What is this thing in the center of this dark space?

I looked at the small white dot that was slowly growing in size in front of me. It grew in size slowly but surely.

I touched it and it scattered around the dark space inside me. It all went in one direction before coming back down to the same spot earlier. It was very peculiar.

I stopped and opened my eyes. I saw Floriana Sabina, or rather, Master staring at me intently.

"Oh, are you done, Disciple?"

There was some confusion in Master's face now that I looked at it.

"I don't know what this dark space inside me is. And there is a bundle of light in the center."

I asked in puzzlement. I'm nothing but a farmer myself in the past so this is something new to me.

"That is your Core."

My master explained with a smile on her small face.

"My core?"

I have heard of it vaguely in the past but I don't really its specifics.

"Yes, Disciple. Most beings in the world have Cores. Cores are the place Magic Cultivators store their mana. Sword Cultivators store their mana in their flesh."

My master was as knowledgeable as ever. She answered my question confidently.

"So it was a Core…"

I murmured to myself. I now knew what to do so I quickly closed my eyes and cultivated again.

I once again saw the white dot in the center of my Core. I touched it again and the white light scattered into an arc that quickly returned to the center.

So this was mana…

I imagined it again. I'm the luckiest person and the people around me are unlucky.

When I thought of that, I felt the air around me vibrate faintly. It was so imperceptible that I thought that I was just imagining it, but I'm quite sure of it.

Suddenly, the white dot in the center grew into a sizable sphere. It got brighter and brighter. Then a small thread separated from it extending to the boundary of my core.

When it reached the boundary, I felt something flow inside my body. It was soothing and calming. It even made me tingle in pleasure for a bit.

The white mana now flowed around my Mana Channels before finally returning to my Core located at my navel.

When the loop was closed I felt strength well up inside me. Like I can lift up an adult human with relative ease.

…

Rant Valo opened his eyes and saw Floriana Sabina gaping wide in shock. She was acting like she saw something ridiculous.

"Disciple, what did you do!?"

Floriana Sabina held Rant Valo's shoulder as she asked excitedly. What she saw earlier was so amazing and out of this world.

"I cultivated?"

Rant Valo asked Floriana Sabina confusedly. Did he do something wrong?

"You're already at the 1st Mana Condensation stage, Disciple! Th-that's so fast!"

Floriana Sabina was breathing so excitedly that she stuttered. Her disciple just cultivated so fast that she even felt quite inferior.

"Wait, how long was I cultivating?"

Rant Valo suddenly asked. He suddenly felt that he just did something awesome.

"You opened your eyes after one day then after two days here you are! So three days!"

Floriana Sabina counted in her hand and when she finished she pushed three of her fingers towards Rant Valo's face.

"THAT FAST!?"

Rant Valo stood up in a panic. He looked around him and pinched his cheeks to see if he was actually dreaming or not.

"Master! You're so awesome!"

"M-me!?"

Floriana Sabina asked flustered. She didn't expect to be praised by Rant Valo so suddenly.

"Yes, Master. Without your help, I wouldn't be able to cultivate this fast!"

Rant Valo told her excitedly. He was really glad that he took her as his master.

"H-hmph! Of course! I'm your master after all!"

Floriana Sabina was flustered at first but she quickly grew smug. She felt proud that she had such a good disciple!

"Thank you, master!"

Rant Valo went forward and lifted Floriana Sabina into the air.

"D-disciple! Put me down!"

Floriana Sabina's face went red as she flopped her legs around. She didn't feel comfortable being lifted by her disciple.

"O-okay…"

Rant Valo also felt embarrassed about what he just did on impulse.

"Nngghh..?"

Veia who was sleeping from the side opened her eyes from all the noise that they made. She looked up and saw Rant Valo lifting Floriana Sabina.

"Master… Carry me too! Funya funya"

Veia, who was still sleepy, opened her arms wide towards Rant Valo like a baby who wanted to be carried.

Rant Valo looked at her awkwardly. He didn't really want to carry someone like her who is so 'big'. His nose might bleed from the stimulus.

"Master is ignoring me…"

Veia murmured and she fell back to sleep.

"Master, what's with her?"

Rant Valo couldn't help but ask Floriana Sabina curiously. She seems so sleepy as if she didn't have an inkling of sleep last night.

"I don't know, but she has been sleeping ever since she drank your blood."

Floriana Sabina explained to Rant Valo.

"That long??"

Rant Valo was surprised. He didn't expect that she was sleeping that long and she even continued her sleep.

"Yes. Now, Disciple, do you want to test your strength now?"

Floriana Sabina asked Rant Valo. She wanted to see what strength that cultivation manual will bring to Rant Valo.

"Yes, master."

Rant Valo was also curious so he nodded his head.

"Let's go outside, Disciple."

Floriana Sabina and Rant Valo left the cave. They entered the tight space leading outside.

SPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAASHHHHHH

The sound of the raging waterfall was heard after they left the cave. Rant Valo and Floriana Sabina moved to the side and left the waterfall. The sun was shining above their heads.

"This is a wide enough space."

Floriana Sabina and Rant Valo stopped over a small clearing beside the waterfall. It was a 2-meter patch of green grass; enough for Rant Valo to test his newfound strength.