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Before departing, the Shadow Lord had given Selion a clear deadline.
Two months.
He had to turn Tariki's color to white within that time. Otherwise… Nothing had been said about what would happen, but Selion felt the weight of the task in his very bones.
As soon as he returned home, he stepped into the backyard without wasting a moment. He had a few ideas in mind. His first attempt was a traditional method from his past life: a rigorous training process to synchronize with Tariki.
He fought for days, weeks, under the sun and rain, day and night… With every swing, he hoped to awaken something within the sword. But nothing happened.
Time was slipping away. Only five weeks remained.
The sword was still black.
So, he moved on to his second idea: Elemental Mana.
But he knew absolutely nothing about it. Neither how it worked, nor whether it was even real.
To find answers, he went to his teacher.
The teacher narrowed his eyes and looked at him closely.
"Why are you here, little genius?"
"Is elemental mana real? And if it is, how can I use it?"
His teacher's expression suddenly changed—he was shocked.
"How is he thinking like this… at this age?" he wondered silently, then spoke aloud:
"Why are you asking this? If it exists... what would you do with it?"
"I need this knowledge to become stronger."
The teacher remained silent for a moment. Then he answered in a serious tone:
"Elemental mana exists. But in your current state, you can't even sense or see it."
"Then… what must I do to achieve that?"
The teacher looked into Selion's eyes and replied:
"To see the elements with your eyes, you must first channel mana into them. And for that, you need to circulate mana throughout your body. Now listen closely…"
"First, close your eyes. Imagine a black void. In this void, begin drawing your own body. Then add your heart. And from the heart, veins spreading through your body… Like a web."
"Mana is our life energy, Selion. And as you might guess, it comes from the heart. You must learn to spread this energy from your heart to your entire body."
Selion listened intently. He went back home immediately and sat cross-legged in the backyard. He closed his eyes and began visualizing, just as his teacher had instructed.
His body, his heart, the veins… The flow of mana…
The mana had just barely moved past his heart.
He began another phase of training. This training lasted ten days.
Each time, Selion made a bit more progress, but the process was painfully slow. And time was running out. So he had to find another way.
An idea struck him—what if he absorbed the mana of monsters he had slain, like Tariki itself? As if filling a bucket with water, he would fill his body with mana.
He immediately headed for the forest behind the academy. Taking a deep breath, he entered and began walking deeper into the woods.
That's when he encountered a mana beast: a Horned Boar. For someone his age, this creature was quite dangerous. But Selion was no ordinary student.
"Lightning!"
He cast the spell instantly. The boar staggered. Selion didn't miss the opportunity—he drew Tariki. But the boar wasn't going down that easily.
Selion charged toward it with what little mana he had left. Just as he was about to strike, the boar slammed into him, sending him crashing into a tree.
Using his last remaining mana, Selion activated Quick Steps and began leaping from tree to tree.
The boar couldn't keep up with his speed. As he darted between trees, Selion landed strikes with his blade. Eventually, he brought the beast down.
But he hadn't pierced the beast with his sword—its mana was still inside.
Selion leaned over its body.
But there was a problem: he didn't know how to absorb the mana.
He returned to his teacher and shared everything he had done with great excitement. His teacher responded with a proud but slightly surprised smile:
"Exactly what I expected from you. Your mind works unlike any of your peers'. In fact, this was the fastest path. But I didn't tell you because I wanted you to discover it on your own. And it seems I didn't need to, did I?"
"If you truly want to pursue this path, I'll show you only the beginning. Focus on my hand…"
The teacher pressed his palm to Selion's. Suddenly, a warm energy surged into Selion's hand.
"Now you can transfer the mana from monsters you defeat. Start from your hand and spread the mana through your body."
Without delay, Selion returned to the boar. He placed his hand on its body. The warmth from his teacher was still present in his palm. He began to spread the mana starting from the lower part of his body.
Like water filling a bucket.
The sky was gradually darkening. The sun disappeared behind the mountains.
It was Friday. No school tomorrow. He had two full days ahead.
He walked home slowly. The sky had darkened completely. The house was silent. He stepped inside.
"Mom?" he called out.
No answer.
He quietly walked through the rooms. When he opened the kitchen door, the lights suddenly turned on.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SELION!!"
Standing before him were his mother, father, grandmother, and little Alice. All smiling.
Selion froze. His eyes welled with tears.
He had forgotten… Today was his birthday.
And for the first time… it was being celebrated.
Birthdays were special to Selion. In his past life, they were never celebrated. His father always told him to train instead—that foolish things like this didn't matter.
He couldn't hold back his tears. He cried. His mother hugged him tightly. His father smiled and offered the cake. Alice waved her gift with excitement.
That day was a turning point in Selion's life.
That night, his heart and mind were full.
And that day… was etched into his memory.