Mana Seed

Alexander’s lips curled into a calm smile when he saw Elyan, and he began to fall. Even in the free air, Alexander, like a fish, was able to move without any obstacles. He did a quick somersault with his head facing down and his hands in a forward fist. His body looked like a meteorite as he accelerated using his weight.

Elyan failed to maintain his expression, he was able to feel the pressure exerted by Alexander.

He took a step back, wanting to imitate Alexander’s method and wait for him to arrive before striking hard. However, what Alexander did at that moment was beyond his imagination.

Alexander was not a fool who would recklessly face the trap in front of him. When the distance between him and Elyan decreased by about a meter, he adjusted his body position and somersaulted again. With his back parallel to the ground, he arched his leg and inversely sent it down towards Elyan.

With the development that suddenly occurred, Elyan’s reaction was very late. He could only rely on his hands for defense, and without a doubt he could not hold on due to the previous injury.

Alexander’s heavy leg pierced and smashed towards his shoulder.

Realizing that he was going to lose, Elyan gathered all his strength and, taking advantage of the gap in Alexander’s field of vision, stiffened his hand and punched towards his face.

It was only upon seeing his elbow shake that Alexander felt the fist in front of the edge of his left cheek.

‘He got me.’ After some surprise, Alexander smiled. He couldn't dodge while in that position, at least not without using magic.

The five curled fingers imprinted across his sharp face. The blow really weighed, and the pain made him feel like his temple was on fire. But this did not prevent him from stopping either, he continued to press with his leg.

“Crash!!” The sound of hitting the ground made a loud noise, as Elyan’s body lay on the destroyed mud without any signs of him moving again.

Alexander stood with his feet touching the green grass, wiped the dust off his jacket as if nothing had happened, then rubbed his mouth and checked his teeth. He did not lose any of them, but he spat out some of the formed blood several times.

After that, he scanned the rest with his gaze without changing his features. He sat a little further away and took a rest before putting the pipe in his mouth and blowing.

***

It was noon, as yesterday marked the end of another month. Although the sun was vertical in the sky, the temperature was not that high, especially since those giant tower-like trees prevented most of the rays from passing through.

“Elyan, where is Uncle Alexander? I don’t see him?” With the cool river water caressing her soft legs, Julie sat pulling and combing her silky hair.After bathing and getting rid of the stench, she looked more pure and beautiful, with a trace of royal air surrounding her. She changed into a new pair of light green clothes and washed the ones that were filled with accumulated sweat.

Elyan, whose body had become stronger and more cohesive next to her, kept practicing some sports movements to get rid of the stiffness in his muscles: “I don’t know, after he asked us to rest for a week, he left the center and suddenly entered the forest.”

Gray was in front of the tent, at this moment he was placing the grilled steak inside his mouth with greasy oil dripping through it. He swallowed it in one mouthful and continued eating his late lunch.

There weren’t many things to do during break times, besides taking a bath and reading some books and novels from time to time, the three of them spent the rest of the week training as well and reviewing the things they had learned over the past half year.

***

After twenty minutes from eating prepared food, everyone gathered in front of Alexander with anticipation. It was the day of resumption of training, and since the second stage had passed, they were supposed to learn something new.

Alexander took a quick look at the trainees in front of him and whispered: ‘Hmm, they’re ready.’ After that, he sat with his legs crossed on the grassy ground and asked them to do as well, then looked up and said: “The next thing, you will learn Magic and Mana!’

When hearing the word ‘magic’, the three’s expressions lit up. This was the moment they had been waiting for so long. Finally they would be able to use the same power that Alexander had. They remembered the sight of those lights and techniques and became excited.

“Don’t get your hopes up too much, it won’t be that easy.” Alexander buttoned his jacket and said: “If you remember well, I previously explained that mana is an important element for the life of every being. Yet, and contrary to the outer environment, the human body contains just a small amount of mana, that is not enough to generate magic.”

“Concentrate carefully.” Then he took out the pipe made of black bamboo and began to use it to draw on the spot of clay in front of him, explaining: “Let us assume that these are human lungs, and as for the arrows entering and exiting, they represent the path of gaseous exchanges through them.” He continued on the side: “That is for For air, as for mana, the matter is similar, but slightly different.”

“This is the mana seed, it is located in the place a little below the heart in the middle and between the liver.” Alexander said as he formed a small circle under the lungs.

“During the breathing process, the mana particles mixed with the air will enter and take a complete circle around the mana seed, then after the blood follows the path of the entire body and back again, it takes a second circle before the process of exhalation is completed and leaks out with the air. However, the mana that is excreted will not be as polluted as the air, but will remain pure. This is the so-called law of conservation of mana.”

“For an ordinary person, the mana seed is extremely small, it cannot even be seen with the normal eye, which is why they are ordinary.” Alexander stopped drawing and spoke: “But it is not the same for the ‘Deviants’, who have a little larger mana seed, about the size of a heart.”

“The seed will be sealed until it opens when it turns fourteen, and this is the year of awakening for mages.” He continued, checking the three’s focused expressions.

“This is not the only difference, the ‘Deviants’ mana seed also has two slots. The first slot allows absorbed external mana to pass through and be stored within the seed. While through the second slot, previously stored mana can be extracted and cast in the form of magic.”

The three looked on with expectant faces. It was actually simple, or so it seemed from Alexander’s explanation.

Then Alexander said in a light tone: “Now, sit separately, at least twenty meters between you. It does not matter what position you take, but it is better for all your bodies and minds to be able to achieve complete stillness.”

The three stood and each chose a different spot in the center. With his legs crossed and his back straight, Elyan did as Alexander said. Julie also imitated him, while Gray lay on the grass on his back, spreading his arms and legs.

“Close your eyes and allow all your senses to be free and feel the world around you. Try to breathe the mana in the air, listen to it among the winds, taste it and touch it.”

Alexander directed everyone as he kept watching: “Not like that, Gray, no need to exert a lot of strength, relax your muscles and leave your body naturally.”

“Stay like this for a while.”

After an hour of long contemplation, Gray’s ass had begun to hurt and prevented him from concentrating, so he could not continue. He got up, opened his eyes and checked on his two friends. Julie had also reached her limit after she felt her neck tingling and her legs becoming stiff. She rubbed her neck and spread her feet to make them comfortable.

The two looked around and their eyes fell on Alexander. The latter’s pupils widened and his eyebrows rose as if he saw a ghost, it was the first time they had seen him with this expression. Gray thought that if he had had a camera from Peace City, he would not have missed the opportunity to take a picture of Uncle Alexander in this state. It will be a precious memory.

However, they were puzzled by the thing that Alexander saw and made him appear so clumsy all of a sudden. The eyes moved in the same direction, it was Elyan and yet there was something different about him.

A faint white-gray light spread from head to toe and surrounded him completely, with every hair on his body rising high. A light wind blew and the grass around him shook, his body to a clear point between his chest and stomach was the center.

The light grew stronger and the mana pressure continued to spread.

Neither Gray nor Julie had any idea what was happening in front of them, but through Alexander they realized that the matter was not simple, and they stood motionless with a trace of amazement.

Alexander’s face became even more shocked, he had never heard or seen anything like this before. How was this kid succeeding in absorbing mana on just his first try?!!

‘42, 55, 67... 99!!...’ Alexander’s brow wrinkled, his expression turning pale, as he listed something.

‘100!!!’ Terrified, Alexander’s heart nearly stopped.

EIyan focused on the streams of mana that were merging and swirling through him. They were in the form of a mist of white light, and were scattered randomly. This was the hardest part, sensing the mana particles.

After succeeding in this, the remaining absorption process was just a simple trick that relied only on visualization. Without complicating the matter, Elyan tried to imagine himself as a large lake receiving the flow of waterfalls and rivers, and it worked.

Within the mana seed, mana energy was accumulating and settling without any incidents.

Elyan did not lose control and wanted to continue for a longer time, but seconds later, he fell unconscious.

The light disappeared and the phenomenon that had formed around him calmed down.

Julie rushed next to him, afraid that something dangerous had happened and tried to wake him up, but Alexander, who had recovered from his shock, walked towards her. He stared at Elyan, who was lying quietly, and said reassuringly: “There is no need to worry. This is his first time absorbing mana, so it will be normal to lose consciousness from subsequent stress.”