I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Lukas remained completely still, his words caught in his throat. Not even he had imagined it would be so fast, so far beyond the ordinary. Throughout the entire process, he had simply focused on doing it correctly, without thinking about comparisons or time.

Clavor smiled faintly, a smile filled with wisdom.

”That is a far more important talent than simply sensing mana early. Perception can improve through training, with time, with practice.”

He paused briefly, emphasizing his next word.

”Control... is much harder to acquire. Most warriors spend years trying to refine their control over mana, and many never reach a truly high level.”

Lukas remained silent for a few seconds, his father’s words echoing through his mind. Control. Until just a few days ago, he had believed his greatest problem was that he could not even sense mana, that his talent was insufficient.

He had spent an entire week frustrated, imagining that he might never catch up to the other youths his age.

Now he was discovering that the delay had concealed another trait, one that not even Clavor had foreseen. His talent did not lie in finding mana, in sensing it within the air or the earth. It lay in mastering it, in guiding it through his body with a precision that few possessed.

Without realizing it, a faint smile appeared on his face.

”So... I’m not as bad as I thought.”

Clavor let out a brief laugh, a rare and genuine sound.

”You never were.”

He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, his touch firm and reassuring.

”Every warrior possesses their own strengths. Some have extraordinary perception and can sense mana within a few hours, yet spend weeks trying to control it, every particle a battle.”

”Others possess an enormous Source from the very beginning but waste energy because they lack precision, like a river overflowing its banks. There are also those whose bodies are naturally resilient, capable of enduring burdens that others never could.”

His gaze grew more serious, filled with wisdom.

”The important thing is to discover what you truly excel at and develop it. Don’t try to become like everyone else. Discover who you are and become the best version of that.”

Lukas nodded slowly, absorbing every word. The anxiety that had followed him for so many days gradually faded away, replaced by a deeper understanding of himself. He was finally beginning to understand his own path, his own strengths, his own destiny.

Clavor then stood up, his movements fluid and controlled, and extended a hand to help him.

”Let’s head back. We’ve done enough for today.”

Lukas took his father’s hand and stood, immediately feeling something different. As he took his first step, a faint current of cold flowed through his left leg, a subtle stream that accompanied his movements. It was incredibly subtle, almost imperceptible, yet it was there.

The mana naturally followed his movements, traveling through the newly formed channel before returning to the Lunar Spring.

Each step created a small wave of energy flowing through his leg, as though the movement itself were nourishing the channel.

It was a curious sensation. It did not increase his strength, nor did it make him run faster, nor did it make his leg more resilient. Not yet. The channel had been created, but it remained mostly empty, with only tiny amounts of mana circulating spontaneously to keep it stable.

True physical enhancement would only become possible once all the main channels had been completed, when mana could flow freely throughout his entire body. Until then, that sensation was merely a glimpse of what was yet to come.

Even so, that small difference was enough to keep him smiling the entire way back.

Father and son left the clearing in silence, their footsteps echoing softly through the night. The forest was peaceful that evening, as though it too were resting after the day’s events. Moonlight filtered through the treetops, painting silver patches across the dirt path that gleamed like scattered coins.

The wind carried the scent of damp leaves and nocturnal flowers, a gentle fragrance drifting through the air. Tiny insects glowed among the bushes like miniature stars, their luminous bodies blinking to a rhythm of their own.

A few meters away, Astra flew silently above them, her white wings cutting through the air without making a sound, following their movements with the precision of a shadow.

Tilbo walked close to Lukas’s legs, alert to any unusual noise, her enormous presence both imposing and comforting. Prata moved through the tree branches, using her webs to travel swiftly, her silvery form gleaming beneath the moonlight.

As for Rourke, he remained comfortably nestled inside the sleeve of Lukas’s robe, poking his head out from time to time, his bright eyes observing the world.

They all seemed to understand that this was an important moment. None of them made a sound, none interrupted the silence with their usual noises. They simply accompanied them, present and silent.

When the manor finally emerged between the trees, its dark windows standing against the night sky, Clavor spoke again, his voice calm and measured.

”Tomorrow night we’ll make the second connection.”

”The right leg?” Lukas asked, already knowing the answer.

”Exactly.” His father nodded, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

”The principle will be the same, but you’ll notice that every part of the body presents a different level of difficulty.”

As they walked through the moonlit gardens, the night flowers releasing their sweet fragrance, Clavor continued explaining.

”The legs have the longest channels. That’s why they usually require more time and more patience. On the other hand, they’re resilient regions, capable of withstanding small mistakes without serious consequences. Minor deviations rarely cause permanent damage.”

Lukas listened attentively, every word engraving itself into his memory like a precious lesson.

”And the arms?”

”They’re shorter, but far more delicate.” Clavor’s voice took on a more serious tone.

”There are many smaller branches near the shoulders, elbows, and wrists, secondary channels that connect to the main one. If you guide the mana too quickly, it may escape through those branches before the main channel stabilizes, creating deviations that will be difficult to correct.”

”So I need to be even more careful.”

”Exactly.” Clavor stopped for a moment, turning to face his son.