Morning finally arrived, and the sun rose beautifully over the village of Taeyang.
I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep the previous night, so eagerly was I anticipating today.
I got out of bed and walked to my mother's room, where she kept her books on magic and Mana.
I spotted a book titled *Knowledge About Mana Flow* and picked it up, eager to read.
**"Beginner's Guide to Mana Control"**
"While the ability to control Mana is largely genetic, there are many cases where children of adults cannot sense Mana around them. Recent news suggests that about 1 in 100 children can sense Mana, but its extent can only be tested when their Mana core first truly develops, anywhere from early adolescence to late teens. This is apparent when a mage first awakens at the age of 15, marked by an initial Mana manifestation. A translucent barrier forms around the awakened individual that lasts for several minutes."
As I flipped through the pages, something caught my eye.
"Mana can be used in several ways. The two most common methods are: enhancing the body with Mana (Knight) and emitting Mana into the external world (Mage)…"
"Knights are commonly seen among warriors who utilize Mana to enhance themselves and their attacks."
"Magic practices are found in Mages, who, after using their Mana, cast spells to create specific effects in their surroundings or directly on targets."
**Weaknesses and Limitations**
"While Knights may possess extraordinary strength, defense, and agility, their weakness lies in their limited range…"
"Mages have unpredictable power, able to shape their environment to their will. However, such power comes with limits. Unlike Knights, who mostly use Mana from within themselves, Mages need to draw Mana from the external world or others, in addition to their own Mana core, to channel it into their environment through spells."
"While both types of Mages, or Mana Manipulators, as the scientific term goes, depend on and are categorized by their Mana core, Knights and Mages also measure their talents differently."
**Flipping the Page**
"Knight proficiency is measured by their ability to channel Mana into objects like swords or shields, which gauges the speed and efficiency of transferring Mana from their core to various items."
"In contrast, a Mage's power and talent are measured by their Mana capacity, reflecting the speed and effectiveness of absorbing Mana from the external world to cast spells."
**Flipping the Page**
"Mages are usually categorized into these two divisions because trying to master both from an early stage is very time-consuming and inefficient. Most are born with a natural inclination toward one Mana channeling type…"
"Knights do not require very strong Mana control since they primarily use Mana from within themselves, while Mages do not need strong Mana control as they do not channel Mana into their own bodies."
"As skill levels increase, the difference between Knights and Mages naturally diminishes, but this only happens at advanced stages…"
"So it seems that my mother was either a very competent Mage or an expert in her field, but with certain limitations…"
Healing, hmm...
**Flipping the Page**
"There are some rare anomalies. The two most well-known anomalies are Elemental Deviations and Altimer. While others remain undiscovered, the most sought-after anomaly is the Healer. Healers possess the rare ability to cast restorative Mana to others directly, healing injuries and ailments."
"Aha, my mother is indeed the best!"
**Flipping the Page**
*The proper steps for Mages to use Mana are to gather Mana from their surroundings, draw it into their body, then, after circulating it through their Mana core to stabilize and purify the atmospheric Mana, channel it into a suitable conduit (staff, ring, or similar) with spells as Mana controllers to shape Mana into any desired spell…*
**Flipping the Page**
"Stronger spells require more time to draw Mana in, store it in the Mana core where it thickens and purifies, and finally channel and release it."
**Flipping the Page**
"Unlike Mages, Knights spend less time gathering Mana from their surroundings. Efficient Mana usage requires speed and precision in using Mana from their core and less from the environment."
Here's the crucial point… Knights are very close to using Mana, except they can also draw Mana from their environment. The reason Zayn cannot do what Sophia and I can is that he is a Knight.
My gaze tightened as I read,
"Enhancement requires proper Mana distribution to different parts of the body, depending on how the user feels it fits. Although it seems simple at first glance, enhancement demands a deep understanding of the individual's body. Mastering Mana channels efficiently requires years of mental and physical training."
**Flipping the Page**
"Since extracting Mana in its purest form from the user's core, there are no significant elemental differences at the early stages. However, Mages can control their Mana more freely, resulting in a variety of combat forms through the flow of Mana from others or nature."
Closing the book, I propped myself up, digesting the vast amount of information I had just read.
I tested my hypothesis, began meditating, and tried to sense the Mana within my 15-year-old body…
Mother! I'm starting my journey to become the greatest knight in the world! Don't let me become a pampered child…