Theo entered meditative state very quickly, with deep breathing and absolute concentration. Time gradually passed: 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes—the limit where his body began reacting.

  The longer time stretched, the more Theo lost some focus. In the final 30 minutes, Theo felt a small dissolution, he fleetingly thought perhaps he truly had no mana talent. But as a person with plans, he'd complete these final 30 minutes with all remaining strength.

  Right in the final minutes, when exhaustion and doubt reached climax, Theo gradually felt a current...

  It was a feeling like an icy, fragile silk thread, slipping through skin and going deep into his bloodstream. It wasn't the explosive feeling of energy, but an extremely faint silver thread, just connected to an invisible power source.

  "G reports: Sensing a special energy current entering Host." G's voice rose, affirming Theo's historical moment.

  Theo calmly sensed the mana thread spreading through bloodstream in body. He tried to concentrate all attention force, tracking and sensing this subtle flow. But right after a few minutes sensing energy source, his head suddenly violently dizzy, nausea surged up. His body began rejecting mana.

  Cold sweat beaded on Theo's forehead. He took a while to steady himself, then opened eyes, slowly withdrawing the Mana Crystal from hand.

  He'd succeeded! In the final seconds of day three, he'd done it!

  Unable to hide joy, Theo clenched his fist. The feeling of relief and satisfaction spread throughout body, surpassing even the dizziness from rejection.

  "Did it," Theo whispered like an affirmation to himself. "I have Mana talent."

  Immediately, G spoke up analyzing with cold, mechanical voice, mixed with rarely seen doubt:

  "Data analysis: Host took 247 minutes over 3 days to complete test. According to recorded data, an individual with normal mana talent only needs 180 minutes to complete.

  Theoretically, Host is still a person with not good mana talent (at average level). But very specially, Host's body has better mana endurance than ordinary people, therefore could complete test within 3 days.

  Data insufficient. Suggest helping Liam also perform test, both supplementing practical data and enhancing combat strength."

  G's cold analysis immediately extinguished Theo's victory joy, replaced by truth: his talent was only average level.

  However, he wasn't discouraged at all. From before until now, his strength never came from innate talent; he was always someone taking steady steps according to plans drafted for himself. He'd accept his own reality.

  But G's reminder also awakened Theo: he should also let Liam test and learn mana absorption. This was an indispensable force if they wanted to reach heights in this world with great Mana civilization.

  While waiting for Liam, Theo opened Madam Lyra's journal, studying the first lessons very carefully. G both analyzed and summarized foundational knowledge helping Theo learn faster and more clearly.

  Magical Medicine

  In this world, Magical Medicines are clearly divided into two separate schools based on their mechanism and impact on users.

  The first school is Internal Stimulation Magical Medicine. This medicine's mechanism uses herbs and Mana to strongly promote body absorption and energy supplementation cycles at material centers. They impact internal factors like blood vessels, bone marrow, muscles, nerves and other internal organs, aiming to direct Mana flow to where users desire and serve their purposes.

  Those who prepare this medicine type are usually mages specializing in creature research or those with thorough understanding of body boundaries or physicians, priests,... Composition-wise, they mainly include herbal ingredients with mana. They'll be specially extracted or refined, suitable for each organ type; the entire preparation procedure requires thousands of tastings and dosage adjustments to achieve desired effects.

  Typical examples of medicine power include Elixir of Fortification increasing body endurance; Swiftness Potion helping speed up blood circulation, strengthening energy to body, allowing users to increase continuous movement speed for short time; or Thread Restorer aiming to accelerate cell recovery process, promoting bone marrow to regenerate cells more powerfully for self-healing. Besides there are training, coaching medicines aiming to enhance strength for people or beasts.

  The second school is Mana Structure Magical Medicine, far more complex and sophisticated. Their mechanism is based on Mana in magical medicine being pre-configured into a natural matrix before user usage. When absorbed, this matrix not only simply attaches to body but also performs Change Reality Function according to preparer's intent and design.

  Due to complex nature, craftsmen of this medicine type are usually mages researching spells, those with knowledge about forces, alchemists,... Their composition includes mana extracted from gemstones, natural phenomena like lightning or magical creatures,... combined with Exotic Catalysts to keep Mana matrix structure stable.

  Examples of their medicine power are extremely strange and powerful. For instance, Transmutation Elixir builds temporary matrix on skin layer, allowing users to temporarily change shape; Phasing Potion creates high vibration matrix, disrupting material interaction, allowing wall penetration or passing through objects; or Metallization Serum creates super-dense mana structure attaching to bones and skin, temporarily hardening body into metal or stone; and even some types used to enhance or forge weapons, tools.

  Magical medicine is called so because it has mana, that's the immutable essence. Therefore, sensitivity to mana is a wonderful talent, even important for reaching a magical medicine master's peak. However, not having talent doesn't mean can't become medicine master; this demands even more effort, perseverance, time. Mana sensing can be replaced by experience and summarization. It's like being blind but still able to cook, though very difficult.

  Theo smiled lightly when speaking about perseverance and assessment. He was confident in himself and in G. And moreover, his mana sensing ability could only be described as slightly below average—not so bad as to be called poor. Theo continued researching deeper into mana's effects on magical medicine in the notebook.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  A faint cry suddenly rang out—Liam had awakened. He looked dazed, certainly his body had reached its limit, and evidently Liam still hadn't sensed mana. G said the time had been 57 minutes. Theo nodded. Indeed, his body had some differences from ordinary people; this made him wonder about this special ability of his, but this problem had to wait—now wasn't the time to research it.

  Nodding in agreement with that reminder, Theo turned to speak to Liam, who still looked dazed:

  "It's already very late. We need to recover our strength for tomorrow's training. You should get some sleep."

  Theo closed the notebook, carefully storing it in his bag, then found a quiet corner to rest, preparing for the challenges ahead.

  The next morning, both prepared money and armor to go to the rune carving stall located at the edge of Oakhaven market.

  Still that rough appearance, sun-bronzed skin, but sharp cold eyes were closed. He—the rune craftsman—was smoking an old pipe and enjoying early sunlight.

  Theo and Liam came before the stall. The old man said nothing, only opened eyes glancing at the armor in the two's hands. Staring intently for a while, he spoke in hoarse, low voice:

  "12,000 Copper per set, but no 100% success guarantee."

  The two glanced at each other, nodded, took out money placing it before him and stated their requirements.

  Theo: Blood-Burn Speed Rune — Increases speed 20%, cooldown 24 hours.

  Liam: Blood-Burn Strength Rune — Increases strength 20%, cooldown 24 hours.

  Liam's hands trembled slightly handing armor to the old man. Theo's hands were calmer but his back muscles tensed stiff.

  The old man nodded, standing up. Only then did Theo and Liam see his towering height. He had broad shoulders, a long rough gray beard and deep scars on bare arms—wild and powerful style like an ancient warrior. Clearly, in youth he too was a formidable warrior.

  All rune carving tools were laid out: a bone knife, a white stone bowl, three bowls containing different colored blood of unknown origin, one bowl containing fine powder like charcoal and one bowl containing jade-green powder.

  The rune carving ritual proceeded both quickly and meticulously, yet carried a wildly natural and mesmerizing style.

  The old man used the bone knife to decisively cut a line on the armor hide's inner surface, not hesitating at all. Then he used a type of blood to wash clean the cut, making it shimmer like silver. He mixed charcoal powder and green powder in the white bowl, stirring with the knife tip. When the mixture turned deep purple, the old man dipped fingertip thoroughly in the liquid then drew ancient rune characters on the armor piece with rough but absolutely precise strokes.

  The rune characters seemed to receive life from blood and powder, flickering with dim light then sinking deep into the hide armor layer, completing the carving process. The combination of outward casualness and precise calculation of each stroke created a strange art.

  One hour later.

  Time passed slowly in near-absolute silence, only the sound of bone knife clicking on hide armor. Theo and Liam held breath fearing too-loud breathing would affect success rate, because they knew well hand-carved rune success rates were always double-edged swords.

  Finally, when the old man finished drawing the last character on Liam's armor piece, both hide armor sets simultaneously emitted a faint pale pink light ray, then immediately extinguished, sinking into old hide color. No explosion, no black smoke, no disintegration. This time, luck had sided with them.

  The old man showed no satisfaction or surprise. He gently collected the bone knife, gathered copper coins and used bowls. Every action decisive with no excess sounds, as if this success was merely obvious. Finished, he returned to his chair seat, took out the old pipe, lit it and again sank into imposing silence.

  Theo and Liam exchanged relieved glances, carefully wearing new armor on bodies. Though successful, anxious feeling hadn't completely dissipated.

  "That's one thing done," Liam whispered, trying to sense the Blood-Burn Strength rune's power on armor.

  "Two more days," Theo replied, voice lower. "We have no time to waste. We must reach Level 1—The Gainer to be able to use it."

  Theo explained, speaking while quickly folding armor:

  "Liam, you must understand, Mana cultivation isn't just using spells. This entire system is the process we use Mana to perfect energy circulation, then accumulate and stabilize that energy along our seven vertebrae (C1—C7). Each level up is one time completing refinement, crystallizing Mana in each vertebra."

  He looked straight at Liam, emphasizing importance:

  "Spine Center (C1—C7) is where we contain energy. Spirit and will integrate into Mana to command all magical actions. Only when we reach Level 1—The Gainer, do we officially unlock basic Mana usage capability and application. Only then will things like strengthening runes on your armor have real effect."

  "And our current goal is to quickly advance to Level 2—The Steadfast," Theo added. "That level brings Flow Stability, increases Mana endurance, and most importantly, for mercenaries, it's the first stage to learn basic attack spells." —quoted from Seven Wonders Under Starlight.

  "To base, training." Theo concluded.

  Liam nodded, eyes already replaced with new determination.

  On the way back to base, Theo both practiced Spike Stepping—trying to maintain steady walking on sharp points—and thought about knowledge learned last night in the journal about Apothecary profession. Theo was very rushed; Al's progress was slowing while he lacked a Trainer's knowledge, so he very much needed ACP points now. Just when Mana quantity met requirements, Theo would try researching developing stronger minor potion or numbing essence.

  Returning to base, Liam still couldn't perform the Mana test right now but had to wait until evening. Therefore, he continued practicing Hidden Shadow around the area.

  Theo didn't hesitate. He sat down in a quiet corner, drew out the Mana crystal and began absorption training to accelerate the energy accumulation at the first vertebra (C7).

  He placed the crystal pressing into palm. The stone emitted dim faint light, cold, and that feeling was an absolute purity. Theo focused on his own breathing rhythm, imagining the weak Mana thread connected last night.

  He exhaled slowly, concentrating thought, guiding that pure cold energy current from crystal through skin, entering bloodstream. This integration wasn't pleasant at all. Mana hid during the spiritual fusion phase, requiring extreme will concentration. That silver thread slowly and reluctantly threaded up; Theo had to use entire consciousness to force it to move along spine, accumulating bit by bit at C7 vertebra—the lowest Mana coordination center.

  Each successful accumulation brought a heavy and warm feeling at spine, but that warmth was quickly replaced by sharp pain as body had to adapt to new energy. Spirit also weakened a bit from consumption when fusing into Mana.

  He closed eyes, persevering, knowing each minute training was a steady step toward Level 1.

  After a while, when Theo had touched mental exhaustion limit, G spoke up analyzing with a gentler voice than usual, as if afraid to make Theo even more exhausted:

  "Data analysis: Already 25 minutes. Host consumes much spirit, but body hasn't reached limit to reject Mana.

  First suggestion: Exchange Apothecary Gene—Sabrina Subject Sample—to improve spiritual force, helping subject optimize Mana absorption.

  Second suggestion: Train a Psychic-type Pokémon—it will help Host develop spiritual power faster."

  Glancing at suggestions, Theo felt craving surge. Both would somewhat solve the problem he faced, but looking back at his own ACP points, he smiled bitterly.

  Theo panted from exhaustion and dizziness. He tried taking really deep breaths so oxygen could supplement brain, helping pain ease for a while. But clearly he knew he still hadn't reached physical limit G warned, and that made his will not permit stopping.

  "Continue," Theo silently commanded.

  He closed eyes, persevering guiding cold energy current through objecting body.

  Another 5 minutes passed. G's voice still gently rang out:

  "Efficiency has decreased to 43%, but absorption process continues."

  Mental exhaustion so heavy Theo had no strength to think anything logical. In his head remained only one single idea: persevere for 90 minutes—the maximum time he set for this training session.

  Time gradually passed. Head pain increased, and his consciousness blurred in opaque white. Until the final seconds, a nausea surged up throat, signaling body had truly touched limit.

  G's voice rang again, this time mixed with some unclear flavor, like a secretly surprised reaction before Host's stubbornness. For a logic-living entity like G, effort to the point of reducing efficiency and wasting time was truly incomprehensible:

  "93 minutes."

  G of course couldn't understand. For Theo, this wasn't just training; it was like a small challenge he set himself to affirm he could completely overcome insufficient talent. It wasn't a move in logic or part of detailed plan; it was simply persistent perseverance day after day, absolute discipline—gradually building a solid character in the future.

  Theo smiled with relief, though head still spinning. He'd achieved what he wanted.