Ray floated comfortably in the warm amniotic fluid, his thoughts swimming in the oddity of his new existence. He attempted to make sense of the muffled voices beyond his watery cocoon.
"What's going on? Who came just now?" he thought, his curiosity piqued.
Patriarch Lux Thalor suddenly shouted, "Who is there?"
The room fell silent. The Shadow Guard and Fei Thalor exchanged puzzled glances.
Fei smiled gently and asked, "Lux, are you too tense?"
Patriarch Thalor ignored the remark, refocusing on the Shadow Guard. Ray, meanwhile, continued absorbing mana with his Neo Mana Gathering Codex, still confused by the voices outside.
The Shadow Guard, Adam Thalor, stepped forward, his face tense. "Patriarch Thalor, the Russel family is attempting to initiate a business war with us. They've introduced a new product that competes directly with our primary business. It's a new Mana Infusion Bracelet—more advanced, more efficient, and it's cutting into our market share."
He presented the product to Lux. It was a sleek, magically enhanced Mana Infusion Bracelet, designed to help magus infuse their spells with additional power more efficiently than ever before. The Russel family's model used a tri-crystal matrix array with an embedded quantum mana stabilizer, boasting 25% better efficiency than the Thalor family's current version.
The Russel family was one of the fifteen leading families in the Arcanthia Empire. Known for their cunning and ambitious nature, they had always been envious of the Thalor family's longstanding dominance in the magical industry. The rivalry between the Russels and Thalors was rooted in history, a blend of old grudges and fierce competition for supremacy. The Russel family's jealousy stemmed from the Thalor family's consistent innovation and the respect they commanded in the empire.
As the Shadow Guard continued to explain, Ray, still gathering mana, felt a sudden surge of awareness and heard a voice:
[All-Defying Comprehension activates; you continue using Neo Mana Gathering Codex while trying to sense the space nearby, you awaken 10m spiritual awareness.]
He could now sense a 10-meter radius around him and listen more carefully.
"What? So, this is my old man and my mother. My old man looks like a stern, brooding character straight out of a gothic novel, while my mother, she's like a fairy from a dream. How did my beautiful fairy-like mother end up with this old man? What's next to me? Oh, seems like I will have a cute sister in the future," Ray mused.
Patriarch Thalor's eyes widened, his face pale. His grip loosened, and the Russel family bracelet fell from his hand. His thoughts ran rapidly, "In this room, there are only three of us. Oh no, it couldn't be… is it my unborn son? How could this be possible? How am I even able to hear him?"
Unbeknownst to them, they were connected through their bloodline. Lux could hear Ray's lowest layer of inner thoughts, a very rare phenomenon in the Thalor lineage that occurred when a father and son shared a unique mana resonance.
The room was still in shock from the patriarch's sudden reaction. "Are you okay, Patriarch? Should I call the physician, Kalos?" Adam asked, concern etched on his face.
Lux waved off the concern with an embarrassed smile.
"Nothing happened. Continue."
All three of them listened intently as Adam continued, "The Russel family's new Mana Infusion Bracelet is causing a significant stir in the market. Our sales have dropped, and our reputation is at stake."
Ray thought, "Oh, so my family has this product business. But isn't the new Russel product trash? I could make a better one on my own. Hmph, don't tell me my family's going to go broke because of this garbage before I'm even born. If we're already struggling, what kind of life am I coming into?"
Lux, listening to Ray's snarly inner monologue, smirked. "Isn't this kid too cocky?"
Clearing his throat, he said, "We need to improve our product. How is the research team progressing?"
Adam shook his head. "Patriarch, they are unable to have a breakthrough."
Ray, still absorbing mana, thought, "I can make a better product easily. It's simple. You just have to enhance the mana channeling efficiency with a dual-phase stabilization technique and incorporate a self-regulating feedback loop for consistent output. By optimizing the mana flow through a bi-directional mana conduit and embedding a self-calibrating mana amplifier, you can achieve a 60% increase in efficiency." Given Ray's otherworldly knowledge and All-Defying Comprehension, such insights came naturally to him.
Lux, startled by Ray's detailed knowledge, jumped up. Both Adam and Fei looked at him, concerned.
"Are you okay?" Fei asked.
Ray thought, "What is going on with the old man? Is he mentally sick or something?"
Patriarch Thalor composed himself and thought, before he embarrassed himself more in front of his unborn son, "Ahem, let's go to the research tower. We'll discuss this further there." He gave Fei a kiss and told her to rest and take care.
Fei remained in the room with Ray while Lux and Adam headed towards the research tower.
The Thalor family's research tower was an imposing structure, filled with the most advanced magical apparatus and a team of highly skilled magus working tirelessly on various projects. The walls were lined with ancient tomes, glowing with enchantments, and the air was thick with the hum of magical energy. Housing over 100,000 Rank 1 magus, 7,000 Rank 2 magus, and 200 Rank 3 magus, the tower was a hub of innovation and arcane technology. The halls were filled with the soft glow of mana lamps, illuminating intricate murals depicting the Thalor family's long history of magical prowess and technological advancement.
Patriarch Thalor and Adam entered the main research hall, where the lead researcher, Master Alaric, greeted them. The hall itself was a marvel, with high ceilings supported by columns inlaid with luminescent runes and floors made of polished mana-infused stone that glowed faintly.
"Patriarch, how can we assist you today?" Alaric asked.
Lux explained the situation with the Russel family's new Mana Infusion Bracelet and relayed the essence of Ray's innovative idea, carefully omitting the source.
"The Russel family's new bracelet uses a tri-crystal matrix array with an embedded quantum mana stabilizer, boasting a 25% increase in efficiency over our current model," Lux began.
Listening to this, Alaric's tension and anxiety were palpable. How could they compete with that? Before Alaric could speak, "Patriarch, we—" he was interrupted by Lux, who was showing a slight curve of a smile. Alaric knew that the Patriarch could not smile. Why is he so excited when our family...
Lux continued, "However, I propose we enhance our mana channeling efficiency with a dual-phase stabilization technique and incorporate a self-regulating feedback loop for consistent output. By optimizing the mana flow through a bi-directional mana conduit and embedding a self-calibrating mana amplifier, we can achieve a 60% increase in efficiency."
Alaric listened intently, his eyes widening in excitement. "This dual-phase stabilization technique combined with a self-regulating feedback loop is revolutionary! Who came up with this?"
Lux smiled mysteriously. "A little bird told me. Can you implement it?"
Alaric nodded vigorously. "Absolutely, Patriarch! We'll begin the modifications immediately."
Back in the main family house, in Fei's bedroom, Ray was contemplating the future. "What's going to happen to the family? Are we going broke already?" He felt his sister move towards the gathering mana and chuckled. "Oh, you also want this mana, huh? Okay then." He performed the Neo Mana Gathering Codex for his unborn sister, focusing on drawing the ambient mana around them.
Ray concentrated, visualizing the mana particles in the air being pulled towards him. He directed the mana flow towards his sister, channeling it through his body and sharing the energy. The process was instinctive, like an extension of his own gathering technique. As the mana entered her, he felt a connection strengthen between them, her presence becoming more distinct and vibrant.
Ray thought, "This new world might be fun after all," as he shared the mana with his sister, feeling a strange sense of responsibility and contentment with this new life.