Bella picked back up where she left off and before I sidetracked her everywhere. "So, where was I? ..... Ah! Yes, so throwing a glass of water on someone, while rude, its not going to overly affect them. You don't learn about mana as you tier up because you start throwing more and more water intuitively at things if you don't have a conscious feel for it. So all you have to do is find it. Just keep in mind that you probably won't immediately sense it. Back to my heartbeat comparison, sometimes you cannot feel it at all, even though its in your own body. Sometimes, likely when you are under stress, you can hear it. You can even force a feeling of it by placing your fingers on the side of your neck, under your jaw, and pressing in. This example is just to show you how your mana pathways are there and unnoticeable until you actively look for it."

She paused and look at us inquisitively. We each nodded at her in turn, showing we grasped the concept. Only then did she continue.

"The first part of finding it is honestly just know its there and be actively looking for it. Most find it this way while peacefully meditating, like what you saw Walter do Will. Simply block out as many senses as you possibly can. Sight is the easiest, but doing so starts enhancing the others, making them even more difficult. Don't falter if you think you grasped it and lost it. Just like your heartbeat, even knowing it is there doesn't mean you are always aware of it. Only through repeatedly finding it and accessing will you eventually be able to reach out to it, almost like a sixth sense, and use it."

She quickly clapped.

"Now, there's not a lot to prepare or practice. Simply meditate and block your senses and wait. Patiently." She put on a very sardonic smile as she said that last word. With that though, she simply closed her eyes, and I assume tuned us out.

Tom, Bea and I all glanced at one another. Eventually I just shrugged and closed my eyes as well. I also positioned myself in a classical meditating pose I had seen advertised everywhere back in my world. I moved to a cross-legged sitting position, made a circle with my thumb and index finger, and rested the back of my hands on my knees.

Having not sat like this since I was a young kid, it was definitely nostalgic for me.

As Bella said, sight was an easy enough fix, close eyes. Boom. Done.

Taste followed similarly. I didn't have anything in my mouth after all.

I next addressed smell by breathing as little as possible, taking long and deep breaths through my mouth primarily.

Touch wasn't so bad either, but it made me realize how good the quality of our clothes actually were. It reminded me of when I splurged on my birthday once and bought a $100 shirt rather than a random one from a supermarket. The quality was just next level. And I had been taking it for granted here the whole time without realizing it.

My hearing turned into over drive though. It always was a weak point of mine to be honest. If any little thing made a sound I always had to find it and figure out what was making it. Squeaky floorboards haunted me nonstop when I lived on my own, to the point that I had active detours in my own apartment to make sure to avoid them.

As I focused inwards though... I was not having that problem. Sure, there was a very gentle rustle of leaves in the tree above us..... but that was it. I didn't hear any sounds from Bea, Tom, or Bella. I was actually shocked enough to open my eyes and peek at them, but they were all three just sitting there, meditating as silent as could be. Closing my eyes again, I went back to it. The main thing, now that I was paying attention to it is there was just zero background noise. Living in a modern world it just never occurred to my how much low ambient sound there actually was.

Right now..... it was just true quiet. I'd never felt so peaceful in all my life to be honest. It was truly... liberating.

It was as that thought sprung to mind that I began feeling my pulse. I couldn't help but to crack a smile as it was surprisingly easy to find compared to any other time I had thought about it.

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I kept listening and feeling as hard as I could, waiting for the moment of revelation for my mana pool.

It never came.

Bella suddenly clapped again, shaking us all out of our meditation. "Now, you may not have realized it, but it has been about almost 2 bells. Lunch is probably getting started. We should probably go get some food."

Tom and Bea nodded along and stood. I just looked at her incredulously while standing. 2 hours? It had felt like no time at all! Was I just so wrapped up in the feeling that my sense of time got all messed up?

Bella saw me staring and smirked. "Yes Will, while searching for enlightenment most have time slip through their fingers like grains of sand. Gone before you know it."

I laughed as we all headed to lunch, now in a much better mood.

—----

After lunch we headed back to the sparring room. Not seeing the knight instructor, the class eventually decided we were meeting back in the room we slaughtered one hundred goblins in.

As we arrived we did see the instructor there waiting on us. She was patient until the last of us formed up in front of her. "From now on your training everyday, save for Solsday, will be here. You will come here and form into the squads I assign. You will wander this floor of the dungeon in front of you, ending any goblins you come across. You are more than a match for anywhere between 5 and 10 goblins per person. You will be split into squads of 10 this month. Next month I will drop you to squads of 5, then 3, and then eventually you will be on your own."

She paused, seemingly for dramatic effect and made sure she had our attention fully. "The tunnels are numerous and winding. There will be no map provided. You will need to find your way back here when we toll the final bell of the day. You will be able to hear it even in the dungeon. There are no team designations made by me. Sort it out yourself."

At that she called out names in rank order and point us to squad formations. This made the top 10 each in a separate squad. I was called 10th despite all my time sparring with Bella which should have put me at 8th. I suddenly remember catching Walt speaking to the instructor. Maybe he told them I was a secret tier 4 and he couldn't keep up? That would explain matching me with Bella I guess.

Either way, we all got sorted out and the instructor had just one final thing to say.

"Now you should be set to patrol the dungeon. Again, sort out yourselves your formation or whatever you choose to do. However. Do not go down a floor. Should you feel an incline downwards at all, turn around. This first floor is flat, and we keep creatures that are able to alter the dungeon from rising from the lower levels. Until we deem you ready, you will not be fighting any floor two creatures. Dismissed." She waved us off with that remark.

Nodding at my new squadmates, none of whom were my friends of course, we all began moving towards the far side of the room towards the only other exit. Once we passed that threshold the dungeon truly came into effect, as the next room had an immediate divide into 10 pathways. Looking at my squadmates inquisitively, none seemed to have any idea or preference. The rest of the class seemed to be in the same predicament. Except for Bella's squad. I noticed she just strolled down a random path and her squad tagged along behind her. Chuckling, I glanced at my squad and shrugged and picked a random path myself.

They followed along behind just like Bella's did to hers.

Since we were officially split off from the rest of the class now, I had to speak up because the silence was unbearable.

"So guys, just going to be honest here. I have no idea what we're getting into and have no leadership experience. No scouting experience, no anything really. Anyone else in the same boat or does someone know something about anything?" I didn't stop walking as I asked them this, as I figured if no-one responded, maybe getting to an encounter in the dungeon would open them up.

Surprisingly someone did speak up.

"Uhm..... Well I do have some knowledge of how we should be exploring this if nothing else? If that's okay?" some girl spoke up very hesitantly.

"Hey, that's great! I don't have any problems with it, and no-one else is speaking up. Go right ahead." I encouraged her to continue, glad I wouldn't have to fill the silence with just my voice.

She began, still nervous it seems. "So I notice that two of us have bows, three have two-handed weapons with extra reach like a spear, and five of us have shields. At the very least have the shield users in front of the pack and the archers in the back for now. The path right now has not branched off or anything, so worrying about a sudden attack from behind is pointless."

"You know, that all makes perfect sense. What's your name? I'm Will." I pivoted just a bit in the conversation as I realized no introductions had been made by anyone yet.

She must be shy as she stuttered just a bit to answer. "M...Melania. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise! So, squad, any objections to following Mel's advice? If so offer your own." Peering at the squad I waited for someone to speak up.