It felt as though she had run a hundred miles without rest, every muscle aching, every bone protesting. Even breathing required effort.
Yet beneath that exhaustion, she could feel something new.
Something stronger.
Something that had finally changed.
Lana could clearly feel that she had already broken through to the Earth Rank.
A steady, profound energy flowed quietly within her meridians, far denser than before, like a deep river running beneath still ground.
Wanting to test it, she lifted her hand and prepared to snap her fingers, intending to summon even the faintest trace of mystical energy.
Before she could do so, Mr. Crow, who had been dozing beside her with his head tucked beneath his wing, suddenly woke up.
"Stop."
His voice was sharp enough to make her pause mid-motion.
Lana turned toward him, puzzled. "What happened?"
Mr. Crow shook his head and hopped closer.
"It would be better if you did not use your mystical energy for the next day."
