"What are you talking about?" Zain's voice echoed through the room, his confusion palpable.

  Zain was utterly clueless about this 'training.'

  "Your training is about awakening your inner force and Mana forge." Izark explained, his tone measured and serious, as if he were unveiling a great secret.

  Suddenly, Zain's eyes widened in realization. These were the foundational elements required for becoming an Acolyte Realm expert. In their world, it was common knowledge that most people could easily awaken both their inner force and Mana forge, yet mastering them was an entirely different matter.

  Inner force was the raw energy generated by the body to enhance and strengthen physical capabilities. As the quantity and quality of inner force grew, so did an individual's power. This was the primary focus for professions such as Warriors, Assassins, Raiders, and Dragonkins, who relied on their physical prowess and endurance in battle.

  Mana forge, on the other hand, was the delicate art of manipulating the elements to cast spells, create runes, and perform other magical feats. It was essential for Mages, Summoners, Liches, and similar professions, whose powers were rooted in their command of the arcane.

  There were also rare individuals known as 'Adepts' who progressed in both Inner Force and Mana Forge. These individuals were generally more powerful at the same stage of development but had to put in much more effort to cultivate both aspects simultaneously. Otherwise, they risked being left behind by their peers who focused on just one.

  In a primary plane, it was easier to awaken both inner force and Mana Forge, but progressing in both was difficult. That's why most people focused on one, with only some progress in the other.

  It was very rare for commoners and small nobles to advance beyond the Acolyte Realm. Typically, only old noble households had the resources for further progress. Among nobles, there was a coming-of-age ceremony for the young heirs to showcase their power and knowledge.

  The same held true for the Gremory household. If they were going to hold Zain's first party, he had to demonstrate his talent in front of other nobles. He would also be carrying the honor of the Gremory family, which meant he had to ensure he did not bring shame upon the family name through incompetence.

  "That's a problem." Zain said with a calm expression.

  "What do you mean by a problem? Are you afraid of performing in front of so many people? Or do you worry that you won't have a chance to talk with beautiful girls?" Izark asked, appearing genuinely concerned.

  "Stop spouting nonsense. It's none of that. I haven't awakened my inner force or Mana Forge. What am I supposed to do? Morris provided me with enough books about awakening them, but I tried for a whole month to no avail."

  Izark was also confused.

  "I know the best genius of this generation, Yogi of the Holy Moon Alliance. He currently holds the record for the earliest awakening, at ten years old. You're almost fourteen, but your body's growth has been amazing. I think you should be able to do it."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Zain was already five and a half feet tall and had a muscular build. No one would guess he was only thirteen.

  Izark looked out of the window and muttered, "If your mother were here, she would have found a solution within seconds."

  Zain heard it too. He got up from the couch. "I know what to do. Thanks for your help. You all can start with the preparations. I will come to you when I am ready."

  And he ran off to his room.

  ***

  In Zain's room, he stood in front of the egg placed on his bed. He placed both his hands on the egg, circulating his energy through it. He closed his eyes and focused.

  In the vast sea of his consciousness, his body floated in an empty dark void. This was the first time he entered this state. He had read about it in one of the books; it wasn't brief, but he knew it was closely related to ancient meditation techniques.

  He wandered around in that void for some time. Just as he was about to leave, he saw a glimpse of something. He was drawn to it. Without thinking, his body started moving toward it as if possessed.

  Nearing the light, he noticed it was a large blood-red flame. When he reached close enough, he felt a tinge of heat, but it wasn't from the red flame. Beside the red flame was a tiny purple one, so small it wasn't even a thousandth of the size of the red flame.

  He observed it for quite a while. Then he noticed a change in the small flame. It was moving toward him, but he didn't feel any danger from it; instead, he felt a sense of love. He reached out his hand. As soon as he touched it, the flame extinguished.

  'Zain'

  He heard someone calling his name. It was a sweet voice, filled with care and love. A word came out of his mouth without him realizing it.

  "Mother?"

  Many emotions welled up in Zain's mind.

  'Zain, my baby. Listen carefully, this is a small fragment of my soul. You have to pay attention to what I say, okay?'

  "Yes, mother."

  'Baby, reach out your hand to the flame.'

  As he touched the flame, it engulfed him, and a crystal sphere formed around him. In his sea of consciousness, he appeared as if he was a round dark red ball in space.

  'This is now your complete soul form. Your soul is now connected with your inner force and magic core. I will give you a soul-training technique. It is called Blood-Soul Aria, used by ancient bloodlines to advance.'

  'This meditation technique might be the only one that can suit you. You might be the only person who has both chaos and destruction energy in the entire myriad sea. They are both very calamitous. It is very easy to lose control over them. Be careful when dealing with them.'

  'It is an Adept-type technique, so you can progress in both Inner Force and Mana Forge simultaneously without needing to focus on one at a time. This will save you a lot of time.'

  After saying that, a lot of information flowed into Zain's mind. It explained how to form a magic core with the help of astral energy, ignite inner force, and much more.

  'Baby, I am sorry that I can't be at your side. This is the least I could do. I have also provided you with a friend in the egg. It is the egg of the strongest Abyssal Dragon from ancient times. Only your destructive mana can bring him to life.'

  'You don't know how much I want to hug you and spoil you, but I can't. Zain, get stronger for your mama. And yes, obey your father. He might appear rude and stupid, but he really loves you. Now, I have to go. I am sure we will meet in the future. Goodbye for now, baby. Always know that mama loves you.'

  ***

  Back in Zain's room, he returned to his normal state. A sorrowful expression was on his face. His eyes were still closed, but tears dripped from the sides. Many emotions welled up inside him.

  He had never felt this way before because a part of his mother had always been with him, but now there was a sense of emptiness. Just experiencing his mother's care and love through her voice, he felt a longing for her.

  But he had no idea where she was or what kind of person she was. He didn't even know what she looked like. He was very emotional.

  His thought process was interrupted by a sound.

  'Crack'

  The egg finally hatched.