S19, Mana Circulation

I was sitting on a lonesome grassy hill a few hundred feet away from the training grounds. My head injury still prevented me from attending normal practice lessons, so coming here every afternoon had become a habit since the tavern brawl. I couldn’t strain my body, but I was good enough to do mana training.

Beginning from my chest, I started moving the mana inside my body. It felt like a small stream of warm water had started circulating inside me. I guided it towards my legs, then towards my arms and back to my chest. As time passed I could feel the force of the stream steadily increasing until I couldn’t control it anymore.

I let go of of the stream and felt the current of mana dissipating inside my body, like a pond that had gone calm after being stirred by a wild beast.

‘I still need to work more on my speed when guiding the torrent of mana.’

In the theory, just by moving the mana on any part of my body I could strengthen the muscles and bones of that area. For example, if I wanted to throw a strengthened punch I could just stir the mana in my arm.

The problem was that in practice things were not so simple. The action of throwing a punch involved more body parts than just the arm, so I needed to stir my mana in several places. There was also the fact that I needed time to build up the current of mana. Experts had the mana reserves and experience to do it almost instantly, but for beginners like me it took a few seconds and a lot of concentration. In conclusion, this simplistic approach wasn’t realistic right now.

Novices like me would build up the mana current starting from their chest and abdomen, where the energy was easier to gather. Then they would guide it through the body following the motion of their muscles. Using this method one could shorten the time needed to gather mana as well as maximize the strength of their actions. The downside was that it needed the user to think about his next movement beforehand, as well as carefully coordinate the current of mana with the motions of the body.

I got up, my first goal was to use mana strengthening in a simple punch. I positioned my feet. This was a simple blow that wouldn’t require me to step forward. I gathered mana from my chest, then guided it down to my abdomen before redirecting it towards my hips. The motion of this punch would start there.

I settled the current of mana down there for an instant and then guided it upwards, towards my shoulder and across my arm. As it passed through my body the warm stream of mana strengthened all the muscles I needed to throw the punch, its sequence perfectly timed with my movements.

“Yah-”

Thud.

“Dammit!” I swore on the ground. I had managed to throw the punch, but the force generated had made me lose balance and fall forward. Anyway, it was good progress. Yesterday I had been unable to deliver a satisfying blow before getting exhausted.

I got up again, this was a task that needed perseverance and constant repetition. It was the same as practicing the basics of swordsmanship. I needed to internalize the process of throwing a punch while guiding the mana inside my body.

Punches, kicks, steps, then sword swings, spear stabs and shield bashes. I needed to develop a set of empowered movements that I could use in actual combat. They would all be simple actions, but the sheer strength of each one would give me a definite advantage in a fight.

“Ugh, I have so much work to do.” I muttered. Just developing this simple empowered punch had taken me days of effort, but it wasn’t in vain. Father had told me that with enough repetition the process would become easier and my motions would grow freer. Then, I would be able to use mana for more than practiced movements. Experts were capable of applying mana naturally and continuously, only needing some preparation to deliver their most powerful attacks.

I repeated the punch a dozen times, with every repetition I slightly adjusted the timing and path of the mana current. Then, once I was somehow satisfied, I kept repeating the same movement again and again.

...

Gasp.

It was already evening. I had been practicing all afternoon and was now lying on my back, exhausted. The world around me seemed to sway and I closed my eyes to push the sensation away. The darkened sky indicated that it was time to head to the dinning hall, but I wasn’t satisfied yet.

Although today I had somehow improved the basic punch I had failed to pull anything more complex. Movements that required me to maintain the current of mana longer or to shift its course too fast were still too difficult. While movements that needed me to strengthen my lower body and upper body at the same time seemed impossible.

‘Should I try manipulating two currents of mana at the same time?’ I wondered for a moment before discarding the idea. ‘No, I can barely control one.’

It was frustrating. I didn't know where to start and, unlike at home, there was no one here with time to teach me. The instructors were too busy guiding the trainees into the caves of the dungeon and Uncle, as the guildmaster, was even more busy. Or so I thought, I hadn't made up my mind to go see him again after the fight in the tavern.

Father would surely help me train once I was back home, but I didn’t want to wait until then.

While trying to decide if I should muster up my courage and go see Uncle I heard footsteps approaching me. It was Terence walking leisurely up the grassy hill. I closed my eyes again and felt him stop besides me. “Hi, Terence.”

After a brief pause in which only my exhausted breaths could be heard he asked me a question. “Are you already well enough to be practicing like that?”

“Yes,” I told him, sitting on the grass and opening my eyes. He was concerned about me, but none of my injuries from the brawl hurt anymore. There was that wobbly sensation that appeared when I was too exhausted, but it was getting better as the days passed.

“You are being impatient again.” Terence said, shaking his head with disapproval.

“I’m not!” I exclaimed. “What do you want me to do in my free time? Apart from picking herbs we have nothing to do.”

“In your free you should be resting. Gardner told you not to exert yourself until your head was alright.” He reprimanded me.

“I’m alright already!” I told him slapping my nape. The back of my head still felt a bit sensible, so I had to suppress a groan when I touched it. “See?”

Stolen novel; please report.

Terence didn't answer and just stared at me with an unconvinced expression.

“Also, if I don’t train you will leave me behind.” I had refrained from practicing my swordsmanship for two weeks now, but Terence didn’t have any mayor injuries from the tavern brawl. He had been training like normal all this time.

“Are you really worried about that?” Terence sounded skeptical.

I looked him in the eye. “I am,” I said in a serious tone. “You have improved a lot since we started sparring. Now you are noticeable faster and stronger. I, on the other hand, am barely keeping up with you.”

Terence stood silent for a while, looking at the orange strikes left behind by the setting sun.

“To tell you the truth, that’s exactly the way I feel about you. You have improved a lot while I’m barely keeping up,” he finally said.

“What?” I asked confused. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“The first time we had a bout I felt we were evenly matched, but after that I have been struggling to keep up. These days I can’t win against you without using mana circulation.”

“Uh?”

“Didn’t you notice it?” He asked with a half smile.

I started recalling all the bouts we have had until now. It was true that he sometimes his strikes felt more decisive, but none of his movements resembled the basic mana powered strikes my father had showed me.

“Are you for real?” I was dumbfounded.

“Yes, I was taught how to circulate mana when I was young. I can use it somewhat naturally.”

“Oh! Then you must be really good!” I exclaimed.

“I’m just competent enough to throw a few empowered moves here and there, but I can’t use them for long. It’s quite exhausting.”

“Uh…” From his explanation I wasn’t sure how good Terence was, but he surely wasn’t a beginner.

Seeing my confusion Terence thought for a bit. “Hmm, did you see Marcus during the tavern fight?”

“I saw a bit…” Now I remembered. “I thought he was using mana circulation at the time!”

“He was, and he is a lot better than me. He is probably close to being an expert. Meanwhile, I’m more or less halfway between. You could say I’m proficient.”

“How can you tell how good he was?” I asked tilting my head.

“From his movements. They were very natural, but he needed to stop from time to time to gather mana or to prepare his next action. Experts don’t need to pause at all.”

“I see.” I muttered, recalling the few glimpses of the instructor I had caught during the brawl. “So, when did you learn how to use mana circulation?”

Terence fixated his gaze on me for a long while, pondering something, before he began to speak. “I’m actually the son of a baronet,” he confessed. “My father owns some land near Flodbred. It’s not like we are filthy rich. In fact, we can barely maintain our properties with the taxes we get from the few peasants that live in our territory, but we have enough to buy palemoss potions.”

“Oh! Then you are a noble. You don’t look much like one… No offense, you always struck me more as a merchant’s son.”

“Pfft” Grabbing his belly Terence started laughing uncontrollably. “Did I? Really?” His laughter continued until he had to wipe out a tear. “Well, technically I’m not a noble, and I never liked them. My father used to be a palace guard at the service of the king. He wasn’t a knight or anything just a talented soldier that climbed the ranks. After a certain incident the king simply bestowed him the title and the lands.”

“Oh! Your father sounds really cool.” I exclaimed.

“He is. He was very talented from a young age and in his mid teens he was already and expert capable of handling mana blades.”

I thought about Father. He was a skilled swordsman. I had a long way to go before I could beat him, but he had never called himself an expert when it came to mana circulation.

"Ever since I was a child my father insisted that I should also follow the path of the sword. Many of my first memories are about him trying to teach me way to swing a wooden sword in his free time," Terence continued. “But as I grew up I could tell from his reactions that my talent wasn’t up to his expectations.” Terence paused and his expression became a little darker.

I stood silent, unsure of what to say.

“Even so, my father didn’t give up on me. He hired a private swordsmanship instructor and bought palemoss potions so I could start learning mana circulation. For years, I followed a harsh training everyday, but after investing all that money and time the results were… mediocre.” There was an obvious displeasure in his voice when he mentioned the last word.

“I would never call you mediocre!” I assured Terence. I didn’t know what Terence’s father’s standards were, but for me he was a remarkable warrior.

Hearing my words Terence chuckled. “Thanks. Anyway, after years of practice my father reached the conclusion that I would never be a great warrior and enrolled me in the city guard in Flodbred. He pulled some strings and got me posted as a newbie official. I was supposed to get some achievements and make some acquaintances among the young nobles. That way things would be easier once I inherited his tittle.”

“But I didn’t like it. There wasn’t anything of value to gain in Flodbred, nor in making contacts with the young nobles of the city. All they saw in me was a lackey.” Once again Terence expression grew darker. “So I decided that instead of sucking up to those assholes I would use my mediocre skills to join an adventurer’s guild in Suidberg and make connections there instead.”

“And that’s the reason I’m here.” Terence concluded, turning to me with a smile. “I knew how to handle weapons, but I had no experience hunting monsters. Once I get my iron plate I will head to Suidberg and join a good guild. If I succeed in making connections there I may be able to establish a trading business with goods from the dungeon after inheriting my father’s title.” This time his expression looked brighter and his voice sounded resolute.

“Oh, I see. It sounds a bit complicated, but I wish you good luck.” I didn’t knew much about making connections, but I understood their value. If it wasn’t for Uncle I wouldn’t be able to attend this course for novice adventurers.

“Thank you. By the way, what do you plan to do after getting your iron plate?” He asked me with an expectant look. “If you are going to Suidberg I would like you to join me as a companion.”

I had no plans whatsoever. Father had sent me here so I could find my own path. After getting my iron plate I would go back home. Only then would I ponder if I wanted to settle as a hunter in the mountains or as an adventurer in the dungeon. Although I had no idea where to start if I picked the second option.

“I don’t really know what I will do, but I will think about it.” I told Terence.

Having a partner to start my adventure with didn't sound bad.

“Good. There is no need hurry, you can answer me after we win our plates. Ah, also, don’t tell anyone about my background. It’s a secret,” he said giving me a wink.

“Alright, don’t worry.” I told him looking at the dark sky. “Now, I think we should be heading back, it’s quite late.”

That evening I kept thinking about Terence’s proposal as we made our way back to Algus.

…

“Ugh, really. This grub is getting worse by the day,” Falnid complained after tasting the breakfast.

It was a normal morning in the dinning hall. We had more or less recovered from our injuries and had started delving into the dungeon again. We had the money to eat elsewhere, but had decided to be frugal with our expenses until we made enough to settle our debt.

“Just endure it for now.” Terence told him. “We are a few good catches away from clearing the fine.” His face also showed that he wasn’t enjoying the food.

“This would improve a lot with a pinch of salt, and maybe some parsley…” Bolton said, analyzing the contents of his bowl with a vacant expression.

“Attention!” Suddenly, a loud voice broke through the chatter in the dinning hall, quieting it.

“Many of you may have noticed that a lot of groups are making their way past the corridors and into the caves of the dungeon,” Uncle spoke. “Previously, we had told you not to go too far north as there are dangerous kobold tribes established there.”

During the pause a murmur rose within the hall.

“With so many adventurers the area close to the entrance will be lacking preys soon. For that reason we have decided that is time for you to explore deeper into the dungeon.”

It was an obvious decision. Even the rats in the hallways, which reproduced faster than other monsters, had been decimated by the groups of trainees looking for their ears. What’s more, in the last few days we had started bumping into other groups exploring the caves. Monsters were a lot more sparse down there, so any valuable ones were promptly hunted down.

“From now on any group wishing to explore further away from the entrance must get permission from their assigned instructor. Also, we will post several new quest in the bulletin board.” Uncle made a short pause to glare at a few trainees that couldn’t stand their excitement before delivering a stern warning, “I want to remember all of you to exercise your utmost caution inside the dungeon. A small mistake can cost you your lives.”

Following Uncle’s words the room fell silent.

Seeing the reaction of the trainees Uncle nodded satisfied and continued his talk. “Among the new tasks we will post one to hunt vagrant kobolds and kobold scouts. As you should know the kobolds’ danger can’t be measured by their individual strength. They are quite intelligent and social monsters. This task is rather popular every year, but also fairly risky. Anyone interested in taking it will have to assist to a lecture tomorrow morning.”

As Uncle left the dinning hall an uproar broke up. Some people were rushing their breakfast to check the bulletin board while others were excited to explore places with more monsters.