Apocalypse Transmigration - The Card Captor System

Leo sat cross-legged atop the black crystal.

For a long moment, he stared into the endless darkness surrounding him before letting his eyes shut.

The Star Soul Breathing Technique began circulating through his mind.

Inhale.

Hold.

Exhale.

The rhythm was strange. Unlike ordinary breathing techniques, it wasn’t just about controlling breath. Every cycle had to follow a precise rhythm while his body held a specific posture. Even the timing of his heartbeat mattered.

Leo took another breath. Then another. He followed the instructions implanted into his mind to the letter.

Nothing happened.

He waited.

Still nothing.

Leo opened one eye.

Gill sat several meters away. The shadowy raven had transformed back into its humanoid form. Its legs were crossed, and its shadowy cane rested against one shoulder. Its crimson eyes were fixed on Leo.

Leo waited a few moments more. Nothing. He sighed.

"Is that it?"

Gill gave no response. Of course, it couldn’t. Leo had long since figured out that Gill had no intention of speaking.

Instead, the raven raised a hand. A black screen materialized in the air, displaying a simple image: a stick figure sitting cross-legged.

The figure inhaled. Then exhaled. Then inhaled again.

Leo stared. "...I know how to breathe."

The stick figure flashed red.

Then—

BOOM!

It exploded.

Leo’s eyelid twitched. "Was that really necessary?"

Gill erased the image with a wave, forming another in its place. This time, the stick figure sat with a perfectly rigid back.

Leo looked at the drawing, then down at his own posture. He shifted, pulling his spine straight.

Gill nodded.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "You’re surprisingly strict for a bird."

Another image popped onto the screen. A tiny stick figure held a bird. The bird swelled, growing enormous. Then, the giant bird tossed the human far into the distance.

Leo stared at the picture. "...Was that a threat?"

Gill nodded.

Leo bolted upright, sitting at attention. "Understood."

And so, the training began.

The first day passed. Then the second. Then the third. Leo spent nearly every waking moment sitting atop the black crystal, practicing the Star Soul Breathing Technique.

The first problem was the breathing rhythm.

The second was maintaining the correct posture.

The third... was everything else.

Every time Leo made the slightest mistake, Gill noticed.

If his breathing became too fast—

Tap.

The cane struck the crystal.

If his back bent even a fraction—

Tap.

If his breathing rhythm became irregular—

Tap. Tap.

And whenever Leo opened his eyes before completing a breathing cycle, Gill would just stare at him. That silent look alone was enough to make Leo feel guilty.

On the seventh day, Leo finally hit his limit.

"How long are you going to keep doing this?"

Gill stared at him.

Leo pointed at himself. "I’ve been sitting here for seven days." Then he pointed toward the endless darkness. "Nothing has happened."

Gill raised one hand. A new image appeared.

A tiny seed. Then a sprout. Then a small plant. Then a tree. Then an enormous tree reaching into the sky.

Leo stared at the sequence. "...You’re telling me I need patience?"

Gill nodded.

Leo sighed. "Fine." He closed his eyes. "Patience."

Five seconds passed.

Leo opened one eye. "How long does it take?"

Gill’s cane struck the crystal.

Tap.

Leo clamped his eyes shut. "Okay! Okay!"

Two weeks passed.

Leo still hadn’t sensed Zen.

By then, he had learned to maintain the breathing technique without consciously thinking about every individual step. His posture had improved. His breathing had become deeper and steadier. Even his heartbeat was beginning to follow the rhythm naturally.

But the moment he tried to sense Zen... nothing. There was only darkness.

Leo opened his eyes. "Gill."

The raven looked at him.

"Are you sure this technique actually works?"

Gill lifted its cane.

Leo threw up both hands. "Alright. Bad question."

Gill lowered the weapon.

Leo muttered, "Definitely a strict teacher."

The raven ignored him.

Then, a familiar presence entered the dome. The surrounding darkness rippled, and the mysterious man stepped out of the shadows.

"So..." He glanced at Leo. "How goes the training?"

Leo turned toward him. "I think your technique is flawed."

The mysterious man’s eyebrow twitched.

Leo continued. "Or maybe I see you summoning all these strange and powerful cards, yet you won’t give me something that can help me learn this faster?"

The man’s expression remained calm. "Is that what you want?"

Leo’s eyes lit up. "Yes."

"Alright." The mysterious man nodded. "I can do that."

Leo’s expression brightened. "Really?"

"Of course." The man casually raised one hand. "But there’s a slight problem."

Leo’s smile faded. "What problem?"

The mysterious man smiled. "If I accelerate the process, your soul may be torn into shreds."

Leo’s face went pale. "..."

The man shrugged. "If that happens, it’s none of my business."

Leo shook his head. "No need." He sat back down. "Absolutely no need."

The mysterious man raised an eyebrow.

Leo straightened his back. "Teacher Gill has already taught me the importance and virtue of patience."

Gill glanced at him.

Leo nodded solemnly. "I have learned my lesson."

The mysterious man chuckled. Then, his expression grew serious. "Have you ever wondered why I insisted that you let go of your past?"

Leo’s expression changed.

The man’s gaze sharpened. "Why I told you that I wouldn’t train you until your heart was at peace?"

Leo remained silent.

The mysterious man continued. "I’ll explain it simply. You already know that Zen is Chaos."

Leo nodded.

"Then imagine this. A chaotic heart..." He raised one finger. "...combined with an energy born from Chaos." He raised another. "When two sources of Chaos collide, what do you think happens?"

Leo thought for a moment. "An even greater Chaos?"

"Exactly." The mysterious man nodded. "Your mind was filled with grief, guilt, regret, anger, and unresolved memories. Trying to absorb Zen in that state would have been like pouring oil onto a raging fire. Before Zen could become your strength... your own turmoil would have consumed you."

Leo lowered his gaze.

The man’s voice softened. "First, deal with the turmoil inside you. Then start fresh. Once your mind and heart are stable... Zen will have a foundation upon which it can settle."

A disturbance rippled through the surrounding darkness. The mysterious man glanced toward it.

"Looks like my break is over." He turned back toward Leo. "Think about what I said."

With that, his body dissolved into the shadows.

Leo remained silent. For a long time, he just stared at the empty space where the man had stood.

Then he sighed.

He crossed his legs and closed his eyes once more. He began letting go of every thought that surfaced. The past. The guilt. The fear. The faces of those he had lost. The memories he had spent years running from.