Reece's vision gradually became saturated with the multicolored particles of mana swirling around him, drifting closer until they brushed against his skin. The sight was beautiful, breathtaking even—a silent dance of shimmering energy particles, each one tinged with colors of the spectrum, each particle a reminder of the potent forces within the Tower.
It was a familiar scene, but one he never tired of. Every regression, every reset, he felt the same awe in these first steps toward mana cultivation. Today, he was more determined than ever to get it right as always.
For the next hour, Reece focused all his attention on guiding the primal mana that had gathered around him. Using a technique he had perfected over countless lifetimes, he began channeling the mana along a predetermined path inside his body. This was a deliberate, careful process. The primal mana had to be cycled precisely along this route, as it would eventually form the mana veins in his body, the network that would define his abilities. Mana veins were fundamental to a person's growth and power. Without them, one would live an ordinary life, never accessing the Tower's gifts, destined to the limits of humanity or their inherent race before the Tower's descent.
He closed his eyes, shutting out everything else. His breathing slowed as he let the primal mana flow, feeling it pulse and swirl as he directed it with his mind. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead, trickling down his face, dampening the collar of his black tunic.
Time slipped away as he repeated the cycle again and again, each pass strengthening his connection with the mana around him. For two more hours, he continued in silence, fully immersed in the task. Around him, other newbies began to notice, whispering to each other and occasionally glancing his way.
Most had already left, having mastered the basic mana sense or given up and moved on to the first zone of the tutorial wishing to try their luck without mana sense despite the warning given. Some watched Reece's intense concentration and quietly snickered, dismissing him as an overly ambitious failure.
"Look at him. He's sweating bullets! Poor guy thinks he can brute-force his way to mana control," one recruit murmured, shaking his head with a smirk as he turned to leave.
"Doesn't he know when to give up?" another scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Some people just can't accept they're not cut out for the Tower," a third added, chuckling as he walked away.
Reece ignored them all. He knew they misunderstood his actions. They had taken the Administrator's advice literally, stopping as soon as they sensed mana for the first time, assuming they'd done enough.
But Reece knew better. The Tower's trials weren't simple or forgiving. More than ninety percent of recruits would fail before even reaching the true floors, and most if not all would meet their deaths due to arrogance or ignorance. The Tower wasn't just a challenge; it was a crucible, designed to separate the prepared from the foolhardy.
"Dumb fools," he thought, suppressing a sigh. "They don't realize the entrance is the safest place to prepare. They're rushing to their deaths."
As he continued cycling the primal mana through his body, hours slipped by unnoticed. By now, ten hours had passed, and Reece was still in the same position, still immersed in his cultivation. He could feel the primal mana taking root, the pathway within his body becoming more defined with every rotation. This path would soon turn to help him crystallize his first mana core—the foundation of his strength and the anchor of his abilities.
Most climbers, he knew, mostly all even, formed their first core in the solar plexus, believing it to be the most balanced point for mana distribution. But Reece had learned through hard-earned experience that this was a misconception. A mana core wasn't merely a source of power; it was a catalyst for evolution, a stepping stone to a higher state of being. The best location for his origin core was the heart—the source of life itself.
"Time to begin," he thought, steeling himself for the next step. He carefully directed a concentrated stream of primal mana toward his heart, encasing the entire organ in a delicate cocoon of energy.
The sensation was intense, bordering on painful, as his heart struggled to adjust to the sudden influx of mana. His chest felt tight, his pulse erratic, but he kept his focus. The heart was both the hardest and most dangerous place to establish a core, but if successful, it would become a mana heart—a core that would empower his entire being from within.
The process required absolute precision. Reece allowed the primal mana to seep into the heart muscle, saturating it gradually, bit by bit. The slightest miscalculation could result in heart failure, but he knew what he was doing. He had gone through this process before and had refined it to near perfection.
Sweat continued to drip down his face as he painstakingly directed the mana, fighting through the discomfort, letting his body adjust. To make this core permanent, he needed to replace his heart's blood flow with mana, allowing it to circulate through his veins, enriching every cell in his body. But this was easier said than done. The pain was excruciating—a dull, throbbing ache that radiated outward, mingling with a cold, unnatural pressure as his heart struggled to keep pumping with mana instead of blood.
His vision blurred for a moment, and he tasted copper on his tongue, but he held on, focusing on the rhythm of his breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Each breath drew in more mana, cycling it into his heart, saturating it deeper and deeper until, finally, he felt a shift. A soft pulse emanated from his chest, different from his heartbeat—a second pulse, the rhythm of primal mana resonating within his core.
Slowly, the pain began to fade, replaced by a warm, empowering sensation that spread through his limbs. With every beat, his mana heart pumped not just blood but primal energy, circulating strength through every fiber of his being. His entire body felt revitalized, stronger, more attuned to the mana around him.
Reece opened his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. "The first step is complete." He took a deep breath, feeling the primal mana settle within him, a steady current of power that pulsed with his heartbeat. He knew that this would be the foundation of his strength, a source of energy he could draw upon in times of need which would be soon enough.
He glanced around, realizing he was alone in the vast, white chamber. Everyone else had already left, eager to start the tutorial. Checking his wrist watch, he noted that twenty-four hours had passed since they'd arrived. "I suppose the eager ones are probably halfway through the second zone by now. The truly gifted might even be nearing the third."
He shrugged, unbothered by the delay. "Meh… let them run for a while… i'd be able to catch up anyway"
Closing his eyes once more, he began the process of forming his second core—the mana brain. This would be the seat of his consciousness, the foundation of his mental abilities. With the primal mana still circulating from his heart, he directed a stream of it toward his head, allowing it to seep into his brain, establishing a new network of energy pathways. The process was complex, even more so than forming his heart core. Every part of his brain had to be saturated, every neuron attuned to the mana that would now flow through it.
Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched.
In a hidden chamber within the Tower, the Administrator observed Reece's progress through a monitor, his expression one of disbelief. Since the last of the recruits had left the entry grounds, he had assumed his duties were over.
But then he noticed Reece's presence, unmoving in the same spot for hours. At first, he had been annoyed, ready to intervene and urge Reece forward. But a sudden message had flashed on his hologram screen, one eerily similar to what many had within the tower, halting him in his tracks.
[The candidate is forming their core. Do not interrupt. Punishment will be meted out should you do so.]
The Administrator blinked, momentarily stunned. He had never seen such a notification before, and he had overseen countless tutorials over a couple of eons. The Tower rarely intervened directly, and yet here it was, protecting this one candidate's progress. Intrigued, he leaned closer, observing Reece closely, wanting to know what made the tower prevent him from forcefully sending the child to the first zone.
After observing for a while he noticed mana fluctuating erratically around him thus prompting him to enable his divine sense and got even more shocked by the absurdity before him.
"This… this isn't something a beginner should know," he muttered, eyebrows raised. "Who is this kid?"