Chapter 15. Mana (4)

Johann's expression changed as he noticed the changes occurring around Yurie.

‘Is this guy finally…?’

The changes in the mana were not something he had caused.

They were changes Yurie had brought about on his own.

This meant one thing.

‘He’s awakened his mana!’

And that wasn’t all.

Unlike before, the boy was now gathering mana by his own will.

The unstable and erratic absorption rate of mana proved this.

At a glance, it was clear that this was the work of a beginner absorbing mana for the first time.

With this, Johann let out a small sigh.

‘He’s passed the critical point.’

Most people can sense mana, but only a few can artificially contain it.

In other words, while anyone can sense mana, only the chosen few can absorb it.

Of course, from Johann’s perspective, absorbing mana was just the preparatory stage.

The real thing was about to begin.

Johann, still with his eyes closed, looked at Yurie and spoke.

“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

Johann’s calm voice.

“By nature, mana is highly prone to dispersing. Even if you draw it into your body, it will soon scatter. Therefore, you must now condense it within your body. In Machtjutsu, this is called… the core.”

Core (核).

Creating this tiny seed could be considered the true first step in Machtjutsu.

“Depending on the Machtjutsu you learn, the characteristics of the core can vary greatly. In fact, the use of the core changes based on the Machtjutsu you learn.”

The core can be located in the heart, solar plexus, head, arms, legs, feet, and so on.

The composition, position, and even the number of cores can differ based on the characteristics of the Machtjutsu.

And the place where Johann would plant the seed for the Machtjutsu he would impart to Yurie was the navel.

The center of the body, where mana flows most freely and maintains the best balance.

The Machtjutsu of the Redner family that Johann had mastered, as well as the new Machtjutsu he had created, both centered on forming a core in the navel.

“Don’t be surprised.”

As he said this, Johann’s hand touched Yurie’s back.

“Now, my mana will guide yours. Remember this well. This is the path of mana you will hone for the rest of your life.”

At the same time, Johann released his own mana and pushed it through Yurie’s back.

Observing another person’s body with one’s own mana is a task that only those deeply versed in mana manipulation can attempt.

Soon, the events unfolding in Yurie’s body became vividly clear to Johann through his hand on Yurie’s back.

Johann was slightly taken aback.

‘Fast!’

He had noticed it before, but Yurie’s mana absorption rate was abnormally fast.

However, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t just the absorption rate that was fast.

‘Accumulation rate, penetration rate, transmission rate… all at a considerable level!’

The three major efficiencies of mana, which are often referred to, far exceeded ordinary values.

‘Comparable to me… no, perhaps even better than me.’

Comparing Yurie’s current state to his own childhood, Johann was confident.

Yurie’s talent for mana was at least on par with his own, if not better.

It was astounding.

‘Hmph.’

At first, he thought Yurie was a hopeless case who couldn’t even sense mana, but now, upon seeing the reality, a monster had emerged.

Johann’s lips curled into a slight smile.

It was the same smile he had when he first saw Yurie use Hwashin.

‘Monster kid!’

Johann’s chest swelled with renewed anticipation.

What else would this young monster show him?

What other surprises would he bring?

He was eagerly looking forward to it.

With such anticipation, Johann moved his mana.

A cool stream of mana began to carve a path through Yurie’s body.

‘Come on, follow me!’

Although it was the first time this particular mana path was being used, Johann had no doubt that a core would form.

He had spent over a decade creating this mana path.

With the time and effort he had invested, failure was not an option.

‘Be proud! To be the master of this mana path!’

As Johann had predicted, the mana path became increasingly clear in Yurie’s body.

The mana, which had been running freely, finally reached its destination near Yurie’s navel.

The spot where the core would be born.

‘Finally!’

After a long time, the moment had finally arrived for the first fruit to be born.

‘Show yourself!’

It had to.

The core had to form, yet…

‘…?’

Johann’s thoughts froze.

‘Huh?’

All that was left was for a tiny core to form near Yurie’s navel.

But…

‘What, it’s not there?’

No core was formed.

Not only that, but the mana that should have been inside Yurie’s body had completely disappeared.

‘This, this, this can’t be happening?!’

Shocked, Johann tried to suppress his panic and ran the mana path again.

Because the path had already been carved, the mana moved even faster and more accurately.

After the second attempt ended.

‘What, it’s not there?’

It was the same result.

No core was formed, and the mana that had been circulating along the path had vanished without a trace.

Johann, flustered, tried to circulate mana along the path several more times, but the core still wouldn’t form.

As time passed.

Johann, removing his hand from Yurie’s back, muttered in a daze.

“It was there… but it’s gone? It was there… but it’s gone!”

In response to Johann’s scream, Yurie asked with an innocent face.

“What’s gone?”

“Mana! Where did you sell that mana? Where did you stash it?!”

“Oh, that?”

Yurie understood Johann’s question immediately.

How could he not?

It was something that had happened in his own body.

Johann had guided the path, but Yurie had moved the mana.

So, he knew very well.

However…

“I don’t know either. Hehe.”

The problem was that Yurie didn’t know why the mana had vanished like it had evaporated from his body.

He just felt that it had evaporated.

Yurie scratched the back of his head and grinned, while Johann pounded his chest as if it would burst.

“Why, why, why! Why can’t you just be normal like everyone else? This damn kid, nothing goes smoothly with him! Why is making a mana core so damn difficult?!”

Just trying to master mana, and yet there were so many unexpected variables.

Johann looked exasperated.

Yurie stood up to him confidently.

Shoulders squared.

Belly pushed out.

“There’s an old saying.”

“….”

“That trials befall geniuses.”

“Geniuses can freeze their butts off! Just tell me where you sold the mana, you crazy kid!”

“How can I tell you if I’m not talking? Are you an idiot?”

“Just tell me!”

Johann grabbed Yurie by the collar and shook him.

Yurie looked indignant.

“No, I really don’t know!”

“Why don’t you know? Why? It happened in your body!”

“How would I know? Maybe the old man taught me the wrong way to move the mana?”

“Did you, did you even know what you were doing? There’s no way that could be wrong!”

“Are you sure? Can you prove it? You shouldn’t bet on something uncertain, you know?”

“Sure and certain, if that mana path was wrong, one of your limbs would have twisted long ago! Proof? The fact that you’re still alive and well is proof enough, you brat!”

“…You crazy old man?! You should have told me before you implanted it in my body! Are you trying to kill me?!”

“Why would I?”

Yurie and Johann argued heatedly for a while.

Finally, they agreed to keep trying until they figured out what had happened to the missing mana and quickly sat down.

From then on, it was an endless repetition of circulating mana along the path.

As time passed, Yurie’s mana manipulation became increasingly proficient, but the core still showed no signs of forming.

After over a dozen attempts, Johann realized something.

‘The mana isn’t being expelled externally.’

This only deepened his confusion.

If the mana wasn’t being expelled externally, how could it have vanished so completely within the body?

‘After so long… I’m starting to get obsessed. Huh, huh.’

Johann’s forehead veins bulged.

If the mana was disappearing into some part of Yurie’s body, he would find out where.

Johann gathered all his senses and focused.

He hadn’t been this focused in the past ten years.

Did his efforts pay off?

‘Got you, you little brat!’

After dozens of mana cycles, just as Yurie was beginning to feel mental strain, Johann finally found the trace of the missing mana.

In the next attempt, he successfully followed the mana that was disappearing like a mirage.

In the following attempt, Johann finally discovered where the mana was disappearing to.

This valuable result was obtained after Yurie, who was circulating the mana, and Johann, who was analyzing it, were both thoroughly exhausted.

But Johann couldn’t be happy.

He was more shocked by the truth he had discovered.

The place where Yurie’s mana had disappeared.

It was none other than…

‘I… I… crazy?!’

The Spirit Blood.

And inside it.

The reason why mana wasn’t accumulating in Yurie’s body.

The culprit that had sucked up the mana Yurie had accumulated before the core could form!

‘Huh, huh…’

Johann laughed like a madman.

‘…I’m going to lose my mind.’

He couldn’t help it.

Inside Yurie’s Spirit Blood, there was a core, just as he had long wished to create.

‘A core… in the Spirit Blood…?’

This was an unprecedented event.

A place where a core should never exist.

No, a place where it was unimaginable that a core could even be created, was the Spirit Blood.

‘Is this even possible?’

But there was no denying the clear evidence before his eyes.

The knowledge and common sense he had built up over the years to become a master were crumbling due to Yurie.

Johann’s eyes distorted as he looked at Yurie, and his true feelings slipped out.

“…What kind of kid is this?”

It was a deeply sincere sentiment.

And the additional words that followed.

“Should we… dissect this kid?”

Johann’s eyes rolled wildly.

Yurie felt a chill run down his spine at the serious look Johann was giving him.