Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win

"Ugh—!"

In an instant, Akamir felt a sudden pain all over his body.

"Endure it." Nayomi's voice echoed in his ears. "The pain will go away in a few minutes."

Akamir gritted his teeth, sweat forming on his brow as the spirit energy surged through him like lightning caught in his veins.

It wasn't just painful for him, it was blinding.

Every nerve screamed, every breath burned like fire.

But Nayomi didn't even stop for a second.

Her voice was steady, calm, like a distant anchor in a storm.

"Keep your focus. Trace the path. Don't fight the energy, let me guide it."

Akamir forced his mind to still, focusing on the flow.

He could feel it—thin streams of glowing energy weaving through his body, curving along invisible paths like glowing vines.

They passed through his arms, his spine, his heart… and finally began to spiral toward beside his mana core.

'Huff, they have a different pathway than my Chi veins.'

Akamir thought to keep his mind off the pain.

'I have a mana core that flows mana in my body, Chi Veins that strengthen my entire body.'

He kept on thinking about all the things that could help him.

Nayomi's hand never moved from his abdomen, her expression focused.

Saia hovered above him, her small hands still glowing faintly with spirit energy, brows furrowed in concentration.

But slowly, very slowly, it started to change.

The fire that once raged in his veins began to settle into a simmer.

The violent pulses of energy started flowing with a rhythm, syncing with his heartbeat.

'Huff…'

His breath, which had been ragged and shallow, evened out.

"There it is," Nayomi whispered, a trace of satisfaction in her voice. "You're syncing."

Akamir couldn't reply, even though he could now hear her loud and clear.

His mind was entirely focused inward now, tracing the paths of the glowing strands inside him.

The spirit energy was gentler now, flowing along the outline Nayomi had created.

Each time it looped around his mana core, it deposited a faint wisp of light beside it—like laying down threads to form a nest.

It was building something, and Akamir could feel it.

'That's the core…'

He concentrated harder.

The forming structure beside his mana core wasn't solid yet—it pulsed like a heartbeat, barely held together.

A spirit core.

"Good," Nayomi said, her voice quieter now. "You've started the formation. Don't rush it. Let it grow naturally."

With a final pulse of warmth, Saia pulled her hand away. Nayomi followed a moment later.

Akamir's body slumped slightly as the intensity passed.

His breathing was deep and steady now, and though he was drenched in sweat, he didn't feel weak.

He felt… lighter.

As if a whole new reservoir had been opened up inside him.

Time passed as Akamir kept on focusing on the core.

Slowly, he took in the spirit energy from the atmosphere and refined it.

He kept on doing it, slowly strengthening his core.

Finally, after an hour of refining, his core was now stable.

Akamir opened his eyes and looked at Nayomi, who gave him a small nod.

"Congratulations," she said. "You've taken your first step into spirit mastery."

Saia clapped gently in the air, her wings fluttering excitedly. "You did it!"

Akamir smiled faintly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "That… was worse than dying."

Nayomi smirked. "No, dying's worse. Trust me."

He let out a breath, still feeling the residual hum of spirit energy inside him.

"So, what now?" he asked. "Apart from controlling spirit, what else—"

"Stand up." Nayomi said, floating in front of him.

Akamir tilted his head in confusion but did as she told him.

"Try using spirit body." She instructed him, folding her hands.

Akamir frowned. "I can?"

"Try it."

"Huff…"

As Akamir exhaled, he focused on the core of spirit energy gently pulsing beside his mana core.

'Spirit body, huh…'

He closed his eyes.

Almost instinctively, he reached out to that core.

It surged through his veins, not like the storm it had been before, but like a breeze moving through open doors.

A soft glow began to form over his skin, faint at first… then brighter.

His body shimmered with a faint silver light, his form becoming slightly translucent.

When he opened his eyes again, they were glowing faintly with the same silver hue.

"Whoa…" Saia whispered, her tiny eyes wide with excitement.

Nayomi, however, didn't react much. Instead, she picked a stick and slammed it into his heart.

"Huh?"

Akamir looked down as the stick just moved past as his body turned foggy.

"What the fuck?"

"That's what spirit body is." Nayomi said, smiling brightly. "A state in which your body is not physical."

Akamir looked at her, his lips still parted. "Am I immortal now?"

"No."

As soon as she said, his body began to feel pain and Akamir immediately cancelled spirit body.

"What was that?"

"In your current condition, you can only use it for at most seven seconds." Nayomi explained, her voice soft. "After that, your body will begin to revolt."

Akamir sat back down on the grass, rubbing his chest where the stick had passed through just moments ago.

"Seven seconds, huh…" he muttered under his breath, still processing what had just happened. "What will happen if I do more than that?"

"You will die." She replied simply. "Changing your body to a different state isn't something that the laws of the world will like."

"..."

Akamir gave her a soft nod as he let out a sigh. "Still, seven seconds is still a lot."

"It is." She nodded her head. "Don't worry, you can extend the time period if you grow more."

Akamir narrowed his eyes at her. "How do you know so much?"

Nayomi turned silent as she turned towards the fairy queen.

"I made the contract with the previous fairy queen." She said, gently touching her face. "I know all about it."

"..."

Akamir didn't say anything even though he felt sadness in her voice.

He let out a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Nayom—"

"Anyway," she cut in his words. "I think it would be better if you start training with it."

She leaned closer, looking into his eyes. "Integrate spirit body into your fighting style and you will be invincible."

"It's not that easy as you say." Akamir replied, leaning back. "I can't do—"

"I was able to do so." She cut in his words. "I am sure you can do much better than me."

Akamir blinked.

That was the first time she had ever said something like that.

Nayomi floated just a few inches away from him.

"…Did you just compliment me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She looked away instantly. "No."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did," he said again, this time with a teasing grin.

Nayomi scoffed and crossed her arms. "Don't get ahead of yourself, stupid mortal."

"Yeah, like I care about your opinion, stupid goddess."

Nayomi sharply looked at him. "Take that back."

"No."

"I said—"

"Um."

Saia's awkward voice made them both look towards her.

"Akamir." She said, her voice low. "Lili wants to contact with you."

Akamir blinked in confusion. "What?"