Chapter 289
Chapter 289
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 289
Chapter Title: Mana Qualities
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"Depending on the person, the qualities of mana differ. You can infer those qualities from its color, talents, and physical changes. Even Wood People of the same species can have different qualities for each individual."
The Sage bowed her head slightly to look at the two of us.
"These qualities of mana can be similar, but never exactly the same. After using magic, traces always remain. Unless you forcibly suppress or alter the qualities, you can trace them back to find the mana’s owner. You’ve probably seen scenes in movies where they track criminals with magic, right? That’s the basis for it."
With those words, she snapped her fingers, bringing three stones before us.
Chunks of rock, each engraved with different geometric patterns in a deep blue hue.
"Each of these stones contains mana of different qualities."
With that, the Sage pulled another stone from her pocket. Unlike the others, it had no patterns.
Of course, a faint mana could still be felt within it.
She probably wanted us to pick which of these three stones matched the quality of the one in her hand.
"As mages, you know what I’m about to say, don’t you?"
It was a theory I’d heard from Hwangdo once before.
Maronie and I reached out almost simultaneously, each pointing to a stone on our table.
I chose the first one, Maronie the third.
"Correct for both of you."
As soon as the Sage spoke, black mana surged from the stones we’d pointed to.
"Mana is the archetype of all things. Whether it takes the form of waves or particles is still debated, and even with Sephirot’s knowledge, I can’t presume to judge. But mana alone can achieve everything. Electromagnetism. Quantum gravity. Spacetime... Quarks. All those things are still just theoretical mana studies now."
The body’s composition is also mana.
From another perspective, the authorities used by me, the World Trees, or Maronie could be considered a type of mana.
Why mana can’t produce powers like authorities remains unexplained.
After all, only a tiny fraction of mana types can be directly used by humans.
It’s truly an unknown power.
"So, as a scholar, don’t blindly believe even the knowledge I teach. Knowledge comes from endless curiosity."
Magic can be said to manipulate phenomena.
Directly causing phenomena beyond one’s fingertips or body parts.
Understanding that takes far more than a few hundred sheets of paper.
In my case, or Hwangdo’s, we cast magic purely on intuition, making it easier compared to other mages.
‘That doesn’t mean we skip the theory studies, though.’
Whether casting intuitively or piecing it together step by step, the amount of study is similar.
It’s just a difference in aptitude.
"As I said, these qualities vary by person. With some exaggeration, you could say mana reveals a person’s personality."
"Personality?"
"Yes. Though it’s rare for someone to have their own unique color. Only those with awakening-like innate traits, extraordinary encounters, or significant events develop a true ‘color’ in their mana."
The Sage’s eyes turned to me.
"For example, Mr. Lee Si-heon has black."
With a gesture from her hand, mana was drawn out from beyond my palm.
Black mana protruded like threads from my fingertips.
"Domination, suppression, freedom. A unique mana embodying those desires. The closest historical figures would be the Wood Spirit King and the Heavenly Demon."
"...The W-Wood Spirit King?"
Maronie glanced at me subtly.
Then looked back at the Sage.
"Um..."
A hint of displeasure tinged her voice.
"Even so... comparing a perfectly fine person to that is a bit much."
"Oh."
"Our generation is sensitive about it. Even if it’s just a metaphor, that person... I’m sure you know, Sage."
"Sorry, Maronie. My apologies to you too, Mr. Lee Si-heon."
The apologizing Sage glanced at me.
Damn. Maronie, you’re too kind for no reason.
Being the Wood Spirit King myself makes it hard to react.
"Cheer up..."
Noticing my subtle expression, Maronie poked my arm with her fingertip.
"No. It’s fine. Please continue."
The Wood Spirit King and the Heavenly Demon.
Though spoken of that way, black mana has existed in considerable quantities throughout history.
Cheon-do sought out black mana users to pass techniques to me because Heavenly Demon martial arts are based on it.
Due to its overwhelming power and pressure, black mana became seen as proof of the Heavenly Demon.
...However, the demonic qi I learned from the past is slightly different.
Calling it a different ‘color’ doesn’t fully capture it.
It’s a bizarre, ferocious power that hesitates to even call mana.
‘It clearly defined the ambiguous boundary of the dark path.’
The dark path.
It began when I first entered the academy. With the manifestation of black mana.
It first appeared while observing the cadets’ training.
When fighting Azalea’s adoptive father, Lee Seong-han, I thought it was the pinnacle of fighting spirit.
Indeed, enveloping the body in black mana produced performance utterly different from basic mana.
The dark path, starting from that black mana, took shape in Purgatory.
At the time, it included faint demonic qi manifested unconsciously, but by today’s standards, it’s laughable.
I used it in midterms too, but it wasn’t complete.
The dark path was perfected with the eighth form that Cheon-do and Baek-do never taught me.
The power directly imparted to me by the Heavenly Demon in the past, one I can’t easily reveal outside now due to the risk of exposure.
There it took its final form.
Having drawn out even more of its original power, should I call it the dark path’s second stage? I didn’t care much for names.
These days, I summon black mana whenever I feel a bit short on power.
"Mr. Lee Si-heon?"
"Yes?"
"You spaced out for a moment... If you can’t focus, shall we take a break?"
My thoughts had drifted elsewhere briefly.
I waved my hands.
"No, please continue. Though I’m curious about other mana qualities too. What’s yours, Sage?"
"Oh, right. Mine is... Well, shall we look at Ms. Blanche’s mana first?"
"M-My mana?"
As the Sage reached out, faint sky-blue mana flowed from Maronie’s body.
A pure white paint lightly mixed with blue.
"It’s a bit unusual. Mana qualities are fixed, and even acquired changes don’t create dual qualities. But sometimes mana has the potential to split into two."
White and blue mana.
"Normally, this is called a blessed body that others can never have. Loved by spirits, permitted by the god of mana... It could be called a heavenly martial body for magic."
"Y-Yes?"
Maronie panicked, clearly unaware.
"It’s on the level of one per century, if that. This is surely why Ms. Blanche became France’s National Tree."
"...Ah, um."
She averted her gaze, embarrassed.
Having dual mana qualities is indeed rare.
Maronie is considered a great genius among mages, so it checks out.
The Sage pointed to the blue mana first.
A deeper, clearer blue than the standard Wood Person mana.
"Blue mana embodies romance and longing. It manifests when one yearns to pursue something desired."
"...Are you reading faces now?"
"It’s common, that’s all. Not always accurate."
People with this mana are generally like this.
It felt like reading mana MBTI.
I glanced at Maronie’s mana.
Sky-blue splitting into blue and white at the edges. Considerable power compressed within.
Mana she hadn’t used against me.
She’d hidden most of her strength in the first trial, for sure.
"What about the white?"
At my question, the Sage clapped.
"Right. I was about to explain mine. I have white mana too."
The Sage immediately formed a pure white mana orb in her hand.
A blinding color that instantly overshadowed Maronie’s light.
The brightness was exceptional. The power within was beyond specs.
"But this white mana carries a lot of meaning."
Among the people I’d met, who used white mana?
Thinking about it, quite a few.
Baek-do and Plum Blossom. One’s my master, the other a fight-loving Chinese National Tree from the end of the first trial.
Mugung, who raced through the Yangdae Mountains with the Heavenly Demon, was also known for white mana.
‘...Sigh.’
Oddly, white mana users and I don’t mix well.
What’s that about? Is it real?
Can I trust mana MBTI?
These unscientific tests have oddly persuasive questions.
They apply to most people, making them feel spot-on.
I gave an awkward smile at the Sage’s knowing grin.
"What meaning?"
"Purity. Unchanged pure white. Positively, it manifests in those who want to preserve things as they are or unwaveringly enact their will without alteration."
Stubborn types, basically.
Baek-do fits perfectly. Her foul personality means she never bends her stubbornness.
Past Baek-do was the same.
She hoped the Peach Garden would never change. When Cheon-do felt threatened by the Little Heavenly Demon, she trembled at her world crumbling.
"Negatively?"
The Sage murmured lowly.
As if admitting her own flaw, self-flagellating.
"Conservatism."
"Hm."
"Radical and action-oriented when establishing, but once set, unyielding. Stubbornness, obstinacy, or detachment. Purity isn’t always positive. It’s also the color of revolutionaries."
Revolutionary color.
At those words, Maronie shuddered suddenly.
"..."
"What’s wrong? Oh."
I realized after asking. Maronie comes from a revolutionary family.
A Wood Person central to dragging down and killing the queen, then rising to the top.
It directly referred to her family.
I get the gist.
White folks are a bit off, yeah.
Conversely, I’ve never seen a sane black mana user either.
Exception might be Cheon-do?
Our cute master has nothing to do with mana colors.
‘...What about Cornus, then.’
Yellow mana.
The talk of colors sparked curiosity.
"What quality is yellow mana?"
"Yellow..."
Noticing my intent, the Sage’s lips curved into a crescent.
"Protection. It manifests when one wishes to guard something."
Guard. What exactly?
I’d found the white mana analysis convincing enough.
But yellow mana’s description made me tilt my head.
Cornus.
That carefree guy trying to protect something?
Preserve the status quo? That’s overreaching.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Shall I explain other colors?"
"...We can hear them gradually later."
Listening felt like getting sucked into mana MBTI.
I stopped my thoughts and moved to the next lesson.
The class continued without pause until evening.