First Blade: Channeling Mana
I stepped away from Han Choyeun for a moment and picked up a training sword hanging on the wall. The moment I gripped it, a heavy sensation traveled through my palm.
"...It's heavier than I thought."
This wasn't just any iron sword—it was a hunter-grade iron blade. Even as a mass-produced training model, it was well-balanced. Most hunter cold weapons were designed heavy for durability, so even in my current state, stronger than an ordinary person with E-rank Strength, the weight was quite noticeable.
"Have you ever used a sword before?"
Han Choyeun, watching from the side, tilted her head slightly as she asked.
"No. Just... a bit in games."
"...Pfft. Why'd you bring up games, you idiot."
She let out a short breathy laugh.
"Alright, even if you haven't, it's the most basic weapon, and swords have great versatility anyway."
She said it casually, but her eyes held a subtle glint of expectation. Like she wanted to see firsthand just how far I could go.
"With stats like yours, even wild swings would shatter most things."
"...You think so?"
"Yeah. Let's test it on that."
She nodded toward the dummy standing in the center. Its surface, infused with mana, glowed faintly.
"That one's pretty tough usually, but with A+ Strength... hmm, not sure."
I gripped and released the sword a few times, getting a feel for it. Then I approached Han Choyeun again and slipped my arm around hers. At the same time, the sword felt impossibly light, and a surge of power welled up inside me. Her shoulder naturally pressed against my arm, and I consciously kept the distance just right to maintain that subtle contact.
"...Alright, here goes."
And then. Slowly, I raised the sword toward the dummy.
"Hoo..."
I took a short breath. And swung—
Whoosh!
In my clumsy stance, I brought it down from above. Crack!
A dull, heavy impact echoed. The dummy's torso caved in deeply, its surface splitting like torn fabric.
"...Huh?"
A dumb sound escaped me before I knew it. The sensation through my hands was nothing like I'd expected. My form was all wrong, and I hadn't even put real force into it. Yet...
"...It's softer than I thought."
"...Yeah."
Han Choyeun nodded beside me. Her gaze slowly traced the gash I'd made. For a casual swing, it was way too deep.
"Looks like with stats at your level, raw power alone can do this without any technique."
"...Whoa."
I was speechless. Stats had always just been numbers to me before. Strength A+, Stamina A. Honestly, with these, all I'd really done was housework and sex—they made me tireless, but I hadn't truly felt it until now.
"...I did that?"
Using it myself made it hit home. I was a real superhuman now.
"That's the problem, though."
Han Choyeun leaned into my arm more, still hooked around hers. Intentional or not, she closed the distance naturally, as if to keep the contact. Her body heat seeped subtly into my side.
"You've got overflowing power, but you don't know how to use it."
"...True."
I raised the sword again. This time, more deliberately. I tried to assume a proper stance—but
"That looks awkward."
"Obviously."
With one arm unusable and zero experience beyond kitchen knives, nailing a proper sword stance was impossible for a total newbie like me. Han Choyeun tilted her head slightly, scanning my form up and down.
"...I can't really teach you stance properly."
It made sense—she wasn't a combat type.
"You're more magic, right, noona?"
"...Yeah."
Her short reply carried a subtle pride. She knew exactly what she was good at.
"But."
She gently took my wrist. The hand gripping the sword.
"...I can teach you about mana."
"..."
Mana. I repeated the word slowly in my mind. Something exclusive to hunters, practically. Until now, it had only flowed automatically when I used skills. And with my mana-hungry skills limited to Special Meal, I hadn't used it much.
But even without training, it moved on its own when I activated a skill.
"Ever tried controlling it separately?"
"...No."
I answered honestly. Skills just worked when I used them—no need for manual control.
"...Hmm, but."
I paused. Rummaging through my memories, feeling for the sensation.
"I know the feeling of it draining out."
"Like what?"
"Um..."
I closed my eyes. Recalling the sensation during skill use. Every time—
"...Like something's flowing out from inside?"
"From where?"
"...My gut? Or... inside my chest?"
It was vague, but definitely a flow starting from deep within my body. Han Choyeun pondered that for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"...Yeah, that's good."
"...Huh?"
"You have a good sense for it."
Her voice dropped a bit, more serious than usual as she continued.
"Some people can't feel it at all, or only vaguely like a cool sensation."
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
Short, but certain.
"First."
She gripped my hand tighter. Our fingers naturally intertwined.
"...Let's feel it properly."
"...Feel what?"
Her whisper came right by my ear. Our faces were close now. Probably to help me focus, but I couldn't help noticing her scent.
"...Concentrate."
"..."
I nodded silently. And closed my eyes. Slowed my breathing. Inhale—exhale. Between breaths, I sank my awareness inward, probing my body.
"..."
At first, nothing. Same as always.
"Deeper inside."
Her soft voice seeped into my ear like a whisper, guiding me to focus deeper.
"Feel your heart. Sounds crazy, but you can do it."
"......"
"I'll help a little."
Then, something changed in my still body.
"...!"
Shhh—
A cool, refreshing intangible energy flowed from her hand, arm, and chest into mine where we touched. I wanted to ask what it was, but held back, following it to its destination.
"...Ah."
In that instant. Something faint caught. At the point her fresh, forest-like energy reached, there was... something liquid or gaseous, contained.
"...Found it?"
"...Yeah."
I was certain. The spot where exhaustion hit hardest after my first Special Meal. Faint memory, but definitely—my body's mana.
Above all, I trusted Han Choyeun guiding me.
"Grab it."
"...Grab it?"
"Yeah. Gently hold it and flow it to your fingertips."
"..."
Easier said than done. Skills did it unconsciously, but this was my first time without status window assistance. I focused my mind to grasp that 'something.' Not letting it overflow. Not escape. Not scatter. Guide it where I directed.
"..."
Strange feeling. Something inside me, moving by my will—just a little. It quivered, then flowed.
"...! You did it!"
Her voice rang close, laced with excitement this time.
"That's it! Keep going!"
"..."
I opened my eyes and focused on the sensation in my fingers. Nothing visible. But—
"...It's moving."
Mana, unmistakably.
"That's mana. At this level already... you might wield it by the end of today?"
She squeezed my hand harder, thrilled.
"Normally, you'd never even try this, but thanks to you boosting me to S-rank, it's possible."
I'd suspected. Infusing mana into another's body—if it were easy, mana control wouldn't be an A-rank-or-higher skill for non-mana awakeners. It'd be basic for low-rank hunters. Just teach anyone the method.
So I knew this risky approach—wrong, and you might never use mana again—but I trusted her, so I didn't stop it.
"...Thanks for trusting me. Hehe..."
She leaned her head against my chest, beaming like it was her own achievement. I smiled quietly at her pure joy. Realizing I was just watching silently, she snapped back to focus.
"...Ahem. Anyway. Now..."
She paused, then smirked faintly.
"Send it into the sword."
"...Into the sword?"
"Yeah."
I had no clue how hard that was. But now that I'd grasped mana control...
"...I'll try."
With vague hope I might pull it off, I raised the sword again. Flowing that chest-to-hand sensation beyond my hand, into the blade.
"...Hoo."
Shhh—
The mana gathered in my hand no longer stayed in my body. It slowly seeped into the metal blade. The cold, hard steel felt almost alive, accepting my will. Twice, three times the amount I'd flowed before... no, even more.
'...It's in.'
Certainty that what I sent was now in the sword. It felt lighter, yet sharper at the fingertips.
For the first time, my power loaded into a weapon.
"...Hup...!"
Short breath—and slowly. I swung down.
Swoosh—!
Slower than before. But.
Slice—
"...!"
"...!!"
Where the sword passed, the dummy lay bisected in ruins.