Kai wrote down more and more ideas, with each assertive sweep, the pen's relentless carving created a cacophony of defiant, rasping echoes. Page after page, a dozen ideas popped up in his mind, however they were all scrapped, and replaced by others. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he looked back at his notes, then at the old book. He began writing down another theory, however, the few sentences he wrote quickly got covered in circles and irregular shapes. Putting the pen down in his frustration, he quickly took a few large gulps from his water pouch before leaning back on the desk.

There has to be a way for this to work… Natural healing is out of the question, and so is surgery, that’s too risky. And if it was that easy, more people would have done it… or maybe it is that easy? I see no mention of surgery anywhere in this world’s medical records, so perhaps they aren’t that advanced yet. Regardless, I can’t do it by myself, maybe at a later date.

Forcing my veins to heal via plants rich in Life Energy could work, however, Kai closed his eyes and tore off a small piece from a plant before throwing it in his mouth. A faint wave of warmth spread throughout his entire body, rushing toward the areas where he was most wounded. Trace amounts of it passed through his mana veins as well, however, it made little to no difference. The energy simply gets redistributed everywhere, and there seems to be no way for me to focus it on my veins. This, without mentioning how much energy I’m wasting by ingesting them directly.

And… I haven’t tried the mana plants yet but I have a feeling it will be very painful and could even worsen their condition… Arrgh this is so frustrating! And my core… the Life Energy doesn’t even pass by it, almost as if it simply doesn’t exist in my body! The cracks are real, the pain I’m feeling is real, yet I cannot free myself of it!

Kai let out a long, heavy sigh, and his fists clenched in annoyance as blood trickled down on the table from the nails digging deep into his palm. Watching as his muscles contracted, Kai’s eyes suddenly widened as realization dawned upon him. I need to stop thinking about the mana veins as veins, but more like a muscle. Grandpa said they grew larger and stronger after I overused them, so maybe… Maybe if I forcefully pour mana through them, then Life Energy… there’s a chance that I could heal them to some extent… right?

A wiry smile creased Kai’s lips, and even he began questioning his sanity as this insane idea took form in his head. Forcefully introducing mana inside the veins, causing the Life Energy to rush toward and heal them. It’s a risky bet… and probably the most painful one out of all the ones I’ve thought up so far. However, it may as well be the only one that works. In this world, having no magic or core is equal to a death sentence, however, if I can manipulate already filtered mana… it should give me a fighting chance.

With that thought in mind, and a crazed expression forming on his face, Kai’s hand flew to one of the many plants, notably one with a lower concentration of mana - Voidroot. Most of the mana it holds can’t be used, but the little that can give me just enough to excite my mana veins… after that, all I can hope is that Lumiera won’t be picking me up again. He quipped internally, trying to alleviate the tension building up inside him. Well… it’s all or nothing now…

His hand shook for a second, but a defiant expression manifested on his face as he threw the entire Voidroot into his mouth, instantly swallowing it. Its coarse, wooden texture scratched against his throat before it melted like cotton candy. Almost immediately, the mana found its way inside his veins, activating them, and in turn causing Kai to scream in pain. Damn it! Even this little amount puts too much stress on them…! The mana traveled up his arms and down his legs, and the fissures covering his veins became larger and more frequent, seemingly on the verge of shattering completely.

Cold sweat dripped down his blazing forehead, and his entire body trembled an agonized scream escaped his lips. Onyx’s ears twitched as he woke up, immediately running to Kai’s side, watching him with worry. Kai’s eyes snapped open, watching the Obborik’s concerned and anxious expression. Letting out a low groan, Kai leaned toward the desk as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably.

With quivering arms, he picked up a random Life Energy plant and threw it into his mouth as well. A fiery sensation inundated his mouth as the plant immediately broke down, and a larger amount of life force coursed throughout his entire body. However, unlike before, it gathered toward his mana veins and this time they started healing. The cracks and holes slowly but surely closed up, but they did so at a snail’s pace. Regardless, they began healing.

Kai wore an expression of delight, his entire body shivering in excitement. Jumping to his feet, he paced around the room, clenching his fists before finally jumping on and snuggling Onyx. “I did it boy, I found a way to heal them! Ouch! Looks like I’ll have to be careful.”

“Woof!” Onyx barked, licking Kai’s burning face before sitting on the floor, curling up like a pretzel. Without standing on ceremony, Kai sat down, letting himself relax in the Obborik’s fluffy fur. His excitement quickly died down, however, as he realized that the mana inside his veins had already dispersed inside his body due to his mana core not being able to store it. Damn it… I guess this is only a temporary solution… But, the more I heal, the more mana I’ll be able to store for a moment, meaning I’ll be able to use Inkos spells and maybe even some low-tier Onkos spells… although… Feeling the changes in his mana veins, he could not help but sigh. It will take a while for either of those two things to happen… but it worked!

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Petting Onyx’s fur, his racing heart slowed down, and quickly fell asleep after closing his eyes.

…

The Obborik’s wet tongue ran across Kai’s face, his growling stomach echoing like a famished monster in his ears. Startled awake, Kai looked around while wiping the saliva off his face. The morning sun’s docile rays passed through the window, and his eyes widened in surprise. “Did I sleep for that long?”

Getting up, his legs wobbled slightly while regaining balance. “Damn, looks like this is pretty taxing on the body. Also, since it’s a new technique… I should give it a name, right?”

“Woof!” Onyx barked in agreement, wagging his tail while waiting for Kai to finish his monologue so he could eat.

“Mhm… How about… ‘Hippocratus Healing Technique’? Named after the Father of Medicine, it signify a new step towards advancing this world’s medical field. However, just like in the past, it’s a very coarse one.” Kai nodded to himself, rubbing his chin slightly before Onyx’s low growl echoed in his ears. “Alright, alright. I’ll feed you now, jeez.”

…

Kai began packing up his stuff as the moon replaced the hiding sun. He carefully placed the plants in a bag inside his backpack. Tucking them to the side, he placed them in such a way as to not get damaged but still be easily accessible. He looked around the room, making sure to not have forgotten anything, and turned toward the exit while donning his newly acquired cloak. Throwing the backpack on his back and the mask on his face, he picked up his sword and walked out of the room, Onyx following closely behind him.

The sword’s scabbard brushed lightly against his leg as he walked down the stairs, the backpack rattling lightly with each step. Everyone’s gazes turned on them the moment they stepped into the lobby, however, Kai simply ignored their whispers as he turned toward the receptionist. Nodding lightly before walking out of the inn.

The night’s cold breeze hit his mask, the air inundating his nostrils as he took a deep breath. Feeling invigorated, he walked toward the city’s gates, under the dark sky’s looming gaze. The soldiers stationed at the entrance were the same as when he first arrived. Among them, Rudolf watched Kai’s figure with widened eyes. “Well fuck me, that beast did behave.” He said, approaching Kai with a half smile. “I say, how did you tame it? If we had a couple of those per battalion those damn demons wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Kai stood in brief silence, the events of his ‘bonding’ experience with Ony flashing before his eyes before he coughed lightly. “Let’s say it was a stroke of luck. But, what did you say about the demons?” He inquired as they walked toward the exit, the gates rumbling as the captain spoke.

“Ah, I said too much. Just some pests, don’t worry about it too much.” The man reassured Kai, although his voice carried a hint of anxiety. Kai didn’t question it any further, even if he knew, his current self still lacked the power to do anything about it.

“Thanks once again for letting us in. Goodbye. ” He bid his farewells before entering the forest, skilfully slithering through the shadows as his figure disappeared. Rudolf let out a heavy sigh as he turned toward the city, a complex expression manifesting on his face as he gazed at the moon.

Winter is coming…

…

The sound of crackling branches echoed in the forest flooded by darkness as Kai crushed sticks and leaves under his feet. Even Onyx’s white fur almost got swallowed by the night, making the two almost invisible to any passing gaze. Kai’s crimson pupils glowed slightly behind his mask, and he slowly led the way, skilfully avoiding any stray roots or vines.

Onyx lazily followed behind, his wandering gaze looking from left to right after every little sound. “It’s alright boy… it doesn’t look like anyone or anything is following us. You’re scaring everyone away any-…” Kai chuckled as he turned toward Onyx, however, he stopped mid-way after observing the Obborik’s expression.

“Grr…”

“Alright, alright, you’re not scary…”

As they advanced, the trees became few and far between, with only a few of them clustered together here and there, until even those groups dwindled until there were no more trees. A shiver ran down Kai’s spine as a cold breeze passed him by, rustling the grass around his feet. The moon’s soft, yet burning light reflected upon his silver hair, making it glow slightly as he advanced under its harsh gaze.

“We’re getting close… Evicario is less than a day away…” Kai mumbled under his breath, his voice rising slightly as he turned toward the Obborik. However, Onyx’s expression differed from his usual happy-go-lucky one. His ears perked up, twitching about as he listened to the silence. Kai’s hand immediately flew toward his sword, tightly clutching the hilt as he grew cautious. His muscles tensed up as he listened carefully to his surroundings, however, he could not hear anything besides the grass swaying with the wind.

His pupils suddenly constricted. He pulled out his sword while jumping next to Onyx, frantically scanning the ground. The Obborik’s head snapped to a location not far away from where Kai stood originally, the grass in that area twisting unnaturally. Two small, glowing beads moved through the grass, zig-zagging toward the two as the wind carried a soft hissing sound.