Another dastardly change had occurred. In my previous life, I could activate Enhance whenever I needed to. It was an innate ability, something that only required your will to activate. Once activated, a timer would countdown signifying a period of cooldown.

Although not everyone had an innate ability, all innate abilities could be used almost reflexively and I had never heard of a cost attached to it.

Once more my experience allowed me to calm down. If it says insufficient mana then I simply need to get mana.

Calming my heart and mind, I once more entered into a meditative state to capture the ambient mana. In my mind's eye, I flicked through a few methods on mana absorption. Majority of mana absorption techniques were valuable. Rarer ones allowed you to attain specific mana or increased the speed of absorption. I managed to attain a few techniques.

I settled on a technique called - Nobel Essence Capture. It was a more popular one that was derived by modern mages. Using this method, I slowly captured the ambient mana. After successfully doing so a few times, a notice appeared to me that I had successfully learned it. This just means that the system now acknowledges my mastery over it.

Over the next two days, I dutifully sought to get as much mana as I could. This meant that I was staying up late and getting very little sleep.

My daughter got annoyed at me saying that I was too sleepy to play with her. I felt bad so I promised to take her to see her grandparents soon. She cheered up after that as she loved the farm.

After handling over 100 tiny wisps of mana, the golden core started to pulse. I felt an energy surge through me and knew instinctively that my innate ability could be used.

On activating [Enhance], a notification appeared: [Due to this being the first activation of Enhance, full access to gold core given. Please select what to enhance]

I opened my eyes and everything was outlined with golden flames. I could enhance the bed or carpet but that would be a silly waste of resources. I could, however, enhance my body. This would make me stronger in all aspects. This was a sure way to grow and I had done it in my previous timeline. Let me see if there is anything else to enhance. I closed my eyes and looked inwards.

—---------

Name: Thorwin Delcia

Mana core: Destiny

Level: 0

Exp: -/-

Stats:

Strength: 3

Dexterity: 3

Vitality: 3

Perception: 4

Cognition: 4

Inflection: 4

Innate Ability: Enhance (Level 1)

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Abilities: None

Spells: None

Techniques: Nobel Essence Capture (Level max)

—------------

Trying to enhance Enhance doesn't work so leveling it up would be with another method. So the only thing that was available was the Mana Absorption technique called Nobel Essence Capture. I mentally selected it.

Another screen appeared showing the rank of Nobel Essence Capture as well as a brief description. The rank given to this method - Common.

Common?! This technique that I had to bleed and sweat for was ranked as common? I knew from experience that if I taught this method I could get hundreds of gold coins from masters.

Fine, let me see something better, you silly system.

I chose to enhance the Nobel Essence Capture. After all, getting more mana quickly would allow me to use my innate ability whilst merely strengthening my body would not speed it up.

With a mental nod, I [Enhanced] Nobel Essence Capture.

Immediately a golden light descended upon my internal space. From the light came a pole with many different colors on it. I recognized it as the universal colors for rarity in the apocalypse: grey for mundane, white for common, blue for uncommon and so forth. At the top were colors I had never seen before. Even the legendaries, which were the color purple, were a couple of colors below the top.

Each color started to light up and up and up it went. My heart was pumping with each step upwards. What kind of powerful method would I get? I trembled with anticipation.

When it reached Red, the lights shook and the golden core inside of me pulsed twice and the lights reached all the way to the top - Black. The pole was then taken away and I felt myself enter a trance.

Images flashed across my eyes in quick succession.

I saw a being sitting cross legged meditating amongst the stars and stars were being pulled into his body.

In another I saw a man feeling the flow of all life on his planet, like a conduit for all mana on his world. The entire world pulsed with his every breath.

I saw many other images, each as confusing and mysterious as the other. I just knew that regardless of what I get here, it would be world shattering at the highest level.

Finally the barrage of images stopped on one.

In it was a man sitting down meditating. Half his clothes were the deepest black whilst the other half were the purest white. His world was the opposite color of his clothes, neatly divided in half just like his clothes. When he opened his eyes, his orbs were the colors of black and white rotating around each other. I then heard a voice in my mind.

“Chosen by Destiny and given the golden core…let me have a look at you…Ah I see your circumstances, timelines and potential. Not too bad but also not too good. Mediocre. It is hard to change your destiny. But your heart remains right despite your anger and bitterness…Alright I agree with Destiny. I am willing to help. Prepare yourself for if you lose consciousness or falter during my teaching your body will disintegrate. Do you still want to continue?”

I swallowed my doubts.

What this man spoke of was true. My beginnings are humble and my potential is limited. I briefly recalled all the pains and tribulations I went through in the past timeline. If I dont push hard, will I be confident that the future will be safe?

I steeled myself and nodded to the man.

The man closed his eyes.

A wave of pressure so strong that it could crush a mountain descended upon my mind and soul. Images, thoughts, diagrams all flew in at a rapid pace. I felt my mind expanding a little bit too much. My head felt like it was swelling up, the pressure immense. My soul started to fray. There was too much information going through. My consciousness started to slip…

NO! I recalled the things that made my heart go cold…feeling the blood of my daughter on my hands…Turin’s smirk as he casually killed the entire party…

[By withstanding transcendent pressure, you have gained Iron Will, level 1]

The pressure slowly receded.

In its place was a warm breeze that flowed through me. It rejuvenated and restored me. I didnt know it at the time but this breeze carried me off the floor and gently placed me on my bed.

I had a dreamless sleep that night.