Chương 14

It felt wrong. Something about watching the beetles die before his eyes, too weak to do anything against the raging fire that engulfed them, didn't feel right. Hakon went against his father's teachings as he came up with the plan. It was simple and didn't require much muscle. All he needed was a fire and to find the beetle's nest. Once he did both, it was only a matter of time. Hakon ignited branches and threw them into the anthill that was home to a small group of beetles and ants.

He fueled the fire with the beetle's acidic spit, which lit up even better than rendered fat. Hakon spread their spit and waited for the beetles and ants to emerge from the hell. And they did, some of them, but fighting them barely posed a threat. It was easy. Simple, and Hakon felt something stir within him. Enhanced Comprehension prodded him, tried to tell him what he could have done better to acquire one, if not multiple, Skills, but he was not sure if he liked that. It just felt wrong. Like…

where was the honor in all this? Was there any honor in fighting monsters in such a pathetic way in the first place? Disgusting. That it was. Strategy was not necessarily a bad thing, but this certainly was. Hakon hated it, himself, for even trying. This was not the way of the Barbarians. And while he may be different from other Barbarians, the least he wanted was to be true to himself. # As much as he wanted to continue fighting in the normal way, he had to recover. He should recover. It was necessary.

His body screamed and threatened to escape his control. But with the Level he gained in [Flow Control], Hakon was unwilling to rest. The Skill Upgrade was so close, so… he might as well continue to use it. Right? Maybe it was not the smartest decision, but guiding mana through the pathways came with a soothing effect. The warmth made his wounds itch. That part was not particularly enjoyable, which could only mean that they healed faster. That was what it was, wasn't it?

It was not the first time his wounds itched after his father beat him up in a 'spar.' His bruises, and especially the cuts and other open wounds, would often keep him awake when he wanted nothing more than to rest. Guiding mana through the pathways near some of the less grievous cuts made them itch badly. Like, really badly. More than once, Hakon was compelled to scratch the cuts open and gouge out the itch deep within the wound. It was a good thing he had enough willpower to keep his hands away.

Hakon watched the faint wounds heal as he used [Flow Control], a smile creeping up his face. That was much better than resting. He was recovering, all while doing something useful. Time passed slowly. The itches kept him awake even as bright daylight was suddenly replaced by darkness, his smile growing wide as more and more messages flooded in. One of which made him use the Acidic Beetle's sacs. It was probably not the smartest of his choices, but it worked as well as he'd hoped for, if not better.

More messages trickled in as the darkness around him grew denser, the howls and hollering screeches of nocturnal monsters echoing in the distance. Only when his mana mass was empty did Hakon finally cave in to exhaustion. # His mana had still not recovered when he woke up. The mana mass was empty, which made no sense. It should be full already. At least most of it should have recovered by now. Daylight had returned to the Fracture, which could only mean he'd slept for a while.

And considering how great his body felt, he slept a lot longer than he should have. Glancing down at his body, the smaller cuts he sustained in the previous battle were no longer visible. Not even scars remained. The burn marks on his leg were also healed, so were the burns he inflicted on himself with beetle spit. What surprised him the most was his ankle. After nearly losing his foot, Hakon had been threatening its recovery.

Even as a Barbarian, it would, or should, have taken a young warrior several days of rest to recover. As much as he wanted to win the Battle of Generation, he needed to be at his peak to conquer the Fracture and earn the Levels needed to defeat Ulfar and other Bloodbearers. He came up with several plans to use and improve his Skills to potentially earn the 10th Level and reach the 1st Ascension to heal faster. But looking at his leg and the wound that had been severe the day before, Hakon could only smile.

The bone was no longer visible. His red flesh, on the other hand, still was visible but a lot had regrown and knitted itself together, turning a grievous wound into something far more mundane. He got up to his feet and put some weight on both sides and barely felt some minor discomfort. And even that was overwhelmed by the itching sensation coming from a rapidly healing body. That left him with yet another mystery. His body was absorbing mana at this very moment, yet it never reached the mana mass.

The answer came in a flood. Not of power or vitality but messages. [Proficiency gained. [Flow Control Lv. 16] improved to [Flow Control Lv. 17]] [Proficiency gained. [Pain Tolerance Lv. 5] improved to [Pain Tolerance Lv. 6]] [Proficiency gained. [Poison Resistance Lv. 2] improved to [Poison Resistance Lv. 3]] … [Proficiency gained. [Flow Control Lv. 19] improved to [Flow Control Lv. 20]] [Upgrade Flow Control – Conditions have been met.] 1) Pathway Purity exceeds threshold (22. 1%/20%) 2) Level requirement met (20/20) [Upgrade initiated. [Flow Control Lv. 20] upgraded to [Circulation Lv. 1]] [Skill [Natural Regeneration] has been learned.] [Proficiency gained. [Natural Regeneration Lv. 1] improved to [Natural Regeneration Lv. 2]] [Proficiency gained. [Natural Regeneration Lv. 2] improved to [Natural Regeneration Lv. 3]] Hakon sorted through the messages and located the culprit. [Natural Regeneration]. He heard of similar powers before.

Most means of superior healing come from Runeskins or Ancient Powers. However, it was also possible to acquire powerful Skills. The majority of times those Skills belonged to Bloodbearers. Their bodies were tough and they healed quickly. For warriors like them, claiming a Skill that allowed them to heal faster was only a matter of time. Others… had it a lot harder. [Natural Regeneration] was not something he'd heard of before. Not as a natural Skill. It was not very powerful either.

From the way it looked like, [Natural Regeneration] used the mana circulating through his body to repair him at all times, but it could be overcharged to heal him faster. At the expense of mana. The mana he was now missing. But as much as the empty mass in his abdomen bothered him, Hakon smiled. He was happy. How could he not be? His leg was mostly healed, the soreness of the past few days had faded, and he'd acquired a Skill with the potential to become as powerful as the Bloodbearer's healing as it improved.

Two powerful Skills, he corrected himself.

"Circulation." An upgraded Skill. It was definitely not what Hakon expected his first upgraded Skill to be, or that he'd acquire a Skill Upgrade anytime soon. Considering his Skills, it didn't look like it would take long before he'd perform his first Skill Fusion either. He only knew the Skills necessary for two Skill Fusions, one of which was rather common among Barbarians. Although only a minority bothered with them. It was also what his father had trained him for, knowing it would strengthen him greatly.

Skill Fusion, huh? Should I give it a try? Hakon shook his head. Before that, he'd have to test [Circulation]. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Activating the upgraded Skill, Hakon noticed a stark contrast to [Flow Control]. Activating the Skill was enough to sense something around him. It was somewhat familiar, yet the sensation was different from what he first thought… Until it brushed against his skin. Mana!

He didn't realize it before, but there was mana in the air. Everywhere. It was almost like mana was ever-present in the Fracture.

"Is that it? Is mana everywhere?" Was the ambient mana outside the Fracture as easily perceived as it was here? Hakon didn't know, but he knew that he was in pain. Mana flowed toward him as he used his newest Skill, only to be burned through at once. [Circulation] churned through a large amount of mana, or tried to, and it feasted on something much deeper within Hakon when it had no more mana to use.

Confused and a little startled, he deactivated the upgraded Skill the moment it feasted on the energy he didn't know was there. No… he knew that it was there. He even knew what it was. His life. [Circulation] feasted on the very energy that allowed him to stand tall and fight his foes vigorously when it did not receive the mana needed to maintain its weakest form. As scary as that was, the new Skill made him curious. It helps me perceive the mana around me. But that is not its main function. He shook his head.

It can help me recover more mana. Absorb the mana around me to recover mana. But it uses mana at the same time to empower me. As curious as it was, the Skill was not easy to control. It would take him quite a while to figure out how to make it work efficiently. To use [Circulation] to strengthen him like [Flow Control] strengthened him, and what he could possibly do to shape [Circulation] into a Skill that could help him recover mana efficiently at the same time.

To use it to recover more mana than the Skill required to be maintained. There had to be a way, and Hakon wanted it. Needed it. But to start experimenting, he had to fill his mana mass first. How do I do that? There was mana around me. Even now there is, but I cannot even sense it without using [Circulation]. That was the first problem he would have to solve, and it probably required him to use his new Skill a few times. He chuckled at the prospect and got started.

As he bounded around, his every move adjusted to the feeling that lingered in the back of his mind, Hakon could not help but think about his growth. The Rite had only been a few nights ago. Nights filled with less sleep than he had since forever. But he did not feel all that bad. If anything, it was almost like he could go several nights without sleep before he'd collapse. As long as his mind and body weren't dead-tired or severely wounded, that is.

That aside, Hakon felt great, and he was already close to the 1st Ascension. That was phenomenal. Continuing to grow like that would ensure he'd perform exceptionally in the Battle of Generation. That made him wonder how the others were doing. Björn and Astrid, but also Ulfar and the Bloodbearers. Astrid might be close to her 1st Ascension. The rest… Hakon doubted it. The 1st Ascension was the easiest to reach, yet it took most warriors a fortnight. The average warriors might even take a little longer.

They only had half a fortnight between the Rite and the Battle of Generation. It was a feat to reach the 1st Ascension in that time. Something only the strongest Barbarians could do. Even then, it was hard. After all, not every power was as easy to wield as Enhanced Comprehension. But our generation is nothing like those before us. The current generation was strong. Some of it was owed to the cycles the young warriors spent training, waiting for the Rite. They'd been ready for cycles, only to wait and train…

and fight among each other. Rivalry was yet another reason Tribe Taskur's youngest generation was greater than others. Still, Bloodbearers needed time to get used to their Ancient Power. To tame their Bloodline as it merged with their Ancient Power. The stronger the Blood they awakened, the harder it would be to control, to tame. Ulfar was a prime example. He was bound to have the most difficulties managing his power. Behemoth Blood. As mighty as it was, it was ferocious.

As soon as he subdued the beast within him, Ulfar would be the strongest. And, knowing him, Hakon was sure Ulfar would tame his Bloodline before the Battle of Generation. There was no doubt about it. The only question was how long Ulfar would take. The longer taking full rein of his Bloodline took, the fewer Levels and Skills he'd earn. He won't reach the 1st Ascension. That was something Hakon was sure of. Even if Ulfar would be getting close to the 1st Ascension, Ulfar's father would stop him.

Not because he wanted his son to lose but because the 1st Ascension would strengthen Ulfar's Behemoth Blood once more. Ancient Powers grew stronger through the Ascension. For Bloodbearers that was as precious as it was dangerous. Failure to remain in charge of their Bloodline would result in death. Precisely, a loss of control, the birth of a monster, and a merciful end by decapitation. Losing control was not something Hakon had to fear. If anything, he looked forward to Enhanced Comprehension's growth.

It excited him, for he needed as much power as possible to deal with his enemies. For every Level Ulfar earned, he'd be twice as strong as others. In terms of physical strength, Hakon stood no chance. He had too much of a head start, his physical prowess likely surpassing those of regular non-combatant Barbarians at Level 10, possibly even 15 depending on the Behemoth Blood's potency… all while he was Level 1. The other Bloodbearers would be less of an issue. Hakon was confident in his strength.

As long as he reached the 1st Ascension and learned how to properly wield [Circulation], he'd be strong enough to face the Giant Blood warriors head-on. Ulfar was experienced, and so were the others, but there was a drastic difference. Hakon had always been stronger than all of them. Ulfar was the closest, and he'd managed to beat Hakon a few times. The others? Never. He knew them all. The strength of every single one of them. Their prowess with every weapon and their antics.

Hakon had sparred with all of them dozens of times. Even if they improved their Skills by a few Levels, would that and a few new Skills really be enough to change the hierarchy they established many cycles ago? Hakon did not think so. But even if it did make a change, he still had three nights before he had to be back. [Proficiency gained. [Running Lv. 8] improved to [Running Lv. 9]] He smiled at the message. Even deep in thought, Enhanced Comprehension was at work.

Discarding doubts and plans, Hakon followed his gut feeling. He continued to run around, his posture adapting accordingly. The Crawling Expanse was massive. It extended much farther than the eye could see, yet he didn't find any more Giant Ants or Acidic Beetles. Instead, he found a few other monsters. A bunch of eagles that attacked him the moment they sighted him and other monsters that seemed as mindless as the birds. They attacked and suffered the consequences, Hakon's blades drinking in their blood.

Compared to the Giant Ants and Acidic Beetles, these other monsters were odd. They were not much stronger. If anything, they were only a little faster and equipped with razor-sharp talons and claws. As dangerous as they would have been outside the Fracture, inside here they were among the weaker monsters. [Evasion] and [Combat Awareness] was all Hakon needed to avoid their initial strike before a blade weaved its way to the monster's heart or neck. Some were beheaded, others were simply stabbed to death.

[Weakness Detection] also worked excellently on those with weaker defenses. Overextending on his Skills ought to have pushed them to the next Level. Alas, it didn't.

"Sensing mana in combat does not work," Hakon noted, wiping the blood splatters from his cheek.

"Or maybe it is possible, and I am just too insensitive to it." He tilted his head to the side and activated [Circulation]. For a handful of moments only. Doing so allowed him to feel the mana around him without burning too much mana. As soon as [Circulation]'s effect ended, his senses toned down. It was almost like his senses were a dull blade when [Circulation] wasn't active. That resembled [Combat Awareness]'s effect, only that different senses were enhanced by the respective Skills.

Hakon did not return to running right away. He bent down and studied the monster carcasses. As useless as it may look at first glance, Hakon felt it was the right thing. He needed to know more, nurture his mind, train it, to make use of the Mind. The Ancestors gave him this power for a reason. They knew the Mind was the right power for him. That he and Enhanced Comprehension were made for each other. So, he studied the corpses. First from outside.

Then he used [Dismantling] to remove all the parts that could be turned into weapons. Hakon used [Field Crafting] and carved a tiny scratch in the talons, claws, and other parts, hoping the Ancestors would understand him. He wanted to keep the body parts and maybe use them later. He then moved them into a fur bag, which he made out of some wolf fur. It was not the best, and it would stink unbearably in a few days, but it would do for a bit. It would last until he was back in the tribe, which was more than enough.

[Field Crafting] and [Dismantling] improved twice as he worked on the bodies and crafted a makeshift bag. While not crucial for combat, the extra Levels would make work easier in the future. He used [Circulation] several times whenever he was done with a carcass and waited until he felt the mana all around him before releasing the Skill. It was a waste of time and precious mana.

Mana that could have been used to practice [Dash] or other tests, and Hakon gradually lost confidence in himself when he realized something. The first time he used [Circulation], he sensed the surrounding mana for four moments. The next few times were all the same. By the time he used it ten times, the mana around him remained for five moments. It either lasted longer… or he got used to sensing it. Learned how the mana outside him was supposed to feel like.

"I thought it would feel the same, but it's different. So different." Hakon rubbed his chin, discarding all other thoughts to zone in on his newest findings. The mana that entered his body was different from the rest. No! It was not the mana that entered his body, but the mana that was already inside him. The mana he could freely control was unlike the mana around him. It was a simple realization, yet it had taken him a while to fully understand it.

The difference of mana reminded him of the flood of mana he received with every Level. Taking full reins of the mana was difficult. Almost like the flood's mana did not belong to him. It had been inside him, yet it had not been his yet. The more he thought about the mana flood, the more he compared it with the mana around him. Hakon had to use [Circulation] another dozen times, burning through his reserves, to preserve the sensation for eight seconds.

He stopped searching for his mana and tuned his senses to the surrounding mana. By the time Hakon adjusted both mind and body enough to sense mana for ten seconds after activating [Circulation], something shifted. It was almost like his body accepted the change his mind had undergone. The mind adapted, it comprehended a lingering trace, and his body molded and took upon a form that accommodated the change.

Last but not least, he sensed a minute amount of mana as it brushed across his skin, without [Circulation] enhancing his perception. [Skill [Mana Sense] has been learned.] Hakon leaped to his feet, fist pumping into the air. Overwhelmed by euphoria and anticipation, he roared aloud. Now that he'd acquired [Mana Sense], it was only a matter of time before he could sense all the mana around him. That left him with two important tasks.

First, he had to figure out how to use [Mana Sense] to improve [Circulation]'s efficiency to replenish more mana than the Skill used. Doing so would help him find out his upgraded Skill's limit. Second, he could use [Mana Sense] to project his own mana outside his body. To use mana to strengthen his weapons like it strengthened his body via [Circulation]. Hakon had no idea how to do that, but he was sure it was possible. It had to be. Somehow. Then there were his Deeds.

Hakon forgot to claim them in all the trouble he'd gone through.