The fire crackled softly at the center of the cavern.
It was not large, but it was clean—shielded by simple seals and scented faintly with calming herbs. César sat with his back straight, eyes closed, breathing in a steady rhythm.
After long preparation, he was ready to begin forming his Mana Core.
In front of him, Asia watched with absolute focus.
"Do not force the mana," the dark elf said quietly.
"Let it rotate. If you pressure it now, it will fracture."
César nodded slowly.
The other two remained silent.
The First Rank of Novice Mage consisted of three phases: Arcane Foundation (also called "Building the Foundation"), which involved forming a Gaseous Sphere of Mana, followed by the Opening of Mana Channels.
César had completed both.
Now he prepared for the final step—the Core Formation, the end of the Novice Mage realm.
Mana Core Condensation:
The gaseous sphere would:
compress
stabilize
solidify
A Basic Mana Core would be formed.
The results:
conscious absorption of ambient mana
stable spellcasting
precise control
Sasha, the beautiful gnoll, sat at his left. Her body resembled that of a hyena more than a human—powerful legs, a slightly hunched posture, a strong jaw, upright ears that reacted to every sound. Her tail swayed with restrained energy, tapping lightly against the ground whenever she grew nervous.
Her yellow eyes never left César.
To her, he was not just the leader of this emerging clan.
He was her boyfriend. The love of her life. The one who had given her existence meaning.
Lina, the only goblin present, sat at his other side. Her hands pressed against the ground, her body leaning subtly toward him, as if fearing something might go wrong if she stepped even slightly away.
"You can do it," Lina whispered. "Everything will be fine."
César felt the mana respond.
Asia knelt in front of him.
Her long, dark fingers rested gently against his chest, where the core was beginning to take shape.
"It is time to enter the next realm. I have no experience guiding others," she said, narrowing her blue eyes, "but I learned something when my father helped me form mine. Prepare yourself."
Asia released a thin thread of mana from her own reserves—not to empower him, but to set the rhythm. A guide. An invisible metronome.
"Now," she commanded softly.
César's mana began to rotate.
From gas to vortex.
From vortex to sphere.
Sasha's body tensed instinctively, her fangs showing slightly without her noticing—pure anxiety.
Lina clenched her fists. Her yellow eyes, with their goat-like pupils, never left him.
The air seemed to vibrate.
Time slowed.
All of them felt their hearts in their throats, fearing something might go wrong.
Even though Luna had succeeded before, the memory did not erase their anxiety.
The rotation tightened.
Then compressed.
Then—
The Mana Core took shape.
It stabilized.
César opened his eyes.
A smile spread across his fierce face.
"I did it," he murmured.
Asia slowly withdrew her hand, releasing a breath of relief as the tension faded.
"It is done. Your Mana Core has formed."
Sasha could not hold back.
She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms and body around him, pressing her forehead against his chest. Her tail wagged wildly, and a deep, rough purr escaped her throat.
"You did it," she said with a wide smile, fangs visible.
"I knew you would."
Lina hesitated only a second before stepping closer.
She did not hug him.
Instead, she rested her head against his shoulder with quiet, almost shy trust.
"You're stronger now," she murmured. "But I'll catch up soon."
César raised one hand and gently ran his fingers through Lina's hair. With the other, he placed his palm over Sasha's head, scratching instinctively between her ears. She froze for a moment, savoring the gesture.
"Calm down, girls. I understand how you feel," César said. "I have no interest in being strong alone. I'll be waiting for you. Don't take too long. I expect both of you to form your cores soon."
Asia watched them and clenched her fists—not out of jealousy, but determination.
She could not afford to fall behind.
Though she was happy her man had formed his Mana Core, she was astonished by his speed. Opening all sixteen mana veins and forming a core so quickly…
It proved he was a prodigy.
And it was not only him.
Though the two girls did not possess César's monstrous pace, they were not far behind. They were nearly ready to begin forming their own cores.
If Asia did not want to be left behind, she would have to train with equal intensity.
The fire continued to burn.
The core rotated—stable and silent.
And in that small cavern, far from gods, races, and future wars, a mortal future was taking shape.
One whose name would one day echo across the world.