Winter was on its way. The mornings were crisp and chilly, the kind that made Ranav's breath visible as he exhaled. Dewdrops clung to the blades of grass, shimmering like tiny jewels in the pale morning sun. Even the evergreen Ashoka tree seemed to droop slightly, as though the chill had seeped into its vibrant leaves.
For the past few days, Ranav had poured himself into his magic training. His relentless practice had borne fruit, he could now form a precise needle of healing magic at his fingertip. It was an impressive milestone, but Ranav found no satisfaction in his progress. His thoughts constantly drifted to Jessica, still asleep, her mysterious evolution dragging on far longer than he had anticipated.
His sister, Vivita, had been an unexpected ally during this time. She willingly volunteered to let him practice diagnostic spells on her, a gesture Ranav deeply appreciated. However, it was during one such session that he stumbled upon something unusual in her body. It was faint, like a whisper of imbalance, but its nature eluded him. "I need Jessica's expertise," he thought, frustration gnawing at him. Each day without her guidance felt like walking a tightrope in the dark.
At times, Ranav scolded himself for his reliance on Jessica. "I need to stand on my own two feet," he told himself firmly. "This is the perfect opportunity to become self-sufficient."
But other times, a different thought crept in. "It's not dependence… I'm just lonely. Jessica is the only one I can talk to about everything." No matter how he rationalized it, the truth remained… Ranav missed her. "Seven days," he muttered under his breath. "Seven days since she fell asleep. Evolving must be hard for her… I just hope she wakes up soon."
Ranav sat under the Ashoka tree, his usual training spot, with his legs crossed and his eyes closed. The soft rustling of the tree's leaves and the distant chirping of birds provided a soothing backdrop as he tried, once again, to focus on the purple stars.
The stars were beautiful, each glowing faintly with a mysterious light, but they were as stubborn as ever. He could touch them, even hold them individually, but the moment he tried to arrange them into a circle, they scattered like mischievous children at play. Their behavior baffled him. He was certain that these stars held immense power, but they refused to obey his will.
"Maybe I'm wasting my time with these," he thought with a sigh. "I should focus on my light magic instead."
Shifting his attention, Ranav summoned his healing spell. A long, green, ethereal needle appeared at his fingertip. It shimmered faintly, a testament to his growing mastery. He concentrated, trying to bend the needle with his will, but it shattered into fragments of light, vanishing into the air.
He clenched his fist. "Still not there," he muttered. Yet, he knew he had made progress. His needle could now target narrow wounds, which significantly reduced his mana consumption. However, bending the needle, a crucial step for internal healing… remained a challenge.
Mana management was another harsh lesson. Practicing tier-0 spells had made him complacent; he had never truly felt the strain of mana depletion. Tier-1 spells, however, were a different beast. Each casting drained his reserves, and yesterday, after a particularly long session, he had nearly run out.
"To increase my mana reserve, I need to level up my Body Training," he thought. He had already identified 82 minor acupoints, but his personal goal was over 100. Once he reached that number, he planned to connect them all at once, a daunting but rewarding step in his training.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Ranav refocused on his healing spell. This time, he managed to bend the needle slightly before it shattered. Encouraged, he tried again.
A few hours later, his body ached from exhaustion. The sun was high in the sky, signaling midday. "I'll work on finding more acupoints later," he decided, standing up and brushing the dirt off his clothes. "For now, it's time to head home."
When he arrived, he found Vivita just back from school, her face glowing with excitement.
"Lil bro! Our school is holding a crafting competition next weekend. Can you help me make something? Please?" she asked, practically bouncing with enthusiasm.
Ranav chuckled. "Of course. You've been helping me with my magic; it's only fair I help you now."
Vivita squealed in delight and threw her arms around him. "You're the best!"
"Alright, alright," he laughed, gently prying her off. "Now tell me, what projects won last time? I need to know the standard."
Her eyes sparkled as she recounted, "Last year, the first-place winner made a rainbow in a glass using liquids that always reformed into a rainbow no matter how you mixed them. The second-place project was an egg that bounced like a ball. And third place was a wooden sword with glowing patterns."
Ranav nodded thoughtfully. "I see… those are quite creative. I think I have the perfect idea for you."
Vivita's curiosity was piqued. "What is it?"
"I'll teach you how to make the Rotating Snake Illusion. It's a classic optical illusion that makes a drawing appear to move. We'll need some materials: paper, a black pen, a ruler, and a compass."
"Compass?" Vivita tilted her head in confusion.
Realizing they didn't have such a tool in this world, Ranav grinned. "Don't worry. I'll make one for you. You just gather the rest of the materials. We'll start after lunch."
After their meal, Ranav created a simple compass out of wood, using tools from around the house. Once it was ready, he knocked on Vivita's door.
"Sis, are you ready?"
"Come in!"
They sat on the floor, and Ranav began his demonstration.
"First, find the center of the paper. Then, use the compass to draw a series of concentric circles around it. Watch carefully as I draw eight circles. You can draw more if you want."
Vivita watched intently as Ranav drew the circles with precision.
"Next, divide each circle into equal segments. The more segments, the more intricate the illusion. Each segment should be slightly curved to create a snake-like pattern. See how I'm doing it here?"
He showed her how to carefully divide the circles into curved segments.
"Finally, color the segments in alternating shades of black and white. Shift the pattern slightly in each circle to create the illusion of movement. Once it's done, you'll see the snake appear to rotate."
Vivita's eyes widened in amazement. "It's incredible!"
Ranav smiled. "Now it's your turn. If you need help, just call me. I'll be in my room."