"Have you ever heard the saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul?" Reece thought, a faint smirk tugging at his lips with his eyes closed. "What nonsense." The truth was far more complex, far deeper than mere eyes could convey. The soul, that elusive essence of a person, was hidden in the depths of consciousness, buried within the recesses of the mind.
Reece knew this well. In the core of his mind, within the darkest reaches of his subconscious, his soul resided in the form of a complex, rotating structure—a multilayered cube suspended in the darkness, quietly pulsating in its dormant form.
After successfully forming his mana heart, the original core of his strength, Reece had moved on to the next step. Through his unique meditation technique—one he had honed over countless lifetimes—he used his new mana veins and mana heart to enrich and saturate his brain. With each breath, he drew in primal mana, letting it cycle through his body and gather in his mind, where it slowly but steadily infused every neuron with energy. His goal was simple yet ambitious: to create his second core, the mana brain.
The mana brain wasn't just a reserve of power; it was the fuel for his mental strength, the source from which his soul drew energy. Developing it required not only that he saturate his brain with primal mana but that he go deeper—into his own soul itself. This process was more dangerous than anything he'd attempted so far. If forming his heart core had been like forging a weapon, then entering his soul was like lighting a fuse in a dark cave. One wrong move, and he'd be obliterated from within.
With a steady rhythm of breathing, he guided the primal mana from his heart, allowing it to pool in his mind, saturating his thoughts and awakening dormant parts of his consciousness. Every part of his brain, every cell, pulsed with power, each one surrounded by a field of mana that would fuel his soul's growth. The primal energy wasn't content to merely saturate him; it wanted more. He could feel it surging within him, craving release. His soul, recognizing the familiar call of primal mana, reacted instinctively, drawing it in hungrily.
The change was instantaneous. The moment the primal mana touched his soul, it began absorbing it, draining every ounce of energy from his brain in seconds. His vision blurred, and a sudden wave of dizziness hit him, having him teetering on the edge of consciousness.
"Hold on… just a little longer…" he muttered, his voice barely audible. He clenched his jaw, pushing through the pain that was rapidly spreading from his mind into every fiber of his being. Primal mana was powerful but volatile, and without precise control, it could easily tear him apart. Even as a master of its manipulation, he had to grit his teeth and focus with everything he had to avoid obliteration.
His mana heart sensed the depletion in his brain and surged into overdrive, drawing in more primal mana from the air. The area around him dimmed, as if the very essence of light was being pulled toward him. To an outside observer, the effect would be like watching a black hole take form—a darkness that swallowed color, leaving only the faint outline of Reece's figure in its wake.
This process took time—nearly another full day of ceaseless concentration and constant pain. But finally, he felt something shift deep within him. His soul, which had been only partially awakened after his current regression, being in a state that was normal in a normal person, began to stir in full. Clarity washed over him, sharper and more vibrant than any sensory experience he had ever known.
If ordinary mana sense gave him enhanced vision, then the awakening of his soul was like stepping into an entirely new reality. He saw everything, all at once, in staggering detail. Mana particles floated in the air around him, each one distinct and alive with its own essence, moving in symphonies of color and form. He could sense every pulse, every vibration, with a new depth of understanding. It was exhilarating to say the least
"Finally… I can see it all again…" he sighed, a tear slipping from the corner of his eye. It had been so long since he felt truly at home within his own body, his full strength and awareness partially restored.
"Honestly, master, if you're tearing up over mana particles, I'm going to think you've gone soft," a familiar voice echoed in his mind, tinged with mock amusement.
Reece's eyes widened slightly, and he let out a relieved laugh. "Prima?"
"The one and only," she replied, her voice light and cheerful. "Welcome back, master. It seems your regression was successful."
He grinned, feeling a profound sense of comfort at her presence. "It took a bit longer this time. I regressed earlier than usual, so it's been a challenge getting back to this point."
Prima chuckled. "I noticed. And it looks like you've spent all this time at the Tower's entrance grounds."
"We are indeed," he replied. "I used the entry grounds to form my mana heart and brain, and now that I've got you online, it's time I get my plants into motion. We should begin for full synchronization, so that I can sort my mind out properly."
"Of course. Please assume a meditative position, and I'll initiate the sync process."
Reece settled back into a lotus position, allowing his body to relax as he prepared for the full synchronization with Prima. This process would re-establish the link between his outer and inner soul, allowing him access to the memories of his past lives and organizing his mental archive. He closed his eyes, letting Prima take over.
"Starting in… 3… 2… 1…" she counted down, and Reece felt his mind drift into a semi-conscious state.
The synchronization began. Flashes of memory surged through him like tidal waves, washing over his mind in vivid detail. Lifetimes of knowledge, experiences, victories, and defeats unfurled before him. With his mana brain activated, his mind was more resilient, able to handle the influx of information without the painful aftereffects that had plagued him after his initial regression.
As his vision was filled it gradually shifted into his mindscape, he was surrounded by countless glowing lights—each one a memory, a data point from his many lives, shining like stars in an infinite galaxy. This was the fusion of his and Prima's mental database, a realm of knowledge both beautiful and terrifying considering the amount present.
In the darkness of his mindscape, a bright blue orb of light appeared and began darting toward him, its glow warm and familiar. It nudged his face affectionately, circling him with an unmistakable sense of joy.
"I missed you too, Prima," he said softly, his voice echoing within the void of his mind. "Sorry it took so long. I got a bit… sentimental this time."
"Don't worry about it, master," she replied with a playful tone. "I can see your memories of this turn, and I can understand why. You got pretty emotional after meeting big sis Lorna, didn't you?"
Reece chuckled, though there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Well… she's not exactly your 'big sister' now. She doesn't know who we are, or what we've been through."
Prima's voice softened. "Are you planning to approach her this time? To tell her everything?"
He shook his head. "Not this time. I'll keep my distance, slightly though, let things play out naturally. I don't want to make the same mistakes as before. If she wants to be close to me again, I'll let her make that choice. But this time, I'll make sure she knows what she's getting into."
"That's a bit sad, master. If the other Lorna(s) heard you, they'd probably smack you for being a dumb idiot."
Reece sighed. "I know. But we both know what the Tower has in store for her. Lorna needs to go through her own journey, to face the challenges that will make her stronger, majorly the upcoming canon events. I'll support her from the shadows, if needed, but I won't interfere directly."
Prima seemed to hesitate, as if struggling with a memory of her own. "She made me promise to force you to help her if you ever got too stubborn."
Reece's expression softened. "That sounds like her. Tell you what—I'll train her, prepare her for what's to come. But I'll let her grow at her own pace. When the Tower's challenges come, she'll be ready. And i will quietly fade to the side, till she needs me again"
"Fine," Prima said with a sigh, her voice laced with reluctant acceptance. "But you'd better not leave her hanging too much, master."
He smiled, reaching out in the mindscape to pat the glowing blue orb that was Prima's avatar. "I won't. I promise."
They waited in silence, letting the memories settle as the synchronization completed. Prima's computational power made the process smoother, and within minutes, Reece's mind felt clear and organized. His memories were no longer a jumbled mess; everything was sorted, accessible. The effects of his regression had fully subsided, leaving him with a renewed sense of clarity and comfort.
Reece opened his eyes, gazing around the Tower's vast, empty entry room with a calm he hadn't felt since his return. He rose to his feet, stretching out his limbs, and felt a surge of strength from his newly-formed mana heart and brain. With these two cores working in harmony, he was ready to move forward.
"Master, how do you want to approach the trial this time?" Prima asked, her voice directly in his mind.
He pondered for a moment, a wild grin slowly forming on his lips. "This time, we're going to take it a bit faster before the main events in the neat future. I want to get Liz awake, at the very least, before the first invasion on earth."
Prima chuckled, a playful note in her tone. "So, we're taking the route of the overpowered protagonist, huh? Going in like some mysterious, unstoppable force?"
"You've been watching too many cliché anime with Camila," he replied with a smirk, opening the system interface and scrolling to the basic mana technique. With a final glance around, he selected the "Begin Tutorial" option, and in a flash of light, he was gone.
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In the hidden chamber once more, the Administrator watched in stunned silence. He had seen many climbers begin the tutorial, some with potential, others with promise. But what he had just witnessed defied belief. A mana heart—something no human couldn't even fathom, let alone create—had been formed right there in the Tower's entry room.
"Good gods above….." the Administrator muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Since when have humans been able to form mana hearts? That's something even ancient dragons are stingy with, let alone their descendants..."
He leaned back, eyes narrowing as he contemplated what he had seen. This round of climbers had just taken a very unexpected turn. For the first time in years, the Administrator felt a genuine thrill of curiosity.
"I suppose I'll have to keep an eye on this one," he said, vanishing from the chamber to monitor the upcoming trials.