Chapter 3
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Episode 1 - Akáshic Library [3]
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To create the magic circuit, which served as a storehouse for the mana, it was necessary to allow the mana to flow completely through the body. Only then could such a circuit be formed. That was what Encrid explained.
I, however, had my own approach. I did not know whether the magicians obtained mana solely through meditation or by some other method, but I was sure that the monks' meditation techniques were unsurpassed.
The mana flowed into my body, embracing me with a strange warmth and enveloping it completely.
I could feel it lingering in every corner of my body, and in that instant, something changed. The magic circuit began to form. From my wrist, a translucent semicircle appeared, and the mana flowed through it naturally. All that happened in less than a minute.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The air escaped from my lungs in a sigh visible as vapor, and my body, completely drenched in sweat, gave the impression of having gone through a storm.
'I still can't see Encrid.'
That much was clear to me. To see him, I needed to reach the first circle. At this point, he had only managed to form an incomplete semicircle.
"You really are a monster..."
Encrid spoke in surprise, however he clarified himself and continued speaking.
"Now then, the next step is to test if you can control mana at will. You won't be able to learn magic skills yet because you don't have much mana, and you haven't even reached the first circle. However, for now, just moving the mana inside your body will be enough."
"I see. Then, it's just a matter of moving mana, right?"
"Exactly. However, it won't be easy. You have to understand the mana and its nature."
I closed my eyes again.
Among the countless teachers who had trained me in the past, several focused on the management of internal energy and how to control it. The idea was clear: move that energy, understand it and master it completely.
Mana was no different. The only distinction was that mana was tangible, real energy that circulated through my veins and organs. In essence, it was not much different from what I had trained before.
'It's the same thing.'
I moved the mana inside my body effortlessly. That feeling I had experienced before was happening again.
"I never thought that training would be real and useful now."
In my previous world, that had not worked. But here, in a world where magic existed and mana was a fundamental internal energy, it all made sense.
I could guess that Encrid was really surprised by what I was doing, so I should be surprised anyway.
Even with days of training, understanding mana and moving it at will was not something common.
Seeing him surprised really satisfied me.
I had never witnessed anything like this. Moving mana required advanced understanding, or so they said. However, if I was able to understand and manipulate it seconds after acquiring it, it meant that the mana had not only blessed me, but seemed to have chosen me, as if it truly accepted me.
I opened my eyes slowly, feeling the mana flow through my entire body. The initial tingling sensation was gone, replaced by something different, something deeper.
My muscles contracted. It was painful, but not unbearable. As the fibers of my body tightened, I felt my joints become more resilient and flexible. However, my heart was beating frantically, as if I had run a marathon without stopping.
In spite of everything, I remained calm. One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a Monarch was not to lose my composure, no matter the circumstances. Pain and unhelpful thoughts were enemies of that composure, but neither was strong enough to break me.
Finally, I felt the pain cease, along with the internal changes that had reshaped my body.
"What was that all about?"
"That's mana rebuilding your body: muscles, organs, joints. Anything that can make you stronger is rebuilt and replaced with mana. Now you're tougher than the average person, stronger in every way."
"I see. This mana is amazing."
"It's great, isn't it? Now move your mana to both arms and hit that pillar over there."
Without thinking too much about it, I directed the mana into my arms. I felt it flow through my biceps, forearms, and finally down to my wrists. Once my arm was full of concentrated mana, I looked at the pillar Encrid was referring to.
'He wants me to hit that pillar.'
The pillar seemed to be made of solid concrete. Hitting something like that with brute force would be insane for any human. Broken bones and torn flesh were inevitable results, no matter how well trained someone was.
But I remembered Encrid's words.
'Hit that pillar.'
'This body is so weak and it's not even trained. And yet you want me to hit that pillar?'
I pondered the situation. Even though I was now human in this world, the laws of the body were still the same: hitting something so hard with full force, without proper training, would be disastrous.
'Don't worry. If you use mana, you won't break anything. If you break your fists, it's because you're useless.'
Useless.
It was a word I had never heard directed at me before.
My talent had always ensured that I never lost.
I looked at the pillar and then at my fist. Inside my bones and muscles, I felt the concentrated mana, like invisible armor enveloping my arm.
'If it were in my previous body, I would have no doubts. But if the mana really is what I think it is, then I won't be hurt.'
I extended my fist, aiming straight at the pillar.
Boom!
The blow impacted with devastating force. The pillar split in half and collapsed on the ground, scattering pieces of concrete around me.
'No... I don't have any injuries.'
I looked down at my fist, feeling the satisfaction from the blow. After breaking the pillar completely, my hand remained intact, as if nothing had happened.
"I told you nothing would happen. Now you understand mana better and how it really works."
"It's an energy that makes humans stronger, simply put," I replied, my words coming out with the clarity of one who has understood something important.
Encrid nodded, satisfied, but I still wasn't entirely sure. I hadn't fully understood, though something inside me told me that this was much more than simple energy. The mana was something powerful, unlike anything I had ever felt before.
I had assumed that mana was just a more intense version of the energies I had experienced in my previous life. I had felt something similar before, so I had hesitated, thinking it was the same thing. Now I realized how wrong I was.
And I understood it clearly now.
"With one blow, I completely shattered such a thick pillar."
If it had been my old self, I would never have been able to break something so solid. The pillar, about 200 centimeters thick and made of solid concrete, would have been an impassable wall. But now, something in me had changed.
I sighed, surprised at the same time with what I was capable of.
"What's next?"
"Hmm, you train with mana now. Adapting to it is the first step. Once you've mastered it completely, you'll fight the Guardians."
"Guardians?"
"They are humanoid in form, but their bodies are made entirely of mana. You can only defeat them by hitting them with mana. Of course, whether or not you can fight and control the Guardians depends on your skill. However, if you don't use mana, you will never defeat them, no matter how skilled you are."
"I see. I need mana and fighting skills. That's all, right?"
"Exactly. Only then will you be able to defeat them."
A smile appeared on my face, more out of habit than excitement. Being the Patriarch of the Night Triad was not something that could be achieved without a minimum of skill.
It seemed that now it was time to train with mana in close combat.