Chapter 46: Preparation for Takeoff |
"Yu-jeong."
"Yeah."
"If a situation like the one just now... um, an unavoidable situation like that comes up again, what will you do?"
"...I don't know."
Yu-jeong answered, her face crumpling. She must be incredibly frustrated herself. Even if such a situation were to arise again, she currently knew nothing and could do nothing. If she had to give an answer, the only option would be to simply endure it. I was about to offer words that would be like a welcome rain in a drought for them.
"You all know a little about 'Mana Emission,' right?"
After pushing them hard, it was now time to soothe them a little. Perhaps sensing the softer tone in my voice, the kids cautiously raised their heads to glance at me. They looked like children who had been scolded by their mother, sulking before slowly looking up again. The sight almost made me laugh, but I swallowed it down.
"The ability that woman used at the table is a part of Mana Emission. It's not the manifestation of a special or potential ability, but a part of a control ability that anyone can use by regulating their own mana."
Technically, even Sword Ki and Sword Force were abilities included within control abilities. That's why I saw Yu-jeong's gaze change after hearing the words "control ability."
"Yes. With practice, you can. Furthermore, in situations like the one before, you can resist and even defend against it. Depending on how you respond, you can even counterattack."
"Teach me."
Seeing the life slowly return to their faces, I smiled gently. I might have been genuinely disappointed if they had remained dispirited. But as soon as a path opened up, Yu-jeong's eyes began to burn with a fiery intensity, as if her earlier dejection had never happened.
First, I would thoroughly teach the theory, show them an example, and then begin the training. At Yu-jeong's request, I nodded with a willing expression and opened my mouth.
"Does anyone know the stages of Mana Emission?"
"It can be divided into Sensing, Occupy, and Coercion."
"Oh... Correct."
The one who answered my question immediately was, surprisingly, An Sol. She was looking at me with an earnest, almost burdensome gaze full of longing. As I gave a slightly hesitant nod at her gaze, I saw her face brighten. For a moment, I wondered if the strange expression on her face earlier was because I had only patted Hyeon's head and not hers, making her jealous.
...Surely not. In any case, Sol's answer was almost perfect. Of course, there were also higher stages classified above Coercion, like Break up and Demolition. However, compared to the first stage, Sensing, those were such advanced techniques that there was no way they could learn them yet. So, I deliberately kept my words brief.
"From now on, I'm going to teach you all a very powerful technique."
The introduction was over. It was time to get to the main point.
There's a saying that seeing is believing. It means that hearing something a hundred times is not as good as seeing it once, implying that one must experience something firsthand to truly understand it. I slowly gathered my mana and turned my body halfway to face away from them.
I slowly controlled my mana, letting it flow across the entire floor of the room. With my body as the center, I drew a single, round circle of my mana on the floor. Having done this thousands, tens of thousands of times, it was beyond familiar; it was like a part of my own body. As I stood still, I felt the kids' blank stares on me. I closed my eyes and slowly began to speak.
"Hyeon, Sol, Yu-jeong. From now on, don't say a word. And without making a sound, move anywhere you want inside the room."
Upon hearing my words, the kids hesitated for a moment before I felt them move one by one, silently. Though they tried to tiptoe, with my Sensing fully active, they were in the palm of my hand. Soon, I heard a slight creaking sound and confirmed that they had all finished moving. I kept my back to them and spoke.
"An Hyeon. 38 degrees southeast from my left foot. In front of the wardrobe. An Sol. 26 degrees southwest from my right foot. Behind the central table. Lee Yu-jeong. 90 degrees from my body. On the bed."
The moment I finished speaking, I heard the kids sharply inhale. It would be troublesome if they were this surprised already. I smiled faintly and continued.
"This is the first stage of Mana Emission, called Sensing. It's often called the unseen eye, but it's more like connecting the objects you can't see to your own mana circuits. In other words, you're arbitrarily expanding your perceivable range of thought using mana. You were all surprised when that woman appeared out of nowhere, right?"
"Come to think of it..."
"Y-Yes. That's right. Then, Hyeong. Does that mean if we learn Sensing, we can know when that woman is coming?"
Hearing An Hyeon's voice, which seemed to have grasped the idea, I nodded without turning around.
"Generally, yes. But Sensing isn't omnipotent. There are ways to get past it."
"In that case..."
This time, I gathered my mana strongly enough for them to feel it clearly. A fierce, formless energy surged upwards, and I then spread my mana into the air. Like a shimmering heat haze, my mana instantly occupied the entire room. Watching the kids look around in wonder, I made another request.
"This time, everyone, show a number with your fingers."
After giving them enough time to see, feel, and follow my request, I calmly spoke.
"An Hyeon. Two fingers. The extended fingers are the index and middle. An Sol, one finger. The extended finger is the index. Lee Yu-jeong. Four fingers. The extended fingers are the index, middle, ring, and pinky... two, four, one, five, four, five. This little rascal."
Yu-jeong, in disbelief, quickly changed her fingers midway, but I was able to answer without any trouble. Then, I felt her arm drop limply, as if she was dumbfounded.
"Huh...?"
"Ha...?!"
"A-Amazing...!"
After hearing their sounds of awe, I finally turned back to face them. They all had their mouths agape as if they had seen a ghost. I maintained the mana that still occupied the room and continued speaking.
"There are several ways to bypass Sensing. You can use a speed that the opponent can't react to even if they detect you, or you can approach from the air. There's also a method of secretly mixing your own mana with the opponent's. That's why the stage that evolved from Sensing to provide a more certain response is called Occupy."
"Oppa. So the ability that woman used earlier was this Occupy?"
I shook my head at Yu-jeong's question. Occupy was a stage two ability. The ability the woman had displayed was Coercion, which corresponded to the third stage.
"No. The ability she used was Coercion. It's the third stage of Mana Emission. It's a technique that can be considered quite advanced, going one step beyond simply expanding your thought circuits to imbuing your mana with your own will. Of course, its power varies depending on the user... Once you learn Occupy, it becomes possible to perfectly defend against such Coercion or at least partially resist it."
"Th-Then I want to learn Coercion. I want to learn it."
Watching the impatient Yu-jeong, I smiled faintly and walked up to her. Then, I flicked my finger and tapped her forehead. As she pouted and rubbed her forehead, I spoke in a soothing voice.
"You can't even walk, yet you're already trying to fly? Unless you're a genius, Coercion isn't something you can learn overnight. At the very least, it requires three months of consistent training. Focus on mastering Sensing first, then think about moving up one step at a time. Don't be so hasty."
"Hyeong."
Just then, I heard An Hyeon, who had been staring at my face, call out to me. When I turned to him with a questioning look, he immediately spoke.
"I also want to learn Coercion..."
"You kids, really. I told you it's still too early."
Hyeon shook his head at my words and continued.
"No, that's not it. I just want to know more about Coercion in detail."
"Oppa, me too. I was so flustered earlier because it was my first time experiencing it that I couldn't think straight... but I want to at least see what Coercion is really like. Please?"
Seeing Yu-jeong second An Hyeon's words, I fell silent for a moment. The foundation of Mana Emission lies in how meticulously and effectively one can control their mana. They seemed to not yet understand how difficult the process of spreading mana externally and imbuing it with one's will was, even though they might learn Sensing quickly.
However, in Hyeon and Yu-jeong's eyes, I could see a passion I hadn't seen before. For a moment, I was reminded of my early days in Hall Plain. A time when I struggled to learn anything I could. A time when I had to clench my teeth and climb up on my own, without any proper guidance. The memories flashed through my mind.
Thinking back on those sorrowful times, I slowly opened my mouth as if possessed.
"The third stage of Mana Emission is on a different level from the first and second stages. It requires not only efficient mana management and precision but also flawless execution based on your circuits. But what's most important and difficult about Coercion is imbuing your mana with your own will."
"By will, you mean..."
"The essence is how effectively you can convey your emotions. In this process, there's no need for words. Literally, the mana imbued with your will says everything. Think back to earlier. Yu-jeong, what emotions did you feel then?"
Yu-jeong frowned at my question, thought for a moment, then answered.
"My body felt heavy... and I felt like I was in danger. Like I might die..."
"In technical terms, that's called 'Killing Intent.' That woman wanted to kill you, Yu-jeong. Without saying a word, she conveyed her intention to you through her emotions."
"..."
Yu-jeong said nothing in response to my words. However, her face instantly turned pale, and it seemed like goosebumps were breaking out all over her body. An Hyeon was still tilting his head, looking as if he didn't quite understand. I let out a small sigh. Since I was still maintaining Occupy, it seemed better to give them a small taste to satisfy their curiosity.
I steeled myself and called out to An Hyeon.
"Hyeon."
"Yes."
"From now on, I'm going to want to kill you."
"What? What do you mean..."
An Hyeon, who had been questioning my sudden words, quickly shut his mouth. He seemed to have realized I was about to give a demonstration, just as I had with Sensing and Occupy. He clamped his mouth shut and his face hardened, as if preparing himself. Of course, from my perspective, it was a useless gesture.
I closed my eyes and began my mind training. From this moment, I set An Hyeon as an enemy with whom I would fight to the death. After composing myself to some extent, I opened my eyes and explosively released my mana. And...
"Haaak! Aaaaargh!"
The reaction was immediate.
My aura, which had been as light as a floating cloud, instantly transformed into an energy thick with killing intent. A suffocating murderous will, as if to tear apart any and every existence, filled the room. A will to kill surged from the depths of my being. And I poured all of those emotions onto a single target: An Hyeon.
It lasted for only five seconds. If I had maintained it any longer, I felt that I too would be consumed by my past murderous intent, so I forcibly suppressed it at an appropriate moment. As I quickly withdrew the spread-out energy and contained it within me, I saw An Hyeon, his legs having given out, sitting on the floor trembling. Yu-jeong and Sol were also staring at me with trembling lips, seemingly affected indirectly by the killing intent.
I slowly approached Hyeon. As I got closer, An Hyeon flinched and instinctively pulled his body back. Then, as if realizing something, he stared at me blankly. I extended my hand towards him, intending to help him up.
"No matter how much you steel your heart, it's useless against Coercion using mana. It's because it shows a person's raw, unfiltered, instinctual emotions. Anyway, you did well."
An Hyeon shook his head hard, as if his mind was in a daze. Then, seemingly having come to his senses, he hesitantly took my hand. He struggled to get up, a sign that the shock hadn't completely worn off yet.
However, the moment he was fully on his feet and our eyes met, I noticed something interesting. It was only for a fleeting moment, but I thought I saw the emotion of a competitive spirit flash in An Hyeon's eyes. Perhaps because he was a man, An Hyeon definitely possessed a special kind of belligerence that was different from Yu-jeong or Sol.
After helping Hyeon up, I looked at the three users who still couldn't take their eyes off me and continued.
"Anyway, Coercion is still a long way off for you all, so just know what it is for now. Right now, Sensing is the priority. If you can't even do this much, going outside would be completely pointless. So, don't even dream of going outside unless you can maintain Sensing for at least an hour."
Hearing me say they had to maintain Sensing for over an hour, Yu-jeong quickly asked me a question.
"But Oppa. When on earth did you learn all these techniques? We all took pretty much the same classes, didn't we?"
Yu-jeong's question made me flinch inwardly, but I maintained a calm expression on the outside. I couldn't very well tell them I learned it before my regression, so I needed to come up with a suitable response. I raised my hand and showed them my index finger.
"I made use of my personal time outside of training. I also received a lot of help from the instructors. For reference, it took me one day to learn Sensing. Occupy took about two weeks. And I was able to learn Coercion near the very end."
"Ah. So that strange posture you used to sit in before bed, Hyeong, was that all Sensing training?"
An Hyeon chimed in at just the right moment, adding credibility to my words. As I just smiled, An Hyeon tilted his head and said, "I just thought you were meditating." I ignored their reactions and continued.
"Anyway, that's how long it took me. If you think you can surpass that, go ahead and try. I'm a little curious to see who learns it first."
My words were slightly provocative, but the effect was clear. I had meant for them to try and surpass me, but as soon as I finished speaking, Hyeon, Sol, and Yu-jeong looked at each other and suddenly began to burn with enthusiasm.
"Well. I think I'll be the first to succeed. Just you watch, Hyeong."
"Hohoho. Are you saying your Magic Power stat is higher than mine?"
"N-No... guys..."
Watching the two of them glare at each other, I couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching siblings compete in front of their mother over who had the best grades. I felt like I was becoming more and more of a mother to these kids.
The theory was done. The demonstration was over. All that remained was the official start of their training.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Whatever the circumstances, it was undeniable that there was a change in the kids' attitudes. As soon as they made up their minds, they began training right on the spot. After a little while, as I watched them silently coordinating their mana with their eyes closed in a stationary position, I added a detailed explanation.
"The basic operation of mana begins with an image. The fundamental principle of Sensing stems from ripples and waves. Imagine it. A calm sea, and a single drop of water falling onto its surface. And the circular ripples that form. Or you can think of it as dropping a single drop of water on a dry piece of paper. Create an image that is as comfortable and familiar to you as possible, and with that feeling, move your mana along your circuits."
To be honest, the application of Sensing itself can be considered simple. Unlike the advanced application techniques required for Coercion, Break up, and Demolition, it's a control ability that operates on a relatively simple principle.
The important factors for Sensing were how cleanly and for how long one could sustain it. One had to efficiently distribute their mana and always maintain a constant flow.
Hyeon and Yu-jeong, who were now diligently practicing Sensing, were gradually showing signs of difficulty. They had succeeded in drawing out their mana and creating a circle beneath their feet at first. However, looking at their faces, it was clear that maintaining it for the one-hour condition I had set would be a challenge. As time passed, the shape of their circles began to distort. The circles became increasingly uneven, and the flow of their mana grew irregular.
At first, they had worn confident, smug smiles, but sweat was now beading on their faces. Seeing them slowly clench their lips, I let a faint smile play on my own.
There was a reason I taught them Sensing first. It wasn't for nothing that people said you could measure a user's capabilities with Sensing alone. And it was also because it was an ability they would use time and time again in the future.
The advantages of Sensing were endless. From a training perspective, it had the benefit of being practicable anytime, anywhere. Not only did it increase one's mana, but it also had the effect of pushing one's body to its internal limits, so an increase in other stats could also be expected.
Furthermore, and this was just my speculation, I believe that one of my potential abilities, Mind's Eye (Tranquil), was heavily influenced by Sensing. I always observed myself and my surroundings, maintaining my composure as I entered battle. I always tried to predict the opponent's attack routes and develop the optimal battle plan accordingly. In other words, it could potentially help in manifesting a potential ability that suited oneself.
Not only that, but it could also instill the habit of always maintaining a constant flow of mana. This would prevent unnecessary mana waste when using control abilities. Therefore, Mana Sensing training was a practice that could kill three birds with one stone.
Before long, more than 10 minutes had passed since they started Sensing. An Hyeon and Yu-jeong's conditions were, quite literally, a sight to behold. Their initial spirited attitudes were gone, replaced by profuse sweating and ragged breathing, looking as if they could collapse at any moment.
As I watched them intently, I briefly activated my Third Eye. I wanted to check their stat growth rates so far.
⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔
Name:
An Hyeon
⚡ Strength: 59
🛡️ Endurance: 57
💨 Agility: 74
💪 Stamina: 61
✨ Magic Power: 49
🍀 Luck: 61
*
⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔
Name:
An Sol
⚡ Strength: 16
🛡️ Endurance: 21
💨 Agility: 24
💪 Stamina: 29
✨ Magic Power: 84
🍀 Luck: 100
*
⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔
Name:
Lee Yu-jeong
⚡ Strength: 48
🛡️ Endurance: 52
💨 Agility: 64
💪 Stamina: 50
✨ Magic Power: 68
🍀 Luck: 56
*
An Hyeon's strength lay in his balanced physical stats and high Agility. All of his stats, except for Magic Power and Luck, showed a steady increase. Especially, high Agility is very advantageous for Lancers, so if he continues to grow at this pace, he has the potential to become very strong.
Of course, his Magic Power was a bit of a concern, but he still had points left to allocate, and it could be sufficiently supplemented depending on his future training.
Yu-jeong's overall physical stats could be considered above average or just average. It would be a lie to say her Strength, Endurance, and Stamina weren't a bit disappointing, but she had a talent for Agility and Magic Power to compensate. Above all, for a melee class, having a Magic Power of 68 already was a great advantage and a blessing.
If I were to compare An Hyeon and Yu-jeong, I would have to soberly give the edge to An Hyeon for now. However, since she chose the Mercenary class, which has a wide range of applications, I was looking forward to seeing what kind of potential she would show. I had a slight regret that she didn't become an Assassin, but Mercenary wasn't bad either.
Compared to the other two, Sol showed the lowest stat growth rate. However, I was setting aside her other stats and focusing solely on her Magic Power. Unless she was a Monk, there was no need to fixate on Strength, Endurance, Stamina, and Agility for a Priest whose main role was support. As such, Sol's high Magic Power and maxed-out Luck were stats that were a perfect match for a Priest.
Seeing her Magic Power at 84, an increase of 9 points from her initial 75, I felt satisfied. Of course, compared to Han-byeol, the growth rate was incomparable, but one had to consider that stat growth slows down significantly once it enters the mid-80s. To have already recorded a stat of 84 right after coming to Hall Plain, I couldn't help but be curious about how high her limits could go.
============================ Author's Afterword ============================
Hello, this is Royujin.
Su-hyeon is finally starting to show his true skills. The preparations for the preparation are also almost complete. The Mana Sensing that appears in this chapter is a theme that will come up quite often in the future.
And... I think I was too bothered by the fact that I complained to you all yesterday. So today, I've packed the chapter full. Hahaha. Still, today wasn't as frustrating as yesterday. I guess if there are days like that, there are other days too.
To all the readers who cheered me on, thank you so much. Thanks to you all, I was able to find more strength. I will continue to work harder on Memorize. Thank you!
『Re-Replies』
1. Aillilia: Congratulations on 1st place. You've reclaimed the champion's seat. :)
2. hohokoya1: The competition was particularly fierce. Hahaha.
3. AR0000: Thank you. After climbing the hill, the emotion of joy was waiting for me. :)
4. SaramInsaeng: Someday! You can definitely do it. I guarantee it. Fighting!
5. Reincarnation: Thank you for the coupon. I will repay you with even better content in the future.
6. Gwanghwang: Thank you for the question! To answer, the food situation in Hall Plain varies by region. However, you can consider the Northern Continent to be below average to average. It's not plentiful, but it's not extremely scarce either. As such, clans do not control the food supply unless there are special circumstances (like war).
Since Hall Plain is a world of its own, there are of course people engaged in various occupations. However, 99.9% of these people are residents of Hall Plain. Explaining the residents would take a long time. I plan to describe the relationship between users and residents in detail in the next chapter or the one after, so I would appreciate it if you could wait a little. (If you don't mind spoilers, please send me a message!)
7. BongindwenTolstoy: Hahaha. Not at all. I believe managing my condition is my own responsibility. If I fail to manage it, it's my fault. I will work harder in the future. Thank you.
8. Blami: Questions are always welcome. It means you're interested in the work. :) A prestigious user family, huh. Hahaha. That's certainly an original idea. There is a somewhat similar setting. However, since there are no users other than Su-hyeon who have survived in Hall Plain for more than 10 years, there are a few issues with including a family as a setting. A similar setting would be the clan <odin> mentioned in the early parts (it's a gathering of the top-tier users).</odin>
9. Eunbitnoeul: Ah. I put a lot of thought into writing it. Was there a particular part that you found difficult to approach? I would be very grateful if you could let me know. (__)
10. Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusk: It's bound to be revealed as the story progresses. However, Su-hyeon himself thinks that now is not the time. This is still just the preparation stage for his takeoff. :)
I always read all the comments repeatedly. I hope you won't be too disappointed if you're not in the re-replies. If you have any questions you're really curious about, please send me a message and I'll answer!
Well then, I'll take my leave for today.
I hope you can always read with a comfortable heart.
Bookmarks, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.