The Retired Hero is an Extra

After Jash sat in the meditation position on the ground, the lines about awakening from the novel assaulted his brain.

'Ugh. Damn! What's this?' Jash cursed at the sudden pain, as if it warned him of what was to come.

||During the awakening ceremony, mana continues to flow and surge, transforming the individual's body. Bones might shift and elongate, muscles may grow and change, and the senses could become heightened or altered.

These changes cause pain and discomfort but are necessary to fully harness the power of mana.

Mana can feel like a burning sensation or intense pressure.

The duration of the awakening process varies from person to person. It depends on the individual's ability to endure pain and how adaptable their body is to the flow of mana.

The process can also be dangerous.

If the body cannot handle the overwhelming power of mana, it may lead to a failed awakening, leaving the person with internal injuries or as a cripple for life.||

Despite the memories of the novel, he focused more on the memories of mana from his previous life:

[A normal awakening was not difficult. The person usually absorbed ample amounts of mana from their surroundings or mana gems.

The Mana Gem usually helped complete the formation of a Mana Core in the lower dantian or near the heart.

Civilians generally awakened at the age of 16, as declared by the Council for common people to follow.

For common people, the awakening process involved forming their Mana Core in the initial stages and gradually growing it over time.

Irrespective of their talent, a person's Mana Core could only be formed after they turned 18, allowing the body to finish growing up first.

Despite all this, most civilians chose not to awaken and risk their lives or had pitiful talent to not even have a use as cannon fodder.

…

"That's all a facade. The ones at the top didn't have much power difference and wanted to control the world. Hence, the shitty outcome where the world has to suffer."

"Also, –––––– – –––––––– ... ––––––––––––––– and #@$@#@$#..."]

The memories of his previous life abruptly stopped as Jash tried to gauge the identity of the speaker.

'What do I do then? Go with the novel information?' Jash doubted which method to choose.

Although familiar with all the senses of his last life's awakening, he could feel his body itself was different in this world.

"You only have the middle dantian in your body. It is located right above the sternum in the center of the chest below the heart."

A sudden voice entered his ears as if guiding him, allowing him to make a decision before something unwanted occurred.

Ultimately, the time for such thoughts wasn't long as mana surrounding his body wouldn't wait for him to decide.

Despite knowing which path to take, he gritted his teeth as he could feel the mana in the air increasing at a constant speed.

The heaviness in the air, the pressure of mana, the familiar yet unfamiliar energy and soon enough it entered his body.

Jash could feel every single sensation vividly as the mana flowed around him before spreading all over his body.

He winced a little due to the sudden prickling sensation of mana poking the insides of his body.

'I need to focus on the mana movement inside my body and guide the mana from the gem to my heart...'

Jash recalled the instructions.

It was unknown whether they came from the strange voice, Sera's repeated teaching, past life memories, or the novel's knowledge.

But at the moment, he couldn't afford to lose focus, or it might damage him severely.

Heck, he could even fail his awakening.

Trusting his instincts, Jash tried to follow the flow of the intrusive mana within his body before attempting to control it.

Although he knew how to form a Mana Core, he didn't want to take any chances and proceeded cautiously.

'It is flowing aimlessly,' Jash observed the flow of mana inside him before infusing his will and controlling it.

Sweat drops appeared on his entire body as he struggled to succeed.

After several attempts, he finally altered the flow of mana as a whole, instead of controlling different strands, to converge at his middle dantian.

Under his masterful guidance, mana flowed easily, without causing pain in this step of the process.

In the end, Jash had an easier time forming his Mana Core than others who suffered a lot.

After feeling the mana converging in his upper chest area and stirring in the direction of his heart, he forcefully changed its course.

'Just why the hell is it going to my heart?' Jash thought in frustration as it was a critical moment.

With no other choice, he guided the mana from the Integration-rank Mana Gem to his potential Mana Core's location.

A milky white energy slowly gathered near the center of Jash's chest, forming a grain-sized crystal.

'The first step was successful,' Jash mused yet his focus only intensified as he prepared for the next step.

The awakening process had two parts:

First was known as the Mana Core Formation. One needed to form a primary Mana Core in their body, middle dantian, to be more precise.

Second was to guide the rest of the mana throughout the body and cleanse it of impurities. This process also transformed the body to become a better vessel for mana.

As mana was the fuel and the body was the vessel that contained it, it was very important to make your foundation as strong as possible during the awakening.

'I need to have a solid foundation,' reiterated Jash to himself, having experienced the difference in foundation himself.

This caused Jash to focus more mana from the gem into his Core and complete its formation and at the same time, direct the mana through his body

As time passed, black gooey substances began to come out of every pore in Jash's body.

Fortunately, they vaporized and disappeared due to the special room as soon as they touched the floor, saving the trouble of cleaning or smelling it.

While the process might have seemed easy, only Jash knew the mind boggling pain he felt.

It wasn't something a sane person could handle.

His muscles clenched, each movement sending waves of agony through his body, pain rippled through him like a tidal wave, each crest crashing against his nerves and leaving a wake of throbbing ache.

It felt almost unbearable, but Jash gritted his teeth and refused to give in. He knew that this was just the beginning as endless challenges to his peaceful life awaited him.

'I can't give up! Not after knowing everything! I refuse to let my family suffer!' Jash thought, a wave of determination coursing his body as he continued to endure the pain.

Despite the mind-numbing pain, Jash had yet to let out a shout of agony as he endured it all.

His body trembled all over as it changed internally: his bones cracking, his muscles breaking and healing as his skin reddened.

After a while, his body had mostly transformed except for his brain and heart.

A few drops of blood leaked from his mouth as he clenched his teeth too tightly to endure the pain.

Yet he didn't even get a moment of respite to take a deep breath as another wave of pain assaulted him.