Jae-Hyun stared at the crackling golden energy swirling around Garan's arm. The sheer pressure of it made the air thick, almost suffocating.
"This is Mana?" Jae-Hyun muttered, his fingers twitching with anticipation.
Garan nodded. "Mana is the foundation of true strength. Without it, you're just a child swinging a stick at monsters."
Jae-Hyun clenched his fists. Then I need it. If I want to survive… if I want to win… I need Mana.
Garan seemed to read his thoughts. "It's not that easy, brat. Awakening Mana requires pushing your body and soul beyond their limits."
Jae-Hyun frowned. "How do I do that?"
The instructor smirked.
"You survive."
The Trial of Mana
The next morning, Garan led Jae-Hyun deep into the wilderness, far from the usual training grounds. The trees grew denser, the air felt charged, and a faint humming sound vibrated through the ground.
Jae-Hyun felt an instinctual unease.
"Where are we?" he asked.
Garan simply pointed ahead. "The Mana Baptism Grounds."
A massive black stone altar stood in the center of a clearing, surrounded by floating runes that glowed faintly. The ground was cracked, scarred from whatever rituals had taken place here before.
Jae-Hyun swallowed. "And what do I do?"
"You step into the center and endure," Garan said casually. "If you fail, your body will reject Mana and… well, let's just say it won't be pretty."
Jae-Hyun took a deep breath. He had no choice.
I have to do this.
Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward and placed his hand on the black stone.
The Pain of Awakening
The moment Jae-Hyun touched the stone—
A searing pain shot through his entire body.
"ARGH!" he screamed, dropping to his knees as fire spread through his veins.
[ Warning! Mana Baptism has begun! ][ Survive for 10 minutes. ]
His muscles twitched violently as an invisible force ripped through him. It felt like his blood was boiling, his bones splitting, and his very soul being torn apart.
"This… this is worse than anything!" he gasped.
Garan watched silently, arms crossed. Will he endure, or will he break?
Jae-Hyun clenched his teeth so hard he thought they'd shatter.
One minute passed.
His vision blurred.
Two minutes passed.
He could barely breathe.
Five minutes passed.
Every nerve screamed at him to let go, to give up, to stop the pain.
But he refused.
I won't break.
Eight minutes.
Blood dripped from his nose, his skin burning with an unbearable heat.
Nine minutes.
His body felt like it was dying.
Ten minutes.
And then—
BOOM!
A sudden explosion of energy burst from his body, sending a shockwave across the clearing.
[ Congratulations! You have awakened Mana. ][ Mana Core (Lv.1) unlocked. ]
Jae-Hyun collapsed onto his back, gasping for air. The pain was gone, replaced by something… new.
Something powerful.
He could feel it. A strange, pulsing energy deep within him.
Mana.
He had done it.
Garan finally grinned. "Not bad, brat. Not bad at all."
The First Step Toward Power
Jae-Hyun spent the rest of the day recovering. Even though he had awakened Mana, his body was still weak.
Garan tossed him a water flask. "Drink up. Your body needs time to adjust."
Jae-Hyun took a sip, sighing. "So… what now?"
"Now?" Garan smirked. "Now you learn how to use it."
Jae-Hyun looked down at his hands. He could feel the energy, but he had no idea how to control it.
Garan crouched beside him. "Listen carefully. Mana is like a river. If you just let it flow without direction, it's useless. But if you control it, shape it… it becomes a weapon."
Jae-Hyun nodded. "So how do I shape it?"
The instructor's smirk widened.
"You figure it out yourself."
Jae-Hyun's eye twitched. "You're joking."
Garan stood up. "Nope. The only way to truly control Mana is through experience. Try different things, experiment, fail, and learn."
Jae-Hyun groaned but stood up, holding out his hands.
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's see what I can do."
Closing his eyes, he focused on the pulsing energy inside him.
Move…
He tried pushing it toward his hands.
Nothing happened.
Come on… move!
He strained harder—
BOOM!
A sudden spark of golden energy erupted from his palm—
Before exploding in his face.
"ARGH!" Jae-Hyun staggered backward, coughing up smoke.
Garan burst out laughing. "Hah! That was pathetic!"
Jae-Hyun scowled. "I swear, if you weren't stronger than me—"
"But I am," Garan reminded him with a smirk.
Jae-Hyun sighed, rubbing his sore face. Fine. If this is how I learn, then I'll keep going until I master it.
With renewed determination, he took a deep breath and tried again.
The Road Ahead
For the next several days, Jae-Hyun spent every waking moment practicing with his Mana.
At first, it was a disaster.
Explosions. Burns. Loss of control.
But each failure taught him something.
By the end of the week—he had done it.
Jae-Hyun stood in the clearing, holding out his hand. He focused, directing the Mana with precision.
A small, golden flame flickered to life in his palm.
Garan watched, arms crossed. "Not bad, brat."
Jae-Hyun smirked. "Took me long enough."
"Don't get cocky," Garan warned. "This is just the beginning."
Jae-Hyun's smile faded.
He knew Garan was right. Awakening Mana was just step one.
If he wanted to survive… if he wanted to win…
He needed to get stronger.
And he wouldn't stop until he did.