"I'll survive first," Ekant said quietly.
The words felt more like a vow than a plan.
He lowered his gaze to the thin book resting in his hands.
On its cover, simple yet firm letters were engraved:
Mana Gathering Guide
He opened it.
The inside of the cover was completely blank— almost disrespectfully so. The first actual page was pure white, with clean diagrams and neatly written explanations.
It explained only one thing.
How to sit.
Lotus position.
That was it.
The moment his eyes finished scanning the page, a familiar system notification appeared.
〈You have learned Mana Lotus Position〉
"…Oh," Ekant murmured. "That was easy."
And it really was.
What Ekant didn't know was that Lotus Position was the most basic posture in existence. Even a normal mortal— someone without talent, without power— could learn it if they tried.
The real suffering began after that.
He turned the page.
Then another.
The second and third pages were packed with details.
Breathing techniques.
Timing.
Mental focus.
Minute sensations to watch for.
How to inhale.
How to exhale.
When to pause.
What to ignore.
What not to force.
Ekant read them carefully.
Twice.
Then he placed the book on the grass and closed his eyes, sitting in the lotus position.
He began inhaling.
Exhaling.
Trying to follow every word exactly as written.
Five seconds passed.
Then ten.
Then—
He messed up.
Adjusted.
Tried again.
Messed up again.
His breathing went out of rhythm.
He corrected it.
Then ruined it again.
After five minutes filled with tiny mistakes— hundreds of them— Ekant finally opened his eyes and sighed.
"…Yeah, no."
He shook his head.
"I should read all the pages first."
With that decision made, he picked the book back up from the grass and flipped through the remaining pages.
Fourth page.
Fifth page.
Placed side by side.
The information grew denser.
Harder.
Each page felt like it demanded absolute focus— not just understanding, but acceptance.
He continued.
Sixth.
Seventh.
Eighth.
By the time he reached the last page, fifteen minutes had passed.
Ekant exhaled slowly.
"I should read it once more," he murmured. "The last five pages were brutal."
So he did.
This time, it only took ten minutes.
His understanding was deeper now. Clearer.
For most players, learning any absorption method took anywhere between ten to twenty five minutes.
Ekant was right on the mark.
He placed the Mana Gathering Guide back on the grass.
Closed his eyes.
Sat properly.
And began.
The moment his breathing aligned—
〈Congratulations! You have learned Mana Absorption Method: 'Mana Gathering Guide'〉
〈Due to the effect of Mana Gathering Guide, you will absorb 5 Mana per second〉
Numbers appeared before him.
〈0 / 1000〉
Then—
〈Congratulations! You have cultivated for the first time and experienced Mana〉
〈5 / 1000〉
〈10 / 1000〉
〈15 / 1000〉
Ekant opened his eyes slightly.
Mana flowed into him naturally.
His breathing had become rhythmic—automatic.
He felt relaxed.
Refreshed.
Calm.
A warm sensation spread through his body, as if he were soaking in a hot bath.
"…This feels nice," he muttered.
He checked the screen again.
"Five mana per second," Ekant said thoughtfully. "And I need one thousand mana to break through…"
He did some quick math.
"That's… two hundred seconds."
Then corrected himself.
"…One hundred ninety-seven seconds."
A small smile appeared.
"About three minutes and seventeen seconds."
A new panel appeared.
---
〈Congratulations on unlocking Mana Absorption Method Interface〉
Mana Gathering Guide (15 / 1000, Efficiency: 100%)>
"…So there are hidden sections," Ekant muttered.
He chuckled faintly.
This reminds me of Tiyan avoiding spoilers.
What Ekant didn't know—
Most players had no idea absorption methods even existed.
The system automatically granted them Basic Methods, allowing them to absorb only 1 Mana, Qi, or Chakra per second.
Ekant was unknowingly five times ahead.
"I should spend the remaining 197 seconds," he said calmly.
And resumed cultivation.
〈20 / 1000〉
〈25 / 1000〉
〈30 / 1000〉
〈35 / 1000〉
〈…〉
〈…〉
〈1000 / 1000〉
After exactly 197 seconds, the flow of mana surged.
His body trembled slightly.
A sharp yet controlled sensation spread across his skin.
〈Congratulations, Player NoName〉
〈You have broken through to: Skin Tempering – First Level Mage〉
〈Also known as: Skin Tempering First Realm〉
〈You have abandoned mortality〉
Ekant opened his eyes.
"…So this," he murmured, feeling his body, "is what it means to stop being mortal."
The forest remained quiet.
But something had changed.
And this time—
It was inside him.