Chapter 12 Ki and Mana (1)
Last.
fleeting moment.
Jonathan clearly saw how Roman fought back.
‘Nonsense.’
just one step.
Except for that place, everything was dead.
If you step back, you will be hit by a wooden sword that has received momentum, and even if you fall to the side, you cannot escape from the sword’s realm.
Aura is an explosive force.
The eruption of aura is specialized in momentarily exerting power, and the longer the power is transmitted, the more disadvantageous it is to block it.
So, of course, I thought Roman, who was just an ordinary person, was dangerous, but the results that unfolded were different from what I expected.
It broke the area of attack.
Just by taking a step forward, he prevented the opponent from fully displaying his power, and boldly dodged the attack in front of him with a slightly twisted face.
It really was a narrow gap.
Even in a situation where his face might be smashed as it is, Roman managed to subdue Chris with an unwavering stance.
astonished
beyond common sense
Jonathan couldn’t accept the reality in front of him.
‘… I didn’t know anything about Master Roman.’
Roman is an idiot.
It is true that there were negative emotions when he gave up without making any effort because he had the experience of teaching him himself.
But Roman in front of him was different.
Not only did Roman have the temperament of a matcher who does not know how to give up, but his basic skills as a swordsman were very solid in the first place.
A counterattack that destroys the opponent with a moment’s timing is not like a lucky punch.
Only when you have enough basic skills and the ability to put your thoughts into practice can you succeed in a game that is ridiculous in the eyes of others.
solid defense.
A water-flowing attack.
sure
Roman’s skills were not something that could be perfected in one or two years, but a little deeper years had melted into them.
‘When did you grow up like this?’
I searched for memories.
In fact, just a month ago, I saw Roman wandering the streets drunk.
how pathetic
Dmitri’s notoriety as an idiot was further exacerbated by his high-pitched screams and mischief.
pitiful human being.
Apparently, that was the case with Jonathan’s memory.
But now, starting with the Blood Fang incident, he even defeated Chris, the Knight of Aura.
It was then.
Baron Romero, who was watching Dalian together, said with a bewildered expression.
“Jonathan Knight Commander.”
“yes.”
“How the hell did this happen? Deputy Knight Commander Chris is the 2-star Aura Knight that Dmitri is proud of.”
It was the same.
embarrassing moment.
Baron Romero needed an explanation.
He wanted to hear the reason for his son’s rapid growth through Jonathan’s mouth.
momentary hesitation.
Looking at Roman and Baron Romero alternately with complicated eyes, he gave the most common sense answer after thinking about it.
“… It seems that Master Roman is a genius in swordsmanship.”
Roman caught his breath.
My cheeks were stinging.
When I raised my hand and touched the area of pain, I saw drops of blood flowing from the thinly cut wound.
‘It’s pitiful.’
chris.
He was not a bad performer.
He knew how to push his opponent aggressively and his eyes to read the flow of the fight were quite sharp.
the problem is.
‘It’s not bad by the standards of this world.’
Having dealt with the Bloodfang gang, including Ben Miles, I knew it was the degree of strength.
If it was Chris’ skill, he would wipe out dozens of them.
Of all the people I’ve met, except for Jonathan, he seems to be the strongest.
But what about Baek Joong-hyuk’s standards?
lowest (lowest).
The Demonic Cult’s low end warriors seemed to be stronger than Chris.
The eruption of the aura at the end was threatening enough, but compared to the method used in Moorim, it was sloppy.
‘It was a fairly sloppy outburst of energy. To the point where I don’t understand why they use it so much. It seems to be the power of mana Hans said, but this world uses it in a different way than we do.’
I was curious.
come.
I wanted to find out about it.
In the future world, it was necessary to accurately figure out what kind of power they were using.
But then.
“Ha ha ha ha ha.”
I heard Baron Romero’s laughter.
Hearing Jonathan’s answer, he showed a genuinely happy face when he heard that his son was a genius.
“My son, my eldest son, is a genius in swordsmanship. Knight Commander Jonathan Are you sure?”
“yes. Other reasons cannot explain Master Roman’s growth. In the meantime, I don’t think I’ve been able to recognize the true character of Master Roman because my ability is low. Master Roman is definitely a genius.”
“okay? He is truly a genius.”
face stretched out
Baron Romero looked at Roman and beckoned him to come closer.
“Son.”
“yes.”
“I have never felt as good as I did today. I am very proud of you. As Knight Commander Jonathan said, I want to applaud the fact that my son, Roman, has accomplished something alone, not because he is a genius in swordsmanship. If there is anything you want, tell me now. Reward and punishment must be certain. I will make sure this father gives a special reward for my son.”
Romero Dmitri.
It was his real face.
He was angry at his son’s departure, but he was a son everyone acknowledged as a fool.
He was also not good at parenting, so he couldn’t express his emotions properly, but he genuinely loved Roman.
compensation.
The plate was laid.
Usually, he smiled at his father’s award, but Roman’s reaction was different.
to be punished.
It was a familiar life for Roman, and something came to mind the moment Baron Romero mentioned the award.
“I know that my enlistment in the military is inevitable as my marriage to the Lawrence family has fallen apart. My two younger brothers who left for the capital cannot afford to serve in the military, so in six months I will have to leave for the battlefield. That’s why I’m telling you, please give me the power to choose the troops I’m going to take with me. And I hope you will support the amount generated in the process.”
It was straightforward.
Baron Romero was taken aback by the fairly specific proposal.
“… Huh.”
military service obligations.
It was a bitter reality just thinking about it.
As the Kingdom of Cairo, which belongs to a small country, it had to share the kingdom’s danger in such a way.
It is an unavoidable reality.
Married nobles can be temporarily exempted from military service, but Roman accepted the reality and changed his mind.
I wanted to trust my son.
Roman’s life.
All you can do as a father is to help him soar high.
“i get it. I will grant you full powers related to military service.”
“And I have one last favor for you.”
“Tell me. If you show the way you are now, this father can do anything for his son.”
Was it because the expectations were low?
Baron Romero’s faith was blind.
Roman smiled lightly and looked at Chris lying on the floor.
“I want to learn aura in the future. So, please assign that prosecutor I dealt with for private lessons.”
new artifact.
Now is the time to get to know the world a little more.
* * *
How much time has passed.
Chris opened his eyes.
In a situation where the deep blue sky was pouring into his eyes, he shed tears without knowing himself.
“It’s really embarrassing.”
Defeat.
It was an embarrassing reality.
I wanted to hide my face in a rat hole at the fact that I had been defeated by Dmitri’s idiot, not by anyone else.
But what can I do?
that it is real.
The fact that he was defeated by Roman did not change, and when he woke up, he saw his reflection in the mirror. It was disastrous.
Chris, who was proud of his handsome appearance, was called handsome, but in the mirror there was a nerd (?) with two front teeth missing.
A situation as hopeless as defeat. I hurriedly checked the arena to check the broken tooth, but there was no way to put it back in place.
“… Will I die?”
It was a moment of genuine concern.
The problem was not only that.
An order fell like a bolt from the blue sky to him who couldn’t get out of the pit of despair.
“Yes???!”
“I know how you feel. But Chris. It is an order from the lord.”
“Knight Commander, no, Master. Isn’t this a bit Now that I’m defeated by Master Roman and become an idiot without my front teeth, are you saying that Master Roman should teach you to come? It’s not real. Even if the title is blown off as a penalty for protest, this is unacceptable.”
I was lying down on the floor.
mortal will.
I never wanted to see Roman’s face again.
Since it was a bad relationship in the first place, losing to Roman felt more humiliating than ever.
said Jonathan.
“I will make you an offer.”
“… .”
“Use the excuse of teaching Master Roman to find out exactly how he has changed. If you handle this task well, I will allow you to transfer the secret weapon that you have been putting off.”
“… Are you serious?”
“okay.”
“madam.”
Chris jumped up from his seat.
Biggie.
The secret to making Jonathan a 3-star Aura Knight.
Chris, who always longed for his secret, couldn’t possibly refuse Jonathan’s offer.
“I won’t say anything else later.”
annoying voice.
at last.
Chris has crossed an irreversible river.
* * *
The next day.
Chris met Roman.
however.
food.
Roman laughed.
Suddenly, Chris opened his eyes.
The two of them didn’t talk at all, just looked at their faces, but the sudden laughter was so obvious.
‘Hey fuck.’
missing front teeth.
The wind blew through them.
Chris already regrets accepting the offer, but in order to achieve his goal, he had to do the things he didn’t like.
Calming the bubbling anger, Chris said with a nonchalant face.
“I will explain about the aura from now on.”
come.
It was a branch of mana and meant the power used by knights.
While wizards stored mana in circles, knights basically spread mana throughout their bodies.
“The person who invented the aura is Emperor Alexander, who is called the Forerunner. Unlike sorcerers, he was the first to figure out how to strengthen the human body by spreading mana throughout the body. The aura refers to the power to instantaneously release this mana. Mana, which normally spreads throughout the body, erupts in an instant according to the will of the user, demonstrating its powerful power.”
“… .”
Roman’s attitude was serious.
He didn’t even bother with Chris’ explanation, nor did he show a playful attitude.
When he was in class, he showed a serious side, and Chris’s antipathy subsided to some extent.
“Actually, knowing the history of the aura is not important. Mana is a power that can only be used by the chosen ones, and one per thousand can walk the path of a wizard. So it’s important to check those qualities first. The minimum condition an aura knight must have is to feel mana. Most of the time, it’s frustrating at this stage. In my case, it took half a year to feel mana, but in fact, even if it took a year, if you only feel mana, you’re above average. Therefore, it is a realm of talent.”
It was a statement tinged with a bit of pride.
He was quite proud of himself.
As a disciple of Jonathan, when he felt mana after half a year, Dmitri was upset that a genius had appeared.
chris.
he was like that
But Roman didn’t show the reaction he wanted.
“1 year. It means determining the possibilities within it.”
“yes. If you don’t feel mana for a year, it’s practically correct to give up the path of an aura knight.”
“Then, let’s start by feeling the mana. Can you describe the way you experienced it?”
“of course.”
I was a little bit proud of myself.
But it was fine.
When the mana training begins, it will be clear who is the winner between Roman and himself.
‘Even if Master Roman is a genius in swordsmanship, mana talent is a separate issue. This training will give you a taste of the harshness of reality. And as the years pass by without feeling mana, you’ll realize what a great person I am. Come to think of it, this wasn’t a bad proposal.’
excited
In the meantime, I’ve seen many people despairing of mana training.
Roman is no different.
Chris hid his feelings and taught him how to train mana.
“The mana training method… .”
Chris’ teachings.
Roman gradually began to fall into his own world. Chapter 13 Ki and Mana (2)
Actually, the premise of this training was wrong from the beginning.
Roman had already felt the mana of this world and accumulated mana in the Danjeon, albeit in a small amount, through the Heavenly Demon Singong.
Still, there was a reason for wanting to be taught.
‘Blindly following only my common sense is a shortcut to degeneration. In Moorim, it is called Ki, and in this world, it is necessary to experience the power that is expressed as mana and aura. From start to finish, in a new world way. Even if you can’t understand it with your head, let’s follow their way for now.’
Abandoned common sense.
Chris’ teaching was completely different from Moorim’s method, but Roman was not bound by a set method.
several breaths.
Chris said it was important to feel the presence tickling his skin during this process. That’s the mana that the Salamander Continent speaks of, but even though Roman didn’t exhale a few breaths, mana gathered around him. It had to be. Roman, who has lived a life of assimilation with the energy of nature, knew well what nature they had and how to induce them.
one step.
Chris succeeded in less than a minute when he went through the stage of being lucky if he succeeded even if it took him a year.
From then on, it was the induction of mana.
accepted them
When a foreign and mysterious energy entered the body, Roman guided them all over the body along the blood vessels.
‘It’s definitely different from Moorim. The purpose of Moorim is to remove wastes from blood vessels through luck and ultimately accumulate mana in the Danjeon. But this world is different. In the process of inducing mana, it is hoped that mana will naturally accumulate all over the body, but there is no binding force. Is there any particular reason for doing this? The energy that settles naturally will follow people’s control well, but the problem is that if you train in this way, you won’t be able to go beyond the climax even after 100 years.’
an inefficient way.
In addition, the problem was also in the characteristics of mana.
If Murim’s mana felt barren and heavy, the world’s mana was rich but a bit light.
The amount of mana that escapes as it is accepted.
In my mind, I wanted to grab them all.
but.
‘For now, in the way of this world.’
I suppressed my cravings.
The operation of the simbeop is possible at any time.
Roman knew better than anyone how to become strong, but now was the time to embrace a new civilization.
I heard Chris’ voice.
“When you enter the stage where you can manage mana to a certain extent, you will be able to manifest an aura from then on. Concentrate the mana spread throughout the body into a single point. That is the manifestation of the aura. Manifestations of auras can be used in a number of ways. There is a way to increase the destructive power by covering the aura on the sword, or you can apply it to the body to instantly exert explosive power. What is certain is that we express the stage of manifesting an aura as becoming a 1-star aura knight.”
Chris won’t know.
The fact that Roman had already entered the stage of accumulating mana.
For him, it was just an explanation, but Roman was moving mana in the same way according to the explanation.
accepted mana.
Roman’s restraining power (拘束力) made it impossible for the mana roaming around the body to escape.
Mana gradually builds up.
It was an instant for Roman to enter the stage of aura manifestation.
Fire!
The body glowed blue.
Even though it wasn’t something Chris taught me, I concentrated my mana on one point and temporarily strengthened my skin.
familiar phenomenon.
Roman thought of a similar method.
‘It’s similar to Moorim’s foreign service, but it’s different. Outside work is a way to become stronger by training the outside, but the method Chris is talking about is neither one nor the other. You can make the outside stronger, but you can’t build up mana on the inside. The method of ejecting mana in an instant is very inefficient in ejecting power as the mana that is not gathered in one place from the beginning spreads in all directions. When I saw Chris displaying his aura, I wasn’t wrong.’
sure
Having experienced it myself, I was able to draw a firm conclusion.
‘This place’s way of using mana is trash.’
Training with Chris.
There was no reason to proceed any further.
The time when Roman manifests his aura.
Chris opened his eyes.
“Huh?!”
this training.
I didn’t even want to feel the mana.
Even if you simply know what type of training it is, it was a success, but a completely unexpected situation occurred.
blue glowing skin.
It was the manifestation of an aura.
I rubbed my eyes and checked again, but the scene in front of me did not change.
‘How is this possible?’
out of common sense.
It took me half a year to feel mana, and I had to work for 3 years to release it.
I’ve heard that he’s a genius.
As a disciple of Jonathan since he was a child, he steadily learned swordsmanship, and in his mid-20s, he reached the level of two stars and was a genius recognized by everyone.
however.
What does this mean?
Roman’s development was not at a level that the thought circuit could accept.
“… Whoa.”
Roman opened his eyes.
Watching him catch his breath, Chris asked as if he had been waiting.
“What did you do? Did you just really manifest your aura?”
“If you had seen it yourself, you would have known.”
“So that’s what I’m saying. no, that doesn’t make sense Someone succeeded in erupting an aura after investing 3 and a half years, but Master Roman did it in only 30 minutes. Be honest. I thought you were going to use the aura from the beginning, but you were playing a joke on purpose to make me suffer, right? ahh now i understand It was strange that I, a 2-star Aura Knight, was defeated by the young master in the first place.”
It was an arbitrary interpretation.
Rather than the premise that Roman was a genius who spewed out an aura in 30 minutes, it was more convincing that he was a reclusive master.
The problem was that the latter was also out of common sense.
Then, did Roman from 2 years ago hide his power?
why?
Chris’ gaze at Roman became complicated.
“Can you tell me the standard of star that determines the strength of an aura knight? What is the level of the level I have achieved now, and how many stars are the skills of those who are now called the best.”
“… Once you have successfully manifested the aura, you have met the conditions for a 1-star aura article. And if you cut down steel with the aura manifested on the object, from then on you will be called a 2-star aura knight. The real one is 3 stars. Depending on the strength and destructive power of the aura, genders are divided, and three-star knights receive special treatment in the kingdom. Therefore, Jonathan Knight Commander is a knight recognized by the kingdom. And 4 stars are known in the kingdom, and 5 stars are known in the continent. By the way, the person who is said to be the best swordsman on the continent is known as a six-star swordsman. No one is known to have reached that level yet.”
6 stars.
The best land on the continent.
Roman, who met Jonathan, pictured the situation to some extent in his head.
‘Based on Moorim, Jonathan falls slightly short of the second class. No matter how highly rated a 6-star article is, it is certain that it is not at the level I expected. Perhaps the mainstream of this world is not swordsmanship. If aura is a talent that is allowed to one in a thousand, magic is said to be one talent in ten thousand. One thing is for sure, you have to experience them yourself to know.’
It was fun.
A different way from Moorim.
I wanted to go out into the world and experience everything in this world.
“In fact, the gender division is not a perfect representation of force. There is something called ranking on this continent. Although 6-star knights are the best on the continent, not all of the top 10 knights in the rankings have reached the level of 6-star. Anyway, when did you start polishing mana? It took me 10 years to reach the level of 2 stars. Even I, who is called a genius, was like this, but when I think of the boy I met two years ago, this doesn’t make sense.”
Chris’ words.
He said it took 10 years to feel mana, squirt an aura, and express it through the sword.
“Puha.”
Roman laughs.
Indeed, the level of this world was below expectations.
Roman’s reaction.
Chris’ face turned red.
He didn’t say it outright, but Chris couldn’t help but be angry at the way he looked like he was laughing at himself.
“… Why are you laughing?”
“Because it’s funny.”
“You mean my efforts are funny?”
The atmosphere turned chilly.
chris.
Dmitry’s talent.
Although he was defeated by Roman, his pride was not broken.
Roman looked at Chris with a smile on his face, which seemed to explode at any moment.
“I will ask you one thing. Did you ever question the way you trained while getting to that level?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes people get it wrong. The illusion that just because it has been handed down from generation to generation from a very long time ago, it will be blindly right unconditionally. I thought of that while learning how to train mana from you. What is the reason why you insist on this method that clearly lacks in my head? because you don’t know that? Or is it because you have strong trust in Knight Commander Jonathan, who taught you?”
“… .”
It was an unexpected statement.
Chris, who was beaten by his anger, couldn’t say anything with a embarrassed face.
way of training.
Like Roman said, he had never questioned it.
“The reason is simple. Because it is easy to answer. There is no reason for me to suffer loss or be criticized for the way I have already experienced trial and error. I’m not denying the fact that you’ve been working hard for 10 years. But in the process of trying so hard, it’s just funny that not once did you question the way you pursued. In this world, no one has set the perfect answer. The way you blindly follow is just a path that started from someone’s worries.”
The time when they were called heavenly demons.
Roman did not take his father’s teachings straight forward.
Even if my father was a person who reached the peak of the Demonic Cult, I constantly analyzed and studied his words.
after such efforts.
Roman created his own Heavenly Demon Art.
At first, the priests who criticized Roman’s actions even exclaimed in admiration at the power of the perfect Cheonma Shingong.
Roman lived like that.
own life.
The subject is not another person.
I did not accept it just because it had been passed down from generation to generation, but I pondered why I should accept it and whether this was the best option for me.
Of course, such questions make life painful.
I had to go through trial and error, and when I met a failed result, I had to taste the criticism and despair of others.
Even so.
Change is necessary.
Just as anything descended from ancestors started with a question, Roman always threw a question mark at himself.
“I will ask again. Did you really try your best for 10 years?”
“… .”
I was speechless.
I looked back on my past life.
Chris worked really hard.
but.
Chris’ training method was blind.
I did as Jonathan told me to do, and this time I accepted the offer, wanting to learn from him.
I was stabbed in the middle.
I couldn’t refute the remarks that went against the common sense of the world.
‘It’s not a bad way to follow the knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Chris might grow steadily like this and reach a high level like being called a genius by others. But that’s it. People who do not question their lives cannot reign at the top. Chris is one of the strongest people in this world I’ve ever experienced, but a frog in a well is bound to rot in the end.’
Roman’s advice.
It was good hearted.
Because of his help, Roman spat out a statement that faced his reality.
From now on, it’s up to Chris.
If he fails to accept reality with a reddened face, his life will end as expected.
“Let’s finish training.”
finished talking
And then when you want to move on.
“… If so, please tell me the answer. What am I supposed to do from now on?”
return question.
I stopped walking.
I saw Chris again.
food.
‘It’s fun.’
to have abandoned one’s self-esteem.
That was a very important issue.
It was a moment when Chris, who might have ended up simply passing by, now looks different.
