Chereads / The God Slayer's New Life / Chapter 11 - The Roots Of Power (5)

Chapter 11 - The Roots Of Power (5)

Veynrir was confused by the command. Sensing this, Ragnariel spoke again. "Haven't you noticed the sitting posture used by everyone who follows my training?"

"Yes, I've noticed, young master," Veynrir replied.

"Then do it," Ragnariel said firmly.

Although still uncertain, Veynrir obeyed, assuming the lotus position as best as he could. Ragnariel stepped behind him and placed a hand on his back. "This is a gift for your willingness to pledge your loyalty to me," Ragnariel said, his tone calm but commanding.

Veynrir felt a strange energy as Ragnariel examined his body. Ragnariel murmured to himself, "So this is what mana circles look like in this world? Circles overlapping, rotating… Interesting. This man has seven circles. Impressive for this world's standards. I've seen similar circles in Sir Dheo, but he only had two, and they weren't nearly as solid as this man's. Alright, let's conduct an experiment."

Ragnariel addressed Veynrir. "Can you freely control one of your mana circles?"

Veynrir nodded. "Yes, young master. To use abilities that require mana, most people need to manipulate their circles. The more circles involved, the greater and more complex the abilities they can unleash."

"Good," Ragnariel said with a slight smile. "Then breathe as I've taught the others. You know how, don't you?"

"Yes, young master," Veynrir replied.

Veynrir began breathing in accordance with the technique Ragnariel had been teaching. Ragnariel observed him closely before giving further instructions. "Now, focus solely on your breathing and my words. Do exactly as I say. Nod if you understand, shake your head if you don't. Got it?"

Veynrir nodded.

Ragnariel began channeling his Qi into Veynrir's body, the flow steady and precise. "Move one of your circles in sync with the energy I'm channeling into you," Ragnariel instructed.

Veynrir nodded again, feeling the foreign energy course through him as he prepared to comply.

Ragnariel channeled his energy into Veynrir, using the same technique he had used on his siblings. However, the key difference lay in the focal point where his Qi was being gathered.

"At this point," Ragnariel instructed, "try compressing your mana circle and hold it there. Then, direct your second mana circle to follow the flow of energy I just demonstrated. Can you do it?"

Veynrir focused for a moment but eventually shook his head.

"Alright, you can speak now. What did you feel when you tried to move your second circle?"

"It felt like… my core, where my mana circle is located, was about to explode," Veynrir admitted, his voice laced with unease.

Ragnariel fell into deep thought. "Should I create two energy centers? One for mana circles and another for the dantian?"

He began simulating his theory in his mind, refining the idea. After a moment, he asked, "Do you notice any changes in your mana circles now?"

Veynrir closed his eyes and examined his inner energy flow. After a brief pause, he answered, "There is, young master. My first circle doesn't feel as dense as before, but my body feels a little lighter."

Ragnariel nodded, intrigued. "So, instead of drawing mana from the surroundings, his dantian is absorbing energy directly from his mana circle. This is worth investigating further."

"Alright," Ragnariel said calmly. "Now, breathe as you did earlier and move your mana circle just like before."

"Yes, young master," Veynrir replied without hesitation.

He began channeling his mana circle throughout his body, following Ragnariel's guidance. Hours passed as he worked diligently to control the flow of energy. When Veynrir finally opened his eyes, his expression was one of alarm.

"Young master, my mana circle has disappeared. What's happening?"

Ragnariel's eyes narrowed, a glint of satisfaction flashing in them. "Exactly as I thought."

He spoke calmly, "Try casting your seventh-circle spell."

Still unsure, Veynrir nodded and began chanting the incantation for his seventh-circle spell, Absolute Shadow. As the spell activated, the shadows around him surged with a power far beyond his expectations.

Releasing the spell, Veynrir turned to Ragnariel, his voice filled with disbelief. "Young master… what just happened? My spell felt significantly stronger than before."

Ragnariel replied, "I see. Try breathing again, then channel another one of your mana circles like before."

Veynrir nodded and began circulating his mana once more. Ragnariel placed his hand on Veynrir's back to observe his dantian. He murmured to himself, "Hmm… a dantian formed from one mana circle is only about the size of a thumb. If my assumption is correct, as the number of absorbed mana circles increases, so will the density of the mana. It's likely that once all his mana circles are absorbed, his dantian will grow to the size of a fist. Well, let's wait and see."

After a short while, Veynrir opened his eyes. Ragnariel noted the difference immediately. "It seems he's getting used to this process. This time, it didn't take hours."

Ragnariel addressed him, "Has your second mana circle also disappeared?"

"Yes, young master," Veynrir confirmed. "Could you explain what's happening?"

Ragnariel's expression remained calm as he said, "Before I explain, try circulating your mana again. But this time, absorb mana from your surroundings instead of relying on your mana circles. Focus on your lower abdomen, specifically, the area where I paused earlier. Pay close attention to what you sense."

"Yes, young master," Veynrir replied, quickly following the instructions.

He began to circulate the mana he drew from his surroundings. After a few moments, Ragnariel asked, "What do you notice in your lower abdomen?"

Veynrir opened his eyes, his gaze thoughtful. "I see an energy roughly the size of three fingers, young master."

Ragnariel nodded, his mind already piecing together the implications of this discovery.

Ragnariel began to explain, "That energy is called Qi, and the place where it gathers is known as the dantian. Now, try using your seventh-circle spell again."

Veynrir nodded and cast Absolute Shadow once more. The shadows roared to life, more intense than ever before. Releasing the spell, he turned to Ragnariel, his eyes wide with astonishment. "This time, the power was twice as strong, young master."

Ragnariel smiled, his satisfaction evident. "Good. That's the foundation of the Qi-gathering technique I've been teaching to the knights and my siblings. Your task now is to circulate all your mana circles until they're fully absorbed into your dantian. Once you've completed that, come to me, and I'll teach you the true essence of shadow techniques."

Veynrir bowed deeply. "Understood. Thank you, young master."

Ragnariel chuckled softly. "I should be the one thanking you. Now I know how to teach my father and mother my breathing technique."

With that, Ragnariel left the storage room, his steps light as he disappeared into the corridor, leaving Veynrir alone.

Veynrir remained still, his gaze fixed on the empty doorway. Ragnariel's parting words echoed in his mind, and he let out a heavy sigh. "So I was just being used as a test subject, huh? How cruel you are, young master."

His heart ached at the realization, though he knew it wasn't his place to complain. He muttered to himself, in satisfying look, "Even so, I can get a lot stronger than I ever was, thank you young master, I can assassinate more stronger enemies now"

Ragnariel stepped out of the storage room and noticed the sun beginning to dip lower in the sky. "It's already late afternoon? The others should have started their evening training by now, let's how their training going."

He made his way toward the training grounds, his pace steady but deliberate. As he approached, he saw a large crowd gathered around the dueling arena.

Curious, Ragnariel walked up to Sir Dheo, who was watching the sparring match from a distance. "What's going on here, Sir Dheo? Why aren't they training?"

Sir Dheo turned to greet him, bowing slightly. "Welcome, young master. It seems they're like this because one of them has a dantian that's larger than the others, and now they're arguing. A larger dantian means greater power, they said."

Hearing this, Ragnariel let out a small laugh and glanced toward the duel. "That's not entirely wrong," he said with a hint of amusement. "But let them be for now. At least they're motivated."

Sir Dheo nodded in agreement but stayed silent.

Ragnariel's gaze shifted to two familiar figures near the center of the commotion: his sister Serenya and his older brother Kaelen. Both of them were shouting enthusiastically at the duel.

"Yeah, go for it! Hit him, Hit him in the stomach! The stomach!" Serenya yelled.

Kaelen chimed in, just as animated. "That's right! Aim for his gut! Take him down!"

Ragnariel sighed, shaking his head at his siblings' antics. In a blink, he moved like a flash of lightning, appearing right behind them.

"Why aren't you two training?"

The sharpness in his tone cut through the noise like a blade. Instantly, everyone around the arena froze, their heads turning toward the source of the voice.

The training grounds fell silent as Ragnariel's presence washed over them, his golden eyes glinting with authority.