An icy sensation surged through Ranav's body, coursing from his mouth to his chest, as though a torrent of freezing water flooded his veins. His vision wavered, and his breath slowed, becoming shallow and sluggish. Desperately, he tried to apply the breathing technique, but his focus slipped away as his consciousness dimmed.
A dark energy coiled through his bloodstream, oppressive and alien. Then, everything went silent. He could neither see nor feel the world around him. Even his heartbeat vanished into the void. A suffocating emptiness enveloped him, isolating him in a vast, dark abyss. Whispers filled the void, countless voices clamoring to invade his mind, each more haunting than the last.
Images of death flooded his thoughts. The video of Sarah's fatal accident, which he had once seen at the police station, replayed incessantly in his mind like a tormenting loop. His heart raced with despair, but he fought to recall a happier memory to ground himself.
Sarah's smiling face emerged in his thoughts. She stood by the Rochdale Canal Towpath, reaching for ripe blackberries, her oval-shaped ruby pendant glinting against her sternum. Ranav had gifted her that pendant after earning his first salary from part-time at Tesco. Her serene image brought warmth and comfort, momentarily easing the suffocating darkness.
Suddenly, his body erupted with energy, a searing force that coursed through his being like wildfire. His tissues felt as though they were disintegrating, only to regenerate moments later. The pain was unimaginable, yet amidst the agony, Sarah's face and her red ruby pendant remained vivid in his mind. Slowly, the unbearable sensations receded, and the world around him faded into stillness.
"Richard, wake up! We're late for New Brighton Beach. The car's waiting. Get up, sleepyhead!"
A familiar perfume wafted into his senses, and a soft, delicate figure wrapped around him. He blinked, groggy and disoriented.
"Sarah? When did you get here? I must've slept through my alarm again," he muttered, sitting up. But the warmth of her presence vanished, replaced by a cold, unfamiliar room.
"Where is Sarah? What's going on?" he murmured, panic rising. Then, memories flooded back. He wasn't Richard anymore… he was Ranav, in another world. Sarah was gone. He was in Nanima's house, undergoing Dantian formation.
"I was dreaming," he realized. Yet, the vividness of the memory lingered.
Ranav steadied his breathing and activated his Mana Sense, probing his body for signs of damage. His heartbeat was steady, and mana flowed naturally through him. Then he noticed something unusual.
In his lower abdomen, an oval-shaped crystal radiated with energy.
"My Dantian!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with relief and disbelief. "But it's not a glowing sphere like the book described. It's… an oval crystal. Sarah's pendant!"
The realization struck him. His visualization during the process had altered the form of his Dantian. He felt the energy brimming within it, overflowing yet controlled.
To test his newfound power, he cast a simple light spell. Mana flowed seamlessly into the crystal and then distributed throughout his body. The spell worked perfectly, confirming that his transformation was a success.
"I did it," he whispered, a grin spreading across his face.
As Ranav jumped down from the bed, his body leaped farther than expected. He felt an unusual surge of strength. Testing his movements, he practiced a few punches and kicks, marveling at the newfound power coursing through him.
Outside, he heard voices… Nanima and his mother. He stepped into the lounge to find his mother rising from her seat, tears streaming down her face.
"Mom, when did you get here?" Ranav asked, puzzled.
Naveena rushed to him, wrapping him in a fierce hug. "My baby, are you alright? You scared us all!" she sobbed.
"I'm fine, Mom. Why are you crying? I'm here," he said, confused but touched by her concern.
Nanima crossed her arms, her voice sharp but tinged with relief. "You foolish disciple! Do you even realize you've been unconscious for five days? Your mother came here every day. If I hadn't reassured her, she might have gone mad with worry."
"Five days?" Ranav exclaimed, guilt washing over him. He hugged his mother tightly, whispering apologies.
Nanima gestured for them to sit. After performing a final diagnostic spell to confirm Ranav's recovery, she declared, "He's fine now, Naveena. The strain on his body and mind was immense, but he's made a full recovery. You can take him home, but he'll need to visit me regularly for training."
Turning to Ranav, she added, "Pack up your belongings. Leave some essentials here; this room is yours now. You'll be staying here often from now on."
At home, Ranav's return was met with joy. His father and sister showered him with affection, and the family shared a rare evening of bonding.
The next morning, Ranav climbed to his usual hilltop. The area had become untidy in his absence, but he quickly cleared the space and settled into meditation.
Using the Aikido Breathing technique, he gathered the world's mana into his Dantian. The oval crystal absorbed it greedily, like a black hole, refusing to fill even after an hour.
Shifting his focus, he practiced light magic, casting spells repeatedly until one of his light stars in the spiritual plane glowed brighter, signaling an increase in power.
"I need to reach Star Circle Level-1," he resolved. "Then I can heal, earn money, and support my family. If I awaken the Darkness element, I could become a healer like Nanima."
While practicing, Ranav attempted to extend the range of his light knife spell. Time and again, he failed to hit his target, a tree nearby.
A soft, feminine voice suddenly interrupted him.
"You're doing it wrong. Stand firm and throw the knife like you mean it. Let your body assist the magic."
Startled, Ranav instinctively followed the advice. The light knife struck the tree trunk with precision.
"Thank you! But… who's there?" he called out, scanning his surroundings. No one appeared, and a creeping unease settled over him.
"An invisible enemy is a grave threat. I need to run before something goes wrong," he thought. Scanning around the hill, he prepared to run out of the woods.
"There's no need to run," the voice spoke again, this time in his mind. Ranav froze, his heart racing.
"I'm not your enemy," the voice continued. "I am your ring."