Chereads / The Lonely Hunter / Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Controlling The Flow of Mana

Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Controlling The Flow of Mana

'I had my doubts on him but I'm sure now that he can help me. To be able to make an exact replica of my katana with his aura, it's quite obvious that he must have trained for tens of years to reach that level. It's obvious that he is lying on his age and he's probably some aura master disguised as a young man that has some sort of secret motif as to why he is going to the Hunter's University. I knew many masters capable of controlling their aura at a high level but I've never seen this master control it at such an extent! He must truly be some hidden master of a big organization, maybe I can try and check his background after this, maybe I can find a lead to who he may really be.' Kevin had his own doubts on Kal since he was such a powerful person that the likes of him had just found out and he wanted to be alert if the person in front of him might be someone dangerous. Kal understood what he was thinking and could tell his hidden expression just by looking at his window panel.

Ting~

[Kevin Kojiro

Mood: Doubtful, Alert, Curious]

"I know what you're thinking right now, I must be some hidden master who has evil intent and I might try and use or hurt you for my own personal gain but your doubts are both right and wrong. I am a master and I'm using you for my own gain but I don't plan on hurting you or nor do I have some evil plot." Kal simply sighed. Well its okay for me if he thinks I'm some sort of old man since nobody would believe that at the age of 19, I am already an S-rank and is able to control aura freely that not even most S-ranks could, in fact no one was on Kal's level of control even if he was just using a skill to do it, even if he didn't he could still generate a powerful aura but he can't control it just yet.

"I'm sorry if I'm doubting you but you do understand in my position since I'm a very important figure in my country, whatever harm that may happen to me, a whole country will do everything on their power to save me." Kevin sounded rather arrogant but what he said was true. As being the only heir for the throne, his safety was utmost the priority that no matter where he went, he'd be under surveillance by not only his men but also the guards that were sent to protect him. In fact right now, there was 100 powerful hunters on guard of Kevin. The only reason that Kal managed to slip their surveillance was that Kal had concealed most of his powers so they could only sense him as a B-rank at most.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything that may harm and if this process may even hurt you, you can just tell me to stop whenever you want." Kal said to Kevin. Kevin felt reassured to what Kal said as he sighed in relief.

"So what should I do?" Kevin asked.

"Simple, just cast your aura on your blade." Kevin was a bit abacked at what Kal said. Most of his teachers that taught him how to use aura usually told him to do complex procedures but Kal simply ask him to generate his aura but nontheless, he abided to his words and casted his aura on his katana. A white, thin and transparent aura appeared in his hands as this aura flowed through his weapon. The aura couldn't reach even the guard of the katana and simply stayed at the handle where both his hands where gripping tightly.

'Let's see...' Kal's eyes glowed in blue as he scanned through Kevin's mana vessel in his body. Kal had already done analyzing Kevin so he could see numbers and dots that would usually happen when his [Analysis] finish analyzing, now that his [Analysis] went to 50%, there where more information that was floating on Kevin's body and he could see the organs, muscles, bones and blood vessels on his body like a more advanced X-ray vision. With the [Aura Manipulation]'s effect, Kal was able to see Kevin's mana core and the vessels which mana flowed to. It was just like the blood vessels which spread through every part of the body but unlike the blood vessel, his mana vessel was more limited in its spreading, that most of the vessel which connected to his mana core was in his head, body, legs and majority where in his arms all the way to his fingertips.

'He had trained so much in the sword that most of his mana vessel formed in his arms.' Kal continued to observed the mana vessel. He saw that the mana core was releasing mana that move through the mana vessels as it went through his hands and his fingertips. Then as the mana had been released from his body, the mana turned into an aura that was weak to potent to be used. He went closer to examine the flow of his mana and realized that due to the small opening in his vessel endings, mana excreted didn't flow much despite the enormous mana pumping from his mana core, the man being released was quite small.

'With such a small opening to his mana vessels, it would take him long time to cast a skill that needed big amounts of mana. It is no wonder he can't release so much aura despite the pure mana core and huge amount of mana in his body. The only way is to either increase his mana endings for more opening or make the openings wider.' Both options would make fore a huge improvement not only in his aura but also in his overall power but increasing the number of mana endings was close to impossible since mana endings would naturally form in a hunter's body either by becoming strong or just luck and talent so the only realistic option was option b.

'Still, the only problem is that I don't know how to widen a person's mana ending and I'm not even sure if forcing it to open wider might be good, it might even harm him.' Kal was thinking deeply as to what he would do but he couldn't make a good decision without being wary what might happen as a result.

'A f*ck it, let's do this.' Kal decided to do it even with the dire consequences that may occur. He placed his hand on Kevin's back as he slowly controlled Kevin's mana. Since the level gap difference between Kal and Kevin was too big, Kal didn't had a problem controlling his mana flow and as soon as Kal got the hang of it, he felt like he was controlling the movement of a large snake to escape a maze. The mana that the mana core was pumping had spread all over his body but even though most of which flowed through his arms, there were still a lot of mana flowing through the other parts of his body. Kal controlled these mana and changed their movement to flow through the arms and as all the mana had been concentrated on both the arms, Kevin felt a swelling in his hand like a blister was rapidly growing from the inside ready to burst.

"Urgh, it hurts!" Kevin felt heavy pain in his arms and he couldn't held the katana tightly in his arm. Kal heard his moans and felt obligated to stop.

"Do you want me to stop?" Kal asked the groaning Kevin.

"It's fine... I can handle it." Kevin said as he grit his teeth and it didn't take long for his nose to bleed and felt nauseated by the overwhelming mana residing in both his hands which he had absolutely no control of.

Kal knew that Kevin wouldn't last long and would faint in any second so he used all his strength into the expanding mana and as he made one big final push, the thin and small vessel ending couldn't hold the mana anymore and was forcibly ripped up to open a bigger pathway for mana to be released.

Shaaaaa!

The mana swelling on his hand quickly burst into a raging aura that covered the entire katana. It was a very thick white aura that mixed with the katana's wind element ceaselessly like it was apart of it. Kevin was astounded by this as not only was able to release such powerful aura that he had finally enveloped the whole katana, it had manage to meld with the katana's element meaning Kevin had just opened his element which was of course, the wind element.

"Thank yo-" Kevin was so overjoyed and wanted to embrace Kal in gratitude but he suddenly felt his world distort and became blurry as he fell unconscious.

'He used up such enormous amount of mana in an instant that his body couldn't control it properly as a result, he fainted. He should be able to awaken after his lost mana has been recovered but for now, I should explain what happened to his men.' Kal caught Kevin in his arms and placed him in his bed. He left and explained to one of his trusted men what happened and said that Kevin used too much mana in their spar that he fainted as a result. Though they were doubtful, to make his words more realistic, Kal purposely cut himself all over his body and put some light bruises as he acted like he was also about to fall unconscious so the men where quick to buy his words and even had an assigned guard to bring Kal to his room.

*************

With that, the first day on the ship passed seamlessly as Kal was awoken in his bed from a knock on his door. Kal opened it and saw Kevin with such a big grin in his face and his eyes all sparkling like he was meeting his favorite uncle.

"Thank you for what you did last night and I don't if I could ever repay you. Is their something that you want?" Kevin bowed at Kal in gratitude. Although no one was currently nearby, if there was someone who could hear what Kevin had said, it would make a commotion so Kal had spread out his aura around the two of them could sense their mana.

'Let's use mana transmission.' Kal said to Kevin.

'Oh! I'm sorry, I was so happy. That I couldn't help but quickly give my thanks. So, what do you want? You can ask for anything, money, items, runestone, martial art and even a royal citizenship! I can do anything for you just say the word.' Kevin said to Kal as he felt very obligated to do anything for him.

'I do need something. I need a martial art book of any kind, it would be better if they're all of high ranks and just as I said, when I do you a favor you also do me a favor. I'm not gonna ask for a lot that's why I'm only asking one thing for you.' Kal said as he rubbed his eyes and moaned as he had just woken up.

'Does that mean, you'll still help me!?' Kevin said in joy and surprise.

'Yes, last night, I helped you open up your mana pathway so you can release you aura freely but I still didn't taught you how to control it. For now since you're mana opening is currently damage, I advice you to use your aura frequently but not too much, just enough for your mana opening to heal and really adjust. You must never use your aura at full force since this might sever the damage in your mana opening, until it's fully hold, don't try to do anything reckless.' Kal gave the advice to Kevin. The reason why Kal was able to understand mana more, was not only because of what he had observed when he was helping Kevin but due to his abundant knowledge of mana from pasting all the informations he could find about mana in his head because he wanted to increase his [Analysis] completion rate.

'So does that mean, you're officially my teacher?' Kevin asked in disbelief.

'Not officially, just your exclusive teacher. But as a student, you must not break these conditions: Number one, don't tell anyone about our relationship. Number two, in public, treat me as your friend or an equal but not as your superior. Number three, don't try to meddle with my business or even try to find information about me. Number four, when in our training session, everything you learned must be confidential and if they ever asked where you learned it, use your authority or your genius brain of yours. If ever they might know about me, our connection will be completely severed. And lastly, number five, if you use and threaten me for your own selfish gain that might put me in some sort of danger, I will find you, and I will kill you.' Kal was being dead serious about everything he said even though he was just putting a persona of an old master. When Kevin heard the conditions, he gulped his nervous saliva and raised his right hand.

'I, Kevin Kojiro, swear in behalf of my country and parents that if I ever break these conditions, I will strip myself from my royal status and let you do whatever you want for me.' Kevin was also quite confident and serious even though his promise was quite over the top and Kal knew he was being genuine with what he said since he could see through his mood via the window panel.

'Good, since if you break even one condition, I'll break your neck and kill you with my own hands even if it means being an enemy of an entire country.' Although was exaggerating his words, he was just showing Kevin that he was just testing his loyalty and why he should fear and respect him.

'So what type of martial art do you wish me for me to acquire? Is it a type of blade art, close combat art, or ranged art?' Kevin asked.

'Everything you can find that is deemed good, give it to me, and also add some martial skills too, any martial skill will work, just make sure it's all of great quality.' Kal said to Kevin who had an odd look as Kal closed the door to his room.

'Hmm... what sort of martial art will teacher learn if he wanted to me to acquire any type of martial art? He also wanted some martial skills but I thought he already knows martial art, maybe he just wants to find a martial art that may suit him since he is currently in disguise so he had to hide his true martial art for his enemies or whatnot to not find out.' Kevin thinking deep as he left and immediately went to get the martial arts his teacher asked and with the help of his men, finding them didn't take no time at all and he brought the glass tablets that piled up to his room. Kevin and Kal where the only ones in the room so that they could get some privacy.

"So teacher, are you trying to pick a martial art that may suit you?" Kevin asked.

"No, I'm gonna learn all of this."