In the distance, a seven-foot-tall mutant deer with massive horns was trying to hunt down a mutant rabbit.
Though it seemed odd, the deer was chasing the rabbit.
This forest had somehow changed nature itself. Some prey had become predators, while some predators had become prey. What was causing the mutations in these beasts was unknown to everyone.
Lucien was wearing his normal garments: a plain yellowish-white shirt and black pants. Both were covered in dirt and looked worn out.
Lucien saw the deer and started chasing it. The deer's instincts immediately told it that something was behind it.
While the deer was chasing the rabbit, it suddenly made a U-turn and started heading straight toward Lucien.
Lucien was startled for a second, but he quickly picked up a large stone and dashed toward the deer.
He jumped onto a rock, then leapt again toward the deer and smashed its head with the stone he was holding in both hands.
BAM!
The deer fell to the ground.
Lucien turned his back to the deer's body.
"Haaah... finally."
Lucien let out a sigh of satisfaction.
The deer was unconscious.
At least, that's what Lucien thought.
The deer silently got back up behind him.
"Hey, brat! The deer isn't dead! It's behind you!!!"
Lucien turned around.
The deer was already charging at him, its mutated, razor-sharp horns aimed directly at his body.
Lucien dodged at the last second.
Then he raised his left hand—the one holding his mother's horn—and smashed it into the deer's head.
BAM!
This time, the deer finally died.
Lucien secured the deer's body with a rope made out of veins and dragged it back to his cave.
After that, Lucien hunted a few small beasts before returning to his cave.
Crackle...
Crackle...
The sound and light of a fire came from the cave.
At the edge of the fire, a leg of deer and some rabbit meat were roasting on wooden sticks.
Lucien was sitting quietly in a corner of the cave.
"Umm... Mr. Voice, I feel awkward calling you Voice or Mr. Voice."
"Yeah? So what of it?"
"Umm... so can I name you?!"
"Hey, brat. You can just call me Voice. I don't think it sounds weird."
"Ohh... I'll call you Oldman from now on."
"WHAT?! I am young, you brat!!!!" Oldman shouted in fury.
"Hehe. Oldman, don't be angry."
Oldman let out a deep sigh.
"Fine. Call me whatever ya like."
...
Just like this, the days passed.
Lucien would wake up, go hunting, eat, exercise, and then sleep again.
Then he would do the same thing the next day.
And the day after that.
A year passed since the death of Lucien's mother.
Lucien was nine years old now.
He didn't even know when his birthday had passed. He was so immersed in his training that he hadn't realized how quickly time had flown by.
One bright morning, Lucien came out of the cave.
He was a young boy with a well-developed physique, a ruby-red eye, and a second eye that remained closed. His blond hair had grown down to his shoulders, and a small horn rested against his neck, hanging from a string like a necklace.
"Hey, Oldman. What are we gonna hunt today?" Lucien asked.
"Listen, kid. The first phase of your training is over. You've built a good physical foundation already. So, let's move on to building your magical and mental foundations."
Lucien nodded.
"Now, go to the highest point of this forest."
Lucien immediately started running.
He moved as fast as a mutant deer.
After only a few minutes, he reached the peak of a mountain, where he could see the entire forest below.
He could even see some human villages in the distance.
"Now, sit in a lotus position and connect the fingers of both hands with each other. Your ring finger should touch the ring finger of the other hand, and so on."
Lucien did as Oldman said.
Then Oldman spoke again.
"Now, try to feel the mana in nature. After that, try to feel the life force of mana within yourself."
Lucien closed his eyes and began concentrating.
"It takes months just to feel mana and years just to feel the life force within yourself, so don't rush things. Take it easy."
"Ohh! I did it! I can feel mana!" Lucien exclaimed with joy.
"Haha, kid, there's no way. It's probably just your body fooling you into thinking you can feel it."
"But I really can feel it! Check it if you want."
"Okay. Then give me control of your body."
Lucien let go of his entire body.
His consciousness entered the unconscious part of his mind where Oldman resided. He could see and feel what Oldman experienced whenever he took control of his body.
Lucien said, "See? I can feel mana."
"Ha-ha-ha... This is nuts! You have incredible talent for mana. I can't even believe you were able to feel it in just a few minutes."
Mana was the smallest particle of energy in the world. Everything was made up of mana, yet being able to actually feel it required years of tireless training.
That was one of the reasons most mages in the world were old men.
Lucien took back control of his body.
Oldman then said, "Now that you've felt mana, let's move on to the next lesson."
"Kid, the thing I'm about to teach you must never be passed down to anyone unworthy, nor can it ever be leaked to the public. This is a technique my master from the Eastern Continent taught me."
"Though I don't remember my master's name, I do remember that this technique is far more powerful than anything that exists in this world."
Lucien listened carefully.
"Now, I'm sure you know that mana is used differently by swordsmen and mages. A swordsman uses mana to create aura. To do so, they channel the mana throughout their body and then expel it through their sword."
"While a mage converts this mana into strings and wraps those strings around their heart."
"But my technique is different."
"You have to convert this mana into seven stars and three suns."
"By stars, I mean points within your physical shell where you have to condense mana."
"You must take the mana absorbed through your breathing, flow it into your blood, and then carefully place it at both shoulders, the center of your chest, your neck, both knees, and one point on your mouth."
"After that, you have to create three suns."
"One on your forehead, one within your heart, and one below your belly—also known as the dantian."
Lucien listened to every word carefully.
"Now, Lucien, sit properly and try to breathe slowly. While breathing, try to breathe mana along with the air."
Lucien sat calmly and took a deep breath.
Swoooosh...
He closed his eyes.
"Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth."
Following Oldman's command, Lucien exhaled through his mouth.
He frowned.
Then he inhaled again, trying to take mana in along with the air.
Oh... so this is mana. It looks fragile, yet destructive.
Now I have to flow this mana into my blood.
Lucien exhaled through his mouth.
Inside his body, blue mana began flowing through his blood vessels. The mana was so concentrated that it could even be seen beneath his skin.
Finally, the mana reached his left shoulder.
Lucien stopped the mana from flowing any further.
"Now make a Star out of that mana. Condense it and form a ball-like structure. It must be connected to your muscles and blood vessels as well."
Lucien concentrated and tried to shape the mana into a small, pointy ball connected to his veins and muscles.
His blood vessels twisted as he struggled to form the Star.
His muscles began tearing apart before repairing themselves.
Lucien was in unbearable pain.
Yet not a single word escaped his mouth.
His left shoulder suddenly began glowing.
Lucien gritted his teeth.
BOOM!