I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Another hour dragged by beneath the night sky, every minute feeling like an eternity as anticipation swelled within Lukas’s chest.

The moon continued its slow ascent, gliding among the stars with a silent majesty that seemed to follow the rhythm of his own breathing.

With every passing moment, its light grew brighter, pouring a silvery glow over the entire clearing as though an invisible hand were scattering stardust across the earth.

The leaves of the trees shimmered as if coated in a thin layer of frost, every surface reflecting the moonlight in a spectacle of silvery glimmers.

The grass reflected tiny points of light that resembled stars fallen upon the earth, a carpet of radiance stretching across the entire clearing.

A cold wind drifted between the ancient trunks, gently swaying the branches above them. The scent of damp earth, moss, and dry leaves filled the air, a familiar fragrance Lukas had already learned to associate with the nighttime forest.

Somewhere in the distance, an owl let out a deep, solemn hoot, its call echoing through the trees. The crickets answered with their steady song, forming a peaceful melody that embraced the entire forest in a blanket of sound.

Lukas remained seated at the center of the clearing. His legs were crossed, his knees resting against the cold grass. His spine remained perfectly straight, like an arrow pointing toward the heavens.

His hands rested upon his knees, palms facing upward, open and receptive, exactly as the Lunar Source Manual instructed.

Beside him, the small dark-covered book remained closed upon the grass, its yellowed pages preserving the secrets he had already absorbed. He had read every page twice that afternoon, studying every diagram, every instruction, and every note written in the margins.

The words were engraved into his mind as though they had been carved into stone.

Even so, his heart insisted on beating faster, an uneven drum within his chest.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat. He inhaled to the count of four, feeling the cool air fill his lungs. He held his breath, the pause creating a moment of inner silence. Then he exhaled slowly to the count of six, releasing the tension.

Again. Once more. And again.

At first, his mind was still restless, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The memory of that afternoon, when he had finally sensed mana for the first time, surfaced over and over like a scene he simply could not stop replaying.

The smile he had worn while running back to the mansion, the pure joy overflowing from every part of his being. His father’s satisfied expression, the pride shining in his eyes.

Anxiety tried to take hold of him.

’Today... today I’ll form my Mana Source...’

The thought flared like a flame, warming his mind and threatening to shatter his concentration.

He clenched his fingers slightly, feeling the tension build.

No. He had to forget all of that.

He inhaled once more, even more deeply. Little by little, the thoughts began to fade, like clouds dissolving beneath the sun. The anticipation. The excitement. The fear of failure. All of it was carried away by his breathing, by the waves of air flowing in and out of his lungs.

Only the sounds of the forest remained. The wind is whispering through the leaves. The crickets are singing in a steady rhythm. The gentle rustling of foliage. His own heartbeat, finally settling.

...

Clavor stood motionless several meters ahead, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes remained fixed on his son, observing every detail of his posture, every movement of his breathing.

There was not the slightest trace of impatience on his face. In fact, a faint nostalgic glimmer appeared in his eyes, a light born from distant memories.

He still remembered that very same night many years ago. He had been nervous as well, convinced that he needed to form his Source immediately. He too had failed countless times before finally gathering the first particles of mana, each unsuccessful attempt becoming a lesson in itself.

He smiled faintly, a smile that no one but the moon could see.

’He’s growing so quickly...’

He waited a few more minutes, allowing the silence to settle completely. The moon continued climbing, its radiance intensifying with every passing moment, until it finally reached the highest point it would attain that night, a silver beacon in the dark sky.

Clavor took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the cool night air.

”It’s time.”

His firm voice broke the forest’s silence, echoing across the clearing like the toll of a bell.

Lukas slowly opened his eyes, his eyelashes lifting like the wings of a butterfly. The moonlight reflected in his violet irises, turning them into liquid jewels that shone with a supernatural brilliance.

”Before you begin... pay attention to the mana around you.” Clavor’s voice was calm, yet filled with instruction.

Lukas nodded, his movements slow and controlled. He closed his eyes once more, sinking into the darkness within.

This time, it did not take long. After the experience that afternoon, finding mana felt far more natural. It was like searching for a familiar voice in the middle of a crowd, like recognizing the scent of a place he knew by heart. It was there. It had always been there. He simply had to know where to listen.

A few seconds later, the particles appeared before his perception once again.

Countless tiny points of light, invisible to ordinary eyes, filled the entire forest, an ocean of energy pulsing with a life of its own.

They floated between the trees like cosmic fireflies, blended with the wind like stardust, drifted over the grass like an invisible current, and coursed through the trunks like luminous sap.

Even his own body possessed tiny streams of that energy, flowing through his blood vessels like an underground river.

Lukas breathed slowly, sensing the presence of mana around him. But almost immediately, he noticed a fundamental difference.

During the afternoon, mana had resembled a mountain stream. It moved swiftly, flowed in countless directions, alive, dynamic, overflowing with motion. Every particle seemed to dance in a frantic rhythm, as though celebrating the sunlight.

Now... it was completely different.

The particles seemed to drift slowly through the air, as though time itself had slowed down just for them. No haste, no turbulence, none of that frantic energy. Like tiny snowflakes floating through a windless night, each following its own path with serene grace. Calm. Silent. Steady.

Lukas could not hide his surprise, his voice emerging as a whisper.

”It’s... different...”

Clavor nodded, his eyes carefully observing his son.

”Mana never remains the same.” He walked a few steps across the clearing as he spoke, his feet brushing the grass with surprising lightness.

”During the day, especially beneath the sun, it becomes more active. More intense. Much harder to control. It’s like trying to hold water in a sieve.”

He stopped beside his son, his presence imposing yet reassuring.

”At night, the opposite happens. The moon’s influence makes mana much calmer. It loses much of its natural aggressiveness and begins to flow slowly. It’s like a river calming down after a storm.”

Lukas continued watching that invisible current, his mind absorbing the difference. Now he understood. It was exactly like trying to scoop up water—a raging river slipped effortlessly through one’s fingers, while a tranquil lake could be gathered without difficulty.

Clavor continued, his voice taking on a more instructive tone.

”That is precisely why different Source Formation methods exist. The Solar Method takes advantage of the violent nature of daytime mana. It’s faster, more explosive... but also far more dangerous.”

He paused briefly, his eyes meeting his son’s.

”The Lunar Method, on the other hand, favors stability. The formation takes longer, but the foundation it creates is usually exceptionally solid. Like building a house upon bedrock instead of sand.”

Lukas took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs. The anxiety had vanished, replaced by pure, absolute focus. His mind was ready.

Clavor made a small gesture with his hand.

”Begin whenever you’re ready.”