Chapter 182
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Mana Man Kim Katt
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"Ugh..."
Waking up, sunlight was filtering through the gap in the curtains.
Already morning...? I'd fallen asleep around dawn, so I still felt tired, but somehow it seemed like strength was welling up through my whole body. Not literally, of course—just thinking about finally checking on that mana stuff had me feeling energized.
Guess I should wash up and head to the guild.
Snore... snore...
A soft breathing sound reached my ears.
Cloudy to my right. And Winia to my left.
The two women were sleeping soundly with even breaths. I'd satisfied Cloudy, and sent Winia off trembling all over. As a stud horse, I'd more than done my duty.
Careful not to wake them, I slipped out of bed.
My neck and back ached from all the vigorous movement. I did some simple stretches and spread out into the Execution Fist Technique to check my body's condition.
Papapap!
Hm, good.
No issues with my body.
"Coo coo."
My throat felt fine too.
I headed straight into the shower and washed up. Splashing cold water on my fuzzy head snapped my eyes wide open. "Mana." My heart pounded. Mana... I murmured the word to myself. Was that power really mana?
I dried off and stepped out.
"...Katt? You're up?"
"Yeah, you too? Sorry. Did I wake you?"
"No. I just woke up myself."
Cloudy rubbed her eyes and propped herself up.
The blanket slipped down, exposing her bare chest. G-cup, by my estimate... What? Had they gotten even bigger? They say women's breasts grow the more you fondle them—impressive growth spurt.
More than that, her healthy brown skin contrasted beautifully with her prominent pink nipples.
C-Calm down!
Don't get hard! I said don't!
But it was already too late. This was gonna make pulling on pants awkward... Anyway, I got dressed. Fully armored up.
"Heading out?"
Cloudy swept back her hair as she spoke. Her collarbone and exposed armpit stood out. My eyes drifted to her slender fingers and locks of hair too. Any more staring and I wouldn't hold back.
"Yeah. Gotta head to the guild first. Need to ask the guildmaster about mana. I heard some folks awaken it on the battlefield—might be exactly my situation."
Karin had once mentioned mercenaries rolling in the dirt of war suddenly realizing mana, turning into even more ruthless killers. That was the only thing I could think of.
I might've ended up in something similar.
"Oh. Hope it works out. Can you go alone? Want me to come?"
"Of course I can go alone. I'm not a kid... It's fine. Might take a while, so you rest up. Tell Winia for me."
"Okay? Guess I'll do that thing I hate today then."
Cloudy stretched and flopped back into bed. "Gonna sleep a bit more... Love you, Katt? Hehe, last night was... amazing." Her words were scorching. I leaned in for a forehead kiss, but she tried to pull me into a hug.
Of course, I'd seen it coming and dodged.
"Hmph... Dodging already?"
"Ah, we did plenty last night."
"I want more. Ahh... Already soaked. C'mon? Just once?"
"No, no, no. If we're doing it, save it for tonight. Handle it yourself."
"You're so cold now, Katt..."
Cloudy made a pitiful whine, ears drooping.
Damn it!
"F-Fine! I'll strip, just wait!"
"Hehe, kidding. Go on."
"Alright."
With that, Cloudy pulled the sleeping Winia into her arms. "Mmm..." Winia let out a sound but didn't wake. She'd passed out deep, no doubt. I'd pushed her to too many climaxes last night, after all.
Anyway, I headed outside.
A bustling morning.
People rushing every which way.
I moved just as quickly amid their hustle. I couldn't wait any longer. Time to learn the truth. No more hopeful torture. Asking Karin and getting a straight answer would be best for my sanity.
"Mana..."
I arrived at the guild soon enough. Memories of that first day—getting my ass handed to me by those martial artist bastards—flooded back. I felt just as tense as then.
Resolve.
I pushed open the door.
Hah!
Hup!
Even at this early hour, training was in full swing inside.
I gave a light nod to those staring my way and looked for Karin... Hm? Not here? I didn't see her. Not in the training yard? I headed into the office building.
"Guildmaster in?"
Creeeak.
"Oh, you're here."
Following the voice, I turned to see Karin waving from the sofa, reading what looked like a newspaper. Fwoosh. Smoke puffed from her mouth. A pipe dangled from her left hand.
"How've you been?"
I sat across from her and greeted her. She looked so languid sucking on that pipe, like a drug addict... Was she seriously hooked on this stuff?
Come to think of it, a cruel question arose: what did a serial-killer-minded woman like Karin do in her free time?
"Same as always. You? Slice up anyone lately?"
"Why do you always ask me that crap whenever you see my face?"
"'Cause that's what I'm most curious about. Hearing my student's racking up kills? Of course it's fun. Gives me a sense of accomplishment. That's what keeps me going."
Karin crossed her legs and set the paper down. Her black leather pants stretched taut over her healthy thighs. Body type... similar to Cloudy's?
"So, here for more lessons? Smart move. Don't do it sporadically—consistent practice boosts efficiency. Learn a bit more and even mercenary bands'll treat you well..."
"No, uh... came to talk about something else today."
"Something else?"
I glanced around. Confirmed no one nearby, leaned in, and whispered.
"Guildmaster."
"W-What? What is it?"
"Think I've awakened mana."
"What?"
Karin's eyes went wide as she blew smoke right in my face.
You fucking rude bitch.
"Ah, sorry. Got startled. So, what'd you say?"
"Think I've awakened mana."
"Hm, I acknowledge your talent, but... you been drinking since midday? Miss me so much you came buzzed? Didn't you say you had two girls?"
"What girl talk? Anyway, your disciple's telling you this and you don't believe shit."
I laid it out for doubting Karin: how I'd used "Push" instead of "Thrust" to cleave nearly half the orcs. What I'd felt then, the emotions surging. And the power that welled up. I added it all.
"Didn't you say it yourself? Mercenaries awakening mana mid-battlefield. That's exactly what I felt. Maybe I awakened it in the thick of that fight."
"Hmm... sounds similar from the story."
Karin recrossed her legs the other way and held out her hand. "Gimme your hand." She grabbed it and started stroking my forearm.
"What're you doing?"
"Hmm, solid forearm. Lots of scars. Oh, big hands? Look at the size difference with mine."
"Sexual harassment?"
"Bullshit."
Eyes closed, kneading my arm, she finally spoke.
"Hmm... mana? I feel nothing. Up close like this, you can usually sense someone's mana to some degree. But you've got zilch. All I sense is killing intent. That's it."
Was she probing my mana through physical contact?
Her answer matched what the other two women who'd groped me plenty said. What? Not mana? Then what split those orcs?
"So what was that with the orcs? My sword suddenly got insanely heavy, slicing straight to the heart... I couldn't do that on my own."
"Yeah, that's suspicious. Well, only one way: test it."
Releasing my hand, Karin stood.
She stretched, grabbed an iron sword from against the wall.
"Follow me."
She beckoned and led the way.
I stumbled after her, half-risen.
Thought we'd hit the training yard—nope. A small yard behind the office. Dim, no sunlight, chilly. Weeds everywhere, like an abandoned lot.
"Not the training yard?"
"No need to show off to anyone."
"True."
"Sword up."
She tapped her shoulder with the blade, signaling me to draw. Shing. I did as told.
"Yeah, plenty of my old mercenary underlings awakened mana back in the day. I figure they grasped some clue in life-or-death scraps, leading to their awakening."
The explanation I'd heard before.
"By your claim, you bloodied it out with monsters, got used to killing—and maybe snagged mana like those mercs."
"Uh... yeah. Probably."
"But no mana now... Dunno. I'm no expert. Just learned a circulation method and trained it. Tons of those methods out there."
Karin added a bit more detail there.
"Still, there's a way to check. Power surges in battle? Heard northern empire knights go berserk entering combat, unleashing insane strength—ripping people apart barehanded. Probably their mana method."
What, ripping people with hands?
Couldn't imagine anything good about that.
"Point is, mana manifestations... usage... whatever—varies. Could be yours too."
She finished and assumed a stance.
Spar to test it?
"So, I'll swing at you like I'm out for blood. Block, counter, stick your blade in my neck—whatever."
"Huh? Right now?"
"Here I come."
Flash!
Karin lunged in an instant, thrusting at me. W-What?! Holy shit, that's a real sword! She'd always used wooden ones before—now real steel outta nowhere? Scared me half to pissing myself!
Panicking, I somehow raised my sword to block. Clang! Clang! But could I block Karin's attacks at my level? No fucking way!
A true killer master's real-deal strikes!
"Gyaaaaah!!!!"
Terror hit me.
Terror bred a whirlwind of thoughts.
No way? For real? She gonna kill me like this?
Just a rough spar, right?
"Die well."
Karin said coldly then.
"You were a decent disciple. Ah, eating you too soon? Eh, you'll do."
Unbelievable death sentence.
You bitch! Testing mana my ass—this was her plan to off me in some secluded spot?! That's how she'd fed her murder lust all this time, the evil cunt!
Suspicious as fuck having this hidden space!
"Stoooop!!!! You fucking bitch!!! Stooooop!!!!"
"Hey, defend like I taught you. Buys you an extra second."
No way I'd die in a dump like this!
I threw every technique I'd learned into defense and offense. But my sword couldn't match Karin's. Her onslaught forced me back step by step.
"Fuck this shit! You tricked me, bitch!"
"You trusted me?"
"Hell yeah I did, you cunting whore!!"
"Haa, I really can't hold back in moments like this..."
"You psycho bitch!"
A brief opening—I poured power into a Thrust. Had to seize attack initiative. All defense leads to death. Victory in battle always goes to the aggressor.
"Execution Sword Techniqueeeee!!!"
I bellowed to dominate her ears, slashing down.
My go-to tactic. The roar overwhelms hearing, yielding positive effects no matter what!
Whoosh!
Karin blocked. Obviously. To her, my strike was like a hamster playing with a toothpick—laughable.
But I pressed the assault. Four combos had been my limit before, but not this time—I'd break it! Or die trying!
"Thrust! Thrust! Tsuuuuuh!! Chicken pox!"
I poured my soul into the blade—!
Recall that sensation, Kim Katt!
"Hmm... Huh? Ngh? This punk? Ah, this it?"
Karin muttered something and flicked her sword up.
"Stop."
Clang!
My sword flew skyward in an instant. It spun whirly-whirl and stabbed the ground. I stared at Karin... No way? Done already? Me? Panting, I reached for my knife hilt.
"Relax, dumbass. Why would I kill my disciple?"
She said that.
...The fuck?
"You were scared shitless, huh? Joke's on you, kid. Loosen up—that's how you show your real strength, right? Anyway... yeah. I get what you mean now."
"Y-You asshole? Thought I was dead! That was bullshit?"
What the hell is this confusion?
"It's there. Mana."
Karin declared to me then.
"Felt it just now."