Ryan entered the mind space—a place he called the inner realm of his consciousness—and focused on the stars within it. He tried touching the other stars to see if he could travel to another world again, but nothing happened. Frustrated, he turned his attention to the smallest star, which he referred to as the "Limitless Star." He noticed it seemed brighter than before. *Is it just my imagination, or is it actually glowing more?* he wondered.
If the star was indeed recharging itself, the question remained: how was it doing so, and what was the purpose? There were too many unknowns about this so-called "golden finger" ability. The biggest question still loomed: *Can I gain the powers I had in the Limitless world—or any other world I might travel to? If so, when? It's been three days, and I haven't felt any changes.* Ryan racked his brain, trying to uncover new uses or clues about his ability.
After a while, he began to feel a heaviness in his head. *Staying in this mind space must consume mental energy,* he realized. Reluctantly, he exited the space and returned to the real world.
As he opened his eyes, he noticed the other students staring at him strangely. He suddenly remembered that when he was in the mind space, his body appeared dazed and vacant, as if his soul had left it.
One of the students sneered, "Look at this idiot, spacing out like he's in love with you," he said to his friend, pointing at Ryan. The friend, visibly disgusted, replied, "Don't associate me with him. I don't want anything to do with this fool." The others laughed, mocking Ryan.
Ryan ignored their taunts. He was too tired to engage with them, his mind drained from the mental exertion. He lay down on his bunk, exhausted from the lack of sleep the previous night, and drifted off. Tomorrow would be another grueling day, and he needed all the rest he could get.
Seeing Ryan ignore them and fall asleep, the others lost interest. Gradually, they stopped their teasing and began to settle down for the night.
---
A week passed, and Ryan began to adapt to the brutal training regimen. He no longer came in last during the morning runs, could read basic words, and had learned to defend himself during sparring sessions. He was also becoming more proficient with both daggers and swords.
However, the week wasn't without its challenges. Every morning, Instructor Stane struck him during the runs, and he had to endure Instructor Rus's relentless brainwashing. He also learned the names of the other instructors: Jack, the well-built one, and Oscar, the sinister-looking one, taught skills like poisoning. William and James oversaw sparring, while Oliver, Thomas, and Avery handled weapons training.
Ryan discovered that Oliver, the head weapons instructor, was an official knight, while the others were apprentice knights and instructors Rus was a apprentice mage. This explained why Oliver's presence felt so dangerous—he was the real deal.
During the week, Ryan also observed several standout students who far outperformed him. Despite his progress, he still had a long way to go.
But there was good news. Ryan finally figured out the purpose of the Limitless Star in his mind. It wasn't his imagination—the star was indeed growing brighter. As it did, he noticed subtle improvements in his memory, comprehension, and physical fitness. He realized that the food he ate served as a kind of energy source, recharging the star. This explained his increased appetite and constant hunger.
Based on the current rate, Ryan estimated it would take about eight months for the star to reach its maximum brightness. If the brightest form of the star represented the full power he had in the *Limitless* movie, then he would gradually regain his abilities as the star grew brighter. Once it reached its peak, he would have all the powers he had possessed in that world.
However, there was a catch. While he could feel his physical and mental abilities improving, he couldn't access the specific skills and knowledge he had gained in the *Limitless* world. It was as if they were hidden behind a black curtain—present but unreachable. He wondered if learning similar skills in the Kosmos world might help him unlock those memories. Perhaps once the Limitless Star was fully lit, he would gain access to the other stars and their corresponding worlds.
For the first time in a long while, Ryan felt a glimmer of hope for the future.
The new day began like any other, with the grueling morning exercises. To Ryan's relief, he managed to avoid any beatings today, putting him in a relatively good mood. He hoped the rest of the day would pass without incident. After finishing his bath, he headed to the cafeteria, where he loaded his plate with an extra-large portion of food. He ate as if his life depended on it—because, in a way, it did.
Once breakfast was over, Ryan made his way to the cultural class. However, as soon as Instructor Rus entered the room, he made an unexpected announcement: "Class is canceled today. Everyone, assemble on the training ground immediately. Viscount Andrew is here to inspect your progress."
The announcement took Ryan and the other students by surprise. They quickly filed out of the classroom and headed to the training ground, lining up in their usual height-based formation. As Ryan took his place, he noticed Viscount Andrew standing at the front, flanked by guards—including the ones who had captured him. Beside the Viscount stood a man who looked like a mage, deep in conversation with him. The head instructor, Oliver, and Instructor Rus stood nearby, while the other instructors were spread out around the area, keeping a watchful eye on the students.
At that time, Viscount Andrew asked Instructor Rus, "How is the education progressing? Is the brainwashing effective?"
Rus replied, "My lord, effectively brainwashing the students to be loyal and grateful to you is a long and gradual process. However, results will start to appear in three months, and the effects will solidify by the fifth month through repetitive teaching, as those words take root in the students' minds.
"