Serum

The energy disperses evenly, its violent surge calming into a steady, controlled flow. 

Ezra exhales sharply, his body relaxing as the pressure lifts. 

His heart now pulses with a newfound strength, its beats resonating with a rhythmic hum of refined energy.

Letting out a breath of relief, Ezra examines himself.

'Just this much?'

For one, he is most surprised to find that a major portion of the essence he absorbed was used up in reinforcing his heart, leaving a smaller portion.

Ezra's face hardens at this discovery.

Because now he is longer confident that the massive amount of shards along with the elixir would be enough to complete this stage given that so much essence had been consumed just to reinforce the heart.

"This is troubling" Ezra remarks.

Looking at the small pile of shards gathered in front of him, pangs of frustration formed in his heart.

'How is this many shards still not enough?!'