Midnight Reached Green Core

As the morning light slowly illuminated the sky, Ranav began his daily practice. He spent time accumulating mana through Lifebreath, refining his control over the elements he had awakened so far. His movements were fluid, his breathing synchronized with the natural flow of energy around him.

After breakfast, he decided to focus on Midnight's training.

Magical beasts could use breathing techniques just like humans, though the essence remained the same, their physiology required specialized techniques tailored to their unique structures. From the many books they had gathered, Jessica carefully selected one for Midnight. The text explained that contracted beasts develop faster when their breathing technique aligns with their master's. Thus, Jessica made slight modifications to the technique to match Lifebreath, ensuring that Midnight's training would be most effective.

After leading Midnight out of the ranch, Ranav took him to a small clearing in the nearby forest, away from the bustling estate. The air was crisp, carrying the earthy scent of damp soil and fresh leaves.

"Today, I'm going to teach you a breathing technique that will help you grow stronger," Ranav said, running a hand along Midnight's sleek mane. The horse snorted softly, ears pricking forward in interest.

"You currently have a bright yellow mana core," Ranav continued, watching for Midnight's reaction. "By accumulating mana, you'll be able to strengthen your core, and breathing techniques will help speed up the process."

Midnight neighed, his deep, intelligent eyes locking onto Ranav as though he understood every word. Encouraged by the response, Ranav proceeded to explain the modified Lifebreath technique, demonstrating the breathing rhythm and guiding Midnight through each step.

Jessica's sharp mana sense allowed her to correct any mistakes instantly. Thanks to her guidance, Midnight managed to grasp the technique within half an hour.

Ranav then retrieved all the Nightshade Fern from his storage ring, the rare plant he had collected during their mountain expedition. Midnight, though unfamiliar with it, instinctively felt drawn to the dark leaves. He lowered his head, sniffing them curiously.

Ranav chuckled. "Go ahead, if you like it. But remember, after eating, you must practice the breathing technique immediately. This will help you upgrade your mana core. The process might be painful, but don't worry… you won't die. The pain is temporary, and after enduring it, you'll emerge stronger than before."

Without hesitation, Midnight began eating the ferns. The leaves disappeared quickly, devoured in a matter of moments. Wasting no time, the horse then carefully performed the adjusted Lifebreath technique, his breath steady, drawing in mana from the surroundings and mixing with ferns energy went directly to his mana core.

Jessica, observing closely, nodded in satisfaction at his performance. However, a few moments later, she frowned.

"Ranav," she said in his mind. "Tell him not to stop, no matter how much pain he feels. His core is upgrading, but he keeps pausing… it will hinder the process."

Ranav immediately relayed the message. "Midnight, don't stop! Push through the pain, or you'll fail to upgrade your core. The pain won't last forever, but if you stop now, this opportunity will be wasted."

Midnight groaned, his body tensing, but he heeded Ranav's warning. He resumed his breathing, enduring the discomfort without hesitation.

Minutes passed, then the tension in Midnight's body eased. His breathing steadied, and his presence felt noticeably stronger. His once-bright yellow mana core had deepened in color.

Jessica's voice rang in Ranav's mind, filled with satisfaction. "Midnight's mana core has reached deep green. He's advanced by one stage."

Ranav smiled, pride swelling in his chest. He approached Midnight and gently ran his fingers through the horse's mane. "Well done," he said warmly. "You've grown stronger. Now, it's time to teach you magic, so you can control your abilities better."

Midnight let out a low whinny, his tail flicking in excitement.

Ranav continued, "From what I've observed, you possess both Air and Darkness magic. I haven't awakened Air magic myself yet, so I can't teach you spellcasting, but I can help you control it. That way, you can use it instinctively and won't lose control."

He then explained the fundamentals of beast magic, detailing how Midnight could use Air magic to increase his speed and push away obstacles. After several attempts… some more successful than others… Midnight managed to grasp the basics. Within a short time, he could seamlessly enhance his speed and create small bursts of wind to clear his path.

Jessica, observing his rapid improvement, murmured in admiration, "This horse is a genius among beasts."

Encouraged, Ranav moved on to teaching Darkness magic. "Now, I'll teach you how to use Darkness to your advantage," he said. "You can create a dark domain around yourself, making it difficult for enemies to detect you. But be careful… if you don't control Darkness properly, it can harm everything around you."

Midnight listened attentively, but when he attempted to harness Darkness, nothing happened. No magic formed; no energy shifted. He tried again. And again. Still, there was no response.

Jessica, deep in thought, suddenly said, "Ranav, we might be completely wrong! Midnight doesn't have Darkness magic… he has Shadow magic! They appear similar, but Shadow magic functions entirely differently."

Ranav was stunned. "Shadow magic?"

"Yes," Jessica confirmed. "Unlike Darkness magic, which engulfs and destroys, Shadow magic manipulates space through darkness. It's much rarer and often mistaken for Darkness. Let me explain it to you… then you can teach Midnight properly."

For the next ten minutes, Jessica explained the fundamentals of Shadow magic. She also mentioned that they had collected several books on the subject from the library, which could be useful later.

Armed with this new knowledge, Ranav turned to Midnight and began teaching him Shadow magic.

"The most basic abilities you can learn are Shadow Hop and Shadow Escape," Ranav said. "Try this: step into a shadow and imagine yourself moving through it."

Midnight obeyed. To Ranav's utter shock, the horse vanished instantly into Ranav's own shadow. A moment later, he reappeared beneath a nearby tree, then disappeared again, emerging from another shadow. He continued hopping between shadows, moving effortlessly through the dim spaces like a fish gliding through water.

Ranav stood frozen, speechless.

Jessica, equally stunned, whispered, "He might be born for shadow magic."

Meanwhile, Midnight was having the time of his life, hopping from one shadow to another like a playful child discovering a new game.

Ranav, finally recovering from his shock, called out, "Midnight, come here."

The horse hesitated, clearly reluctant to stop playing, but eventually trotted over.

Ranav sighed. "Listen carefully… do not use Shadow magic in front of others. This ability is our trump card. If no one knows about it, we can use it to escape dangerous situations. But if others discover it, we lose that advantage."

Midnight whinnied in protest but ultimately understood. After several minutes of explaining the importance of secrecy, Ranav finally convinced him to keep Shadow magic hidden.

As a compromise, they continued training Air magic a little longer before Ranav took Midnight back to the ranch. With the horse safely in his stable, Ranav returned to his room.

Paramita had already left for school, so he went to his room and immersed in meditation, focusing on forming a star circle with his Blessing element.