds.
I shook my head, before reinforcing my soul as the teacher asked and leaving my soul.
When I awoke, I saw Julius shivering with sweat running down his hands. He was acting differently from everyone else as if he saw a demon. The inside of the soul is the representation of your desire and the place you find the most peace in. This was extremely unusual.
***
(Julius Argenti POV)
After cycling my mana again for the 7th try, I noticed that Amina's mana cycle suddenly stop and become calm and peaceful.
I realised that she entered her soul and managed to achieve it before me. I was peeved that she achieved it before me, but it made sense considering her attribute.
Noticing her also distracted me, so I had to repeat the technique again. To not fall behind her served as motivation, so I managed to enter on my next try.
When I awoke, all I saw was darkness. Pitch-black darkness. I try to talk, move, and touch something. Nothing. No sound, no feeling, no sight, no smell, no taste.
It was like I was in a sensory deprivation chamber. I tried to move mana, but I soon realised I lost my connection to it. I couldn't feel or move it.
As someone with a high connection to mana since birth, this terrified me. It was like a lost limb. I couldn't tell what was up or down, left or right, or if I was floating or falling.
It was like I was in a void. People could go insane being trapped here. This was not what I signed up for when I entered my soul.
In desperation, I tried moving my hands and eventually they contact with each other. I felt no sensation as they came together, I just recognised that I couldn't go further in a specific direction because my hand was blocking the way.
I realised being in this empty void was peaceful. No disturbances. It wasn't warm or cold. I could sense my eyelids closing (not that I saw or felt anything anyway). It could just go to sleep.
Just as I was going to do so, I quickly stopped myself. My instincts warned me, if I went to sleep inside this void, I was going to be trapped there forever. Whatever this void was, it was unlike the mana that made up all souls on the planet.
I quickly left the soul and saw that my hand were shaking. My sensations were returning to me, as everything stopped feeling numb. I had cold sweat running down my back.
Thankfully, I got the benefits from entering my soul, which meant I was now B rank. I wanted to celebrate that, but seeing the void inside my soul terrified me too much.
I tried to ignore it the best I can, but it still came back to haunt me throughout the day and in my nightmares for the next couple of days.
I was more terrified of my soul than actually killing a human being. After seeing the death of my parents, I thought nothing could faze me anymore. Yet that thing. It scares me.