John experienced a dream that was both strange and vivid. In it, he was surrounded by ones and zeros that swirled around him, gaining speed and eventually forming a clear pattern. The zeros converged into a single point, and the ones tripled, all spinning together harmoniously. It was a pattern he felt he should recognize, but it eluded him until suddenly, it clicked: it was the face of a clock. He woke up abruptly, heart pounding, filled with an inexplicable sense of the dream's importance. Rising from his bed, John felt an unusual surge of strength; he noticed minute details he would have overlooked before. His mind felt sharper, and things that once made no sense now seemed clear. The image of the clock face triggered another revelation, as if the stars had aligned—was this what enlightenment felt like? His thoughts turned to tai chi, beginning with the stance—feet shoulder-width apart. As he contemplated the clock face, he began to move rhythmically, timing his movements like the hands of a clock, ensuring his feet always mirrored the everything equals six as the center. If his left foot pointed to ten, then his right foot would point to four, maintaining perfect balance. If he would step forward with his right foot at the two, his left would go to the eight.

Then John incorporated his arms. As long as his feet were firmly planted, he would remain stable. By maintaining three points of contact, he could manage the direction of the power's flow while staying balanced, similar to how a mountain climber typically has three points of contact on the mountain's face—either two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot. He also began to recall some of the breathing techniques he used to practice.

John knew that establishing a firm footing would take time. Now, he felt confident he was on the right path. He had nearly succumbed to the dungeon's trap, which promised greater strength. Many rush in, overestimating their might, but John understood that wielding strength wisely was crucial. Tai chi had taught him the art of redirecting force and the importance of knowing one's stance. Balance was key. Glancing at his feet, clad in shoes, he decided no more. He removed them, embracing his newfound power that allowed him to move just his big toe instead of his entire foot.

He came up with a new idea, inspired by a cartoon about ninjas he used to watch. In their initial training, they would walk up trees. He thought he could replicate this feat with a twist: by pausing time at the sole of his foot. This way, when his foot touched the object he wanted to climb, it would remain stationary, allowing him to push off and repeat the action. He even speculated that he could perform a double step in mid-air by pausing time under his feet and pushing off into the air. However, achieving this would require much finer control. He hadn't begun his spirit cultivation yet, which would enhance his time magic capabilities. There was much to improve upon. He knew he needed to be smarter, more thoughtful, and take things slower. He was grateful that he hadn't allowed his newfound strength to overwhelm him.

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John's thoughts drifted to the crows he used to feed but hadn't seen in a while. Deciding it was time for action, he set out to meet Bob and check on the progress of the new sandbag training regimen. Observing Bob's setup of small poles planted in the ground beneath the hanging sandbags, John suggested starting with just the poles to allow people to acclimate to balancing and maneuvering on them. Once they were comfortable, they could then try to dodge the moving sandbags. Demonstrating the technique, John emphasized the importance of maintaining balance. Bob, eager to try, declared it looked easy—a common misconception when watching someone experienced. However, his confidence was short-lived as he stumbled after just ten seconds. Despite the mishap, Bob was impressed with the innovative and safe method to enhance agility and found his respect for John growing.

John decided to go fishing and, after a moment's thought, informed Bob of his plans. Unlike before, when he would have simply left, he now felt it important to communicate. Bob, who had never tasted fish, was curious about John's passion for fishing. Accompanied by a small group of guards, John headed to the river. As they left the city, two crows perched on John's shoulders. "Hey, how have you been?" John greeted them, stroking their heads. "I'm going to cook some fish for you today. Make sure to tell the others so they can try some too." One crow nodded in understanding and took flight. John asked Bob to start a fire while he fished for their meal. Within an hour, John had caught over thirty fish. He cooked them, giving each guard one, enjoyed one himself, and offered the rest to the crows. Having fulfilled his goal of feeding the crows, John sensed he would be cooking more often, just like the guards. Bob was amazed by the delicious taste of the fish, realizing that such a delightful flavor had been available all along, yet overlooked by many.

Max informed John that the dungeon required him to collect the beast cores owed to him that day, or they would be assimilated by the dungeon itself. Having just finished his meal, John returned to the dungeon's entrance where Max had secured the cores in his item slots. He received twenty-five cores for defeating the goblins and a level three beast core as compensation for the other levels he had cleared. Although he had more than enough to advance, he preferred to wait until his statistics were fully maximized. Back in his room, John consumed another beast core to enhance his body's capacity. By doing so, he planned to maximize his stats and then achieve a breakthrough the day after completing his upgrades.