When Kotaro and Zeo reappeared in Lake Town with a simple spell of Kotaro, they witnessed Lina tidying up the house. She greeted them with a warm welcome and asked, "What would you like for dinner?"
Zeo gave Lina a strange look because she was still garbed in her military costume. He informed her that he would take charge of the food since he didn't want to give his foster father a mediocre meal. He happily bragged about being the best cook in town, despite being seven years old.
While they ate, Zeo was curious as to why Fuuma had assigned him the peculiar job to pass the test. Lina seemed to be relishing her food too much that she neglected to notice their conversation.
Kotaro chuckled and said, "This job was perfect for your situation at the time. I'm well aware of the background of every person in Lake Town, and I knew you would be dedicated to completing the task. In a way, that was my way of teaching you to focus on what you want.
"Now, young lad, get some rest. You'll need that energy for our first training tomorrow, which is mana awakening. I'll pick you up at your house when the sun rises. Don't be late!"
A gentle breeze blew in and Kotaro vanished in front of them.
Zeo stared at Lina who was greedily eating the food as fast as she could like it was the end of the world.
Zeo asked, "Sister Lina, can you tell me about mana awakening?" She was so focused on eating that she didn't hear him the first time, so he repeated himself, louder. Lina was taken aback and fell off her chair, holding her head in pain. She looked at Zeo with a miffed expression, saying, "Young Master, you should call me properly next time, it's not like I'm deaf!" Zeo was taken aback, but he apologized anyway. He recalled his father's advice about Rebecca and figured it was best not to argue with a woman if it wouldn't lead to any benefit.
Lina went on to explain mana awakening in simpler terms; it is a procedure during which mana from the beast core is integrated with the body. This wasn't always the case; humans used to consume the mana core, but only a few managed to make it through the awakening process. Nowadays, however, it is much safer, though more intricate.
The present-day method involves the Magister stimulating the core and gently directing the mana it emits to the body of the other person. Subsequently, the mana gradually flows through the body, activating cells in order to adjust to the mana.
The whole process is incredibly painful, and the success of the awakening depends on the mana core and the Magister's expertise. If the Magister fails to regulate the quantity of mana accurately, it can be fatal, but if it is too low, the body may not be able to awaken. A body who experienced awakening of mana will be desensitized so future awakening will be less effective.
Zeo was frightened when he heard the story. He asked Lina to talk about her mana awakening. Lina gave him a look and stared at the face that have simliarity with Arthur, then she smiled.
"I owe my awakening to your father, Arthur. I was an orphan living in the DragonBloom Empire, which is an ancient kingdom that has managed to stay out of other countries' wars. Then one day, the Noxus Empire launched an unexpected attack, and lots of people from the DragonBloom, including the royal family, perished.
Arthur was travelling when he stumbled across me beneath a dead tree. I was starving, ill, and covered in wounds, and as an orphan, death was the only thing I could look forward to.
Arthur showed me compassion, tended to my injuries, and cooked me the most delicious meal I had ever tasted. That meal helped me recover."
Lina continued her story,
"Your dad wanted to send me to the orphanage in Zennethia, but I stopped him by devouring the mana core I took from his room. Unaware that it came from Crater Hellion, a rare demonic beast that lives in magma. My body was scorched, and I felt as if I was submerged in mana. Arthur is not a great fighter, but he is very skilled when it comes to manipulating fire. Your dad spent three days trying to control the fire mana inside me, with the help of food he cooked using the flame inside me. This food gave us extra powers and eventually, I awaken as a variant Fire Magister, able to manipulate fire and magma. To put it shortly, mana awakening is painful, but I can't really comment on the standard method since I haven't experienced it myself."
Zeo was scared after hearing Lina's tale. It seemed that the more powerful the mana core, the higher the quality of the awakening. It appears that the intensity of the transformation pain depends on the mana core. Even the element of mana is determined by the mana core's properties.
The man then pondered, "What if a person who has already gone through the process attempts it again? Would their mana property change?" He then put forward his queries to Lina.
Lina shook her head, informing him that those who do such a thing are only trying to kill themselves. Once the body has already been awakened, it will produce the same type of mana with the mana core. If another mana core with different element is used to enhance the body, there is a risk of body to explode. There is a chance that a new variant of mana might be born from that process, but the likelihood of that happening is very, very, very low.
Zeo thanked Lina, and she motioned for him to go upstairs and get some sleep while she tidied up the dining area.
Zeo rested his elbows on the sill of his window, peering down at his mom's tombstone. He silently promised her that he would endure whatever hardship he had to in order to gain the strength he needed to avenge her.