Mack was still confused about all that was said by the Arcane Legacy but he guessed that all those mysteries and doubts would unfold themself if he continued forward.

“How much time can i spend recovering before going inside the door?”

[You can spend all time you want, this is a small planet and was very well hidden by my creator. But remember the cube has a limited supply of Essence.]

“In other words, the cube is the limiter. When it runs out of fuel, I must enter or starve to death again.. All others that attempted this received one?”

[Yes, but only the ones that survived to see the portal.]

“I guess this door or portal will lead me to that Tower of Chaos you talked about earlier?”

[Indeed. More specifically to Hel, the first floor on the Tower of Chaos]

“And what am I supposed to expect there?”

[I can only tell you after you enter]

“As expected.”

Then Mack thought about this mysterious door and how he can now see it without using any kind of spell or magic. But still was not sure how all this worked.

“I still don’t get. Why can I see this door now and not before? Was some kind of spell that kept it hidden?”

[No. As i said before. There are some advantages and disadvantages to not owning any Essence.]

[This planet doesn’t have daylight. So, even now, it’s completely dark. You can see around you because the nine gates in your body, responsible for the interaction with Essence around you, have been broken. So the Essence in this world now can flow along your body unhindered and Essence always carries some kind of Will, and the most basic will of any animal is to want to see and breath. Just like a recently born child. So we can say you are already influencing the Essence around you.]

“I think I understand now. Unconsciously I’m already telling the surrounding Essence to show me what is around me?”

[Yes.]

“The other paths you talked about. Mages and stuff. Can they do this too?”

[No. they can’t. Because the gates inside their bodies still exist.]

[They can control the Essence inside them way better than you. But they can’t interact this easily with Essence outside them]

“I still don’t see the pros/cons clearly. What can they do that im unable to? I mean, if they don’t have those artifacts and stuff”

[They can, for example, with a few months of practice, strengthen their bodies and jump a few meters high, or they can punch you and brake several bones in your body.]

“I see. So all those mages are way stronger in physical terms than me?”

[Yes. If both start practicing at the same time. A mage will beat you a thousand times before you can make a scratch on him. That’s why they chose this path. It’s more easy and fast at the start and gives them immediate power compared to a normal human.]

“They can beat me to a pulp. But, hey! I can see in the dark! What a splendid start!”

“I guess it will be an extremely long and suffering path.”

[Indeed. But as you saw for yourself. It’s a path with no return. You have no more gates in your body blocking and converting Essence to your own]

[And because of that. Your Will flow outside of your body more naturally. And thats why you can see the portal even in this planet devoid of light]

“I think I get now. Thanks for the explanation.”

[It’s my duty to instruct you. Unless it touches sensible topics]

“Yeah, I figured this already. No asking about future tests and stuff.”

[…]

“What can I do until I enter that door? should I call it a door or portal?”

[You can do as you want.]

[That door it’s a dimensional one-way door. But is commonly called a portal, depends on the civilization using it.]

“One way? So I’m not coming back here?”

[Indeed.]

“I see.”

[There is only one path prepared for you. Go forward or die.]

“Even me being probably the last one of my ancestor family alive?”

[Unfortunately Yes]

Mack could feel in his guts how hard the next tests would be. But he could do nothing to change that. His ancestor seemed to be a ruthless one. Even to his descendents.

After talking a bit with the voice. Mack could finally understand his situation a bit more.

But he still could not swallow all this magical stuff. Nor that a voice could talk to him like was nothing. Or teleport him here. Dammed, even that box in front of him was already leagues ahead of Earth technology.

How could Mack, a lone wolf, be dragged to this kind of stuff? All because of one dammed book and a few tattoos.

“I need something to kill time. I am still too weak to even walk around let alone try to exercise my body or try this Will stuff.”

Saying this, Mack approached the red glowing cube and put his hand.

“Link Start”

“Damm I always wanted to say that.” Said Mack remembering one of his favorites Anime when young.

After a few minutes of clicking in the box, a pair of black boots came out of the cube, then a few minutes later a black jacket, a jeans, and a t-shirt.

Then Mack pondered for a few seconds and pressed the machine a few more times and a big sized bottle of water came.

Mack then proceeded to take a cat shower. He was smelling like death itself.

But before continuing, Mack looked at the corner of the cube to see the Essence remaining in the cube.

“920/1000. At least those things were not expensive.”

“Damm I forgot to buy underwear.”