Contrary to Tyler's fear, the maid hadn't figured out his true intentions. Far from it, she was only taking her time, deciding if it was safe to talk freely or not.
Once she was sure it was fine, she started talking so much that Tyler almost got tired of hearing her voice.
In the end, it was worth every second.
[Did you get it?]
Of course Tyler got it. There was no way he would go through all that effort and not get what he needed.
And yes, he finally understood it now. The means to becoming a Magus.
According to the maid, the very first step was Aptitude. Without it, one could never become a Magus, no matter how hard they tried.
Those who had Aptitude could move forward, and those who didn't were forever stuck as ordinary people.
The second step was only for those who had passed the first test, and it's the Mana Initiation Realm, also known as the initiation stage.
It was the process of absorbing mana from the world into one's own body, of connecting yourself to mana's existence for the first time.
To begin, the maid had said, Tyler needed to meditate, close his eyes, shut off all his senses, and try to feel the mana drifting in the air.
That was the standard method used by anyone who wanted to walk the Path of a Magus.
So, Tyler began.
At first, it was difficult. He couldn't focus properly. His thoughts kept jumping around, but he tried anyway.
He followed the usual meditation posture with eyes closed, slow deep breaths, in and out.
He focused, or at least tried to.
[Seriously, dude, try to take this more seriously, would you?]
"Why? You think I'm not trying hard enough?" Tyler muttered.
[Yes, yes I do.
If you were serious, you'd have gotten it already. It's been five days since you started.]
Inner made it sound like everything was so easy. Like all he had to do was close his eyes and it would work.
But for Tyler, it wasn't that simple.
He wasn't some kind of genius or talented prodigy that could get things done with just a thought.
Tyler had never been given the chance to prove himself in that aspect. Not when someone like John always stood above him.
'John… I wonder how he's doing now.'
Tyler's thoughts drifted. Was John suffering too? Was he also trapped like this?
[Stop worrying about others
Think about yourself first. Focus on the process]
Tyler sighed but nodded inwardly. Inner voice was right. He couldn't help anyone else if he couldn't help himself.
So he focused again, really focused this time. He gave it everything he had, every ounce of concentration he could muster.
Day one passed with no success. No sign of mana. Nothing but silence.
Day two was the same.
Then days turned into weeks.
Still nothing.
But on the thirty-seventh day, something changed.
'I feel it!'
His heart raced.
It felt like waves of warm air flowing through the room. He couldn't see it, but he could sense it, something invisible and alive, blending with the air yet completely different from it.
It was faint at first, but it was there.
Tyler could feel the mana.
And now that he did, he wanted more.
Each day, he pushed himself further. The maid continued to bring food. The Magus came by to take his blood, just as they always had.
Tyler had grown tired of it all. He hated being their prisoner, their experiment. But now, at least, he had a goal. He had something to hold on to, a path forward.
That said , it didn't entirely come easy.
Feeling mana was one thing; learning how to use it was another.
He was doing this completely alone, with no teacher to guide him, no book to reference.
It took time, but slowly, he began to sense the mana more clearly. What had started as faint traces now filled the air around him.
Every breath he took felt heavy with invisible energy.
That was when he knew, he had completed the second step.
Now came the third step.
The part that would truly mark his entry into the Mana Initiation Realm.
But this step was far more dangerous than the maid had made it sound.
She had said he only needed to absorb the mana into his body, letting it cleanse his system in what was called body rejuvenation.
The truth was, the process was far more complex.
The mana he absorbed would enter his body through his skin and pores, spreading into every part of him. It would open up the inner points, the pressure channels that controlled mana flow throughout the body.
Once those channels were opened, the mana would circulate naturally, marking the completion of the Early Stage of Mana Initiation Realm.
It was the first of seven realms on the long path toward becoming a full-fledged Magus.
But that was easier said than done.
The process might sound simple, but it was incredibly dangerous.
One wrong move, just one mistake and he could die instantly.
If the mana entered the wrong part of the body, or if it was guided incorrectly, it could turn into mana poison.
A deadly surge of corrupted energy that would eat him alive from the inside out.
And death by mana poison wasn't a peaceful one. It was said to be so painful that it made every other form of suffering feel like nothing.
Tyler didn't know any of that.
Even if he did, it wouldn't have stopped him.
He was willing to risk everything, anything to get out of this place.
He would rather die trying than live as a prisoner forever.
He started.
He stood, his body still chained but his mind steady.
Tyler closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. Again and again.
He could feel his heart steady. The mana in the air around him pulsed faintly, waiting to be drawn in.
[It's time]
This was it.
The moment Tyler took his first real step toward becoming a Magus.