As time passed my collection of mana cores grew. Be it from obsolete specimen or idiots that thought this place was safe to pass through. Although it hasn't been long from their birth the mantis and spider kin that carry my blood should be adults by now. They ate their siblings using their faster growth as girls to overpower their brothers and one of those girls from their respective batches killed all her sisters whilst they slept. Which gave them a enormous growth spurt since both arachnids and isotopes both are from nature cannibalistic so no big surprise. It's unsettling since both absorbed almost a batches worth of cores which means they surpas me when it comes to mana and since they still are gonna have a growth spurt, its only a matter of time until they catch up physically aswell.

Monsters usually reside in high mana density areas to fuel the growth of their cores. However my core is still dormant so even if I wandered into the heart of the forest I would only put myself on danger. That's why I've been looking someone with a active but pure mana core. But it's very unlikely that some mage apprentice just walks into my maws so I've been waiting until the reaserchers learned from my kids what they wanted.

I'm actually quite worried for some of the monsters that will come out of this. If the human child has a core then the rest of the world is fucked sideways. The combination of wolf and hound is terrifying on its own but it also has badger on it. Fuck, I can't even imagine what kind of beast the bear child is gonna be.

Anyways, that doesn't matter to me now.

I was free, partially. I was still the directors familiar but that doesn't matter, I was obsolete anyways. Obsolete specimen are butchered and feed the other specimen.

I put my right hand on my chest.

I carried humanity's future growth in me, though it isn't a good growth. If a faction as big as the humans suddenly had cores by birth then... the rest of the world would be fucked sideways. The other races can't have monster cores since only humans are white canvases. Each of the other races has their own advantages but if one suddenly got such a massive power up...

I cowered my eyes as the Sun stung them.

I still have to get used to that.

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

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I walked down the road not exactly sure where it leads.

Well, it's gotta lead somewhere, or else it wouldn't be there.

I smelled something.

My head snapped to the left.

A young woman of sorts was being chased by two bandits. I can tell they're bandits since they smell like blood and snakes.

But the smell of that lady... she smelled like flint molded by a river, a pure mana core.

Oh this is gonna be fun.

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Taking out the first one wasn't to hard. He didn't even suspect it. The second ones attention fell immediately on me because why wouldn't it? He pulled out a dagger and a handful of dirt. As a cape wearer I understand the value of throwable blindness. Heck I even had the same equipment except instead of dirt I held a cape in my left hand.

Using my cape to hide my ride side I threw my dagger at him. The dagger handle hit his head which disoriented him. The dagger was followed by a thrown cape which blinded him.

Random bullshit go!

I tackled him to the ground and used my clawed hand to tear his throat out.

Two down, one to go.

I picked up my stuff and turned to the girl expecting a hundred different faces of horror.

But not that one.

She looked at me as if I'm her saviour, ugh.

Great, my mood was ruined.

I stabed her through the eye before she could ruin it anymore.

"Why did you do that? You ruined my day you know."

I kicked her in the shoulder to make her lie on her back. Then with some crude experience butchered out her core.

I had to move quickly, the other bandits will be here soon.

I of course looted their bodies first.

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Soooooooooooooo. How do I do this?

I have some mana control but only enough to encase like a third of my dagger. I mainly use it to strengthen my body.

But monsters are different.

Whilst some species evolve to use mana most instead use prana. Unlike mana prana can only originate from the body. Also I can't be guided through it.

Every being in existence is different and therefore has to take a different path of prana. Both the body, mind and spirit need to be at peace with each other.

I stretched whilst dog ears appeared on my head.

My body might change but my spirit stays true. I closed and opened might fist over and over whilst tryingto feel what makes it close. My mind orders my body to move and do its bidding. I thought about that one time a wolfhound was dragged into the facility, she stayed strong through despair. My spirit fuels my mind like a furnace, but just like a furnace the fire might go out of control. The only time the director went silent was when she had a burnout. I rolled my shoulders focusing on how and which of my muscles move. The body is the temple of the spirit, as long the spirit doesn't abandon it it won't rot.

I took in a deep breath.

"... to be at peace."