Ch. 66 - Joy is Meant to be Shared

Those details no longer mattered.

The focus was now!

On me!

I had, in my own unconventional way, succeeded at meditation!

Though I acknowledged my approach strayed from the norm, if it yielded results, what did that matter?

Who could deny that the seniors' so-called meditative state—their subjective mental realm—was merely another form of dream?

A difference in terminology, nothing more.

I reassured myself thus, while also compelling an acceptance of the truth.

Excitement now surged through me uncontrollably, for... I had become the prodigious talent the seniors deemed impossible.

This was my first foray into meditation, and already I had refined my initial thread of consciousness.

That was the most direct proof of success.

That thread had become an extension of my awareness. Though I could no longer glimpse the "essence" of mental power as in meditation, I sensed its projection clearly—it hovered right before me.

In truth, through Psi-vision's lens, I could perceive it just as in the dream, but without actively engaging Psi-vision, it remained invisible.

With a thread of consciousness in hand, what was the first order of business?

Naturally, to test it by wielding my own power firsthand, such as that mana core I'd long been curious about.

I reached out with my mental power, probing the mana core within me, but it felt like solid rock—unyielding and impenetrable.

My thread of consciousness couldn't stir even a whisper of mana.

In that instant, I truly grasped the terrifying potency of mana.

Through Psi-vision, I could see my thread whipping freely through the air, stirring elemental energies and other elusive forces around me.

Yet against mana, it might as well have been nothing.

Now I understand why the seniors warned that freshmen shouldn't dream of manipulating mana with mental power in their first few years.

It was simply impossible.

That said, with mental power at my command, I found my control over the spells I'd mastered far more intuitive, almost effortless.

The spells existed within me in some incomprehensible form, much like the mana core itself—bound to me through connections I couldn't yet fathom.

It was as if I'd ascended, a stark elevation from my former self. And this was all because I'd refined my mental power into that denser, more tangible thread.

It had lifted me to an entirely new plane of existence. Like the invention of the microscope, which shattered old scientific paradigms, it unlocked a vast, uncharted realm of perception.

The sensation defied words, surging forth as raw, unfiltered emotion.

And that very thrill countered the exhaustion from my depleted energy, keeping fatigue at bay.

In this exhilarating moment, I had to share it with someone—Bai Yu, of course.

I was so thrilled, I skipped the private message and dialed her up, eager to spill the news aloud.

After all, as a genius, didn't I deserve to savor her reaction firsthand? I could already picture her face—pure delight, no doubt.

I'd taken the pivotal first step on the path to transcendence!

The call connected amid a burst of background noise.

"Hey, Bai Yu! I've got amazing news!" I blurted, buzzing with excitement.

"Hm? Yuehan, it's late—you're usually tucked in by now. What's up?"

"Is it that late? Doesn't matter! I have to tell you something: I nailed meditation! I've refined my first thread of mental power!"

"Uh... what did you do?"

Her hesitant voice carried exactly the stunned pause I'd hoped for; I could envision her eyes widening, tone pitching up in shock.

"Meditation! See? I've got my first thread of mental power now!"

"What? How is that even possible so soon?" Even Bai Yu, who trusted me implicitly, couldn't hide her disbelief—she had to double-check.

No surprise there; the revelation had clearly rocked her world.

"I wouldn't joke about something like this with you, Bai Yu—seriously. Shouldn't you be the first to celebrate for me? A quick congrats would be nice, you know?"

My tone carried a hint of reproach and playfulness, but the sheer joy bubbling up couldn't be contained.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you. Anyway, congrats, Yuehan— you've taken a solid first step toward transcendence! I'm coming to find you right now. Where are you?"

"That's more like it. I'm in meditation room 01032~"

In my excitement, I brushed aside the fact that it was so late—she'd have to rush over just for me.

Only after Bai Yu hung up did it start to sink in.

Had I been too impulsive?

Glancing at the time on my phone, the anomaly hit me hard.

It was already 2 a.m....

No way!

My first thought: How had I burned through so much time? I hadn't even noticed.

The second: Trouble. I'd have to pay extra fees!

This would drain the last of my savings dry...

But even so, it was worth every penny.

Tonight's session wiped out the earnings from my past few days' work.

Not that it had been much effort—most of my shifts involved slacking off, anyway...

I hurried out of the room and ended the session.

With a reluctant glance, I watched the final balance on my phone tick down to zero.

It nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Standing in the hallway, I waited just a short while, fiddling with undiscovered features in the academy's app.

That's when I learned the higher-end rooms offered limited incense—looking back, my basic one had been bare walls, nothing else.

You get what you pay for; the cheapest tier was all I qualified for.

There were standard rooms at fifty bucks an hour, though. I wondered just how bare-bones those could be—mine already felt rock bottom.

After a quick search, I pieced it together: Due to wear on the embedded spells, effects had weakened or failed outright, and without timely maintenance, prices dropped.

Not a big deal, really.

Those spells were just aids for entering meditation—child's play for the seniors who'd mastered it long ago. No wonder the cheap rooms were always booked solid.

Just then, a figure appeared in a rush down the hall.

"Bai Yu~ Over here! Over here!"

Spotting her, I waved and called out—each room's soundproofing spells meant no risk of disturbing anyone inside.

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