Umbra stood beside him, her eyes alert and focused. He blinked, refreshed and full of energy, and immediately understood, she wanted to go outside but didn’t know how.
Kai smiled and got up, leading her to the main hall. He knelt and poured a bit of mana into the circuit etched into the floor. The door responded instantly.
Woosh.
It slid open with a soft rush of air. Scry had shown him this before; it was simple, thanks to the Arcanum storing his mana signature as an authorized user.
Umbra strode out confidently, her posture proud. She was ready to patrol her territory.
Kai watched her disappear into the jungle light, then turned and headed back to the bedroom. On the far side, a small door led to the bath Scry had mentioned. He hadn’t had a proper wash since arriving, not after fighting a venomous serpent, nearly dying, and throwing himself into a magical lake to survive. The idea of being clean again felt like a luxury.
He stepped inside and stopped.
The room was breathtaking. A massive hot spring dominated the center, steam rising gently from its surface. Above, a transparent ceiling let sunlight pour in, bathing the space in golden warmth. The air smelled faintly of minerals and wildflowers.
Kai stripped off the tattered remnants of his clothes and stepped into the water. It was warm, soothing, and as it washed over him, he felt the grime and tension melt away.
“Even the bath is magical,” he murmured, awestruck. I really wonder who Scry’s master was to build something like this in the middle of a jungle.
He lingered, letting the heat ease his muscles and quiet his thoughts. For the first time in days, he felt truly at peace.
Eventually, he climbed out and returned to the bedroom, where he found a wardrobe tucked into the corner. Inside were clothes, elegant, sturdy, and clearly enchanted.
He chose a pair of long black silk pants embroidered with golden glyphs that shimmered faintly in the light. A matching sleeveless shirt completed the set, its design traditional yet regal. He also found black shoes with twin symbols on each side. As he slipped them on, the symbols glowed softly, and the shoes reshaped themselves to fit his feet perfectly.
Kai looked at himself in the mirror. He looked like a martial warrior, ready for a fight.
He smiled.
Today, Kai would begin his training.
He experienced a lot in the last few days, and now he was ready to take his first real step toward becoming someone who could protect himself and the ones he cared about.
He retrieved a small meditation carpet from the bedroom and carried it outside, placing it near the entrance to the Arcanum. The air was fresh, the jungle quiet, and the sunlight filtered gently through the canopy.
Kai sat cross-legged on the carpet and pulled out a stack of books from his storage bracelet. He scanned the titles, then selected the most basic one:
The Intricacies of Core Formation.
He opened the book and began to read. The words flowed into him like water into dry soil. He devoured the knowledge, absorbing every detail with startling ease. It was as if his mind had been reforged sharper, faster, more capable. The more he learned, the easier it became to memorize and organize the vast amount of information.
From the book, he learned that the world was built upon six primary elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, and Darkness. All races and species absorbed ambient mana from the world and, over time, condensed a core. Once formed, the core could be attuned to an element based on the individual's affinity.
The Cinderpaw Monkey was a perfect example. Its core had absorbed the fire element, turning it a fiery red and granting it control over fire spells like Fire Arrow.
Each element had its own specialty:
- Fire: explosive power
- Water: healing and fluidity
- Air: speed and agility
- Earth: strength and resilience
- Light and Darkness: mysterious, elusive, and difficult to define.
Some rare individuals could absorb more than one element. These were considered prodigies, geniuses that kingdoms, clans, and empires would invest heavily in. With multiple affinities, they could combine elements to create truly awe-inspiring abilities.
Others chose a different path, studying the more mysterious elements like Lightning, Metal, or Wood, or even training in pure mana, which was especially valuable to artisans and alchemists who needed neutrality to work with all elements.
Near the end of the book, Kai found something that made his breath catch, a magic diagram designed to reveal one’s elemental affinity.
He stared at it, heart pounding. He wondered what he would be good at.
Kai focused on the mana within his body, guiding it carefully through the channels as described in the book. According to the diagram, if he circulated his mana properly and released it from a specific point on his palm, the element he was attuned to would respond, manifesting as a visual sign.
He followed the instructions precisely, feeling the mana flow through him and exit from his palm.
Nothing happened.
Kai frowned. Hmm, that was weird. Maybe I did it wrong.
He tried again, this time rotating his core as well, drawing mana from the world around him, guiding it through his body, and releasing it with intent.
As soon as the mana left his palm, something unexpected happened.
A small, watery serpent coiled in the air above his hand. Its translucent body shimmered with blue light, then shifted to green before dissipating into mist.
Kai stared, stunned. That wasn’t in the book!
He had read that elemental affinity usually revealed itself as a colored droplet, a wisp of mist, or, if the connection was strong, a small elemental flare. But this? A fully formed water snake?
It had to be connected to the serpent core he had absorbed. Lake Serpents were known to be attuned to the water element, but this manifestation was far more vivid than anything described.
Hopefully, this is a good thing. He thought. I’ll have to wait for Scry to wake up and explain it.
Still puzzled, Kai returned to his books. He focused on the water-based techniques, assuming his core was now attuned to that element. He studied body tempering methods, mana circulation patterns, and the early stages of magic circle formation.
He memorized the best channeling techniques for each element, even those mystical elements. Lightning, metal, wood, even pure mana. He wanted to understand everything.
As he read, tested, and practiced, a quiet joy bloomed inside him. It was the kind of joy he hadn’t felt in a long time, the joy of learning, of growing, of discovering something truly his own.
***
Through careful testing, Kai discovered something unexpected.
The easiest and most natural way to absorb mana and channel it through his body wasn’t from any of the techniques he had studied; it was the intrinsic method he had inherited from the serpent. The flow felt familiar, instinctive, like a rhythm his body already knew.
It makes sense. He thought. The core came from the serpent. Of course, its method fits me best.
He tried other techniques, especially those focused on body tempering and magic circle formation. While the body tempering methods worked well, he couldn’t channel any of the circle-forming techniques. That part disappointed him. He had hoped to begin forming his first magic circle today.
Still, he was happy. He had found something that worked.
Kai spent the entire morning practicing, losing track of time. He absorbed mana from the world, pulled it into his core, gathered the water element, and guided it through his body. The process was slow but steady, cleansing, strengthening, refining.
He began to notice changes.
His muscles grew denser, nearing the limit of what this stage could support. Then, more subtly, the mana began to nurture his bones. Faint imprints of magical symbols shimmered across them, barely visible, like whispers of power etched into his very frame.
Curious, Kai retrieved the bone weapon he had used since arriving in this world. He examined the markings on its surface and compared them to the ones forming in his own body.
They were nearly identical.
His eyes widened. This bone came from a Spirit Beast... and not just any beast.
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Judging by the depth and complexity of the symbols, the bone belonged to a higher-tier creature. That explained why it had pierced the serpent so easily; the snake had only been Tier 1.
Kai held the weapon with new reverence. I’ve been wielding something far beyond my level.
Kai clenched the bone spike tightly, then stored it in his bracelet. It had served him well, and if he needed it again, he could summon it instantly.
He sensed Umbra nearby, her presence brushing against his awareness like a whisper. He reached out through their bond, calling her gently.
Woosh!
She leapt through the trees and landed gracefully in front of him, her dark fur rippling with residual energy.
“Hey, girl,” Kai said with a smile. “Here, this is yours. You earned it.”
He pulled the fiery red core from his storage and tossed it toward her.
Umbra caught it mid-air with her beak and crunched down, swallowing it whole. Kai watched, understanding now why she had insisted he consume the serpent’s core. This was how spirit beasts grew stronger, by surviving life-and-death battles and absorbing the essence of the defeated.
As she settled beneath the shade of a nearby tree, her body began to glow faintly. The Tier 5 core she had consumed was rich with energy, and she was already beginning to absorb it.
Kai left her to focus and pulled out another book from his storage. This one was a practical guide to the weaknesses of jungle beasts.
He sat down and opened it, determined. If he was going to survive in this world, he needed more than strength. He needed knowledge.
***
As time passed slowly, Kai brought out some food he had prepared the night before. After absorbing so much otherworldly knowledge, he needed an energy boost.
Umbra, on the other hand, didn’t eat. She was still absorbing the core's energy, and it seemed that it would sustain her for the rest of the day, perhaps even longer.
Feeling restless, Kai decided to explore the jungle. He wanted to test his newfound strength and insights and familiarize himself with the terrain.
His first stop was the lake, where he filled his water containers. Now, finally, he had real water containers, storable in his spatial bracelet. After taking a refreshing sip, he pressed onward.
As he walked, he encountered a variety of beasts. He could sense that these were ordinary creatures, none of which had yet formed a core. He managed to catch a few that resembled oversized chickens and stored them away for dinner.
Further along, he discovered bright yellow fruits that looked like pears. Curious, he tasted one and was pleasantly surprised by its citrusy sweetness. He gathered as many as he could reach before continuing his journey.
Hours passed as Kai picked fruits he recognized from his books and hunted a few more regular beasts. Eventually, he came upon a towering tree and decided to rest beneath its shade. The area felt safe, and he needed the break.
While munching on the yellow fruits, Kai’s thoughts drifted back to his life on Earth. He remembered how unhappy he had been, how he lacked the drive to change, living passively and never standing up for himself. But now, in just three days, everything had shifted. He had fought and killed beasts, hunted for food, and even befriended otherworldly beings. Strangely, it all felt natural.
Despite some lingering doubts, he found himself enjoying this new life. For the first time, he felt free, free to grow, to learn, to adapt. It was exhilarating. This was a side of himself he hadn’t known existed.
Sure, the serpent’s memories had changed him, made him feel older and more experienced. But more than that, they had helped him uncover his true self, unrestrained, and finally, happy.
Kai stood up and continued onward, eventually stumbling upon a wide river that cut through the landscape. On the riverbank, a pair of turtles basked in the sun. He could feel strong energy ripples emanating from them, so he wisely kept his distance.
Following the river downstream, Kai suddenly sensed something speeding toward him. He dodged instinctively, straining his body to duck just in time.
Rolling behind a tree, he drew his bone spike and steadied his breath, heart pounding.
He focused, releasing his spirit sense to scan the area. The moment his senses touched the beast, he felt a surge of power. Peeking from behind the tree, he spotted it, a two-meter-tall, horned emerald frog. He recognized it instantly: the Rainy Storm-Toad. Judging by its size, it was likely Tier 2. A water-element spirit beast, it could fire high-pressure water bullets from a distance but was vulnerable in close combat. Typically, they were easy prey for stronger predators.
Adrenaline surged through him. He felt confident, ready.
Kai began rotating his core, channeling energy into his legs. It was a technique he’d experimented with earlier, inspired by the serpent’s ability to coil and explode with power. If he had enough time, he could focus mana into his lower body to enhance it.
Just then, a barrage of water bullets rained down on the tree he was hiding behind. As the toad paused to prepare another volley, Kai leapt forward, bone spike in hand. In seconds, he was airborne, aiming to strike.
But the toad reacted swiftly, canceling its ability and jumping aside. Kai hit nothing but air and crashed to the ground.
Stunned, he lay there a moment too long. Another barrage came.
He scrambled to his feet, channeling mana into his arms to shield his head and torso. The bullets slammed into him like hammers. Pain numbed his limbs, and his arms grew heavy. He had to act.
He rushed the frog again, but this time, it was ready. With a powerful kick, it sent him flying back into the forest.
Kai crashed through several trees before grabbing a branch to stop himself. His arms were slashed, and his left arm was completely numb now.
He could hear the toad approaching. Maybe a minute left, definitely not enough time to drink healing water.
Thinking fast, he pulled from his storage and tore the old shirt, and used it to tie the bone spike to his hand. He no longer had the strength to grip it properly.
With the last of his energy, he jumped up a tree, preparing to ambush.
The toad crept into the forest, searching for his fallen body. As soon as it was close enough, Kai dropped down, blood dripping from his arm and coating the bone spike. He struck the toad’s back with all his might, driving the weapon deep and holding on tight.
The beast shrieked and thrashed, trying to throw him off. It had assumed he was dead; this ambush caught it completely off guard.
Kai clung to the toad as it bucked wildly. His core spun furiously, pouring mana through his body. A faint blue glow surrounded him, but around his wounded hand, the light darkened, blue mixing with black, giving off an eerie aura.
He didn’t notice. He was focused solely on surviving.
The toad’s energy waned. The wound on its back turned black, and moments later, its heart stopped. It was dead.
Kai pulled out the spike and jumped off its back, staring at the lifeless beast in disbelief.
His left arm still limp, he untied the spike and tossed the blood-soaked shirt aside. As his blood dripped onto the ground, he noticed something strange: the puddle was more black than red, and it smelled like potent medicine; it reminded him of poison he had experienced before.
Shocked, he realized his blood had changed. It had seeped into the toad’s body through the wound, and somehow, it had poisoned the frog.
He retrieved a container of healing water, drinking fast and pouring the rest over his arms.
The flesh began to visibly heal.
Exhausted, he sat beside the fallen toad and began channeling mana, trying to recover as much as he could, thinking deeply about what this meant.
“It probably is a good thing, right?” he muttered as he stopped absorbing the mana. He cut into the toad and pulled out its core, and dismantled the rest, saving what could be useful.
He rushed back, hoping to run straight to Umbra. He had had enough adventures for today.
***
Umbra was still resting beneath the shade when Kai returned.
She opened her eyes slowly, glanced at him, bruised, bloodied, but alive, and then closed them again, resuming her meditation.
Kai sighed, a little disappointed.
“Aren’t you nice. Not even going to bother checking what happened, huh?” he muttered, settling down on the carpet he’d left outside.
He pulled out the toad’s core. It was deep blue and cold to the touch, completely different from the fiery cores Umbra was digesting from the monkey beast.
Holding it between his palms, Kai began to absorb it manually. He didn’t want to risk swallowing another core after what had happened last time. Instead, he used the human method: guiding mana from the core through his hands and into his own core.
The moment the mana began to flow, Kai’s body tensed. The energy was colder than anything he had felt before, sharp, invasive, like an icy river flowing through his veins. His core pulsed erratically, struggling to contain the surge.
His breath hitched. The mana wasn’t just entering; it was fighting him.
Kai gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay focused. He guided the flow carefully, but the core resisted, its energy wild and untamed. His arms trembled, and sweat poured down his brow. The cold seeped into his bones, numbing his fingers and his whole body.
He gasped as a spike of pain shot through his heart. His core flared, spinning violently, trying to reject the foreign mana. For a moment, he thought it might rupture.
“No,” he whispered, voice strained. “You’re mine now. I won’t break!”
He slowed his breathing, grounding himself in the rhythm of the flow. Bit by bit, the mana began to settle, merging with his own. The pain dulled, replaced by a deep ache that spread through his limbs.
Hours passed.
Eventually, the core crumbled into dust in his hands. Kai opened his eyes, exhausted but alive. His core had doubled in size. It now spun steadily, guiding mana through his bones, strengthening them, engraving magical symbols deep within. The symbols glowed brighter and brighter until they could absorb no more.
Then, the energy shifted, flowing toward his heart. A faint silver snake symbol shimmered there, barely visible unless one looked closely. It pulsed softly, absorbing the excess mana that drifted its way. For a moment, it glowed with quiet intensity, then gradually dimmed, the light fading as the symbol settled into place.
Kai exhaled slowly, his body still trembling. He had absorbed the full core of a Tier 2 beast and survived the storm. His mana was more refined, his body stronger, and something deep within him had awakened.
As night fell, Kai and Umbra retreated indoors. Kai prepared another meal using the beasts he had caught during the day, along with the remaining supplies from previous hunts. The food was simple but nourishing, and it helped restore their strength after a long day.
After dinner, they moved into their bedroom to relax. Umbra had fallen in love with her new couch and showed no intention of returning to her cavern anytime soon.
Kai headed to the bath. As he floated beneath the crystal ceiling, moonlight danced across the water, and an idea struck him.
“Hey, Umbra, come take a bath too! You smell like a dead rodent,” he called out, chuckling.
Umbra growled in response but came to investigate. She saw him floating serenely in the moonlit water and immediately began backing away.
She hated water. She was clean enough, thank you very much. And how dare he insult her beautiful fur?
She sighed and growled again, but Kai leapt from the bath and hugged her.
“You’re not going anywhere. Just stop and let me clean you. You don’t even have to get in the water, how’s that?”
She pinched him with her beak and screeched.
“I’ll make you an even more delicious meal tomorrow. Deal?”
She paused, staring him down.
Screech.
She could live with that.
“You glutton. You’d sell me out for a stew,” Kai laughed, just as she nudged him back into the bath with her tail.
Hmph.
Kai got up, grabbed a sponge from the rack, and began scrubbing her fur. At first, she complained, growling and twitching. But the longer he cleaned, the more she relaxed. A faint purr, barely audible, escaped her throat.
Kai smiled. These were some of the best moments of his life.
No expectations. No burdens. Just him and his dearest friend.
He missed his parents, yes, but not the lectures, not the plans laid out for him. This was freedom, and he hadn’t realized how much he needed it.
Once Umbra was clean, Kai wiped up the mess she’d made and dried her off with a magical towel he’d found in the wardrobe.
She looked like a black snowball, fur puffed out in every direction, only her eyes and yellow beak visible.
Kai burst into laughter, rolling on the floor.
Umbra whipped him with her tail and shook herself off, her fur falling back into place. With regal pride, she strutted out of the bath and sank into her soft couch.
Moments later, soft snoring filled the room.
Kai sighed, the weight of the day finally settling into his bones. He climbed into bed beside Umbra, letting the warmth of the room and the quiet rhythm of her breathing lull him.
Sleep came quickly.
And together, they drifted into dreamland, safe, content, and no longer alone.
***
Just like that, days passed quietly.
Kai no longer went out hunting. Instead, Umbra took it upon herself to bring back Tier 1 beasts and ordinary animals during her strolls through the surrounding area. She expected him to cook for her daily, and he did, happily.
She even gained a bit of weight from all the spoiling.
They trained together, rested together, and their bond grew stronger with each passing day.
The jungle, once hostile and unpredictable, now felt like home.
Ten days slipped by in peaceful routine.
And now, it was finally time.
Scry was due to awaken soon and assess the progress of their training.