Somewhere out there. In the vast expansive multiverse. Beyond light and dark. Beyond reasonable and unreasonable. Beyond the very concept that birthed concept itself, and then some. Out there where creatures lurk at noon, where truth becomes poisoned wine, where the gods dread to walk.

There! Right there! Is a hunger. An unquenchable thirst. An undying devotion.

To knowledge!

I feel it crying out for satisfaction!

Gary feels it too.

Gary searches his body's memories in search of all cultivation realms. In place of that he finds this:

Perfect Self

1 Innate talent

Projected life potential reached. Ability to feel, accumulate, and manipulate world energy gained.

2 Ideal Face

Minor world energy increase. One's face is changed to fit their ideal. Lower lifeforms(cattle) are more susceptible.

3 Ideal body

Major world energy increase. One's body is changed to fit their ideal. Lesser demonic beasts are more susceptible.

4 Young Master

Highest world energy increase. Able to outwardly project energy.

5 Perfect Face

Minor world energy increase. One's face is changed to closer match biological perfection. All lifeforms(cattle) are more susceptible.

6 Perfect Body

Minor world energy increase. One's body is changed to closer match biological perfection. All demonic beasts are more susceptible.

7 Extreme

Minor world energy increase. Individual biological limits reached.

8 Unleashed

Minor world energy increase. Individual biological limits Exceeded

9 Sky Scraping

Major world energy increase. Levitation. Eligible to advance to True Self

10 Mortal Supreme?

Can fly. Is chad. Smacks God's ass on the way to work.

Gary's not sure about that last one.

True Self

1 Perfect

Can fly. Is a duke or something. Incompetent or malicious? Stronger than dad.

Demigod at some point

1 Demigod

Is a demigod. Crown prince maybe? The first emperor. The emperor before he dies?

Gary looks up at the sky.

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"World energy." He wonders.

Ah Gary. How sneaky. You expect me to tell you exactly what it is, and how it works.

World energy, or more commonly referred to as mana, is the all encompassing energy of the world of Timor. It is within, without, and all about everything that lives on its surface. It's a lower form of energy accepted by many for the immeasurable benefits it gives.

To measure this energy one must learn about the monad. A monad is the lowest possible measurement of an energy. The energy of a particle of electricity sits at 3000 monads. With a mana particle sitting at 3 times 10 to the power of 24 monads or 16 joules. With energy densities this high strange things start to happen to physical reality. It starts responding to nonsense concepts such as 'intent,' 'imagination,' and 'effort.'

For a variety of reasons, relating to the biologies, dispositions, and material conditions of various groups of sapients, the path in acquiring this world energy and utilising it to your ends have solidified into the standard classifications that Gary is aware of now. That's not to say that there aren't any other paths that can be either stronger, weaker, or just the same. All that's said is that, on Timor, this is the most efficient path that's publicly available. Hopefully no 'fiend-gods,' or 'Asuras' pop up to shake things up.

No Gary, you won't be getting any of that out of me.

After a moment thinking, Gary seems to have pieced it all together himself. Oh Gary. How clever you are. I doubt there's anyone out there who matches your brilliance.

Gary has suddenly realised that he has a serious problem. His current self is at the Innate Talent stage of the Perfect Self realm. His cultivation manual was only a guideline that would help a child awaken their innate talent as they're approaching their teenage years in hopes of giving them a head start. Presumably Gary's dad would have given him access to further cultivation manuals, combat techniques, training, financial support, love and attention. You know, the bare minimum. Unfortunately Gary's dad was dead.

Thinking about this Gary was upset on having lost out on the immense resource that having living parents would've been. Unfortunately this body's original Gary was only 10 when he lost his father to a bear, and Gary doubts a 16 year old could've stopped a runaway steam-car from killing his mother. Gary would attempt to avenge both of their deaths later. It's the least he could do.

Speaking of age, Gary was now the ripe old age of 17. He'd hit it at some point during his haze of extreme effort to achieve something he actually wanted for once. He'd celebrate later. He could always look for the memory of his birthday some other time anyways.

Gary was now lacking a proper cultivation technique. Whilst it was still technically possible to cultivate without one, doing so could potentially be disastrous, as Gary would be essentially shooting in the dark. One could accidentally summon a demon into their own body, or transform their arm into a lobster. Who knows? There's a reason why everyone on Timor follows the same general guideline, even if it might not be the most efficient one available.

Trying new things is scary and dangerous, and Gary's luck is terrible. With this in mind Gary stood up off the ground with a steely look on his face. His resolve was firm.

"I have to get my hands on a cultivation manual!" thought Gary.