The Endless Canvas

Jin was stumbling around on the vast lands of his master's space, he wore hollowed out eyes as he limped while walking, despite surviving his master's skill back then, he still received heavy injuries.

And despite the system offering to heal him several times Jin still refused as he had a plan in mind.

"I've...been walking for so long, does this place not have an end!!?"

Jin sighed heavily as he sat down, he got into a lotus position and closed his eyes as he planned to stay in the mana dimension to hopefully breakthrough to the next level so his stamina would be replenished.

'I might be aiming too far but I have no other choice...unless I learn another element.'

After Jin felt a familiar sudden change in his surroundings he knew that he had entered the mana dimension, he opened his eyes and as he expected...he was back he stood up and walked a few meters away from his physical body, still marveled at himself to be able to do this.

Suddenly Jin heard a familiar voice reverberating in his head, a voice that he was eager to hear yet annoying to listen to, though...Jin still felt relieved that he had someone to talk to in the silent and tranquil mana dimension. 

[----Ah! I finally made it here! Do you even know how much trouble you caused me by entering the mana dimension??]

'So annoying...'

Jin ignored the system as it kept trying to get his attention by spamming him with messages.

[Hey, if you keep ignoring me I won't give you any missions anymore!]

'I know that's not possible...and also does the system not know that speaking isn't possible in the mana dimension? I guess it's not omniscient after all.'

[Answer me Answer me Answer me.]

The system continued to yap without knowing that Jin couldn't even answer, meanwhile Jin just continued to absorb the mana orbs around him whilst also trying to figure out a way to obtain the black orbs.

After a few moments of silence Jin, realized that the system had vanished, he could still open his status though the system had stopped pestering him.

'Finally some peace...'

Jin stood still as he inhaled deeply, he waited as the violet orbs in his surroundings slowly got absorbed.

He thought it wasn't enough, Jin was not even close to being satisfied with the amount of mana he received.

'I need to know how to get these damned black orbs!'

The orbs flew past him as if they were taunting him to try and get them, they circled Jin as they gradually got closer...but! As they were just a centimeter away from him the black orbs went back as if they were telling Jin to come and get them.

Seeing this Jin became more and more agitated as he ran around trying to catch up to the black orbs only to be extremely disappointed at the outcome.

After a while Jin settled down and simply gathered all the remaining orbs in his area of effect except for the black orbs as they still seemingly mocked him.

'The orbs weren't like this before...how did I even get provoked by a bunch or orbs...'

Jin thought about his actions hoping for there to be a hint on how to absorb these orbs, he closed his eyes as he focused for what he thought was only a few minutes.

But as he opened them he gazed at the beautiful night sky, the bright and glowing stars pleasing his eyes...his pupils dilated as he was surprised that he reached the pinnacle of concentration even though it was only for a few hours.

And he noticed his surroundings...there was nothing there to the point that it became eerie, not even the black orbs that once dashed around him.

Jin tried to walk a few meters more but he felt his connection with his body start to waver, he stopped in his tracks as he got into a lotus position again.

A few moments later he came back to the physical world as he started to wander in this mysterious place again.

Then suddenly Jin heard a familiar voice from a specific direction...it was the voice of his master, though he only heard it thanks to his enhanced senses so he expected his master to still be far away.

He shouted back with all his might to the point that he even imbued his voice with mana, as it seemed to reach the end of this endless space.

***

Dune and was sitting on an earth block he conjured whilst facing a campfire that he had also made, meanwhile Emilia was sleeping peacefully as they warmed themselves with a campfire that Dune had conjured.

"Where are you Jin!!"

Dune shouted as his voice reached at least a kilometer away.

'It's already dark, and this space doesn't have any animals to feed off on...so I'm worried Jin might not be safe.'

And out of nowhere a deafening voice answered Dune's earlier question, upon noticing that it was Jin he immediately stood up as he smiled in relief.

Emilia was startled by the sudden thunderous noise as she woke up from her sleep.

"Master...that was Mr. Jin's voice wasn't it?"

She asked while rubbing her eyes, still dozing off from her deep sleep.

"Yes...Let's go! This should be the direction where the voice came from."

Dune said as he carried Emilia on his shoulders as if he had abducted a child, and despite this chaotic situation Emilia still somehow managed to fall asleep again.

***

"They must have heard that..."

Jin said as he walked towards the direction where he vaguely heard his master's voice.

Jin hurried as he picked up his pace, as the pristine and cold zephyr hit Jin's face while running...he smiled realizing the beautiful atmosphere of this space with no pollution from toxic gases unlike on earth.

He Inhaled as his heart seemingly calmed down with each breath, he sped up as he hurried to finally reunite with his master again.

'This place is peaceful, I...want to say here forever.'

A lot of thought came into Jin's mind as he ran, it seemed like his energy was endless, he could no longer feel the pain of his injuries, he only continued to run.

'This sudden surge of energy...I wonder what it could be'

Jin thought to himself without realizing the stunning trail of glowing mana he was leaving behind him, a vibrant color akin to that of an aurora

This glowing trail made particles that floated into the sky resembling the shape of the northern lights, Dune saw this and realized what Jin had gone through as he hurried towards him.

And a few moments later they could finally see each other, Jin sped up even more as he was filled with excitement after finally seeing his master.

'Does he not notice what's happening behind him?'

Dune thought to himself as he marveled at the sight of what Jin had created.

"Why are you carrying Emilia on your shoulder?!!"

Jin shouted a few meters away from Dune.

"She's tired!"

After finally reuniting Dune asked Jin if he didn't notice the lights behind him, and upon looking back Jin was shocked, the lights spread endlessly to the point that the end of it couldn't even be seen.

"What is this!"

Jin asked his master as he gazed at the beautiful canvas he had painted.

"You...reached enlightenment!"

Dune was proud at Jin as he said this, he unknowingly made a smile as he turned his head towards the sky.

Enlightenment usually this stage could be acquired if a person had obtained all possible knowledge about a topic where they could be classified as nigh-omniscient a level so high that not more than a hundred people had ever reached it.

There are many kinds of enlightenment...wisdom, combat, experience, power, etc. the enlightenment Jin had gotten was, focus...although it's effect may seem limited It's considered to be one of the most versatile and powerful trait that Jin could've enlightened.

Amongst the people who had achieved enlightenment only 3 excluding Jin had gotten focus, and all 3 of them went on to achieve even more enlightenments, becoming the strongest in their era, on of them was the First Superhuman.

"What kind of enlightenment did you achieve Jin??"

His master asked curiously, as his eyes shone with amazement.

"How do I know that?"

"Well apparently there's supposed to be a marking that would appear on your wrist..."

Dune said before he pulled up the sleeve of Jin's suit, revealing the marking of focus, and upon seeing this Dune stepped back as it seemed like he was frightened at what he just saw.

"It...can't be!"

Jin was confused at his master's reaction.

"What's wrong??"

"The marking of focus, it's one of the most powerful if not the most powerful enlightenment you could achieve...though every time it has appeared a catastrophic event always happens..."

Dune said as his face darkened and his tone became serious, it seemed like it was the end of the world for him, he turned back as it seemed like he was thinking about something.

Jin was surprised after hearing this, he'd never heard of such things before despite being the top soldier for years.

"Is it that serious??"

"Do you perhaps know of the "Great War"?"

After hearing his master say those words Jin's face suddenly turned dark as he looked down and clenched his fists.

"Oh right...that's where you lost your only remaining family..."

Jin calmed himself as he took a deep breath and faced his master.

"Haaa...Don't worry master I've moved on from that incident...but the great war was one of the most disastrous events that happened in our history..."

To Be Continued