I stared at the book on my desk. I'd practically risked my life for it in the treasury. On the left was the Foundation Breathing Art, a plain, leather-bound book that looked like it belonged in a discount bin.
On the right was the Flash Instinct crystal orb, glowing with a faint, jagged yellow light.
I leaned back, my chair creaking. Squeak.
Foundation Breathing Art.
It looked so ordinary. Brown leather cover, slightly worn at the edges. No glow. No fancy symbols. Just a plain old book that probably weighed less than my phone back on Earth.
But inside?
Inside was the key to everything.
Soon, a familiar voice could be heard in my mind.
[Host.]
Yeah? I asked.
[Are you going to stare at it all night, or are you going to open it?]
I snorted. Give me a second. I'm building suspense.
[There is no audience. Just me. And I am not impressed.]
I clicked my tongue. Yeah. Got that.
I reached out and picked up the book. It felt warm in my hands—warmer than it should be. Like it knew it was about to be used.
"Okay," I muttered to myself. "How do I even do this? Do I just read the pages or what?"
[Place your hand on the book. Push a small amount of your mana into it.]
Mana? I don't even know how to feel mana yet.
[Then learn. Close your eyes. Focus.]
I sighed. Easy for you to say. You're literally made of code.
But I did it anyway. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I tried to... focus.
At first, nothing happened. Just darkness behind my eyelids. The faint sound of my own breathing. The distant hum of mana-lamps in the hallway.
Then—
A flicker.
Something small. Tiny. Like a spark in the corner of my awareness.
[That's it. Focus on that.]
I reached for it—not with my hand, but with... something else. My mind? My soul? I don't know. But I felt it. A warmth. A current. Flowing just beneath my skin.
Mana.
I'd never felt it before. Not really. In my past life, I was just a normal guy. No magic. No system. Just bills and deadlines and loneliness.
But here?
Here, it was real. Flowing through me like blood I never knew I had.
[Now push it into the book. Gently.]
I focused on that warmth. Imagined it moving—from my chest, down my arm, into my fingers. Into the book.
The moment it touched the cover—
Whoosh.
The book lit up.
Not brightly—just a soft, pulsing glow. Then the pages started flipping on their own. Faster and faster. Words blurring past my eyes too quick to read.
Then—
Pain.
Sharp. Sudden. Right behind my eyes.
" Agggh—!" I clutched my head, the book falling from my hands. It hit the floor with a thud, but I didn't care. My skull felt like it was splitting open.
Information. Too much information flooding in all at once in my head. Diagrams. Pathways. Breathing rhythms. Mana cycles. The way air should flow. The way energy should move. The way my core should pulse.
It was like someone had taken a thousand-page textbook and crammed it directly into my brain.
And then—
Silence.
The pain faded. Slowly. Leaving behind a dull ache and a strange... clarity. I sat there, breathing heavy. Sweat on my forehead.
[...The art has been absorbed.] the system suddenly spoke.
I blinked. What?
[Foundation Breathing Art. It's in your mind now. You understand it.]
I stared at the book on the floor. It looked dead now. No glow. Just a plain old book again. I reached up and touched my head.
...I feel like someone hit me with a hammer.
[That was the information transfer. It will happen with the skill too.]
I groaned. Great. Can't wait.
I picked up the crystal next. Flash Instinct. It was small, cold, and dark. It sat in my palm like a frozen stone.
[Same process. Push mana into it. The core will break and bond directly to your soul.]
To my soul?
[Yes. The skill pattern will be written into your very existence. You will understand how to use it instinctively.]
I looked at the crystal. Then at the book on the floor. No going back now.
I closed my eyes again. Found that warmth—that mana—flowing inside me. Pushed it into the crystal.
Crack.
My eyes snapped open. The crystal orb was splitting. Tiny fractures running across its surface like broken glass. Light poured out—silver and bright, filling the room.
Then it shattered. And the light hit me.
"…!"
No pain this time. Just... understanding.
I felt it click into place. Behind my eyes. In my chest. Along my spine. A new awareness settling over me like a second skin.
The room felt different now. Sharper. I could hear the faint hum of the mana-lamps more clearly. Could feel the slight draft from under the door. Could sense the empty space behind me without turning around.
It was the passive effect of the skill.
I stood up slowly. Tested it. Moved my head. The awareness moved with me—always there, always watching.
And the active part... I could feel it too. Waiting. Ready to spark if I needed it.
Don't use it yet, I told myself. Brain damage isn't worth testing.
[Skill absorbed. Flash Instinct is now part of your soul.]
I looked down at my palm. The crystal was gone. Just dust now, mixing with the sweat on my skin.
...Okay. That was intense.
Now it was time to cultivate some mana.
I crossed my legs on the floor—felt stupid doing it, but the book's diagrams showed people sitting like this, so whatever. Closed my eyes. Focused on my breathing.
Foundation Breathing Art.
The technique was in my head now. I could see it clearly—the pathways, the rhythm, the way mana should flow.
Inhale. Pull mana from the air into my core. Hold it. Let it compress.
Exhale. Release it through my vessels.
Inhale again. Deeper this time.
At first, nothing. Just air. Just breathing.
Then—
A tickle. A warmth. Mana—actual mana—responding to my call. Flowing into my chest. Gathering in my core like water in a well.
I kept going.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
The warmth grew. Spread through my limbs. My veins felt like they were stretching—expanding—making room for something new.
I could feel my core now. Really feel it. A small, dense ball of energy in my chest. Weak. Flickering. But there. And with each breath, it pulsed. Absorbing. Growing. Getting just a little bit stronger.
Time lost meaning to me.
I didn't know how long I sat there. Minutes? Hours? The world faded away. Just me and my breath and the mana flowing through me.
At some point, I felt something else. A pressure building. Like my core was getting full—too full. But the technique kept pulling more in.
Compress, the knowledge in my head whispered. Let it compress.
I focused on my core. Imagined it squeezing tighter. Smaller. Denser.
The pressure eased. My core felt... fuller. Heavier.
I kept going.
Eventually, I opened my eyes. The room was dark.
Wait—what?
I looked around. The mana-lamps were still glowing, but faintly—night mode. The window showed black sky.
How long was I out?
I tried to stand and immediately regretted it.
My body was covered in sweat. Drenched. My clothes stuck to my skin like wet paper. And there was something else—a dark, sticky residue on my arms. My neck. Coming out of my pores like oil.
…And the smell.
Oh god. It was unbearable.
The room reeked. Like alcohol and something rotten. Years of Leo's bad decisions—the drinking, the drugs, the neglect—all of it, pushed out of my body in one session.
Soon, a familiar voice spoke in my head. [Congratulations, Host.]
I coughed. For what?
[You successfully completed your first cultivation session. Your core has stabilized and grown slightly. You also expelled years of toxins from your body.]
I looked at my arms. The black gunk.
...This is disgusting.
[Yes. You should take a bath immediately. You smell.]
Thanks for the honesty.
I stumbled to my feet. My legs felt weak—but different. Lighter. Like I'd just run a marathon and recovered at the same time.
I grabbed a towel and stumbled into the bathroom.
The water was hot. Almost too hot. But I didn't care.
I stood under the stream and let it wash over me. Watched the black residue swirl down the drain. Felt my muscles slowly unclench.
…I did it.
I actually did it. Back on Earth, I was nothing. Just a guy who ran from everything. Drank too much. Cared too little.
But here?
Here, I was learning. Growing. Becoming someone who might actually survive.
The water ran clear. I stood there for a while longer, just thinking.
I dried off and changed into simple clothes—black pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Nothing fancy. Just comfortable.
Walked back into my room. The window was still dark. Night. Late night, probably. I sat on the edge of my bed and took a deep breath.
The room still smelled a little, but I'd open a window later. Right now, I was too tired. I lay back on the bed. Stared at the ceiling.
I finally have a mana technique. I can actually train now. Actually get stronger.
[Yes, Host. You can.]
A smile tugged at my lips.
This is crazy.
[What is?]
A few weeks ago, I was a nobody on Earth. Now I'm here. Learning magic. Cultivating. About to fight in a trial that'll probably kill me.
[You are still a nobody, Host. But you are a nobody who can now breathe correctly.]
I laughed. A real laugh.
Yeah. I guess that's something.
I closed my eyes. Sleep was pulling at me—heavy, warm, inevitable.
But before I drifted off, I remembered something. I should check my stats once.
"Status screen," I whispered.