Chapter 14. Mana (3)

Mol-a (沒我).

It was not a realm that could be entered simply by having high concentration.

It was a realm where one could observe the self objectively, forgetting even oneself.

If one could freely control Mol-a, they could enter the realm of mental imagery.

It would also make it possible to train without spatial constraints through imagination.

'And when that reaches maturity and the bloodline is opened, one can manifest mental imagery externally.'

This was one of the various methods to manifest a mental image.

Of course, if it were an easy task, the world would be overflowing with masters by now.

Even if one somehow managed to enter the stage of Mol-a, it would take a long time and arduous training to control it artificially.

'Of course, there are plenty of people who can't even enter Mol-a even if they are taught how to.'

But Yurin was different.

Without anyone teaching him, he had found his own way to enter Mol-a.

Even if it wasn't a deep Mol-a, the fact that he could do it on his own was by no means an easy feat.

'What kind of kid is this?'

At just seven years old, he was awakening a mental image.

His body was symmetrical to an eerie degree.

Moreover, he had the insight to understand Mol-a on his own, without anyone teaching him.

The more Yurin got to know, the more he felt this kid was born to practice martial arts.

That's why it was all the more regrettable.

'Heaven has taken away the most important talent. Tsk.'

If his ability to sense mana had been just that of an ordinary person, he could have become the second Sword Master.

Such regret kept coming to mind.

Johan continued to release mana, cheering for the kid in his heart.

He hoped the kid would soon stand up and shout that he had successfully sensed mana.

But contrary to Johan's hopes, Yurin's silence dragged on.

Time passed.

One day, two days, four days, five days.

On the 25th day of the cruise ship's voyage.

The storms that had persisted for weeks disappeared like a mirage as the voyage neared its end.

Despite the favorable winds, Yurin still couldn't grasp the essence of mana.

'What the hell is this? What is mana?'

Even when he tried to sense mana by erasing his five senses, he didn't get a strong feeling.

'What's the problem?'

Johan had said that while Yurin couldn't sense mana, his body was accepting it, even without his intention.

'So shouldn't I at least feel something?'

But he couldn't feel anything at all.

While Yurin was lost in thought, Johan's voice drifted in.

"Let's stop."

"What do you mean, stop! I can still do more."

"Kid, who said to stop? I just said to take a break. Do you know what state you're in? You look like you'll collapse at any moment. Tsk."

Since the first time he entered Mol-a, Yurin had consistently entered it, as if it were not just a stroke of luck.

Maintaining Mol-a for a long time required considerable mental strength, so Yurin had become quite gaunt.

"Have something to eat and get some sleep. Clear your head. Concentration is good, but too much is worse than just enough. Go get some fresh air."

"…Why are you taking care of me now?"

"Hehe, even if I pay attention, you still complain."

"I get it. I was hungry anyway. I'll go eat something."

With that, Yurin muttered and stood up.

Dizzy, he swayed for a moment, and as he touched the wall—

Thud.

"Ah!"

Yurin exclaimed as if he had just realized something.

'Hungry? Empty stomach?'

Yurin's eyes sparkled.

'Right, that's it. If I empty it… if I empty it, that's it, right?'

If he couldn't sense what was originally there, he could just get rid of it.

If the mana around him were zero.

If he could perceive the difference between when there was mana and when there wasn't.

'This might help me get a sense of what mana is!'

Yurin hurriedly returned to Johan.

"What is it?"

Johan looked puzzled by Yurin's sudden action.

Yurin shared his realization.

Johan nodded.

"Oh, indeed… that makes sense."

"Right? Isn't it?!"

"I think I've heard of a place where they train in this way to enhance their sensitivity to mana."

"…You're just thinking of it now?"

"Do I need to remember such trivial things when I can't sense mana myself? Besides, that kind of training is only for those with low mana sensitivity."

"…."

"My sensitivity was already close to perfection without such crude training. Ahem."

"…You're so lucky."

A master's talent couldn't be ordinary.

So he had never deeply considered how someone who couldn't sense mana should proceed.

Johan was undoubtedly a master, but—

'Hmm… teaching someone is more complicated than I thought.'

He was exceptionally talented at learning and practicing, but he was a 'beginner' at teaching others.

He could teach Muga better than anyone, but in all other aspects, he lacked finesse.

'Teaching fills in the gaps… that saying is true.'

Johan smiled awkwardly and spoke.

"Shall we start then?"

"Of course!"

Yurin quickly sat in seiza.

His heart beat softly.

'With this method… it might be possible.'

No, it had to be possible.

With that resolve, Yurin immediately closed his eyes and focused.

Seeing this, Johan immediately moved his mana.

Instead of spreading mana around Yurin as usual, he absorbed the mana around Yurin, lowering its density.

'There's no need to lower it gradually.'

A more extreme change would be easier to perceive.

With that in mind, Johan quickly absorbed the mana around Yurin.

In an instant, the area around Yurin became a mana vacuum.

And at that moment—

"Huh?!"

Yurin's face, startled, turned pale.

"Choke!"

He broke his concentration, clutching his throat and gasping.

Seeing Yurin's reaction, Johan hurriedly restored the mana.

"What's wrong!"

"Gasp!"

Yurin couldn't breathe.

Johan's fingers lightly pressed a few spots on Yurin's chest and back, and only then did Yurin desperately draw in a breath.

Thirty seconds later, Yurin, having regained his composure, glared angrily.

"Old man, are you crazy?"

"…?"

"I said to get rid of the mana, not to make me unable to breathe! Are you trying to kill me?!"

"What are you talking about? When did I—"

"Just now!"

"What nonsense, when did I—"

Johan's face hardened as he tried to explain his innocence to Yurin.

He seemed to have realized something.

He spoke with a stiff face.

"Let's… try it again."

"This time, do it right, don't try to kill me for no reason!"

Without waiting for Johan's response, Yurin sat in seiza.

Johan watched him intently.

'Could it be…'

He confirmed that Yurin had entered Mol-a and extended his hand.

This time, he tried to lower the mana density around Yurin as slowly as possible.

Almost immediately, Yurin's face twitched.

'He already noticed?!'

Johan's eyes sparkled.

He gradually increased the speed of absorbing mana.

Yurin's face changed constantly, looking frustrated and annoyed.

Johan was now certain.

'So this kid… wasn't unable to sense mana!'

At the same time, his face showed surprise.

'He's been sensing it all along?'

Because he had always been sensing it, he probably didn't even realize it was mana.

Just like how people don't realize they are breathing until the air disappears, Yurin only realized the presence of mana when it disappeared.

Johan's face showed astonishment at this realization.

'This kid…'

He looked at Yurin with a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

'How old was he when he started sensing mana?'

How long had he been sensing mana without even knowing it was mana?

'Probably from the moment he could think logically.'

If this assumption were true, Yurin's mana sensitivity would be beyond imagination.

Johan's eyes, which had been filled with admiration, now showed a hint of doubt.

'But if his sensitivity is that high, he should have noticed when the mana density increased.'

Even without training, Yurin's mana sensitivity should have allowed him to perceive the flow of mana around him.

In fact, Yurin had reacted sensitively to the decrease in mana density around him.

But he showed no reaction to the increase in density.

Then a thought flashed through Johan's mind.

'Now that I think about it, this kid absorbed mana like a ghost when the density increased.'

As if he was adjusting the mana density around him to a certain level.

Based on this, Johan made a hypothesis.

'Maybe that's related to why he couldn't sense mana.'

The phenomenon occurring with Yurin was something Johan had never seen before.

So it was better to observe a bit more before making hasty judgments.

Johan came to this conclusion, and Yurin was also deep in thought.

'Why is this happening?'

His chest felt heavy, and his breath was short.

As if the air around him was gradually disappearing.

'Suffocating.'

He tried to take a deep breath, but the suffocation didn't ease.

Instead, it only grew worse with time.

When the situation reached this point, Yurin realized it wasn't just a breathing problem.

His eyes widened.

He looked at Johan, who had a strange expression, and asked with a slightly stiff face.

"Old man, is this…?"

"Your guess is probably right."

"Is this… mana? This suffocating feeling?"

"That suffocation is more like…"

"…?"

Seeing Yurin's puzzled look, Johan explained what he had discovered.

Yurin's face turned blank as he listened.

"You've been sensing mana… all along?"

"Yes."

"But I still don't know what it feels like."

"Don't worry. You're not unable to sense mana. With a little effort, you'll quickly awaken your senses."

"Really?"

"It will work. I guarantee it."

Yurin's face brightened at Johan's confidence.

Though he hadn't shown it, he had been suffering greatly due to his inability to sense mana.

With his determined gaze softening, Yurin smiled for the first time in a while.

"Great, effort is nothing to me! Without effort, I'm just a corpse!"

"Your mouth is the only thing alive. Tsk. Stop talking and let's start now."

"Great!"

Yurin nodded and closed his eyes.

Silence resumed.

Yurin focused on sensing mana.

Johan continued to adjust the flow of mana.

No words were exchanged between them, but they were both working harder than ever on their respective tasks.

As a result, the mana in the cabin repeatedly emptied and filled, causing significant fluctuations.

And Yurin, at the center of these changes—

'Ah…'

He grasped a single insight.

He caught the peculiar sensation that repeatedly disappeared and reappeared.

'Is this… mana?'

It felt strangely familiar.

But at the same time, it felt awkward.

Like discovering a new side of a friend he saw every day.

'Ah, right. I don't have any friends, do I?'

Yurin chuckled to himself, but regardless, he felt as if he had welcomed an old friend anew.

'Anyway, nice to meet you!'

The mana responded to Yurin's greeting.

As if asking why it had taken so long to recognize it.

Whoosh.

The mana around Yurin surged even more violently.