Chương 65: The Mage Who Skipped the Basics

Sieghart's new life inside Lunar Arc began in the basement, hidden behind a reinforced door and several layers of protection. The room was not comfortable enough to be considered a permanent home, but it was considerably better than sleeping beneath a bridge or inside the ruins of the farm. After Ronan brought him food, clean clothing, and shoes that almost fit, Sieghart spent the remainder of the evening examining every corner of the room.

The walls contained defensive enchantments capable of reducing heat, blocking sound, and detecting physical damage. A separate formation circulated fresh air without requiring windows. Sieghart studied the runes until exhaustion overwhelmed his curiosity. He understood almost nothing about their construction, but each pattern gave him more reason to learn. If the farmhouse possessed similar defenses, the explosions might not have destroyed everything before anyone reacted.

That thought returned often enough to become painful. Sieghart eventually climbed into the narrow bed and closed his eyes. He expected another night filled with smoke, collapsing walls, and fragmented memories. Instead, physical exhaustion pulled him into a deep sleep almost immediately. He did not wake until light from the mana lamp revealed that several hours had passed. For one confused moment, Sieghart did not recognize the stone ceiling above him. His body tensed as he prepared to release Wind Magic.

Nothing exploded. The ceiling remained intact, the room stayed quiet, and the air carried no trace of smoke. Sieghart slowly lowered his raised hand. Remembering where he was brought everything else back as well. The brief comfort created by confusion disappeared before he left the bed. Sieghart washed his face using the enchanted basin and changed into the clothes Ronan provided. The dark shirt and trousers fit well enough, although the sleeves required folding. He found his oversized cape hanging beside the door.

Someone had also left a tray containing bread, cheese, dried fruit, and a cup of water. Sieghart ate without leaving the room. Mira wanted his presence hidden from most guild members, and wandering upstairs would immediately encourage questions. There was not much else for him to do. The room contained no books, training equipment, or windows. Sieghart considered practicing Wind Blade against the wall before remembering that his shelter agreement discouraged damaging guild property.

A locked side chamber connected to the basement corridor. Ronan opened it later that morning and revealed several racks filled with depleted enchanted equipment. Lunar Arc apparently stored tools and weapons there after assignments. Most required examination, repair, or recharging before returning to active use. Ronan placed a small wooden cart outside Sieghart's room.

"Mira said you wanted to make yourself useful."

"She said I had to." The first delivery contained three enchanted swords, two magic bows, several lamps, a heating plate, a water pump, and four unknown devices. Sieghart inspected the equipment before beginning. The enchantments varied considerably, although every object possessed a structure capable of storing mana. He started with the lamps. The first crystal absorbed mana slowly, forcing Sieghart to maintain contact for almost a minute.

The second accepted a much greater flow and reached full capacity in seconds. Sieghart usually thought of the process as mana emission because he pushed energy outside his body. The system continued calling the ability Mana Transfusion. The distinction seemed unnecessarily precise. He transferred mana through physical contact, so perhaps true Mana Emission would eventually allow him to release it without touching a target. For now, he concentrated upon filling every object as quickly as its enchantments allowed.

The heating plate became warm before reaching full capacity. Sieghart adjusted his output to prevent the stored mana from activating the tool prematurely. The water pump resisted him in a different way. Its internal channels had become clogged with unstable energy, so forcing more mana inside would damage the enchantment. Sieghart used smaller pulses until the remaining energy settled. He then filled the storage crystal without causing the runes to flicker again. The unknown devices demanded the most precision.

Their crystals stored relatively little mana, but excessive pressure disrupted the delicate formations responsible for carrying messages. Sieghart slowed his Mana Transfusion and observed how the energy moved. The experience resembled pouring water into containers with different openings. Infinite mana meant he never lacked water, but carelessly using a river to fill a bottle would only destroy the bottle. The bows and swords accepted much greater amounts.

Sieghart charged their stored attacks repeatedly until every rune glowed at full strength. One bow held thirty magical arrows. The other stored only twelve, but each projectile appeared considerably larger and carried an ice enchantment. Sieghart wanted to test both weapons. He settled for examining their structures because firing enchanted arrows inside the basement would probably violate several guild rules simultaneously. He continued working after the cart became empty.

Ronan brought another collection of depleted tools and pushed it through the doorway. Sieghart did not complain. Repetition provided a familiar routine, while concentrating on mana prevented his thoughts from returning constantly to the farm. The work also improved Mana Transfusion. Sieghart attempted to reduce the delay between touching an item and discovering how much mana it could accept. Every completed object made the judgment slightly faster.

After charging a heavy shield whose enchantment absorbed physical impacts, a translucent message appeared before him. Mana Transfusion reached Level 18. Mentality +1 Sieghart nodded in satisfaction before moving toward the next item. The attribute increase sharpened his focus enough to make the remaining work feel easier. By the time footsteps approached his room, every weapon and magical tool on both carts had been fully charged.

Sieghart sat beside the final unknown device while inspecting the rune through which mana entered. He barely looked up when the door opened. Mira entered carrying a breakfast tray. Sieghart glanced toward the untouched tray Ronan left earlier, then toward the food he had already eaten.

"That is the second breakfast."

"Don't care. Eat it." Mira placed the tray on the desk before noticing the equipment surrounding him. Every crystal glowed with the color representing full capacity. Her eyebrows rose slightly.

"You charged all of these?"

"Yes."

"When did you start?"

"After I woke up." Mira examined the carts. She picked up one sword, checked the stored enchantment, and then inspected the larger magic bow. The surprise on her face gradually became concern.

"Are you tired?"

"No."

"Headache?"

"No."

"Dizziness, nausea, trembling, or difficulty concentrating?"

"No." Mira placed the bow back on the cart.

"Did you rest between items?"

"I changed tools. That was enough." She examined him as though expecting the symptoms of mana exhaustion to appear after he admitted their existence. Sieghart felt physically rested. Mana Transfusion required attention, but the work had not strained him enough to become uncomfortable. Mira pulled the desk chair away from the wall and sat down.

"You might not be smart enough to understand this yet." Sieghart looked at her.

"That is an interesting way to begin a conversation." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"But this much mana will frighten anyone who sees it."

"I know."

"No, you understand that your mana is unusual. You do not understand how people respond to power they cannot measure." Sieghart looked toward the two carts. The amount stored inside them would have exhausted dozens of ordinary mages. He charged everything before breakfast without losing a meaningful portion of his reserves. Anyone watching would immediately recognize the difference. Even if they did not discover his mana was infinite, they would know its capacity surpassed ordinary limits.

"You should not keep revealing what you can do this casually," Mira said. Sieghart's expression hardened.

"Being careful didn't help me before." Mira remained silent.

"I hid my training for years. I used magic only around the farm and tried to keep people from learning about my mana."

"The war changed that."

"I would have died in the war if I didn't use everything I had." His grandfather would have died sooner if Sieghart held back. The defending army might also have collapsed beneath the Firian commander.

"Then someone attacked the farm anyway," Sieghart continued.

"Being careful didn't protect anyone." Mira studied him for several seconds before releasing a quiet sigh.

"Caution does not guarantee safety."

"Then what is the point?"

"Armor cannot guarantee that a sword will never reach your body. Do you stop wearing armor?" Sieghart said nothing.

"Hiding your abilities cannot eliminate every threat," Mira continued.

"It reduces how many people understand what you can do and how they might counter you."

"The assassin already knows enough."

"The person who hired that assassin may know only rumors. Do not improve their information for free." The logic remained irritatingly reasonable. Charging every object in the basement proved his usefulness, but it also created evidence of his abnormal capacity. Guild members who handled those items would eventually realize someone restored everything at impossible speed. Rumors could spread even within Lunar Arc. Sieghart had lost patience for hiding because secrecy failed at the farm.

Mira was correct that abandoning caution entirely would make another attack easier.

"I need the practice."

"Then practice while limiting how many people see the results." Mira reached inside her coat and removed a thin book. She placed it on the desk beside the breakfast tray.

"You may not need this for its intended purpose, but the exercises should improve your control." Sieghart examined the faded cover. Meditative Breathing Techniques for Mana Recovery He frowned. Mira stood and moved toward the door.

"Read it. Practice the first three exercises, and do not skip the sections discussing posture."

"Why would posture affect mana?"

"The book explains that." She opened the door.

"Are you going to teach me?"

"I am going to finish the paperwork Ronan added to my week." Mira left before Sieghart could ask anything else. The reinforced door closed behind her, leaving him alone with the book and two breakfasts. Sieghart ate while reading the introduction. The text was not nonsense, despite its overly formal language. The author described meditation as deliberate observation rather than mystical emptiness. A practitioner did not need to remove every thought.

They merely needed to allow thoughts to pass without following them, preserving attention for breathing and mana circulation. The first chapter discussed posture. A straight spine prevented muscles from restricting several major mana channels, while relaxed shoulders reduced accidental resistance. Hand position mattered less than comfort, although placing both palms upward helped beginners notice mana gathering inside their fingers. The second chapter described breathing rhythm.

Slow inhalation encouraged ambient mana to enter, while a brief pause allowed the energy to settle. Exhaling released tension and removed the instinctive resistance produced by physical fatigue. The practitioner repeated the cycle until sensing a pattern separate from blood circulation. Sieghart reread that section. The author explicitly warned that mana channels followed paths resembling blood vessels without matching them. Some crossed muscles directly, while others surrounded organs or traveled near the skin.

People who confused the two systems often attempted to force mana along incorrect routes. That mistake caused pain, reduced spell efficiency, and occasionally injured internal tissue. Sieghart wondered how many times he had done exactly that. He had circulated mana beneath his skin to create Protection. Every attempt relied upon feeling and imagination rather than knowledge of actual channels. The third chapter introduced mana recovery.

Once practitioners sensed their internal network, they could draw ambient mana through breathing and guide it toward their natural reservoir. Sieghart definitely did not need that portion. His status displayed an infinite symbol regardless of how much mana he used. Still, understanding how mana entered his body might reveal why his supply never decreased. The possibility encouraged him to continue. Sieghart finished the short book in less than two hours.

Several later chapters described advanced recovery states, but he decided to begin with the first exercise as Mira instructed. He moved the food tray aside and sat on the floor with his back against the bed. The position felt comfortable, but the book specifically discouraged relying upon furniture. Sieghart shifted away and crossed his legs. He straightened his spine, relaxed his shoulders, and placed both hands above his knees. His breathing remained uneven at first.

Memories of smoke and the destroyed bedroom appeared whenever he closed his eyes. Sieghart acknowledged each thought without following it, exactly as the book instructed. He returned his attention to the air entering and leaving his lungs. Slow inhalation. Pause. Slow exhalation. The exercise felt pointless for several minutes. Sieghart sensed his heartbeat, breathing, and the uncomfortable pressure created by sitting still. He continued because stopping early would guarantee failure.

Sieghart had already repeated spells thousands of times for smaller possibilities. Gradually, another sensation appeared. Something entered with each breath. It did not travel into his lungs like air. Mana passed through several points across his chest, throat, and skin before moving deeper. The flow remained faint compared to the enormous power already inside him. Nevertheless, Sieghart could distinguish it once his attention settled. Ambient mana entered his body and joined a far greater current.

That current did not feel like an ordinary reservoir. It moved constantly, replenishing every part of him before anything could become empty. Sieghart attempted to trace the source, but the overwhelming sensation made his concentration slip. The current seemed to emerge from somewhere deep inside him and everywhere at once. He abandoned the source temporarily and focused upon circulation. Mana spread through pathways running alongside his blood vessels without becoming part of them.

Thin channels crossed his arms, gathered around his palms, and branched through every finger. Larger channels followed his spine and surrounded his organs. Another dense network extended beneath his skin, explaining why Protection responded naturally to that area. Sieghart had sensed those movements before, but only as vague pressure. Meditation transformed that pressure into something precise.

He could identify individual currents, intersections, and places where his mana slowed because he forced it through inefficient routes. The experience came surprisingly easily. Perhaps Sieghart possessed an unusually high intelligence, although the system did not display such a parameter. His increased Mentality provided the more likely explanation. Years of magical practice also gave him enough familiarity to recognize sensations the book described. He lacked the theory, not the experience.

Sieghart remained in meditation until every major channel became clear. When he finally opened his eyes, several hours might have passed. The mana lamps had not changed enough to provide a useful measurement. The basement remained quiet. Sieghart raised one hand and activated Protection. The spell responded immediately. Before meditation, he spread mana vaguely beneath his skin and corrected weak areas after sensing them. The process required constant adjustment during activation.

Now Sieghart guided mana through the exact channels supplying each section of his body. Protection covered him in less than half the previous time. He deactivated the spell and tried again. The second activation became faster. Sieghart continued until Protection appeared almost as soon as he formed the intention. The white mana spread evenly without leaving weak gaps. He then increased the output.

Instead of forcing more energy through every route simultaneously, Sieghart widened the flow at several major intersections and distributed it across smaller channels. Protection became denser around his body. A faint white layer appeared over his skin before fading from ordinary sight. A notification emerged. Protection reached Level 3. Sieghart stared at the message before increasing the output again. His mana answered instantly, but the channels resisted the sudden pressure.

Sieghart reduced the flow and adjusted each pathway separately. He reinforced his arms, legs, chest, neck, and head before connecting the sections into one continuous defensive layer. The mental strain increased as Protection became stronger. Sieghart continued circulating mana while keeping his breathing steady. Inhale. Pause. Exhale. The spell stopped feeling like energy smeared beneath his skin. It became a structured current flowing through his entire body. Sieghart increased the output one final time.

Protection thickened. The air near his skin shifted slightly, while pressure settled around him like an invisible suit of armor. Protection reached Level 4. Sieghart released the spell and immediately massaged his eyebrows. The rapid progression left a deep ache behind his eyes despite his rising Mentality. Two levels in a single session proved the book had addressed something fundamental. Sieghart had spent years increasing mana output without understanding where that mana moved.

He looked toward the meditation guide resting on the desk. The title still appeared useless. Sieghart would never require breathing exercises to restore a supply represented by infinity. Everything beneath the title mattered. He had learned advanced elemental combinations, killed monsters, defeated a battlefield commander, created healing magic, and cast enough spells to frighten experienced adults. Somehow, he accomplished all of that without learning the most basic method for sensing his own mana channels.

Sieghart sighed and leaned back against the bed. He had learned magic like someone who mastered dunking before discovering how to dribble. For six years, he had not been a prodigy following an unusual path. He had been learning everything backward.