Drawing the final tenth of her second mana circuit was a long and tiresome process. Dia had to feel each and every path down to its roots, drawing them out with her very lifeforce. Her original mana circuit started to shake too, as her new one neared completion, and she could vaguely sense an attractive force trying to bring the two together.
Dia deepened her focus. The less talented faced problems at this juncture. The last touch, the last 0.05 of the second mana circuit, had to be drawn while withstanding the attractive force of the first. On no account could both mana circuits meld together while one was incomplete — that would harm the body and set her progress back.
She had to keep them apart during this delicate process. However, keeping them apart seemed to be far harder than it sounded. In her mind's eye, Dia could sense the flickering green flame that represented her life force waver, torn between both mana circuits for some reason. It was taking every ounce of her mental strength to control both the pen of her lifeforce and the two mana circuits.
"Remember, Dia," said a warm, loving voice. Gruff, yet tender, the voice played on from deep within her memory, and her shaking body stilled. "The process of drawing new mana circuits involves the resonance between both the old and the new. If you are struggling to keep them apart, keep an eye on your original mana circuit. It will guide you through the dark night."
"Keep an eye on my original mana circuit?" Dia murmured. "What will that do, father?"
No one replied to her question, but somehow, she could see something glint in her original mana circuit. The most complex part of her original mana circuit was glinting…or rather, some nodes in her mana nexus was glinting in parallel with the mana nexus of her near-complete second mana circuit. The force that was pulling both mana circuits together came from these nodes, but…
When did those nodes appear? She didn't remember seeing any.
And yet, now that she had embarked on the final stretch of becoming a bi-folder, so many such nodes had suddenly lit up.
How intriguing.
Keeping an eye on her original mana circuit, Dia began to etch yet another line, only to pause a moment later. Her original mana circuit had also reproduced the same line she had drawn on her second mana circuit, and her heartbeat quickened.
Was that why it took her double the lifeforce as a bi-folder?
Dia took a deep breath and continued to etch on her second mana circuit. This time, however, she took special care to avoid established nodes with her second etching, and before she knew it, the second mana circuit had been completed. Both mana circuits pulsed once in sync, rippling into two blurs that melded and meshed with each other.
The mad oscillation weakened a few seconds later, and a single mana circuit appeared in her vision. Complex lines that created a river of lights lined her skin, and a long-awaited message appeared in her vision.
[Mana Circuit Superimposition has reached 2.00]
[Authority increased!]
[You have learned the passive skill: Foreseer's Eye!]
"Eh?" Dia tilted her head at the two messages that followed. She looked around a moment later, and then remembered her current situation. Right now, she and Nero were travelling to the site of the Moon Emissary's death via a mana wagon. Nero was providing the necessary mana to power the metal carriage, while steering it as needed.
Given that Nero was quite busy right now, Dia didn't want to disturb him. After casting a gaze at the whistling man at the extra-special seat in the front, she calmed her breathing and opened her status.
Name: Dia Lyceria de Lustre
Lifespan: 80 years
Active Skills: Sword Dance (6), Sword Sense (7), Sword Roar (5), Fated Sword (2), Sword Fall (2), Domain of Swords (1)
Passive Skills: Heightened Senses, Fighter's Instinct, Foreseer's Eye
Mana Circuit Superimposition: 2.00
Mana Control Proficiency: Intermediate
Authority: 2
Comments: …You must have been really busy. Congratulations on becoming a bi-folder. Your authority — your license to hear secrets and damning words — has increased. Right now, your authority is 2, as can be seen above. As such, you are entitled to learn about Clearance-2 secrets.
Her lifespan had increased, due to her chomping down on some of these things while working at the Moon Lords. Other than that, Sword Dance and Sword Sense had increased in level, but the three changes that mattered the most was from the upgrade from Mind's Eye to Foreseer's Eye, her official status as a bi-folder and her comments.
"Authority?" Dia muttered. "What's that?"
"Congratulations on becoming a bi-folder." Nero's voice wafted in from the front of the carriage. "I see you've read your status."
"Thank you," Dia replied, a touch of formality in her words.
"I imagine you have many questions, right?" Nero asked. "Like, for instance, authority. You probably have guessed it already, however. Yes. Authority here refers to your ability to listen to secrets without pain, death or a painful death."
"Why does such a thing exist?" Dia asked.
"You can't hear the reason yet," Nero replied. "But you are, at least, entitled to hear about the classifications behind these secrets. Clearance-2 secrets refer to information that concern the Third Godsfall. Clearance-3 secrets refer to information related to the Era of Virtue, while Clearance-4 secrets refer to the Second Godsfall."
"What about Clearance-1?" Dia asked.
"Information of the current era. Generally, things like rumours and the like. The movement of the Chromatic Lords and the Coloured Gods' familiar spirits, for instance," Nero explained. "Beyond Clearance-5…I'm not too sure myself. It's probably related to the Primordial Epoch, of the Moons and the Dark."
"Oh."
"Right, I didn't want to disturb you earlier, but should we come to a stop for now? I'm hungry," Nero said, rubbing his stomach, which growled a moment later. "…Sorry."
"Don't be. I'm peckish too," Dia replied. "I brought a few rolls of dried meat. That good?"
"Yeah. Toss it over, if you please."
Dia was about to use her hand to toss it over when she paused. Blue light welled out of her arm a moment later, forming a disembodied hand that picked up the slab of meat. "Here."
"…You know it's almost evening, right? Doing something like this might just scare other people into running away," Nero replied. "You could probably scare the common folk into wetting their pants."
"I just wanted to try it out," Dia replied. "My mana looks more solid, and that didn't do much to my reserves. Feels like I've more than double, actually."
"Yeah, that's the point of becoming a bi-folder, right? A mana pool greater than the sum of its parts. Through resonance and synchronisation, one becomes a supreme being," Nero replied.
"What was your experience like, as a Holy Son of the Black Church?" Dia asked. "I mean, you're a tetra-folder despite being twenty-two."
"Twenty-three," Nero corrected. "Well, I spent the whole time just using mana, really. And reading the scriptures of the Lord. Let's see…I drank an Experiential Potion to pick up basic knowledge and the skills needed to function in society at two or three years old, and then started working on the concept of mana from then on."
"Wait, what?" Dia stared at Nero. "An Experiential Potion?"
"Yeah. Most of the Holy Children are raised this way. They're given a massive headstart in life through Experiential Potions. Through them, we pick up language, the things we need to know about Nihila — or in Clarissa's case, Grandis — and how to move mana. After that, I spent the rest of my childhood using mana and drawing my mana circuits."
"How long did it take you?" Dia asked.
"I was reasonably talented, and with sufficient guidance, I became a tri-folder at the age of ten," Nero replied.
"Ten?" Dia blinked.
"If I were to redo the whole process now, it would probably just take me a few months. But you know how children are like," Nero replied. "I would make one line, and then think about food. Even Experiential Potions can't fully blot out a child's adorable qualities."
"Then, for your fourth mana-circuit…"
"When I was nineteen. The year I was kidnapped by the Third." Nero shook his head. "There's a…trial of sorts that one needs to pass. I only got by due to lots of help and many, many tries, and…"
He paused. "Well, you'll get to it eventually."
"Sure." Dia took note of his eyes, which were focused on the slab of meat in his hands, and decided to stop asking questions. In silence, the two of them chewed on the dried, salted meat, which was still nice and springy, and Dia found her mind wandering.
What did it feel like to live such a life? Nero hadn't said anything about it, but for the likes of him and Clarissa to have such a childhood…
Dia couldn't help but pity the Holy Children.
No one deserved to lead such a life.