Focusing my mind, I maneuvered the mana.
Mana burst forth energetically, as if it had been waiting all along, darting around in circuits at lightning speed.
The mana swirled around my body.
It was twice as vivid and intense as before.
The effect of the Lake of Mana was absolutely delightful.
Traveling to China was a total disaster, no doubt, but considering the evidence of protection and the harvest, it actually turned out pretty good.
In the midst of all that, I manipulated my mana with a strange expression.
‘The color has changed.’
It used to be a sky blue but now it was different.
White.
As if to match my hair, the mana had turned white.
It felt weird, but there was nothing bad about it.
The color change was just a side effect.
What mattered was the purity of the mana.
I had experienced two changes in my mana: once while soaking in the Lake of Mana and again after being hit by the two-headed dragon.
Honestly, it was a significant rise in purity, not just a simple change.
But that increase was quite considerable.
It had been exceptionally clear and clean mana before, but now it seemed murky in comparison.
Thinking back, my mana had become a bit strange when I first bathed in the Lake of Mana—was that not a precursor to the color change?
‘…All white. Is this a sign of thinning hair?’
Either way, good things are still good.
That much meant the purity of my mana had significantly improved.
Out of sudden curiosity, I used magic.
– Whoosh!
A fireball formed atop my finger.
‘Oh… what is this?’
I blinked in surprise.
Usually, a fireball is only the size of a fist, but now it was as large as my whole body. I compressed it down to the size of a fist.
I reduced its size and increased its density. The momentum became even more incredible.
I flicked my finger. Whoosh—a fireball with a red tail dropped to the ground a short distance away.
– Boom─!
‘Whoa…’
A gust of wind swept through.
Just before getting hit by it, the feathers of the sky spread wide to block the wind.
Grass was yanked out and scattered into the air.
The wind stopped. The sky’s feathers returned to their place, and I surveyed the impact site of the fireball.
It was a mess.
A pit big enough to bury dozens was created, with flames crackling away.
The grass around the impact site was uprooted, revealing its brown core.
‘Oooh…’
The power was astonishing. Although the fireball was low-level magic, its power could easily rival that of mid-level spells.
‘What if I modify the incantation and also apply spatial correction…?’
It would be even more phenomenal. A rosy future flashed through my mind.
I could shoot dozens of fireballs per second. Plus, I could mix different property projectiles or mana projectiles.
I had no worries about mana. My mana affinity allowed me to greedily draw in the surrounding mana.
If I further improved my magical skills, things would only get more impressive.
‘This semester, I really should invest in magic.’
The possibilities of magic sparkled. Honestly, I’ve been so focused on physical abilities and combat techniques lately.
For the sake of balance, it’s wise to invest in magic.
In the second semester, I also plan to dive into equipment creation… I’m thinking of trying necromancy with Taesan.
I’ve gathered a lot of information about necromancy during my time in China. It feels awful to think about the source, but that information is precious and must be used wisely.
Once I get a bit more skilled in necromancy, there’s a specific undead I want to summon.
I had been postponing the decision on where to use it, but since it’s come to this, I might as well try using it myself.
If I can’t summon it due to lack of skill… well, I can always use it as materials for equipment creation.
‘…I have a lot to do.’
I should keep a low profile this semester.
Honestly, I think I acted a bit too cocky in the first semester, being too weak for that.
Of course, if a situation arises where I need to intervene to stop a potential crisis, I won’t hesitate…
I let out a deep sigh and expanded my unique ability.
My unique ability: Taesan.
It’s the unique ability of one of the three great families, Taesan.
Before, I only observed Taesan’s information, which hadn’t even manifested yet, but I gathered some information about Taesan after Lee Ji-yeon manifested it in China.
‘Homogenization, Taesan.’
I replicate the observed information and apply it to myself.
Thanks to my mana affinity, the smallest manipulatable units of mana slowly start to change, like switching out parts.
That process has become smoother than before. Ever since visiting the Lake of Mana, manipulating mana has become much easier.
– Woooom…
My senses expanded.
There was a sense of unity as if the ground was connected to me, with my sense reaching out to it as if it were a hand.
It felt bizarre, like I was holding the ground in my palm.
‘…Phew…’
The fluctuations of mana subsided. After briefly adjusting to the sensations, I quietly examined my condition.
Nothing seemed wrong. There were no signs of my insides being crushed or my circuits about to blow.
I was worried about potential problems from recklessly pulling off the three techniques, but thankfully, there were no such signs.
What had changed were the properties of the mana… and a strangely calming sensation.
I didn’t have the burning, emotional rush of Gop-hwa.
I also didn’t feel like I was frozen cold and devoid of emotion like Chang-hae.
It was somewhere in between.
Put nicely, it felt just right. The downside is a sense of being indifferent.
‘Was Taesan’s side effect an emotional midpoint…? Still not quite grasping it.’
Indeed, Taesan might be hard to define as a side effect.
Given its feature of balance, unlike Gop-hwa or Chang-hae, it doesn’t go overboard.
In fact, it provides a beneficial function of maintaining appropriate calmness in combat situations.
Of course, even this Taesan can be a terrifying ability if its side effects are ignored and used recklessly, turning the body to stone and back to dirt…
The unique abilities of the three great families require careful management of their effects as much as their performance.
Letting out a big sigh, I manipulated the ground.
Boom… The ground right in front of me suddenly surged up. A mound of soil, ten times my size, shot up at once. It was a mound of dirt with some small rocks mixed in.
‘…Like this?’
I commanded again.
The mound of dirt writhed and formed a ball shape. Suddenly, five branches protruded from it.
A hand made of dirt.
‘Rock, Paper, Scissors.’
Boom… The fingers all curled in and only some stretched out. They fully extended and lightly shook from side to side, as if greeting.
‘It operates normally.’
There was no stutter.
The basic ability of Taesan: mastery of the earth. With more investment in mana, I could manipulate a larger area and generate soil and rocks.
‘The physical enhancement is applied too.’
I pulled a rock from underground and held it in my hand. As I applied pressure, the rock crumbled effortlessly.
When Taesan activates, basic physical abilities rise significantly.
It overlaps with the enhancement of Gop-hwa.
There are differences, though.
Gop-hwa offers a high instantaneous amplification rate, while Taesan provides a high sustained amplification rate, including durability and health.
In other words, Gop-hwa is strong for quick strikes, while Taesan excels in prolonged power struggles.
In an extended battle, Taesan has the upper hand.
Comparing it to Chang-hae further establishes this point: while Chang-hae’s technique can heal itself and can be redirected externally, Taesan requires skill for external manipulation.
However, the earth and rock operated by Taesan are sturdier than Chang-hae’s ice. In terms of defense, Taesan is superior to Chang-hae.
‘Hmm…’
I’ve confirmed the mastery of the earth and the physical amplification.
Only one thing remains.
In fact, this is the main purpose.
I took a deep breath and consciously engaged with my new sense.
‘……’
The sense pooled into the ground. Within that sense of unity, a rich life force emanated.
Numerous mounds of earth, assorted insects and sand nestled within, rocks, grass, and roots, and sparse vegetation growing far away.
The size may vary, but they all brimmed with life force, proving they were alive.
Awareness and manipulation of life force derived from this place. This involves self-restoration and the manipulation of necromancy.
Of course, there were differences in the life force held.
Right away, over there, a dying leaf had less life force. It seemed as if the spring’s water had dried up.
‘Shit…’
That applied to me as well.
In an instant, my heart sank. The warmth I felt had plummeted. The cold air brushed against my skin sharply.
There was rich life force abundant in the earth—yet here I sat, lacking any life force…
The contrast was chilling.
If I were to compare ratios, I was roughly at the same level as that dying leaf. Close to running dry.
What would happen if I reached bottom?
If my life force fully depleted and became apparent, what would happen to me?
‘Death.’
The inference was easy. Just as I saw the end of the leaf, I could see the edge of my life as well.
A curse of brevity.
I felt fear. Most of that terror stemmed from the unknown, a fear of not knowing when I might fall lifeless.
As the darkness lifted, the unknown became easy to comprehend.
The vision of death began to appear.
‘I won’t die.’
I gritted my teeth.
I activated my senses, tapping into the perceived life force of the earth.
It felt incongruous.
It was as if a new organ sprouted in my body—unfamiliar and almost foreign.
‘It’s like mana. I can manipulate it.’
However, it wasn’t impossible.
It resembled familiar processes from when I first learned to control mana. I reached out for the life force in the earth.
Manipulating such a massive mass was tough. I only managed to extract a small part.
The burden decreased. Like pulling a handful of hair, I drew the life force upwards.
I guided it into my body.
Like slowly filling an empty vessel with life force.
Just before being pummeled by the two-headed dragon, I realized the life force I lacked.
Immediately after, I suffered severe damage and lost consciousness. Upon waking up, I found my body had shrunk.
I assumed my body had shrunk due to the lack of life force.
Your body should be filled with life force, but mine lacked enough to sustain it, causing it to diminish accordingly.
This might be a guess, but I felt it was a high possibility.
So, I devised a plan to recharge my life force through Taesan.
‘…Sigh…’
It wasn’t easy.
Like inserting incompatible codes, the life force repelled me.
Realizing it wouldn’t be easy, I took a deep breath and moved my life force again.
‘…I won’t die.’
I stoked my rebellious spirits, forcing life back into my soured feelings.
‘I won’t die.’
Even back in the days when I was cooped up alone like a lifeless sloth, I didn’t die gracefully, so how could I even think about it now?
I want to live with those who care for me.
Absolutely, I can’t die like this. I want to enjoy a happy life for a long time.
Pushing against the fear, I resolved to assert my will.
I focused intensely to manipulate life force.
*
Atra exited the central administration with complex feelings and headed towards the Training Ground.
It was an old-fashioned training area without any special training equipment.
It was the space where she always trained alone with Lee Ha-yul… A place to which Atra had developed a sort of attachment.
Someone was already waiting there.
After completing the morning assembly of the Ipchun Class and dealing with other business, Liana had arrived.
“Shell, huh…? It’s not just a simple metaphor, is it? What does that mean?”
Liana frowned and crossed her arms, clearly deep in thought as she recalled the conversation she had with the vice-president.
The worried expression was quite evident.
Thanks to that, her already ample chest was further emphasized.
“……”
Atra, who had conveyed the information, went silent and stared at that ample body.
Such behavior wasn’t unusual; Atra occasionally acted this way unconsciously.
But for some reason, this time it felt off.
Just a few days ago… when all those gaudy women crowded into Lee Ha-yul’s dorm, seeing him clinging to Liana had left her in a peculiar mood.
Thinking back, she realized her feelings had been strange since that time. The sight of colorful girls at her disciple’s family wasn’t very pleasant.
Yet here she was, fixating on such things amidst a situation that was hardly ideal.
Atra continued speaking.
“…The vice-president said he doesn’t know the exact circumstances. While he can’t assure it’s the truth, he also isn’t the type to use lies.”
“Hmm… If the vice-president doesn’t know, who will? The president? The guild leaders? I haven’t seen any of them for decades… Are they even alive?”
“The president is probably alive, given the blessings he has. The guild leaders should be the same. But even if they are alive, finding them seems tough, and if they’re dead, it would be even harder to ask them questions.”
“Considering asking Lee Ha-yul directly might lead to another breakdown like last time…”
Both Atra and Liana fell silent.
It was a convoluted issue.
“Taking care of a child can be really hard…”
At Liana’s lament, Atra nodded unconsciously.
That adorable little troublemaker certainly caused more trouble than joy.
“…!”
Atra’s head whipped around. Liana, who received a report from the spirit, also turned her head.
Someone’s aura was approaching from afar.
It was the familiar presence of Lee Ha-yul.
“Hmm…?”
However, something felt different.
Lee Ha-yul typically had a very faint presence.
That trait had only intensified over time, making it hard for Atra and Liana to sense him during his younger days.
It felt like a breath of wind could blow it away, and now, that faint presence was stirring unease.
Something about that presence had subtly shifted.
If one had to be precise, it was a good sort of shift. The previously weak presence had noticeably inflated.
Atra and Liana felt a strange emotion. How could they express it?
It was like a painfully emaciated child suddenly gaining weight, like some ravenous hunger had been awakened.
Either way, it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Soon, Lee Ha-yul appeared in sight.
– Whirr…
“…!?”
Lee Ha-yul appeared with a woebegone expression clear on his face.
For some reason, he was floating and spiraling through the air—yet his speed allowed him to approach quickly.
Thanks to that, his woeful face was plainly visible.
My heart dropped.
What on earth had happened to that mischievous little rascal now?
Startled, I stepped forward with arms outstretched.
It was a reflex to embrace him, trying to comfort him.
– Bang
“Huh?”
“Hmm?”
I hit something mid-air. The recoil made me step back a few paces.
Atra turned to look. Presenting a startled expression, Liana blinked up at her.
Liana also turned, revealing a surprised Atra with golden eyes.
Both of them looked equally awkward.
Arms extended, both had subconsciously tried to step forward and embrace something but ended up colliding with each other and being pushed back…
“……”
“……”
A peculiar atmosphere filled the air.
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