A pulling feeling tugged at my heart. I did not want to separate from this magical place.

“How much time do I have left in here, Tensel?”

“You should not waste any time further, master,” Tensel replied.

He said I wasted time, but I felt I had more time than his earlier comment suggested. I thought he meant I would be forced out at any moment.

“So I have more time then? Or are you saying that I’ll be removed from here soon?”

“Master. Although you have more energy than all the previous masters, at most you can only stay inside the dimensional world for only a little over three days in terms of time from the world outside. However, I highly recommend master to only stay half a day or a day at most.”

“Wait. So I can stay three days then, right? Why rush? Why stay only half a day?”

“Because master. Even if I reduce the consumption of your spiritual energy, three days is the longest period of time before master’s energy is empty. You will then be displaced into the dangers of the world outside. Master, please remember that your spiritual energy is the source of your abilities. Without energy, you are unable to use any of your skills. Although you do not have many combat skills, your supportive and healing spells are critical to your survival.”

For some reason, a bitter taste surfaced in my mouth. I recalled that pig bastard Ian and my situation as a healer. Being a healer was difficult, but a healer without divine energy was cannon fodder. Reality crashed down on me, and I remembered that this world was only a temporary paradise. For now, anyway.

I will live here. Mark my words.

“I get it now, Tensel. Thanks. You’re right. I need to have divine energy at the ready when I leave this place.” I calmly stated on the surface.

I looked around at the mess in my new home. I wanted to cry tears. But not only because cleaning this place would take forever. Honestly, I looked forward to sifting through the treasures of the previous seven masters. However, I truly wanted to cry from having to leave my ideal world.

“I’ll be back, my love!” I declared to my magical place. “Ok, Tensel. Where is the skill book that I need to absorb?”

Silence. An awkward silence filled the air.

“Tensel?’

“Umm… Master. There are no skill books here. These are all normal books and journals. You will have to read and learn the technique through normal means.”

I needed to take some time to adjust to what I heard.

“Like manually reading? The long way?! Why!? I thought I could absorb the knowledge instantly and begin opening my other sources now!”

“Master, unfortunately, there are no such skill books here. You will have to learn the techniques from scratch. I recommend we start with the two most common energy sources besides spiritual energy: aura and mana. However, you will need Seventh Master Logan’s research to make this work.”

“The Seventh Master’s research? Don’t tell me..”

A dreadful feeling ran down my spine. Much of the piles of stuff in the room and on the couch and furniture were papers, endless mountains of paper.

“Please don’t tell me you want me to read all of these research papers! I didn’t want to become a mage because I didn't want to have to read all day!”

I felt an abhorred feeling of disgust coming from my ring.

“Eighth Master, Seth. Has anyone told you that you are really lazy? You have potential, but you need work if you want to get anywhere. Are you telling me you no longer wish to be able to stay in this world forever? Do you no longer want to help me, master?”

I gulped from being reprimanded. I naturally detested technical reading and sore muscles.

“No! Of course not! It’s not like that, Tensel. Not at all!”

“Great! I’m going to whip out that lazy nature with hard work! Prepare yourself, master!”

It must be cold lately inside the dimensional world. I couldn’t help but shiver from the frigid and devious feeling I felt coming from Tensel.

“Lucky for you, Seventh Master Logan left a condensed version of his research. You were correct that typically once someone decides on opening an energy source, they will be unable to open the others due to the clash between different energies in the body. However, that is where Master Logan’s research comes in. His lifetime masterpiece will allow you to build the Origin Body! The body that can tame all types of energy!”

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I couldn’t help but clap with stars in my eyes.

“Master Logan must be a genius!”

“Yes, he was, Master Seth. His theories are beyond anything you can find in academia. He was deemed a heretic for his research and teachings, but his world never understood his genius. He was truly beyond his time. Such a shame…”

A sense of forlorn soaked into my being from my connection with Tensel. I wondered about his bond with Master Logan. However, I did not pry. Tensel did not elaborate and changed subjects. I knew he knew I was curious, but I let it be.

“Master Seth, every master left three books. From the library, look for First Master Serena’s piece called, “Making the Rock Flexible,” and Seventh Master Logan’s works titled, “Mana Disparities and Circulation,” and “Multivariate Energy Symbiosis.” Those three books should be your first priorities.”

The strange title for Master Serena’s book already made me feel sore, and I felt mentally fatigued from the names of the other two.

Still, I buckled up my courage and walked closer to the bookshelf, *cough,* I mean library. Just as Tensel said, the bookshelf held three books for each previous master for a total of twenty-one. I brushed my fingers against the spines of the books, searching for the aforementioned titles.

“Let’s see…Serena… and Logan…” I muttered, pulling out the books with those names engraved on the sides.

“Master, you must complete Master Logan’s work on Multivariate Energy Symbiosis first. The other two will have to wait until you develop your energy channels to handle other types of energy.”

I nodded in understanding. I’ve heard stories of people exploding from attempting to mix the different energies in their bodies.

I couldn’t help but ask Tensel again, “Tensel, you said Master Logan was a genius, right? Did he master this technique and obtain the Origin Body?”

“No, Master Seth. Master Logan died from a body explosion. His mana violently reacted to his attempt to infuse divine energy, and the two sources of energy went berserk.”

My mouth dropped to the floor. The books in my arms fell to the ground with a thud. I jerked my hand that held Tensel’s so-called shell wrapped around my finger and madly flailed it around.

“What the heck, Tensel!? Doesn’t that mean this technique is a failure!? Are you trying to make me explode as well?!”

“Massstter! Maaaasterr! Waaaait! I caaan explaain!” Tensel yelled in my mind.

I stopped but glared suspiciously at the black ring on my hand.

“Then explain,” I said with a cold voice.

“Master Logan failed because he was initially a mage. However, Master Seth will succeed because master is a healer.”

I wanted to shout at the nonsense but remained quiet for further explanation.

“Like Master Seth, Master Logan, too, wanted to live here in this dimensional world permanently. However, as you already know, this world is incomplete and therefore cannot independently support everything here. Actually, all the masters attempted to live here longer. Oddly, all the masters that acquired me held the same desire; they all wanted to reside forever in the dimensional world. Through all the previous master’s endeavors and experience, Master Logan was finally able to create a plausible technique. However, he did not fit the criteria to learn the technique he spent his life creating.”

“So you’re saying he knew trying to learn the technique would lead to his death? And yet he still chose to do so?! Isn’t that foolish?! Why? Did he have some sort of death wish?”

A sadness seeped out from Tensel. He was hurt. I wasn’t sure if it was due to my harsh words or unpleasant memories, but I felt it sting Tensel.

“Because master, like you, all the masters were misfits of their respective world. They all dreamed of a paradise to escape their unfortunate realities. And as if answering that call, this dimensional world appeared. None of the masters wanted to return to their original world. However, none ultimately could change that fate. This world could only give them a temporary respite from their troubles.”

I then understood.

Guilt filled my heart.

I thought Master Logan was utterly foolish. However, I understood well why he didn’t want to return. I was too quick to judge, and now I was the fool.

Who would leave something they deemed as paradise and instead go live in hell? I, too, desperately wanted to extend the time I could stay here, even if it were only by one more day.

“I’m sorry, Tensel. That was wrong of me to say. I understand why Master Logan did what he did. Forgive me.”

“No, master. I should have explained everything to you, but I will do so now. The reason why you can learn this technique and not Master Logan is due to your choice of occupation. You chose to be a healer. This choice is the sole reason why you will be able to learn this technique, and why none of the other masters would not be able to.”

I need a raincheck.

I chose this path because I did not like the mental or physical stress demanded from the other paths. However, back then, I failed to understand the degree healers were disdained and frowned upon. I heard healers were unappreciated, but I also was told working in a church would eliminate those issues. Besides, what got me hooked was how much money I would make. I loved loot and coins like a dragon, and working at a church was safe and provided reliable income.

As a frontline healer, my occupation had its share of burdens. Many times I cursed the unfair treatment. Yet now, I did not know how to feel. I was almost thankful. The irony was almost hypocritical.

“So why does this technique require a healer? What is so special about being a healer? Why can’t a mage or warrior learn it?”

“Because master, healers can heal. Specifically, they can heal themselves.”

I remembered an unfond memory of being beaten in the head by that pig bastard Ian. During the fight, out of instinct, I automatically cast a self-healing spell. Otherwise, I would have been knocked out and turned into a punching bag.

However, Tensel’s words led me to further thoughts. A bad feeling crept into my mind.

“So I need to be able to heal myself. That means I’ll be injured.”

“Correct, master. You will have to recreate your energy channels. That is the first step. The technique will acclimatize your energy channels to the other energy types, partially breaking down the existing channels in the processes. However, breaking down channels causes damage that needs healing. Otherwise, you will lose all your ability to use any type of energy now and forever. Additionally, introducing the other energies to acclimatize your channels will cause reactive damage from one another, further damaging your channels, which will also need repairing. If not and the reactive energies escape to the body, and the worst case scenario will happen.”

Painful. Extremely painful. That was all I understood from Tensel’s explanation. Energy channels in the body are sensitive in general. I dreaded the immediate future that was to come.

Tensel continued, “Master Logan attempted with healing potions, but they were not quick enough or precise enough to heal the complex and intricate energy channels. Healers' spiritual energy is gentle in nature, and an experienced healer has in-depth knowledge to pin-pointedly control the healing of the body and its energy channels. Master Logan could not control the healing process, which allowed the volatile energies to escape from his energy channels and rupture the body. He surmised that if he slowly were to acquire spiritual energy, he would eventually be able to heal himself. However, his attempt failed. And without an energy source, I could only go into hibernation.”

I listened closely to Tensel’s story, not knowing what to feel or think. He dropped a bomb on me. However, the feeling I ultimately felt was sadness, for Tensel and Master Logan.

Focusing on Master Logan’s legacy technique, I felt unsure.

Even though I was confident in my healing abilities, I could not help but worry.

However, the thought of slaving under someone like that brute Ian until I die would be a worse form of torture. The man could not reason with words. He knew well the limitations of energies. A warrior had limited aura as well. Of course, be it a mage or healer, all of our skills were limited to our energy reserves. How could anyone not understand something as basic as that? We were not gods. It was common sense to only heal when injury’s become close to critical and not at every whim. Veterans knew that much.

I grit my teeth and strengthened my resolve.

“Alright. I’ll be the first to obtain the Origin Body.”

I gulped, slightly uncertain.

“I hope.”