I focused, deep in concentration. My body was rigid, every muscle straining as I tried to sync my mana pulse with my breathing. It should've been simple. Inhale, exhale, and feel the flow of mana follow the rhythm. It sounded easy enough in theory, but in practice? I might as well have been trying to juggle fireballs while blindfolded.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again, focusing harder. The pulse inside me was there, faint but persistent, like the heartbeat of something... slightly alive. But syncing it? That was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, except the peg was on fire and the hole was a vortex of pure chaos.

"Are you even trying?" came my teacher's voice, cutting through my concentration like a knife.

I opened one eye, glaring at him. "I'm trying, okay? It's just not as easy as you make it sound."

He stared at me with a blank look on his face. "It's really not that complicated, Amon. Just breathe and let the mana follow."

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to focus again. Inhale. Exhale. Pulse. There it was again-faint, still not quite in sync, but... there.

This time, I tried to relax. Maybe I was too tense? But as soon as I loosened up, it was like my body forgot what it was supposed to be doing, and the mana just splattered around like a confused puddle.

I let out an exasperated sigh, slumping in my seat. "This is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure I'm doing it wrong."

My teacher didn't even flinch. "Of course you are. But you're learning. Probably."

I rubbed my forehead, staring at the floor in frustration. "I don't get it. Why does this feel so... off?"

He leaned back against the table, arms crossed. "Because you don't have the patience for this.

You were never meant to become magic itself, but to exist in harmony with it-a conduit, not a conqueror. Mana is the essence of balance, a force that bends only to those who embrace its equilibrium, not those who seek to dominate it

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

Amon. Not rushing it, not forcing it. You can't expect results immediately." He paused, eyeing me for a moment. "You'll never get anywhere if you keep trying to rush everything."

I scowled. "I'm not trying to rush anything. It's just... it's just frustrating okay, I'm trying not to mess up for once in my life. "

He raised an eyebrow. "Mm-hmm, sure."

I frowned further, irritated by his words but oddly... motivated? It was like I couldn't tell if he was insulting me or giving me some form of tough love. Either way, I wasn't about to quit. Not again.

"Alright, alright," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Let's go again."

"Good choice," he said with a small nod. "Remember, magic isn't a race. You'll get there... eventually."

And so, I closed my eyes once more, trying to put his words into practice. Breathe in. Breathe out. Pulse. I could feel the energy again, like the faintest pulse of life. Maybe this time I would get it right. Maybe I could be more than just the guy who ran away from a spirit wolf. Maybe, just maybe, I could finally do something that made me feel like not a total joke.

And with that thought in my head, I tried again.

This time, the pulse inside me responded. It wasn't a perfect sync, but I could feel it, a slow, rhythmic hum that started to align with my breath.

I smiled, though it was still a little shaky. "I think I got it."

My teacher didn't say anything for a long moment, just stared at me. Finally, he let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh. "Yeah, I guess you did."

And in that moment, I realized something. This wasn't about me suddenly becoming a genius or finding a shortcut to power. It was about showing up, staying put, and actually doing the work. Even if the teacher was a total wildcard, even if I was still a clumsy mess of an apprentice, this was my first step toward something real.

"Alright, let's see if you can keep it up," my teacher said, a small smirk on his face. "I'll be right here, watching you fail miserably, no pressure."

"Gee, thanks," I said, shaking my head. "What would I do without your encouragement?"

"Probably fail harder," he replied with a grin. "But don't worry, you're learning. Eventually, you might be able to make something out of your life."

I shot a smile at him. "I'll work on it"

"Good," he said, still smiling. "But don't get too comfortable. We've only just started."

With that, I focused again, feeling the pulse of my mana align just a little bit more. I wasn't there yet. Not by a long shot. But for the first time, I felt like I wasn't just waiting for failure to strike. Maybe, just maybe, this whole "mana harmonization" thing wasn't as hopeless as I'd first thought.

And as the seconds ticked by, I felt the rhythm take hold slowly but surely.