Ren quickly realized something important.
Training in the abyss before Lyra arrived had been like wrestling a wild beast.
Training now felt like learning to ride it.
The mana no longer slammed into his chest in violent waves. Instead, it flowed in smooth, steady streams, guided by the glowing stabilization arrays Lyra had carved into the crystal floor.
The burning pressure was still there.
But now it was manageable.
Useful.
"Focus on slow intake," Lyra said calmly, standing a few steps away. "Don't pull mana. Let it come to you."
Ren closed his eyes.
He relaxed his breathing.
And for the first time—
The mana responded gently.
Invisible currents slid into his body, weaving through his veins like warm threads.
His muscles tightened.
His heart pulsed stronger.
But nothing tore.
Nothing burned out of control.
"…This is insane," Ren murmured.
"This is how cultivators are supposed to train," Lyra replied. "You were absorbing like a dragon king without the structure of one."
Ignivar snorted softly from the side.
"Humans are fragile."
Ren smirked. "Thanks for the encouragement."
Hours passed.
Ren practiced basic mana circulation again and again.
Each cycle felt smoother.
Stronger.
He could feel his body subtly reinforcing itself.
Bones thickening.
Muscles compacting.
Nerves sharpening.
Every breath made him more dangerous.
Body Adaptation: 7% → 9%
Ren opened his eyes.
Already?
That much from just controlled training?
Lyra nodded approvingly.
"Efficient absorption increases adaptation speed significantly."
"So in other words," Ren said, "almost dying was the worst way to level up."
"Very much so."
Ren laughed quietly.
Figures.
After stabilizing his foundation, Lyra began pushing him harder.
She created fluctuating mana currents around him, forcing him to adjust circulation speed.
At times the pressure spiked suddenly.
At times it vanished.
Ren had to react instantly or risk backlash.
Sweat poured down his face.
His teeth clenched.
But unlike before—
He adapted.
Faster each time.
His control sharpened.
His instincts improved.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed.
Ren's circulation loop completed perfectly under high pressure.
Mana surged cleanly through his core.
Power bloomed across his body like lightning contained within flesh.
Mana Control Mastery increased: Basic → Intermediate
Ren staggered slightly, breath sharp.
Then steadied.
His vision sharpened dramatically.
He could now see faint energy lines across the cavern floor and walls.
He could feel where mana was thickest.
Where danger lurked.
Where growth was fastest.
"This feels…" Ren flexed his fingers, "like unlocking a new sense."
Lyra smiled faintly. "Because you did."
Ignivar suddenly lifted his head.
His pupils narrowed.
"Something approaches."
Ren felt it too.
A shift in mana.
Distortion.
The abyss reacted differently than before.
Not wild.
Focused.
From the shadows, a massive creature emerged.
Twice the size of the earlier beasts.
Its body was layered with hardened crystal plates.
Its eyes burned with unnatural intelligence.
Unlike the others—
This one was calm.
Predatory.
Evolved.
Lyra frowned slightly.
"The abyss is adapting to you."
Ren slowly stood.
"So the stronger I get, the tougher it sends."
Ignivar rumbled.
"Natural selection of mana zones."
Ren smiled faintly.
"Good."
The crystal beast lunged.
Its speed was terrifying.
But Ren moved first.
His body reacted before thought.
He twisted aside effortlessly.
Not barely this time.
Cleanly.
Controlled.
He slammed his palm into its side.
Mana surged sharply but safely.
The crystal armor shattered.
The beast roared.
Ren followed with a spinning kick that crushed its skull into fragments.
Blood sprayed across glowing stone.
The creature collapsed instantly.
Ren stood still, breathing steadily.
No collapse.
No backlash.
No burning pain.
Just power.
He stared at his hands.
"…That was easy."
Lyra nodded.
"That's what control does."
More movements echoed in the distance.
Not just one.
Several.
Stronger presences.
The abyss had officially recognized Ren as a rising threat.
And it was responding accordingly.
Ignivar's wings spread slightly.
"Your growth will now attract increasingly powerful predators."
Ren's eyes gleamed.
"Perfect training partners."
Lyra blinked.
"…You are enjoying this."
"Absolutely."
For the first time since arriving in Aetherra, Ren didn't feel like prey.
He felt like something growing into dominance.