While assimilated with Spark, Ethan felt attuned to all the energies in his surroundings. Things that those without Titles would live their entire lives without even knowing existed.

And he quickly realised that what the enigmatic monk was doing was very similar to something he had seen before.

’Just like that barrier girl.’

Liora on the jet had also been actively restoring her energy, though much more subtly, but the same in principle.

’It’s like a recovery technique.’

His eyes lit up slightly.

’If you can expend it and there is a bunch in your surroundings, then you should be able to use it to replenish your reserves."

That realisation hit deeper than expected, and he was correct, then...

’Why the hell have I not been doing that?’

Ethan had always relied on consumption and time; eating beast meat and resting was his only way of recovering both his body and his MP.

’Energy can’t be created or destroyed, right? I’m pretty sure that’s what Miss Adams used to say.’

His mind pieced it together rapidly.

’The same way food replenishes physical effort, these energies naturally should do the same for my MP.’

The thought alone sent a pulse of excitement through him.

’And if they can do it...’

His gaze sharpened.

’...Then so can I.’

Without hesitation, he sat down cross-legged, mirroring the monk.

The Bulldozer blinked in confusion.

"You serious right now?"

Ethan ignored him completely, not even bothering to scold the grey-skinned man, and closed his eyes to focus.

’Come on, mana. Come to Daddy.’

He squeezed and tried clutching at the surrounding wisps with his mind, but they weren’t responding. And since it wasn’t working, he tried even harder, to the point it felt like he was having a seizure.

It looked like it, too.

"Is he crazy...?" the grey-skinned man wondered aloud.

Ethan was so concentrated that he didn’t even register what he said.

Instead, he took a mental step back and reconsidered what he was trying to do.

’Forcefully using my mind to try to grab it isn’t working. It’s like trying to catch air with a strainer.’

He needed to stop thinking about it as something to grab, but as something as simple as respiration. All the energy in his surroundings was unclaimed, and he would be the one to do so.

With that in mind, he focused deeply again, feeling the wisps dancing around him, like dust brushing against his skin. There was so much of it that he was unknowingly taking some in with each breath.

’So this is mana...’

He had used it before through skills, but this was the first time he was intentionally wielding it.

’It’s much denser in this gate and probably in the Tower too, compared to on Earth, which makes it perfect for this.’

When he tried to pull it, the wisps were unresponsive, but he adjusted and mimicked what he had seen the monk doing. He wasn’t controlling it per se, but guiding it and allowing it to flow through him.

’Not a magnet...’

Ethan’s breathing slowed and deepened.

’A channel.’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

That was the key: to let go and stop trying to be so forceful.

He opened himself metaphorically and called for the energy to flow through him, not into him. And as he did, his mind was solely focused on the core of mana in his chest.

Each time he used his skills, he had intuitively been using his mana core, but now he was consciously using it, and it was thrilling.

’It’s crazy that I only just realised I had this thing in my chest.’

But he didn’t let it knock his focus.

Especially not when he was so close, now able to feel the wisps responding to his attempt at contact. Now that he was consciously using his mana core to reach out, it was working.

The mana slowly began flowing and circulating around him, brushing against his skin, then passing through it. It entered his body through his pores and breath, cycling through his body, then exiting again.

It was a natural and effortless loop, but his body instantly felt the effects.

Warmth spread through his limbs, his fatigue eased slightly, and his breathing steadied.

’Holy shit!’

It felt like discovering something he had always had, but never used, like a hidden limb or a part of his brain that had been dormant until now. With each passing second, it became clearer and easier to wash his body with the energy.

In the process, his mana core was being replenished.

He continued doing so for a short while longer until a familiar sound echoed in his mind.

Ethan’s eyes snapped open.

{Congratulations on creating a skill!}

A grin spread across his face instantly.

’There it is.’

{Beast Recovery (B) - Through deep focus, the host is able to draw in the energy in his surroundings to recover MP and stamina, while also slightly healing.}

"No way..."

It was better than he expected, way better.

This didn’t recover just his MP, but everything, and could even heal him.

And the best part?

It felt natural and instinctive, like the system had taken what he was trying to do and perfected it. Though it worked, his method was crude and not sustainable; now it was refined and efficient.

Ethan immediately closed his eyes again and activated Beast Recovery.

This time there was no struggle or resistance; the mana flowed effortlessly into him, circulating smoothly as his body absorbed it. His fatigue faded faster, his injuries tingled slightly as they began to recover, and his MP ticked upward rapidly.

’This is actually insane.’

For a moment, he forgot where he was, because this changed everything.

He no longer had to rely purely on external consumption or worry about burning through MP recklessly. This gave him a method to both enhance his control and recover swiftly.

Then came another notification.

{Note: Effectiveness depends on concentration. But the deeper the concentration, the more susceptible the host becomes. Prolonged use also causes mental strain and reduced efficiency.}

Ethan paused, then smirked slightly.

’That’s to be expected.’

Even with the limitations, the skill was still broken, and it opened endless doors.

Ethan’s entire perspective shifted.

For one, he realised he had a mana core, and that mana was omnipresent. But even bigger was the confirmation that skills weren’t limits, but just guides and shortcuts.

Other Titled didn’t have a system, so they had to learn everything manually through experience and trial and error. He had both, and though he had known that for some time, this experience cemented that in his mind.

’I can go further than everyone.’

That thought settled deep in his chest, heavy and certain.

But as it did, something shifted, and he opened his eyes to find the monk staring directly at him. His white, pupilless eyes locked onto Ethan with an intensity that felt... unnatural.

A deep interest replaced the monk’s indifferent calm.

"Well," Ethan muttered, a faint grin forming. "Guess I got your attention now."