Chương 9: Manaborn

CH 9 - Manaborn A moment passed, and Grey's heartbeat returned. Its beat was weak, as if trying to start up again but lacked some critical component. Grey remembered the illustration of the magic monkey's mana hearts and trusted his instincts. He used his shapeshifting to change the shape of his heart to accommodate the mana being infused. He added a new chamber, valve, and many vessels to allow for the processing of mana into the bloodstream. I wonder if I can modify my lungs to inhale mana also?

An interesting thought passed his mind while he continued fortifying his heart shape. He felt the last bit of mana from the bug enter his heart, but he wasn't finished yet. He quickly chewed on a large leaf that tasted like dirt from the second sample jar. The leaf's juices were full of mana. It entered his system through his stomach lining much faster than the bug. All of it infused into his heart until his reconstruction was complete.

The organ reset once more before finally started pumping mana into his bloodstream. Something's wrong. The pain from modifying his heart wasn't too intense, but suddenly, his veins and arteries faced an agonizing, searing sensation. His circulatory system was not nearly strong enough to contain mana. I'm so stupid. Why didn't I think about it? Arteries started bursting open all across his body, sprays of blood shot out in every direction. Ok, think this out.

I can either bail now, try to return my heart to normal, and possibly end up a cripple, or I can try to adapt to the mana in my blood. Reverting might be safer, but I'd have to hole up here in the inn while I recover. Grey thought about his family. He hadn't talked to them since the integration, and he didn't know if they were safe. He needed to get stronger, and he was running out of time in the city. Willpower flared through him as he thought about the people he cared about most.

He tossed the final 3 samples into his mouth all at once and swallowed. A wave of mana entered his stomach and flowed into his bloodstream. The pressure on his arteries increased. He focused on densifying the mana in his blood and tapped into his ability. He needed to condense the walls of each vein and artery, while infusing mana into them so that they could be sturdy enough to handle the pressure of the mana in his blood now. Deep in meditation, Grey repaired his circulatory system for hours.

He used his aura to supplement the process, keeping himself awake and alert through sheer willpower. The sun rose outside before he opened his eyes. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Grey took a deep breath and chugged down the health potion he had prepared for himself.

"I did it…" Then.. Darkness… His eyes felt so heavy that he couldn't help but fall into a deep sleep. (New ability) (Passive) Blood Manipulation(E) (New ability) (Passive) Mana Heart (E) (New skill) Sense Mana (F) (New skill) Mana Manipulation(F) (New title) Manaborn: Obtain mana manipulation through your own efforts Effect: INT + WIS: +10% [Titles now give % increases to stats, rather than flat increases.] (Race) Human (F) has evolved into Magic Human (E) —- Grey forced open his eyes.

All the healing he had done in his sleep had left him totally scabbed over. After washing the smell of death off himself, he went downstairs and had some breakfast before going to tell Ryzen the results of his evolution. Ryzen was excited to t alk more, but Grey was exhausted. As a gift, Ryzen gave Grey a spell, and advice on how to use his new mana heart, " With a mana heart, you should be able to circulate mana within your bloodstream. You will be able to use internal magic."

"Here, let's test your school of magic." Grey held his hand on a similar orb as the one at the Starlight Sect. When it lit up a deep violet shade, Ryzen nodded as if he expected it.

"Alteration is your only magic school with any potential. Makes sense... given you are a shapeshifter. As a human, you should look into body cultivation techniques as well." Grey figured his simple time with the body cultivation manual must not be too special.

"Those who can use alteration spells typically have an easier time reinforcing themselves with Qi as well." Ryzen said goodbye, and asked to hear back results of his transformation the next time they speak. When Grey asked when the next time he would be able to see him, Ryzen responded, "You will have one more opportunity to return here. That is all I can say." From the sincerity of his gifts, Grey could start to believe the old wizard was actually sorry about his reckless experiment when they first met.

Grey's evolution and all the skills he gained didn't come as a surprise. Every brush with death taught him that taking risks had great payoffs. The mana in his blood made him feel as if he had more energy. He tried his Sense Mana (F) skill and could "feel" mana in his immediate atmosphere. It was weak in most places; mana mostly radiated from mana-rich items like the samples Ryzen gave him, or mana stones.

Ryzen felt powerful when Grey tested his (Sense Mana) on him, confirming that the old man was more than what he appeared to be. Finally, achieving what he needed to here in the city, he felt good as their time at the hostel was nearly up. Back in his room, he opened up his new scroll. Ryzen designed a spell for him based on his experience with animals that used boosting spells similar to Grey's fighting style. Not many intelligent humanoids have a system of mana like Grey.

Since Grey has mana blood instead of mana circuits, the spells he can deploy for now are limited. Grey read from the scroll: Boost uses mana as a direct fuel source for muscles, bypassing the body's reliance on glycogen/sugars. This means there should be no lactic acid buildup, and I can fight tirelessly? Lactic acid causes cramping, which meant that while using the spell, he wouldn't get tired until he ran out of mana. He could also draw out more mana to overclock his natural muscle ability.

Muscle tissue would still be strained, so prolonged use would come with fatigue and soreness. The biggest downside for such a spell is backlash, but with Grey's healing ability, it should be okay. Grey was impressed with the thoroughness Ryzen had put into designing the spell. The more I learn about magic, the more it sounds like a school of science to me. I bet magic technology is incredible too. [New Skill: Boost (E): Use mana as energy for bodily function. Reduces biological limits of muscles. Mana cost is variable based on consumption of energy.]