Chapter 8
Inside the small, dimly lit room where Delton and Jing were staying, the wall unexpectedly slid open, revealing a tantalizing selection of food. Delton, feeling a bit adventurous yet mindful of his appetite, reached for a simple chicken burrito, opting for the small version because it appeared light and easy to handle. Jing, on the other hand, chose a perfectly cooked fish fillet: a piece of fried fish coated in crispy breadcrumbs, golden brown and glistening with just a hint of oil.
"Wow, this tastes amazing," Delton exclaimed after taking his first bite, his eyes lighting up with delight. "Here, try a piece of this!"
"Really? Let me taste it," Jing responded, curiosity piqued. "How is there so much food packed inside the wrapper?"
"I know. It's surprising!" Delton replied, clearly impressed.
Jing took a cautious bite of the fish fillet, and the satisfying crunch echoed through the quiet room. It was a delightful sound, and both of them paused, savoring the moment.
"Delton, you really should try this too," Jing encouraged, a smile spreading across his face.
"Are you sure, sir?" Delton asked politely, his tone reflecting a mix of hesitation and eagerness.
"It's perfectly fine; you can have a bite," Jing insisted, offering him another piece of the delicious fillet.
After a moment's consideration, Delton accepted and took a piece of the crispy fish. As he bit into it, the crunch mixed with the tender, flaky interior sent waves of flavor through his taste buds. He couldn't help but be amazed by how delectable the food was.
"Hey, how did you make this food?" Jing inquired, turning to Ai, who had been quietly observing them with a knowing smile.
"I was able to recreate the taste, smell, texture, and appearance of the food using energy. I converted energy into the molecular properties of the food with the help of the facility's remaining energy and advanced human technology," Ai explained.
"So, you recreated the food using energy?" Jing said, intrigued.
Suddenly, Jing opened his palms and closed his eyes. Energy began to gather in his hands—a force he referred to as Anima. Anima is the energy that every being in this new world possesses. It originates from the soul energy, representing a being's lifespan; if a being's Anima were to be fully depleted, they would die.
However, Anima cannot be completely depleted; a normal person can use up to 75% of their Anima before collapsing. Anima exists for all beings on the planet, regardless of their species. As long as a creature has a soul, they have Anima.
The Anima energy in Jing's hands took shape, forming a small sphere of water that floated above his palm. But he wasn't finished yet; the water began to transform into a glimmering piece of ice.
As he continued, the ice slowly melted, transforming into flames. Delton looked at Jing, astonished by this display of elemental manipulation.
Jing created fire by using the remaining Anima energy from the ice and replacing its properties with fire. In that moment, he experienced a spark of enlightenment. He then changed the fire into a strong wind that swirled above his palm.
"Sir, how did you do that?" Delton asked, bewildered, his eyes wide with surprise.
Jing smiled knowingly, sensing the confusion. "We all forgot about the new rules governing the use of power," he replied, his tone calm and steady.
"Anima is the power of the soul," he continued, "and controlling soul energy is fundamentally different from elven magic."
"Thank you for the enlightenment, Ai," Jing added, gesturing towards their companion.
"What was that?" Ai interjected, her system was processing what just happened.
"What do you mean? That was the use of Anima," Jing explained patiently.
"What is Anima?" Ai asked, still bewildered, her mind racing to catch up.
Since Ai had been cut off from the world for an extended period, she was unaware of the new powers that had emerged during her absence. It dawned on Jing that both Ai and the unconscious man beside them were trapped in this facility, oblivious to the cataclysmic events that had reshaped their world.
Sensing the urgency of the moment, Jing began to explain the upheaval that had transformed the Earth they once knew.
"It began with a catastrophic earthquake," he recalled, his voice steady, "one that caused the very land of Earth to fracture and separate. In the wake of this disaster, the fabric of the universe itself began to shift. Multiple universes began to merge with ours, reshaping reality as we knew it. Planets and lands, strikingly similar to Earth, were separated from their own realms and began to merge with our own."
He paused briefly, gauging their reactions. "As our universe expanded, new planets entered orbit around our sun. Each of these planets, inhabited by unique, sentient species, brought diverse cultures and powers into our world."
Jing emphasized the catalyst behind this merger. "The god-like beings governing each of these planets forced the issue. Their anchors—similar to Earth's sun—were dying. Recognizing that Earth's sun was the only compatible anchor, these beings decided to unite their worlds with ours. They negotiated and ultimately agreed to merge their universes and solar systems with Earth."
"Since the anchors of each universe possessed the very essence needed to stabilize their planets, these beings offered to feed their anchors' energies into Earth's sun. This was done to preserve their power systems while simultaneously saving ours."
Jing took a deep breath, knowing the gravity of the next point. "It was after this Great Merge that Anima was established. The god-like beings then informed all sentient species on Earth about Anima and its significance. Anima is now the source of all power in this new world. The stronger their Anima, the longer their life expectancy becomes."
As Jing finished his explanation, he observed Ai processing the flood of new information. Her expression reflected shock and realization.
"I hadn't expected such a monumental catalyst to occur in the world while I was away," Ai said slowly, her mind trying to grasp the enormity of the changes that had taken place. The layers of reality she once understood were now altered, and the implications of Anima weighed heavily in the air around them.
Suddenly, Jing gazed at the unconscious man on the bed, sensing something unusual.
"What's wrong?" Delton asked as he also looked at the man.
"He twitched," Jing replied, maintaining his focus on the unconscious figure.
"What do you mean?" Delton thought, his mind racing with questions.
Suddenly, Jing extended his hand, aiming something directly at the man. His hand started to glow, then he shot a small fireball the same size as his palm.
The unconscious man suddenly woke up and managed to dodge a fireball that was flying toward him. He was standing next to Delton and quickly drew the sword from Delton's hip. It happened so fast that Delton couldn't react; it was too quick for his eyes to perceive.
The man swung the sword towards Jing's neck. But before the blade could even touch his neck, Jing grabbed the man's wrist and tightened his grip, forcing the man to let go. Before the man could process what was going on, Jing grabbed the man's head and injected him with Anima, forcing him to sleep.
Jing lets go of the man as the man collapses to the ground, unconscious.