Eryndor's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he took in his surroundings. He recognized his room in the humble mountain house, and a mix of relief and disorientation washed over him.
"How long has it been?" he asked, his voice groggy.
The old man's face came into focus, and he replied, "A week."
Eryndor's expression turned incredulous. "A week? It felt like years," he muttered, running a hand over his face as if trying to scrub away the haze.
Eryndor paused, staring at his palms, which seemed larger than he remembered. "Mirror," he muttered.
The old man flicked his hand, conjuring a mirror suspended in mid-air. Eryndor's eyes widened as he gazed at his reflection. His tranquil blue eyes now had gold specks dancing around the edges, with an undercurrent of intensity that hinted at madness or violence lurking beneath the surface.
He tore his gaze away from his eyes to take in the rest of his body. His face had lost some of its childishness, taking on a more mature appearance. The biggest change, however, was in his physique. He had grown taller and more muscular, filling out in a way that made him look like a child in his early teens.
"Wow," Eryndor breathed, impressed.
The old man raised an eyebrow. "Like what you see?"
"Yes," Eryndor replied.
The old man nodded, dissipating the mirror. "Good. But on to more serious issues. You can start practicing now, but not with mana. Your transformation made you ridiculously attuned to mana. However, I've placed a seal on you, so you can't absorb mana yet. We need to get your body into shape first."
The old man's expression turned thoughtful. "We also need to work on your mind. Although the World Origin should have increased your mental capability, making it unlikely for others to affect you negatively, we still need to understand how you have changed to help you better understand your self"
"Rest well, boy," the old man said. "From tomorrow, you become a man."
Eryndor watched him leave, surprised by the old man's calm demeanor. Shaking his head, he couldn't help but feel that overthinking things wouldn't help. What he did know for sure was that the future was going to be very interesting, and he looked forward to it with anticipation.