The Man Who Was Not a Ghost
Leon ran.
He tore through the tall grass by the roadside, boots crushing dew-soaked blades beneath him. The cold midnight air scraped against his lungs, sharp and metallic with faint traces of ambient mana.
Damn it… why is today so cursed?
First Yuna.
Now I'm being chased by a flying ghost?
"Unbelievable…" he muttered under his breath as he sprinted harder.
After several hundred meters, his legs began to burn. His breath grew ragged. The world tilted slightly as exhaustion crept in.
He dared to glance back.
Empty road.
No white-robed figure.
The night stood still.
Leon slowed, chest heaving, and staggered toward a large tree by the roadside. He braced a hand against its rough bark, bending slightly as his breath rose and fell.
Silence.
Then—
"Hey, kid. Why are you running?"
The voice sounded right beside him.
Every hair on Leon's body stood upright.
He turned stiffly.
The old man floated in the air next to him.
White robes drifting without wind. Long white beard swaying gently. Calm eyes watching him with faint amusement.
Leon's throat went dry.
"Ghost grandfather… ghost ancestor… please don't eat me," he blurted, hands raised defensively. "My flesh tastes bitter."
The old man burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Young man, I am not a ghost. I am human, just like you."
He stroked his long beard as if amused by a child's imagination.
"You're lying," Leon shot back, forcing courage into his voice despite the tremor in his hands. "How can humans fly? Only ghosts float like that."
"It is true that I am human," the old man said patiently. "But I am also a cultivator in the Deva Realm. Coincidentally, while passing through this planet, I sensed something… interesting."
Leon's heart skipped.
Cultivator.
He had read countless webnovels on his communication crystal — stories about ancient masters who channeled mana, forged Mana Cores, ascended realms beyond mortal limits. Those stories claimed mana could be cultivated like breathing itself.
But in reality?
No human on this planet had ever successfully cultivated mana like the legends described.
Mana powered technology. It fueled magical carriages and transport constructs. It strengthened alloys and medicine.
But no one could absorb it into their own body and become extraordinary.
Those were just stories.
Right?
Leon swallowed hard, golden eyes flickering.
"Deity… aren't you from this planet?"
"Of course not," the old man replied lightly. "The cosmos is vast. There are countless worlds beyond this one."
"Really?" Leon's disbelief showed clearly.
"Why would I lie to you?"
Leon hesitated. His rational mind screamed nonsense.
"Then why were you chasing me just now?"
"I needed to confirm something."
The old man extended a hand and suddenly grabbed Leon's right wrist.
Leon tried to jerk away.
He couldn't.
No matter how much strength he used, it felt like his arm was locked in place by an invisible force.
The old man closed his eyes briefly.
Then his expression brightened.
"Good. I didn't expect to find such a treasure on this remote planet."
He released Leon's wrist.
Leon stumbled back, rubbing his arm, confusion written across his face.
"Son," the old man said, looking at him carefully, "you possess an extremely rare Ancient Body. Across many worlds, such a physique is extraordinarily suited for cultivation."
He smiled faintly.
"Are you interested?"
"Not interested," Leon replied immediately.
The old man froze.
"…Why?"
Leon dusted his clothes off casually, as if rejecting a street vendor.
"Because being a cultivator means sitting with eyes closed for weeks, maybe years. That kind of life is boring. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now, Senior."
He gave a polite but shallow bow and turned toward the direction of his village.
The old man hovered there, stunned.
Was this boy's brain damaged?
In countless realms, people sacrificed wealth, status, even freedom to enter the path of cultivation. Some were willing to become servants just for a chance to learn.
If those people heard this boy just now, they would probably beat him for stupidity.
The old man narrowed his eyes and floated forward again.
"Son. Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure," Leon replied without stopping. "I don't want to live like I'm imprisoned for years."
The old man's tone shifted.
"Son… I forgot to mention something. If the owner of an Ancient Body is not guided properly, it can harm the owner."
Leon's steps halted.
He slowly turned.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," the old man said calmly, "if your Solar Mana becomes excessive, your body will not withstand it. You will explode into pieces."
"What?!"
The blood drained from Leon's face.
His mind instantly imagined his body bursting apart like an overfilled mana crystal.
"T-Then how do I prevent it?"
The old man smiled slyly.
"In this world, nothing is free. If you acknowledge me as your master, I will tell you."
Leon stared at him suspiciously.
Why was this old man so determined?
"What exactly do you want from me?"
"How could I abandon a seed like you?" the old man replied seriously now. "With your primordial constitution, you may reach realms I could not achieve in my three hundred thousand years."
Leon's breath caught.
Three hundred thousand years?
Could cultivators truly live that long?
The old man's eyes dimmed faintly.
"My lifespan is nearly exhausted. Even if I leave nothing behind, at least someone should inherit my techniques."
Silence stretched between them.
The night wind brushed through the grass.
Finally—
The old man cleared his throat.
"Ahem. What are you waiting for? Do you not wish to greet your master?"
Leon studied him carefully.
White robes. Calm gaze. Terrifying power.
Then he bowed properly this time.
"This student greets Master."
The old man's face broke into a satisfied grin.
"Hahahaha! Good. From today onward, you are my disciple."
Leon straightened quickly.
"Then Master, how do I cure the excess of Solar Mana?"
The old man stroked his beard again.
"Simple. Through sacred union between man and woman — to balance Solar Mana with Lunar Mana within the body."
Leon blinked.
"…That's it?"
He felt irritation rising in his chest.
"I thought it required some rare heavenly herb or impossible ritual. You're saying I just need to… find a woman?"
On the surface, it sounded simple.
Find a woman. Balance energies. Problem solved.
But—
The old man's laughter rang again.
"Boy, while union is simple, do you possess a technique to properly guide Solar and Lunar Mana? Without method, the imbalance will worsen."
Leon lowered his gaze.
He did not.
"Hahaha. Now you understand. Without me, you will die from Solar Mana overload."
Leon clenched his fists.
"Then Master, quickly teach me the technique."
"Greedy child," the old man chuckled. "Not here. Let us leave this place first."
Before Leon could react—
A vast, invisible force enveloped him.
The ground vanished beneath his feet.
Wind roared past his ears.
The world shrank below as he and the white-robed old man soared toward the distant horizon under the mana-bright sky.