[Day 3]

When I woke up the next day, I wasted no time and started training near the West side of the village. That was after I had breakfast though, can't go starving myself now can I?

Since no one was awake at this time though, I just continued training with Mana Healing and Mana Awareness.

I hate to say it, but my proficiency in both... is not so great. Last night was the only time where I felt Mana Awareness truly shined. I can't sense things underwater, I can't sense where people are, and I sure as hell can't see with my eyes closed like Mr. Auger. The only thing I'm capable of... is seeing only a couple of feet in front of me, with my eyes closed. So how did I hear Ulta get into the water?

'What's the technique? How does Mr. Auger do it?" I said while closing my eyes and sitting on the ground.

I sat in that exact spot for hours, running through all the known hints I had. The biggest one being, how I heard Ulta splashing in the water from over 500 feet away.

'Did my senses heighten in a moment of desperation? No, it isn't that simple, if it always took you, or someone else being in danger... then Mana Awareness would be useless in the end. After all, this technique is to prevent danger... not allow it to walk right past you. Think Hakkar, what lead to you hear that splash?'

I continued to train for hours, unaware of my surroundings. I didn't know what time it was, who was around me, or if I was in danger. I was hell-bent on figuring out this technique.

*****

"Why is it... that every time I come to see him... he is always in his own head? I was actually feeling generous today. I might have even taught him how to use Mana Awareness correctly. That brat knows how to get under my skin, even when he's doing nothing." Mr. Auger said while drinking some coffee with the sun to his back.

"He sort of acts like you used to, Auger. Although he wants help, he'd rather figure it out on his own... i'm just not sure where a tribal kid would pick up a habit like that." Monica said while standing next to him with her arms crossed.

"Speaking of help, for the first time while being here... he actually asked me for help last night." Mr. Auger said while taking a sip of coffee.

"Let me guess, you said something irredeemable, and now you're here to make it up to him." Monica said while glaring at him.

"Pffftttt, WHAT! I'm not sure where you got that information, but it's beyond wrong. In fact, I helped him out to the best of my ability. Yes, I might have said something mean, but in the end, I still helped him out in finding that girl." He said after spitting out his coffee.

"You're hopeless... I saw and heard the whole thing. You're not the only person who can use Mana Awareness, Auger." Monica said while looking back towards me.

"*Sob* why wouldn't you tell me you knew everything first? Now I just look like an ass... thanks, Monica." Mr. Auger said while pouting.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"You forgot to add the Miss in front of my name, Auger. Plus, it was funny hearing you come up with fantasies that make you the hero." Monica said while laughing at him.

"Yeah yeah, I'm just glad he found the girl. In fact, it seems finding her last night led to a breakthrough... he seems slightly happier than usual." Mr. Auger said while drinking his coffee again.

"You didn't watch what happened after? Well, let me tell you... that girl he went out looking for... confessed her love for him." Monica said with a wide smile.

"Pffftttt, WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE HAD A GIRL CONFESS HER FEELINGS???!!! I've been alive for 31 years, and that hasn't happened to me once!! This is unacceptable, no disciple shall pass his master this quickly... It seems ill have to wake him up and teach him a lesson." He said while spitting out his coffee again.

While he was walking toward me, Monica was laughing on the ground holding her stomach.

"Hahaha, the best part is... he said no, hahaha." Monica said adding fuel to the flames.

Mr. Auger just stood there... Frozen. He was like a statue that was there from the very beginning.

*****

'Finally, I think I got the hang of it. The sixth sense... isn't just Mana Awareness... It's also thought. When I heard the water splash last night, I remember thinking how great it would be if I was able to hear where Ulta was. In the end, I manifested the ability to sense a further distance with my hearing. There's more to this though... because thoughts are only 1% of its ability. I'm not sure if this is correct, but everything in this world has its own 'Vibration' or 'Rythem'. Meaning, if my control over external mana increases... I can feel these 'Vibrations', and sense things from a further distance. The first step... starts with manifestation.'

Since the first step was manifestation, I had to truly believe I could sense everything in the world. If I had this mindset, then the rest comes down to my external mana control. When I first started training Mana Awareness, I thought being able to see a couple of feet in front of me was good, but that was a shallow mindset. I now know the true strength of Mana Awareness, the thing I wish was different... would be my small mana pool, since it will severely limit my capabilities. Who am I kidding though, that's what makes this training more exciting.

'I'll come up with a whole new way on how to use external mana. I won't let something like this drag me down in this life.'

*****

Hours passed, and day became night. In the end, I didn't move a single muscle the whole day, I only practiced Mana Awareness again. This time though... I finally had a breakthrough.

'I hate that Mana Awareness is 1% thought and 99% mana based, but what can I do? I've conquered the 1% thought hurdle, but since my mana pool is non-existent, I can only go so far after that. Even after training all day, the best I can do with my mana… is sense the vibrations within a 5-foot radius. It seems the only reason I could hear that splash last night, was because it was a quiet night, and the vibration traveled just far enough to where I could sense it. This is far from enough though, I need to create a new technique that allows me to sense further. If I can't use Mana Awareness with internal mana... then I'll just use external mana instead.'

With this mindset, I spent the rest of the day coming up with a technique that would suit my capabilities. Luckily it wasn't too hard to figure out.

When it comes to external mana control, it's a 1:1 ratio. For every 1 strand of internal mana, you can only connect to 1 particle of external mana. Depending on how large your mana pool is, determines the amount of external mana you can use. Take the Emperor for example, he can control every particle of external mana in a 2,000 feet radius, but that's it. Once he's connected to the amount that his internal mana can allow, he has to either pull it into his body or use a technique. Only then, can he use his internal mana to connect to more particles of external mana.

This is what led me to my new technique. If everyone has a fixated amount of external mana they can interact with... then I'll be the only person to break that barrier. I won't have a 1:1 ratio... I'll have a 1:infinity ratio.

"I'll call this new technique... Mana Network." I said as I opened my eyes slowly.