---
"Now that you're back, you need to come with me to the cultivation room," Denim said, pulling me hastily up the stairs.
"What do you know about awakening and Mana?" he asked as we climbed.
"The only thing I know is that awakened people have special abilities aside from being able to use magic, sword aura, and other combat techniques. Mana is the fuel that powers all of these abilities," I replied.
"That's right. And what is the proper method of awakening?" he asked again.
"There's no known method of awakening since people normally awaken at the age of fourteen," I said, frowning slightly.
"That's right—but also wrong," he said, a sly grin forming on his face. "There is a method for awakening, but it's far more difficult and takes longer than the natural process. However, the reward is far greater."
He stopped in front of a large wooden door and turned to face me. "Special Abilities are graded into seven tiers, with Grade One being the highest and strongest. Each grade has three levels: low, intermediate, and high. Above these is a category known as *Special Grade*—abilities so rare they defy classification."
I stared at him, a mix of awe and disbelief in my expression.
"The method I'm about to teach you will guarantee an ability above Rank Two," Denim continued as he opened the door to the cultivation room, revealing a space brimming with dense, glowing energy.
"Sit in the center of the room, close your eyes, and focus on pulling the Mana toward you," he instructed, guiding me toward the middle of the room.
---
I sat down, folding my legs beneath me, and closed my eyes. For the first few moments, all I could sense was silence. Denim's voice was my only anchor as he slowly guided me through the process.
"Clear your mind. Feel the energy around you," he said, his tone steady and calm.
Then, suddenly, his voice disappeared. It was as if the world had gone utterly silent. I sat there for what felt like five minutes, maybe more. Then, something strange happened. My consciousness became filled with swirling particles—floating specks of light in every imaginable color and shape.
Fascinated, I tried to impose my will on them, attempting to bend them to my command.
"Do not force them!" Denim's voice snapped back into my consciousness, startling me. "Guide them gently. Let them seep into your skin like water soaking into dry earth."
Taking a deep breath, I tried his method. To my surprise, it was easier than I expected. I began drawing large amounts of Mana into my body at an astonishing rate. The particles rushed toward me like a tidal wave, filling me with energy.
"You're doing well," Denim said, his voice steadier now. "Now, guide the Mana particles from all parts of your body toward your heart. Once there, make them circulate—spiral them around your heart and send them out again. Keep the process going, but *do not overdo it*! If you push too far, you'll hurt yourself."
I followed his instructions, channeling the Mana toward my heart. The sensation was euphoric. As the Mana began to circulate, a strange power coursed through me. My muscles felt stronger, my senses sharper. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders.
For the first time in my life, I felt invincible.
This feeling—I didn't want it to end. I couldn't stop myself. I began pulling in more Mana, faster and faster, my heart pounding wildly. My body hummed with energy.
But then I felt something warm stream down from my nostrils.
"Oh my god, you fucking idiot! What are you doing?" Denim's voice roared, jolting me out of my trance. "Do you want to die?!"