After some time, we arrived at the forest and entered an open area with scattered rocks. Swen gestured for me to sit down, and he began our lesson.

"Well, first, how much do you know about mana?" he asked.

I shared what I had learned from the guide and my limited knowledge on the subject.

Swen nodded and continued, "I see, you already know more than I expected. But there's something very important you must understand: no matter what people may tell you, controlling your mana is all about talent."

"Talent?" I questioned.

Swen clarified, "Yes, talent. As you know, only one in every ten humans or beastkin has a mana core, which is required to control mana. However, having a mana core doesn't guarantee you'll be able to control it. Only one in three individuals with a mana core can awaken it, and after that, only one in a hundred has the talent to reach bronze rank. Finally, out of that group, only one in a hundred will have the talent needed to surpass the gold rank."

He used himself as an example, explaining, "I'm 43 years old, and I'm currently a silver rank. I started trying to awaken my mana at 13 and succeeded at 15. By the time I was 20, I achieved the bronze rank, and at 33, I reached silver. After 10 more years, I'm on the cusp of reaching gold. There are many people like me. Your rank doesn't necessarily mean you're stronger than someone with a lower rank or weaker than someone with a higher one. Instead, it measures your talent. In my case, I have a talent that only one in three thousand possesses, which makes me rather talented but not exceptionally so. It will take some time for you to realize the extent of your talent. However, depending on how quickly you awaken your mana, the answer may become obvious. So, are you ready for this?"

I affirmed, "Yes, I am."

Swen nodded, and then he instructed, "Great. First, close your eyes. As you do, focus on feeling your entire body, your heartbeat, your lungs—everything. When you do this, you'll notice something else in your body: your mana core."

I followed his guidance, paying attention to my body's sensations. I could feel my heartbeat and my breath, and then I sensed something different, a sensation unlike anything I had ever experienced.

"When you feel something different, that's your mana core," Swen explained. "If you've already felt it, that's excellent; it means you have talent. Now, concerning awakening, there's no guarantee that you'll awaken your mana today. But to do it, you must focus on that different sensation and imagine it rotating, like a swirl. When you achieve this, your mana will awaken."

I tried my best to follow his instructions, but it was challenging. To create that swirling sensation, I needed to feel it more intensely. Three hours passed, and finally...

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"I think I did it!" I exclaimed.

Swen asked, "If you did, you should start feeling a strange energy."

I began to feel it—a peculiar sensation, as if my body were even lighter than before.

"I feel it," I confirmed.

"Really?" Swen inquired.

"Yes, it's like my body is lighter."

Swen smiled and congratulated me, "Then congratulations! Your mana core has been activated."

"Thank you. Now, the academy is no longer just a dream. Although I guess I still have to see if I can actually achieve bronze rank, right?"

Swen reassured me, "Don't worry. If you awakened your mana core in three hours, I can say with certainty that you have the talent to surpass even the gold rank. Your talent for controlling mana is exceptional. However, talent alone isn't enough. There's more to the equation, including your fighting style, your spells, your battle decision-making, and your mana. All of these are essential. Fortunately, those are things you can achieve with effort. The talent part is done, so congratulations. You have what you need to become a powerful individual."

"Thank you," I said with gratitude.

Swen then suggested, "Well, shall we head back?"

I agreed, and we left the forest, arriving back at the inn by 19:00.

Sonia welcomed us, saying, "Welcome back! You're early."

I began to explain what had transpired during our time in the forest.

"What, already?!" Sonia exclaimed. "Congratulations, you're really going to make it into the academy!"

"Thank you," I replied.

Swen handed me a book and said, "Allen, here. Make sure to check."

I opened the book and found that, as I suspected, I could read it. This language seemed similar to English, but I wondered what "English" was.

"Swen, do you know what this world's language is called?" I asked.

Swen answered, "Yes, it's called Lorish. In the Alabardah Peace Treaty that took place five years ago, Merlin cast a spell that replaced all the continents' dialects and alphabets with a universal one. Everyone who could speak began using Lorish, and those who could read or write now did so in Lorish as well. All books and forms of writing were translated into this language. It was the most significant reality-bending spell ever cast, made possible due to a series of extraordinary conditions. But it truly was amazing."

I contemplated this newfound knowledge. It was likely from the dream, but I couldn't reveal that to them; they wouldn't believe it.

"Perhaps the spell also affected me," I pondered.

Swen responded, "It's unlikely, but not impossible. What's important is that you know how to read, which means you've already met half of the requirements for the academy. The other requirement is to awaken your mana. However, that's only if you have the money to pay for tuition. If you want to enroll for free, you'll need to have already achieved the bronze rank. So, you have two years to master the first three aura techniques. I can help you train on weekends, but the rest of the time, you'll need to do it on your own."

"That's already more than enough; thank you," I expressed my gratitude.

"Great! Then for the next two years, you'll train to control your mana and learn how to fight. I'll teach you the basics of swordsmanship, and from there, you can develop your own style. Are you ready for this?" Swen asked.

I replied enthusiastically, "Yes, I am!"

"Excellent!" Swen exclaimed. "Then go to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll start early."

And with that, my training routine began, and two years swiftly passed.