"Ugh," Zane grunted as he opened his eyes. He was still in the same position as when he'd been praying, but his head felt like a high-speed train constantly running back and forth. His first instinct was to use mental channeling to alleviate the pain, but that only made it worse.
"What the hell kind of headache is this?" Zane muttered as he lay down on his bed. He was out. The speed at which he fell asleep was quite concerning, almost as if he had passed out. Still, despite the health concern, Zane slept better than he had in a long time. Sadly, his headache did not stop the next day, just not as intense.
"At least now, I can function somewhat," Zane grunted as he slowly got out of bed. "Hmm? I have a new title?"
[Title: Anansi's Blessing (Light Blue)]
[The Divine Spirit who rules over the Domain of Knowledge, Wisdom, and Story has been watching over you for many years. You might not know it, but he's been trying his best to ensure your survival even in the darkest of times. Today, he finally had a chance to meet and speak with you, and chose to grant you his blessing.]
[Effect: A 20% increase in knowledge absorption.]
Zane didn't focus on the effect, but on the descriptions. During his incarceration, he's been attacked many times, mostly by stabbing attempts. In many of these dangerous situations, he often had an intuition that warned him of upcoming attacks, which is one reason he survived. Later, Zane learned to read people's facial expressions to tell whether they were a threat and forgot about this feeling, but it was definitely a significant part of his life—especially in the first two years. Now, he finally understood the source.
"Thank you, Lord Anansi, for watching over me."
The statue released a slight light before disappearing; it was so fast that Zane couldn't tell if he was seeing things or not. Regardless, he chose to believe he wasn't seeing things. Ignoring his headache, Zane reached out for a book from his backpack and read for a good five minutes.
"It's true. The rate at which I absorb information is drastically faster." With his high IQ, Zane's brain was already terribly fast af learning, computing, or absorbing new information. But now, with the blessing, he received an additional upgrade. A smile hung on the corner of his mouth as he realized he now had an extra advantage over his peers.
"No, I can't be complacent. Earth has countless egregores or divine spirits, so there should be plenty of individuals who have received their blessing," Zane analyzed. Now was not the time to be satisfied with things as they were. Now was the time to use this advantage and keep improving. So, after a small pep talk, Zane showered before heading to the practical class for the tournament.
Unfortunately for him, he performed poorly and finished sixth. His headache became even worse when he tried using his mental channeling, and even using mana channeling seemed more difficult than usual.
Instructor Seiya menacingly approached Zane. "Skylar, you better have a good explanation for such a poor performance. Otherwise, I will make your life a living hell."
"Instructor, I'm sorry, but I have a terrible headache. I couldn't focus or perform at my best."
"Headache? Do you think such an excuse…Why is your mental energy so chaotic?" Instructor Seiya frowned before waving for Ms. Luna, who swiftly approached and cast a diagnosis spell.
"His spirit is severely weakened."
"Is his soul alright? Has his potential been affected?"
"It's not that severe. However, he'll need to stop meditating or using magic for at least 3 days."
"Three days?" Zane asked.
"Minimum. It's best you rest for a week."
"Give him a Spirit Nourishing Potion," the instructor said.
"Sir, I don't have money."
"Did I ask you for money?"
"Huh, no."
"Then, shut up," Instructor Seiya said. Ms. Lune retrieved a potion from her bag and handed it to Zane, who embarrassedly drank it.
"Don't use mana until Tuesday."
"Thank you," Zane said.
"What were you doing to deplete your spirit to such a state? You better not have been doing something stupid, or I'll make you pay for that potion."
"No, no, I was just speaking with my Spirit Guardian."
Instructor Seiya groaned softly. "Doesn't your guardian know the best way to communicate with you is through dreams? Directly summoning your spirit is a dangerous thing."
"Um."
"Tell him to only speak to you in dreams —at least, not until you become a 1-ring Mage."
"I'll pass on the message."
"Since you can't use magic for the rest of class, go do some physical activity."
"Alright." Zane followed the instruction by running laps, lifting weights in the gym, and even ending the training session with a swim. With the basic knight breathing technique the instructor taught, he made decent progress in cultivating his life. Although the process was slow, the breathing method was the most ordinary one; Zane was satisfied.
Now that he didn't have to meditate or train in spell-casting, Zane had more time to read. So, he focused on the Necromancer journal, trying to finish it as soon as possible. The content was more informative than Professor Burbank realized. From it, Zane didn't just learn more about the brain and mental energy; he also improved his understanding of necromancy, life energy, the soul, and even a bit of Dark Magic.
"Hey, Zane, are you alright?" Tom Nguyen asked after returning to the dorm. Since Zane was in the training hall, they did not return at the same time.
"I'm fine. Something went wrong with my spirit, so I won't be able to use magic for the next three days."
"It's nothing serious, right?" Evans asked.
"No, just tired and need rest."
"I told you your schedule was inhumane; you should take better care of yourself," Tom said.
"I will," Zane nodded. "And congratulations on reaching the semi-final."
"There is nothing to be proud of." Tom Nguyen shook his head; he knew that if Zane didn't perform poorly, there was very little chance he would have finished fourth. The top four positions seemed to be guaranteed for the first individuals who entered the Elite Class.
"I'm glad you're alright," Evans said, preparing to leave.
"Hmm? Where are you going? I thought you didn't have club activity today," Tom Nguyen asked.
"Don't you remember? I have to train with James."
"He agreed to train with you right after practical class?" Zane asked.
"I chose this time because I know he'll be tired and most likely miss the sessions," Evans sneered. "Then I can report that it was all his fault."
"Quite diabolical, but I like it," Zane said, and Tom Nguyen gave him a thumbs-up.
For the rest of the day, Zane spent his time buried in the Necromancer's journal. With his communication with Leon, he made rapid progress deciphering the madness. Professor Burbank was correct: the necromancer was quite knowledgeable in the intricacies of the brain and its relationship with mental energy. During the read, Zane also learned about the difference between the soul, spirit, and mind, which are often used interchangeably but are actually quite different.
The soul is the essence, the core, and the source of life. For any sentient creature, it is the single most important aspect of existence; it is also the key to mastering extraordinary powers. The mind is the external manifestation of the soul; it's also the engine, the control, and the guiding light of the soul. Before reaching a high enough state of meditation, the mind is connected to and limited by the brain; moreover, the soul cannot function without the mind. Meanwhile, the spirit is the middle ground; it's both the physical manifestation and representation of the soul and mind combined.
The soul is fragile and must be protected. As such, mages and other transcendent paths often use the spirit instead of the soul. A collapsed spirit can technically be healed, but an injured soul is a nightmare for any extraordinary path. Mental energy is a product of the spirit, which is why it has physical characteristics (residing in the brain) and a spiritual characteristic (it's an extraordinary energy).
The body, mind, spirit, and soul are interconnected, which is why damage to one could affect the others; this is also why the Necromancer thought he could animate a dead body using only the brain, with no soul or mental energy.
"His theory is sound. So, why didn't it work?" Zane thought. He couldn't wait to find an answer, but before he could continue reading, another thought popped into his mind. "Is this how Aura Skills are used? Manifesting the spirit outward to influence a person's mind? But how to differentiate the different auras?" There are countless aura skills: Fear Aura, Killing Aura, Suppressing Aura.
"The mind controls emotions such as fear or intent. If I could control my emotional energy and combine it with my spirit and then project it outward using mental energy as a medium, I could probably also use an Aura Skill. Sadly, I have no idea how to access or control my spirit. I don't even think apprentices can do that — unless I use a spell."
A spell might do the same as a skill, but they were the same thing. A spell was easier, and maybe even more potent. However, they usually cost way more mana. More importantly, an Aura Skill can be cast instantly, just as Instructor Seiya does for every mental training.
"Forget it. I'm already at my wit's end with the [Flow State]. There is no point in piling more on my plate."