"Who am I? I am... Ethan Taylor!"
"I look down on the very heavens. I am the peerless Medicinal Magus—Ethan?" He thought, "Or am I someone who is constantly cheated and bullied by everyone, a spineless, good-for-nothing cripple incapable of training as a Magus—Ethan?"
Ethan's mind swirled with confusion, accompanied by a throbbing pain coursing through his body. Unable to quell the chaotic thoughts, he let out a pained groan.
"Ethan!!!" a voice said excitedly, "you've finally awakened? Thank heavens! Your mom was worried sick because of you! If you want to brag about how strong you are, then fine, but why did you have to go and duel with those people!?"
The voice brimmed with happiness and relief, but raw emotions choked its tone as it trailed off. Slowly opening his eyes, Ethan's blurry vision began to clear, and a woman's face came into focus.
The woman, in her thirties, possessed extraordinary beauty. However, wrinkles marred the corners of her eyes, betraying a maturity beyond her years.
Tearfully, she looked at Ethan with eyes brimming with love, enveloping his heart in warmth.
"Child, you scared your mom half to death!" she spoke, her eyes reddening further as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Mom?!"
Ethan stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar face, his confusion evident.
"Child, don't scare your mom! Don't you recognize me?!"
An elderly man appeared beside the woman, examining Ethan closely. "Mrs. Taylor, Ethan suffered a blow to the back of his head, so he may need some time to recover his memories. Don't be too worried; just now, I gave the young master some medicine. The medicinal energies still haven't completely dissolved, so let the young master rest a bit longer."
Mrs. Taylor, her gaze fixed on Ethan, reluctantly nodded and followed the elderly man out of the room. As they walked away, their voices grew faint, but Ethan could discern the sound of Mrs. Taylor's sobbing.
Ethan's body ached intensely, particularly at the back of his head, which throbbed with swollen pain. But he just blankly stared at the sky.
What had happened? I am Ethan, and Mrs.Taylor is my blood and flesh mother. Why do I feel so unfamiliar?
Confusing memories flooded his mind. Memories of being an arrogant and incredibly powerful individual clashed with recollections of being bullied and oppressed, a bitter and helpless soul.
Medicinal Magus Ethan? Trash Ethan? Which version of me is real? Am I the reincarnation of the Medicinal Magus? Or a fusion of his soul with that of a weakling?
Ethan's mind swirled with countless questions.
"Whatever, it doesn't matter. I am Ethan. Whether I'm Medicinal Magus Ethan or the old, crippled Ethan doesn't hold any value right now. The most important thing is that I'm still alive.
"I have two sets of memories entangled within me. How can I even attempt to unravel this kind of insane problem? Instead, I need to focus on recovering as quickly as possible."
Sensing the state of his body, Ethan quickly discovered numerous fractures. Three broken ribs, a fractured bone in two places, and the most severe injury—a large portion of his scalp caved in, causing excruciating pain.
He began to focus.
...
"Hmm... though I can't condense energy, my mental strength seems extremely potent. I can sense everything within thirty meters of my body." Ethan's surprise at this newfound mental strength seeped into his eyes.
According to his fragmented memories, mental strength held immense value, especially for Medicine based practitioners.
Benefitted, indeed!
'Whether I am the Medicinal Magus's reincarnation or if my soul merely houses a blend of his memories, the current me has undoubtedly gained tremendous benefits. The Medicinal Magus had already lived a full lifetime, endowing him with an exceptionally strong soul. How awe-inspiring is that?'
However, a frown creased Ethan's face as he carefully examined his body. "My Mana Spine has been taken away. Pieces of my Mana Bones are missing, likely extracted forcefully. And there's a hidden hole in my heart? Who could be so ruthless as to deprive me of my Mana Spine, Mana Bones, and Mana Blood? No wonder I can't train as a Magi!"
Ethan's voice dripped with fury.
His mental strength may have surpassed his former self, a glimmer of hope amidst all this adversity. But the loss of essential components still made him unable to sense the Mana of the World, let alone absorb it for training.
The Mana Spine, located in the Life Center, is the foundation for all Practitioners. They cannot sense or absorb Mana without a Mana Spine.
Mana Blood was something people were born with; it contained a trace of blood that endowed one with innate talent. While nearly everyone was born with it, most practitioners didn't even know anything about it.
The Mana Bones were situated in the pit of a person's abdomen, protruding slightly. Ordinary people wouldn't have Mana Bones. Among Practitioners, perhaps only one in ten thousand would possess them, and even an imbecile would be a genius if he had it.
However, Ethan's Mana Bones were conspicuously missing a piece and bore clear marks of having been forcibly removed.
Ethan's face contorted into an unpleasant expression. If his memories weren't muddled, then how could he not remember who had disfigured his body?
While these three elements were valuable, they were useless once separated from his body. If someone wanted to harm him, why resort to such cruel methods? It was practically condemning him to a life worse than death.
Yet, anger only bred more anger. Since he was already devoid of them, anger served no purpose.
'You better not let me figure out who did this!'
Ethan couldn't help but clench his teeth in fury.
This was a severe blow to him. With Mana Bones, even an idiot would still be a genius. But now, some despicable person had reduced him to a mere husk, incapable of Mana training, subject to humiliation and condescending gazes from nearly everyone.
Just as Ethan was about to explode in rage, the door to his room was gently pushed open, and a pretty thirteen-year-old girl entered. This was his maid, Sarah.
"Young master, it's time to take some medication."
"Medicine? What Medicine?" Ethan asked, calming down and sniffing the air.
"This is something Mrs.Taylor paid a hefty price for. It's a Bone Strengthening Medicine Ball that can swiftly heal your injuries," Sarah answered.
She opened the small, ornate case she carried, revealing the Medicinal Ball. "It's said to come from Grandmaster Hans. The medicinal potency is very strong."
Ethan's expression turned peculiar upon seeing it.
Could this object, so uneven in shape and resembling a meatball more than a pill, truly be called a 'Medicine Ball'? It was entirely black, without a hint of shine. Had it not been for the faint medicinal scent, he might have mistaken it for sheep dung.
After examining it for a while, Ethan sighed.
How could someone who produced such a soft and mushy item be called a grandmaster?
Any kind of Medicine was categorized into five grades of quality: low, middle, high, top, and peerless. The Medicine in his hand didn't qualify for any of these categories.
Ethan realized it was merely a defective product, a trash Medicine. Normally, alchemists wouldn't sell such items for fear of tarnishing their reputation. Usually, they'd be processed into medicinal liquids or discarded outright.
"Young master, don't daydream. Mrs. Taylor sold her precious jewelry to acquire this. You should take it appreciatively," Sarah urged.
A pang of guilt hit Ethan.
He knew that his mother loved him very much. In fact, he felt like he was literally being smothered in love because of how much she cared for him.
His impression of his mother was that her love for him was so great that she would never deny any of his requests, no matter how unreasonable or ludicrous they might be. Whatever he asked, she would do it for him.
She had already sacrificed too much for him...
He sighed. "Little Sarah, it's you who teaches me appreciation now?"
Sarah blushed and scratched her cheek.
Ethan shook his head with a smile and took the Medicine.
Despite its flaws, the medicinal components within were not subpar. Although impurities made up the majority, it should still heal his injuries.
Ethan instructed Sarah to keep his condition secret from everyone except his mother.
Sarah, though not fully understanding, trusted Ethan and nodded in agreement. He went into a small, secluded training.
...
Ethan opened his eyes with a smile the next day, feeling renewed vigor.
After taking the Medicine, despite his inability to absorb the medicinal energy through cultivation techniques, Ethan's formidable mental strength allowed him to direct the energy to his wounds, expediting his recovery.
"Excellent! The Medicine's quality was poor, but the ingredients were top-notch. Apart from my skull, my injuries have largely healed, and there's enough medicinal energy left for a full recovery soon enough."
He approached the mirror. Seeing a handsome young man with sharp eyebrows and vibrant eyes, Ethan took a deep breath, "From today, I, Ethan Taylor, will not be the same as before. I will rise above the masses and truly become exceptional!"
Who didn't want to train and become a Supreme Magus?
He swore he would become one. A Magus, above all Magus.
As the Medicinal Magus Ethan in his past life, he couldn't do it, but this time, he would aim for the apex, and he would succeed. He swore he would.
...
Though still weak, walking posed no difficulty. Ethan left the room to see the sun already high in the sky like a mighty god.
After careful deliberation, he asked Sarah to gather a list of medicinal ingredients.
Sarah's expression turned embarrassed.
Ethan only remembered the Taylor family's financial struggles then. His mother wouldn't have sold her jewelry if it weren't for dire circumstances.
For all his grand ambitions and boasts, he was a pauper.
Checking his pockets, he found just over eighty silver coins—hardly a fortune, but enough for the ingredients. He handed it to Sarah.
Soon enough, Sarah acquired the necessary materials and returned swiftly; she really was a disciplined girl.
Ethan set about preparing a medicinal concoction.
Six hours later, a potent aroma wafted from a thick medicinal liquid.
Ethan gazed into the bowl with a smile. This was a very basic liquid that he had made from his memories, and it was not even a ranked medicine.
But with this...
"My ascent to be the Supreme Magus will begin with this one bowl of medicinal liquid."