After their first meeting, Nala had decided that Rifi was at least somewhat trustworthy. But, in truth, Nala didn't have many options left. Rifi was the first "Natural Body" he had sensed in the months since his arrival in this world. The odds of another walking into Nala's soul range were astronomically low. And even if there were others out there, Nala could no longer leave this cave to search for them. His body, broken and steadily deteriorating, kept him tethered to this place.Once, Nala had been a proud warrior, his body a marvel of strength and agility, and his mana control a pinnacle of mastery. But those days were long behind him. His injuries were beyond healing, even with the mana vein sustaining his broken form. And if by some miracle he had regained his strength, there was still the ever-present threat of the devils—the monstrous beings who had nearly killed him when he sealed the portal between their worlds.No, Nala knew Rifi was his only option. While he couldn't be sure of Rifi's potential, there was one thing he sensed without doubt: Rifi wasn't evil. That, for now, was enough.What Nala hadn't expected, however, was Rifi's willingness to take on his family name and continue their fight. It reignited something deep within him—a flame long since extinguished. The Felis Silvestris family had been a warrior clan of immense pride in Nala's home world, a cat-beast race renowned for their battle prowess and unwavering unity. To hear that name spoken again, even in this distant, alien world, stirred feelings Nala thought he had lost forever.When Nala told Rifi about his family's name, he hadn't expected much. It had been a passing moment of reminiscence, a glimpse into a life long gone. But when Rifi, with unexpected solemnity, said he would carry the name forward, Nala felt something he hadn't in years: hope. Perhaps, through Rifi, the name Felis Silvestris would echo once more, not as a forgotten relic but as a symbol of resistance against the devils.In this world, humans reigned supreme, but soon enough, they would learn that they weren't alone. And the enemy that was coming was no ordinary foe—it was a race of pure evil. Nala almost pitied the humans, for they had no idea what was awaiting them.The devils. Even the thought of them sent a shiver through Nala's weakened body. In his world, they had been a scourge—a race of pure malice and destruction. They weren't born of his world; no, the devils were invaders. They came through tears in reality, portals that defied natural law. One day, they simply appeared, sowing chaos and death wherever they went. At first, Nala's people had underestimated them. The Felis Silvestris were proud warriors, confident in their ability to fend off any threat.But the devils were not like other enemies. They were cunning, ruthless, and relentless. They didn't just kill; they consumed. Whole families of villages and cities disappeared into the black void of the devils' hunger. By the time Nala's people realized the true extent of the threat, it was too late. Pride had kept them and other families from uniting until the very end, and even then, their combined strength hadn't been enough."They don't care for conquest," Nala explained to Rifi one evening, his voice low and filled with quiet sorrow. "They don't care for power or dominion. The devils exist only to destroy, to consume until there is nothing left. Not even their own kind are safe from their hunger. And when they come to this world, they will bring that same destruction."Rifi listened intently, the weight of Nala's words settling heavily on his shoulders. "How can they be stopped?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with both fear and determination."They can't be stopped," Nala replied, his golden eyes gleaming faintly in the dim light of the cave. "Not with your worlds current strength. But they can be delayed. They can be resisted until your strength rises. That is why I've chosen you, Rifi. You're not strong enough now—far from it—but you have potential. You have something I never expected to find in this world: a Natural Body."It had taken nearly a week for Nala to recover enough to begin training Rifi in earnest. In that time, Rifi's body had almost fully healed, thanks to the mana vein running through the cave. Though his legs and the wound above his abdomen still needed more time, the rest of him had returned to peak condition. Had Rifi been in the care of a skilled healer from his city-state, his legs might have healed completely by now. But with Nala's time running out, Rifi couldn't afford to leave his side."Before anything else," Nala began one morning, his voice steady but firm, "you need to understand the foundation of all cultivation: the soul space."Rifi frowned, unfamiliar with the term. "The soul space?" he repeated. "I've never heard of that before.""That doesn't surprise me," Nala said with a slight chuckle. "In your world, perhaps only the most advanced mages—those who reach White core —ever awaken their soul space. For most, it remains an abstract concept, something they never experience directly. But if you want to stand a chance against the devils, you'll need to achieve it."Nala explained that the soul space was the very essence of a mage's connection to mana. At its most basic level, a mage's own body served as their soul space. But at higher ranks—White core, Gray core, and even Yellow core—it was possible to expand the soul space beyond the physical body, creating a domain where the mage could fully control their mana."In the soul space," Nala continued, his tone reverent, "mana doesn't dissipate. It doesn't lose its potency when used outside the body. For most mages, mana has to be converted into an element—fire, ice, lightning—before it can be used externally. But within the soul space, your mana remains whole, untainted by the limitations of elemental conversion. That is the key to fighting the devils."Rifi's mind raced as he tried to absorb the information. The idea of manipulating mana without converting it into an element was entirely foreign to him. "How do I reach this… soul space?" he asked, his voice tinged with both curiosity and apprehension."It begins with your body," Nala said simply. "Before you can expand your soul space, you must first master your own body. That means tempering your mana pathways."Every mage had mana pathways—channels through which mana flowed from their core to their body. But most mages only used a fraction of their potential pathways. To truly master mana, Rifi would need to expand these pathways, connecting them to every cell in his body."You need to fill your pathways with mana," Nala instructed, his voice calm but commanding. "Then, in the areas you want to expand, use your mana to 'dig' new channels. It will be painful, but that pain is necessary. It means you're growing."Rifi winced at the thought. "So I have to hurt myself to get stronger? Great."Nala chuckled, his whiskers twitching with amusement. "Don't be so dramatic, little human. The pain is temporary, but the strength it brings will last a lifetime."Rifi nodded, determination flickering in his eyes. "I'll do it. I'll expand my pathways.""Good," Nala said with a satisfied nod. "And while you're at it, remember this: every pathway you build brings you one step closer to creating a soul space. Be diligent, Rifi. Your body is the foundation of your strength. It will take time—years, perhaps—but the more pathways you create, the easier it will be to extend your soul space in the future once you reach high ranks of mana core."As the days passed, Rifi threw himself into his training with unrelenting focus. Near the mana vein, he could cultivate for hours, the abundance of energy sustaining him through the grueling process. Each new pathway carved into his body brought a sharp, burning sensation, leaving him breathless and drenched in sweat. Yet, Rifi welcomed the pain. To him, it was a sign that he was growing stronger.Meanwhile Nala had to take long slumbers in order to recover, leaving Rifi to himself.Bit by bit, Rifi felt his control over mana sharpening. He could sense the pathways forming within him, branching out like a complex network of roots spreading through fertile soil. It was slow, painstaking work, but every small success filled him with a determination that burned brighter than the ache in his muscles.As he worked, a realization dawned on him. Wait… isn't this what I've already been doing with my lightning mana?In many ways, it was the same process. His lightning mana surged into his muscles and organs, pushing them to their limits and forcing his body to adapt. Each time, his tolerance increased, and the threshold of lightning mana he could endure grew higher. The very act of surviving his own lightning mana had tempered his body. Without realizing it, he'd already been laying the groundwork for this deeper refinement.His eyes gleamed with excitement. This changes everything.The potential was limitless, he realized, his mind racing with the possibilities. If I create enough pathways, I could even use both types of mana simultaneously—normal mana for enchantment of muscles and organs, lightning for pushing the same to their limits. Layering one over the other, merging them to unlock something truly unstoppable.The more pathways he built, the better his control over his body would become. With pathways woven into every fiber of his being, he could enhance his muscles, sharpen his reflexes, and push his speed and strength far beyond human limits. His organs could be fortified, allowing him to endure the strain of battle longer than ever before. And as his mana density increased, so too would his power.Lightning is overpowered, he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. If I can master this… the devils won't stand a chance.Closing his eyes, Rifi pushed forward with renewed determination. Each new pathway carved into his body burned with the intensity of molten fire, but he embraced the pain as an old friend. He could feel himself growing stronger with every passing moment, each fiber of his being aligning more closely with the mana coursing through him.And as the days turned into weeks, Rifi's confidence grew. He could feel the progress deep in his core, in every muscle, every breath. He was forging pathways that would one day make him a force even the devils would come to fear.