Daniel rented a cheap room near the outer district transportation hub for the night.
The hotel itself was old and poorly maintained, its narrow hallways illuminated by dim yellow mana lamps that flickered every few seconds. The walls were thin enough for him to hear arguments, drunken shouting, and the occasional sound of furniture breaking from neighboring rooms.
Still, Daniel did not care.
The room only needed to serve one purpose— a place to rest temporarily.
He tossed his bag onto the small bed before sitting down near the window silently. Outside, the city remained lively despite the late hour. Mana-powered vehicles drifted through the skies while neon advertisements illuminated the streets below in shifting colors.
Daniel pulled out a small booklet from his pocket.
The Basic Mana Circulation Technique.
It was the cultivation method Lucas had personally handed to him before the ceremony ended. Although the old principal had tried acting casual about it, Daniel could tell the technique was not something normally distributed freely.
For ordinary newly awakened individuals, even low-grade cultivation methods carried significant value. Guilds, academies, and organizations often used such techniques to attract fresh awakened talents into their factions.
Daniel flipped through the booklet calmly.
'The explanations are crude, circulation pathways are inefficient. Not to mention the mana absorption rate is laughably slow and the method itself leaks nearly half the mana gathered during each circulation cycle. This world's cultivation methods are truly primitive' he thought indifferently. By the time he finished reading, Daniel had already lost interest.
Still, he understood Lucas' intentions. For someone at Lucas' level, this technique was probably considered decent beginner support for a newly awakened student.
Daniel closed the booklet and casually tossed it onto the nearby table.
Then he slowly closed his eyes. The atmosphere around him gradually became silent.
Deep within his consciousness, ancient memories stirred.
An incomprehensibly vast structure slowly surfaced within his mind.
The Chaotic Paragon Matrix.
A supreme cultivation art that once stood at the peak of countless worlds. Unlike ordinary cultivation techniques that merely circulated mana through fixed pathways, the Chaotic Paragon Matrix transformed the body itself into a living mana core. Every cell, every bone, every drop of blood became part of an endlessly evolving cycle capable of devouring and refining energy at terrifying speeds.
Naturally, the current Daniel could not fully utilize such a technique. His mortal body would collapse instantly.
Still, even the weakest fragment of the Matrix far surpassed every cultivation method within this city.
Daniel carefully suppressed the technique to its lowest possible output before beginning.
The moment he activated it—
The surrounding mana stirred violently.
A faint pressure spread silently throughout the hotel room. Mana from the surrounding atmosphere began converging toward Daniel at speeds far beyond what ordinary Rank 0 awakened should have been capable of handling.
The mana entered his body smoothly before dispersing throughout his limbs, organs, muscles, and bones simultaneously.
Unlike the slow circulation method Lucas provided, the Chaotic Paragon Matrix refined mana instantly upon absorption. There was almost no waste and the process was unnaturally smooth as though his body had always been meant to cultivate this way.
Hours passed quietly.
Outside the hotel, the city lights gradually dimmed as night gave way to dawn.
Inside the room, however, faint currents of mana continued gathering endlessly around Daniel's seated figure.
Cracks. Tiny black impurities slowly emerged from his skin before flaking away silently onto the floor.
His muscles strengthened, his senses sharpened. Even the frailty of his mortal vessel began improving steadily under the refinement of the Matrix.
By the time Daniel finally opened his eyes again, pale sunlight had already begun spilling across the skyline.
Morning had arrived.
A faint glimmer flashed across his dark eyes.
"2nd stage of Novice Rank already…" Daniel quietly flexed his fingers. Although still weak by any meaningful standard, this body had improved several times faster than normal awakened would achieve through ordinary cultivation.
And this was only from a single night. If word of such speed spread, countless organizations would go insane trying to recruit him.
Daniel stood up calmly before glancing toward the Basic Mana Circulation Technique resting on the nearby table. Then he looked away disinterestedly, 'Even using it as scrap paper would be generous.'
He quickly washed before leaving the hotel room.
The outer district was already bustling with activity. Workers hauled cargo through the streets while awakened mercenaries gathered near transport stations preparing for wilderness expeditions.
Daniel walked through the crowds calmly before eventually arriving at one of the largest buildings in the industrial district.
Celestial Dwarves.
The guild headquarters resembled a massive fortress forged from black steel and crimson alloy. Thick pillars covered in glowing runes stood near the entrance while the sound of hammering metal echoed constantly from within the compound.
Even from outside, intense heat radiated from the forge halls deep inside the guild.
Several awakened guards glanced toward Daniel as he approached.
One of them raised an eyebrow, and asked "You the kid Boss James mentioned?"
Daniel nodded once.
The guard immediately stepped aside.
"Go on in. He's already yelling at people this early in the morning, so he's definitely awake."
Daniel entered the guild calmly.
The interior was far noisier than the outside. Blacksmiths hammered glowing metal atop massive enchanted anvils while sparks filled the air continuously. Huge furnaces burned across the forge halls, releasing waves of heat powerful enough to make ordinary humans sweat instantly.
Awakened wielding enormous weapons moved throughout the guild carrying materials and unfinished equipment. The atmosphere felt rough but alive.
Daniel walked deeper inside until a loud voice suddenly echoed through the hall.
"You idiots call that a blade? I've seen kitchen knives sharper than this garbage!"
James stood near a massive forge platform with his arms crossed, glaring furiously at several sweating blacksmiths.
The moment he noticed Daniel approaching, his expression immediately brightened.
"Hah! The brat actually came."
Daniel glanced around the forge hall briefly before looking back at James and said, "You're still here?"
"Tch. Didn't feel like heading back so soon."James snorted and grabbed a nearby metal flask.
"Why?"
"The moment I return, those idiots at headquarters will throw mountains of paperwork at me again." James took a long drink before grimacing. "Trade deals, weapon orders, guild disputes… I'd rather wrestle mana beasts."
Daniel remained silent somehow understanding the suffering of the man in front of him. He too had once been drowned in paperwork.
Seeing his expression James immediately pointed at him.
"See? Even you understand my suffering." Then he grinned lazily, "Besides, the city lord's hosting a banquet tonight. Free food and alcohol would be a waste to miss."
"Well come on, lets get you a long sword."