The energy transmission channel was easy enough to resolve, but ensuring it couldn't be interfered with was another issue. After pondering for a moment, Ren had an idea.
He just needed to engrave an Array on his own body to continuously supply it with energy. It wasn't too difficult. With the plan set, Ren sprang into action.
He proceeded according to his idea. Once the channel was established, Ren fully activated the Array he had constructed inside.
This Array was the exact same one Ren used to engrave on weapons as an anchor point. Now, as he activated this massive Array, the area centered around it instantly stabilized.
This anchor acted like a stabilizing pillar, completely securing a 10x10x10 area. Seeing this, Ren's eyes lit up.
"It worked!" Ren was pleasantly surprised. He had actually pulled it off. However, his celebration was short-lived. Although the space had been constructed, whether it was stable and could properly store items remained to be seen.
He decided to capitalize on the momentum, preparing to engrave an energy-supplying channel directly onto his chest to feed the Array.
Having studied Array magic, Ren was no stranger to energy channels. It was just that these types of Arrays were typically engraved in areas abundant with energy.
Ren chose to engrave it directly on his chest to prevent the Array from being interfered with or destroyed. Plus, this location was close to his heart.
This was where Ren's energy was most abundant. The beating of his heart would drive his internal energy, providing more than enough for the Array to absorb.
It was essentially like attaching a pipe directly to an oil pump. As long as Ren's heart kept beating, the Array inside would have an endless supply of energy to sustain it.
Just as Ren was about to begin, he suddenly remembered something, and a much bolder idea formed in his mind. The chest was still on the surface of the skin; there would always be a way for someone to interfere with it.
*If that's the case, why not engrave it directly onto my heart?* He could get it done in one fell swoop. If it was located there, no one could possibly attack it, right? And if an attack actually reached his heart, Ren would be dead anyway.
This would ensure that as long as he lived, the space existed; if he died, the space would vanish with him. With this thought in mind, Ren immediately set to work. But could he actually engrave it on his heart?
The answer was yes. In fact, it was quite simple for Ren, as Yukino Yukinoshita's body control talent was perfectly suited for the task.
Being able to perfectly manipulate all the energy within his body meant that carving an Array onto his own heart was a walk in the park.
Furthermore, doing this had an added benefit. Engraving this energy transmission magic onto his heart was equivalent to adding a layer of protection to it.
After all, energy transmission needed to be secure, right? If it could be easily shattered, how could it maintain the flow of energy? Because of this, the Array inherently possessed a certain degree of defensive capability.
Now that Ren had engraved it on his heart, it was like outfitting his heart with a suit of armor. No matter how he looked at it, engraving this energy transmission Array onto his heart was the best possible choice.
Acting on his thoughts, Ren closed his eyes and directly activated Yukino's talent. He gathered a surge of energy toward his heart, completely transforming his entire heart into a power furnace!
The entire process was painless. Ren easily accomplished what he set out to do. As the Array was engraved, it immediately began to operate.
He carefully inspected his body for any discomfort and monitored the energy consumption being supplied. Upon discovering that the energy drain was slower than his natural recovery rate, the smile on Ren's face grew even brighter.
"With this, it's mostly complete. The internal space is functioning without any issues. Now for the main event." Thinking this, Ren grabbed his pillow.
Then... he attempted to store it inside the space. Ren channeled his magic, and a small Magic Circle appeared on his palm. The next moment, the pillow vanished into thin air.
Seeing this, Ren immediately extended his [Spatial Perception] through the Magic Circle in his hand and into the internal space. When he saw the pillow resting safely inside, he was thrilled.
He had succeeded. He had actually completed this complex magic. Ren couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes. A 10x10x10 space—this was vastly larger than Asuna's Spatial Backpack.
With the energy channel fully constructed, Ren also discovered that, in tandem with his [Spatial Perception], he could manipulate the space within.
Everything stored inside was within his perception; he could retrieve whatever he wanted at will. Perhaps this was exactly how those Spatial Rings functioned?
Spatial Rings were absurdly expensive, yet Ren had managed to construct a massive storage space using just a few cheap Magic Stones.
If word of this got out, it would definitely cause an uproar. However, Ren knew very well that he was the only one capable of pulling this off. Even if he told others, they wouldn't necessarily be willing to replicate his methods.
This was because Magic Power had its limitations. Interfering with Magic Power was often quite simple, and if the Magic Power was disrupted, the constructed space could collapse in an instant.
For many, this instability was a dealbreaker. This flaw alone would make people shun it in favor of a proper Spatial Ring!
But this didn't concern Ren. His Magic Power had long since transformed into a different kind of energy—a higher-tier energy born from the fusion of True Qi and Magic Power.
Magic Power could be interfered with, but the same couldn't necessarily be said for True Qi. And a fusion of the two? That was on a whole other level. *You can disrupt Magic Power all you want, but what does that have to do with my unique energy?*
Secondly, one needed [Spatial Perception], the ability to mark coordinates in the void, the means to maintain the space's long-term stability, and finally, a solution for the energy supply—like Ren engraving an Array onto his own body.
Amidst these scattered thoughts, Ren took out his phone to check the time. He realized that over two hours had unknowingly passed, and it was almost time for class.
Reeling in his thoughts, Ren got out of bed and began to tidy up. After putting his pillow back in place, he started organizing his belongings, tossing the important items directly into his spatial storage.
Once everything was sorted, Ren replied to a message from Asuna before heading to brush his teeth and wash his face. He didn't plan on keeping this newly opened space a secret.
After freshening up, Ren rummaged through some belongings left behind by his predecessor, found an old ring, and slipped it onto his finger. From now on, this little trinket would be his "Spatial Ring."
As for whether it was genuine or not, who cared? The only thing that mattered was whether it could store items. As long as it could hold things, it was a Spatial Ring. And where did it come from? *Don't ask. If you ask, I just found it.* Ren instantly brainstormed hundreds of excuses. Whether anyone believed him was their own problem!
After packing up his things and stuffing everything he could into his storage space, there was a knock on his door.
Hearing the sound, Ren subconsciously extended his perception. Upon realizing it was Asuna, he walked over and opened the door.
Seeing Ren, Asuna said with a hint of frustration, "Did you meditate all day yesterday? I thought something had happened to you!!"
She had only seen Ren's message after finishing her morning routine, so she had hurried downstairs. This guy had suddenly gone radio silent yesterday without a word, which had worried her sick.
She had even considered climbing down the safety net from the floor above just to check if he was home. Seeing that Ren was perfectly fine, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"The potion's effects were too intense. Once I started meditating, I got completely absorbed in it and lost track of time. Let's go, I'm starving to death right now," Ren smiled at her concerned expression and offered a casual excuse.
Hearing this, Asuna's face was filled with question marks. *The potion's effects were too intense? Good grief, then why was my experience so different?*
*Is the gap between people really that massive?*
*Why didn't I get completely absorbed like Ren did? If I could enter a state like that, I'd gladly starve for a day,* Asuna couldn't help but grumble inwardly as she quickly followed after him.
At the same time, she noticed that Ren was wearing a ring on his hand today. She paused for a moment when she saw it, also realizing that Ren hadn't brought anything else with him...
"Ren, did you get your hands on a Spatial Ring?" Asuna asked uncertainly. *Could it really be a Spatial Ring? Is Ren really that loaded?*
"Yeah, I found it while I was sorting through my things. I picked it up back when I was at the orphanage. I was cleaning up yesterday and discovered that it was actually a Spatial Ring. Talk about a stroke of luck!" Ren smoothly delivered his prepared excuse.
To prove his point, Ren even gave Asuna a demonstration, pulling a book out of his "Spatial Ring." His words and actions caused Asuna's brain to completely short-circuit.
"You... picked it up? And from years ago?" She understood the individual words, but when put together, they left her head buzzing.
*Does... does that even make sense?* Asuna couldn't comprehend it. She couldn't comprehend it at all. The ring on Ren's hand certainly looked old, but it was a storage ring? And he just *found* it?
"Hard to believe, right? I couldn't believe it myself. If I hadn't seen this ring while cleaning up yesterday, I never would have known I'd picked up a literal fortune when I was a kid!" Ren explained with a completely straight face.
"That's... absolutely absurd!" At this point, Asuna didn't know what words to use to describe her current mood. His luck was simply heaven-defying.
She didn't suspect a thing, because Ren had genuinely pulled a book out of thin air. That meant it was all true—the Spatial Ring in Ren's hand was really something he had picked up in the past.
"I think it's absurd too, but I guess you could just say I got lucky. After all, I didn't know it was a magic ring back then. Thank goodness I kept it and didn't throw it away." After saying this, Ren even let out a dramatic sigh.
"I'm so jealous. If you found it years ago, it might even be from the very first batch of Spatial Rings. But you shouldn't go around telling people about this." Although Asuna was envious, she wasn't jealous. Instead, she reminded Ren not to spread the news carelessly.
*That's exactly what I was hoping for.* Naturally, Ren wasn't going to tell anyone else. This was just an excuse meant for Asuna's ears anyway. So, Ren nodded, indicating that he understood.
Their elevator quickly arrived. Taking it downstairs, Ren led Asuna straight to a breakfast shop. Since it was still early, Ren simply ate breakfast at the shop with Asuna.
Ren was genuinely starving. Having meditated for so long without eating a single bite, his stomach was completely empty. After gorging himself on food, he finally headed toward school, fully satisfied.
By the time the two arrived at the classroom, many of their classmates were already there, including Megumi Kato and Yukino Yukinoshita. The two of them were actually among the later arrivals.
Ren took his seat and immediately pulled out his phone to search the internet for things he wanted to learn, slipping right back into his usual study mode.
Megumi glanced at Ren, then turned to Asuna and asked, "Where did Ren run off to yesterday? Did he tell you?"
Her voice was very soft, so only Asuna could hear her. Ren, who was already deep in study mode, didn't notice the two whispering behind him.
"He was meditating at home the whole time. He stayed in his apartment ever since we got back. It seems he's already completely digested the potion." Bringing this up made Asuna feel incredibly speechless.
She could still feel a cool sensation in her head; the potion's effects hadn't dissipated for her yet. But this guy Ren had already digested it entirely. There really was no comparing the two of them.
Hearing Asuna say this, Megumi paused for a moment before feeling a wave of envy herself. Her thoughts mirrored Asuna's—there really was no comparing them.
The two chatted for a while until the class bell rang. However, things didn't go as everyone expected. The person who walked in wasn't their magic instructor, Jin-sensei, but Shizuka Hiratsuka.
Striding into the room, she announced, "Jin-sensei has some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking over your classes for the entire day. Now, everyone go change into your gear and assemble on the training field!"
After saying her piece, Shizuka immediately left the classroom. The students couldn't help but freeze for a moment upon hearing this. *Jin-sensei has matters to attend to? Is it because the situation in the Dungeon hasn't been resolved yet?*
A flurry of questions filled everyone's minds, but their movements weren't slow. They quickly headed to the locker rooms to change into their combat uniforms, then jumped directly from the second floor down to the training field on the first floor.
Seeing their antics, Shizuka didn't say anything. After all, they weren't children anymore, and this little bit of height was nothing. Even if they got hurt, it didn't matter.
It was better to get injured here than on the battlefield. If they couldn't even handle a drop from this height, they might as well go home and farm. What was the point of practicing martial arts?
Once the students had all gathered, Shizuka finally spoke up. "Today, we're having a live combat class. Ren, step forward!"
Shizuka called out to Ren. Hearing this, Ren's interest was immediately piqued. *Is Shizuka planning to fight me? If that's the case, I'll definitely have to try and win back some face.*
"I know that none of you have fully digested your potions yet. Plans can't always keep up with changes, so you'll be engaging in live combat for the entire day to burn off all the residual medicine in your bodies," Shizuka said slowly.
She laid out the reasoning behind the live combat session. Hearing this, everyone immediately understood. However, her next words made everyone feel a deep sense of dread.