When Old Vaen returned to the cabin, the sky had already darkened and the forest had fallen silent. He closed the door behind him and stepped inside, leaning his cane against the corner. He didn't notice it at first—but Lane was outside.
After his master went in, Lane sat quietly for a while. Then he slowly crouched down. The words he had read from the book still echoed in his mind; every sentence was spinning in his head like a star. His thoughts grew heavier, forming an entire universe inside his mind.
He stayed still for a while, then slowly stood up."I have to understand this," he whispered.
He left the cabin. The wind moved through the forest, making the dry branches tremble. The moon had risen, its misty light giving the soil a pale silver tone.
Old Vaen drew a small magical sign with the tip of his cane. A bright sphere appeared and began to float in the air. He closed his eyes and felt Lane's energy."This boy…" he murmured, "he's going to try something on his own again. Will he achieve enlightenment this time?"
Lane arrived at a clearing where the trees thinned. The air was heavy, dampness soaked into the ground. Everything was silent—no birds, no wind, only his breath.
He hadn't brought anything with him. No sword, no water, no protective talisman. As the darkness slowly deepened, he closed his eyes.
First, he thought of the universe. Stars shone in his mind—millions of small points of light gathered together."What would happen if I collided these stars?" he thought. "What could I do with the energy released? Or... if I collapsed them inward? Wouldn't that create infinite energy at a single point?"
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes tighter, and focused his imagination.The stars spun inside his mind, drawing closer to one another. Then, in an instant, they collided. The explosion of energy inside his head spread throughout his body. The mana in his veins surged violently. A burning pressure spread from his chest to his shoulders, to the tips of his fingers."This…" he said softly, "this is incredible."
The energy was coursing through him—it felt like light was flowing inside his veins. His mana circulation had gone far beyond normal.
Old Vaen watched from a distance, narrowing his eyes. "How much more is this boy going to surprise me? Colliding two stars on his first try—and succeeding? It's a clever move, but too dangerous."
Light was radiating from Lane's body. It was as if a star had been born within him. His chest rose, his breathing quickened. He could taste the power."But what if I try more?" he said to himself.
He increased the number of stars in his mind. Three, five, eight… finally, ten.The energy exploded instantly.
A sharp pain spread through his body. It felt as if thousands of sparks were bursting inside his bones all at once.He dropped to his knees, struggling to breathe."Too much of everything…" he groaned, "causes harm."
But a thought kept spinning in his mind."If colliding stars grants me such power, what if I collapse one completely?"
The idea took shape quickly."If I compress the energy tighter and tighter… infinite energy will form at a single point. But the risk… my body might not endure it."
Still, he couldn't silence the voice inside him."You have to try."
Lane closed his eyes again. He brought the universe back into focus, choosing one star—a shining orb of light. He imagined squeezing it with his own hands. The star grew smaller and smaller… until it turned into a single point.
At that instant, his entire body trembled. His knees buckled.
Old Vaen noticed it from afar. His eyes widened. "Damn it! What is he doing!"
Vaen slammed his cane to the ground, sending a thin beam of energy shooting into the sky."Boy! What do you think you're doing!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the wind. "Did you find your life growing on a tree? What do you mean collapse a star inward!"
When Lane heard his master's voice, he flinched. He tried to stop the energy—but it was too late.A burst erupted in his chest. It felt as if his organs were being pulled inward.
For a moment, everything turned white. Then Lane fell to his knees, blood gushing from his mouth. His body convulsed, his breathing labored.
The pain burned through him, tearing his flesh apart. His bones felt as though they were breaking from within.
Old Vaen teleported to his side. He pressed a hand on Lane's shoulder and suppressed the energy."Enough!" he said sharply. "That's it! If you try that again, you'll die."
The energy slowly faded. Lane collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.After a while, he came to himself. "That's enough for today," he whispered weakly.But the curiosity inside him didn't fade."There has to be a way," he thought. "A way to control that energy…"
He began walking back to the cabin, his steps slow, the wind brushing through the night.
Just then, a sound came from the depths of the forest—a howl.Lane stopped and turned his head. It was close.He narrowed his eyes, scanning the area. Shadows moved between the trees."Great," he muttered, "wolves now."
Five… then six of them.All large, muscular, with yellow eyes glowing in the dark.They bared their fangs, circling around him.
Lane started thinking fast. "Running won't work," he told himself.He slowed his breathing, steadied his heartbeat. "I have to stay calm. If I panic, I lose."
He slowly raised his hands, summoning lightning mana. Blue sparks flickered in his palms.But he still didn't fully know how to control it.
The leader of the wolves growled. The others roared in unison.They were about to attack.
Lane's pupils dilated. Time seemed to slow. Every movement, every breath became clear.The world went silent. He could only hear his own heartbeat.
Vaen was watching from afar through his magic sphere. "That feeling… it will help him truly grasp lightning."
Lane focused the lightning between his hands.Blue light mixed with white.He concentrated, aiming at the frontmost wolf.He inhaled deeply—and released it.
Lightning shot from his hand.The light tore through the air—one heartbeat of silence—then an explosion.The sky lit up. The thunder's echo spread across the forest.
The front wolf vanished instantly—only dust and ash remained.The others whimpered in fear and fled into the darkness.
Silence returned.Lane stayed still for a few seconds. His hands trembled, but a smile crept across his face.
He walked slowly toward the spot where the wolf had turned to ash and crouched down.He touched the ashes."This world…" he said quietly, "is completely different. The future will be… very interesting."
He stood up. The cabin's lights were visible in the distance.He began walking back slowly.
When he stepped inside, he couldn't see Old Vaen in sight, so he went to the study."Master!" he called. "I learned how to control lightning! I turned one of the wolves into ash!"
From inside, Vaen burst into laughter—a mix of pride and frustration."Good, child, good! You're starting to grasp the fundamentals.But don't you ever collapse a star inside yourself again! You almost imploded!No one has ever tried that before—it's far too dangerous! I understand your curiosity, but even curiosity must have limits. Don't risk your life for it!"
Lane silently nodded. "Understood, Master."
Vaen looked him over carefully, then picked up his cane. "Tomorrow morning, we'll train again. This time, it's about control. If you want the star to serve you, you must first hear its rhythm."
Lane went to his room, exhausted. He closed the door and sat on his bed."The rhythm of the star…" he murmured.
"If I trigger the energy explosion right at the moment I start collapsing inward… maybe I could balance it. But to do that, my body needs to be much stronger. I need to train physically. I can't do it yet."