Dragon Mana Road
Mana Road. The path of mana, literally. Every mage possessed one. They accumulated mana through it and manifested spells.
If compared to a car, the Circle was the engine. The Mana Road was the drivetrain.
—Mana Roads have grades, as this body said.
Depending on the Mana Road, the efficiency of handling magical power differed. It was like the same engine yielding vastly different performance based on the drivetrain.
—The grade of a Mana Road depends on what mana art you cultivate.
The basic mana arts widely available to the world could be learned by anyone. But the Mana Road gained from a basic mana art was the lowest grade.
To pioneer a high-grade Mana Road, you need a high-grade mana art.
But not just anyone could learn a high-grade mana art. You had to be from a prestigious mage family with secret arts passed down through generations.
Or join a faction in the Magic Tower and receive their mana art.
Or become a disciple of someone who already knew a high-grade one.
And so on. None of these paths were easy for ordinary people.
But a Dragon Mana Road...
Kim Jehyun's eyes sparkled. If it was a dragon's Mana Road, it had to be at least high-grade, right? He looked at Alkasha with eyes full of anticipation.
Reading his gaze, Alkasha chuckled softly and replied.
—Comparing a dragon's Mana Road to humans' is like pitting an elephant against an ant.
"...The Dragon Mana Road is that impressive?"
Alkasha's reaction exceeded Jehyun's imagination. He'd expected the Dragon Mana Road to be amazing. But he hadn't thought it would dismiss human Mana Roads as ants.
—Indeed. Thou must expand thy thinking further. As this body hath said many times, dragons are called the progenitors of magic and lords of mana. Would their Mana Roads stand on the same level as humans'?
Gulp.
Jehyun's throat bobbed. In his past life, his Mana Road had been the lowest grade. Now, the chance to learn a Dragon Mana Road—one that could scoff at even the highest human grades—had come to him.
His heart pounded like a drum with excitement.
—But do not expect too much. Even if thou gainest the Dragon Mana Road, its efficiency will be less than ten percent at first.
"Less than ten percent?"
Ten percent? It wouldn't even reach that?
—Aye. To fully utilize the Dragon Mana Road, thou needest a body worthy of it.
"...!"
Hearing this, Jehyun suddenly recalled the physical stats in his status window.
"Is that why...?"
—Correct. That is why the Growth System was designed to account for physical stat growth as well.
"Whew. Long road ahead."
Raising physical stats too would make it twice as hard as normal growth. But despite his words, a smile tugged at Jehyun's lips. It meant he could grow even stronger.
"Alright. So how do I open the Dragon Mana Road?"
Jehyun's eyes burned with zeal.
—Such passion. A fine attitude.
Seemingly pleased, Alkasha replied in a gentler tone.
—The Dragon Mana Road differs from ordinary ones in how it is obtained. Dragons naturally pioneer it once they possess a Dragon Heart. They need no special training. Born with the Dragon Heart, the Dragon Mana Road opens on its own.
"But I... don't have a Dragon Heart?"
—True. As a human, thou lackest one. Thus, through Skin Breathing, thou must create a Mana Core to substitute for it.
Jehyun focused intently. He sensed this was the crucial part.
"Mana Core... Like dragons, in the heart?"
—Nay. Unlike a dragon's Dragon Heart, creating a Mana Core in a human heart would exceed its durability.
"Then where?"
Alkasha grinned at Jehyun's curious eyes.
—Heh. The answer is the dantian.
"Dan...tian?"
Dantian. He'd heard the term. Rarely, some non-mages among the ability users accumulated mana in their dantian.
—Aye. Unlike dragons, humans have lower, middle, and upper dantians. Lord Arkanios, seeking a Dragon Heart substitute in the human body, discovered the dantian. Though humans have yet to fully awaken its potential, he realized it is the core granting infinite possibilities.
"The dantian... has that kind of potential?"
Jehyun was stunned. He'd never dreamed the dantian held such promise.
Come to think of it...
In the past, a few ability users had wielded power rivaling great archmages. Despite being seen as inferior to mages, they'd come eerily close.
I heard they accumulated mana in their dantians.
Now it made sense.
—To humans, dantian utilization remains an unknown realm. Even Lord Arkanios established it after long research. Thou shalt create thy Mana Core in the middle dantian.
Mana Core...
Jehyun imagined himself completing the Mana Core and gaining the Dragon Mana Road. Superior even to the highest human grades. The thought sent a jolt like electricity through his chest.
—Cultivate diligently, create the Mana Core, and thou shalt gain power beyond thy imaginings.
Alkasha's words ignited Jehyun's resolve.
—Since thy motivation burns bright, this body shall teach thee how to form the Mana Core. The key is Skin Breathing.
"Hmm. You're not saying just do Skin Breathing endlessly, right?"
—Haha! Thou knowest the answer. All begins with breath. Skin Breathing is akin to human mana arts. Until thou completest the Mana Core and gainest the Dragon Mana Art, thou must practice drawing mana naturally into thy body through Skin Breathing.
Alkasha continued, eyeing Jehyun's eager expression.
—This too shall not be easy. Thou succeeded in Skin Breathing, but mastering it and forming the core is another matter.
Jehyun grinned at Alkasha's words.
Forming the Mana Core wouldn't be easy? He wasn't worried in the slightest. Unlike the past, he now knew effort would yield results. The pitiful talent of old was gone. Regression had changed him—whether insight or newfound talent, something had awakened. Proof? He'd mastered Skin Breathing, which past him never could.
Confidence welled up.
His eyes gleaming, Jehyun spoke to Alkasha.
"Whether it's easy or hard, we'll see once I try."
* * *
"Impressive."
Mana Training Room manager Kim Haksoo. He looked like a neighborhood uncle at a glance, but he was a 5th Circle mage.
To his eyes, Jehyun seemed more and more like a raw gem of a trainee.
"With that focus and effort, he couldn't still be at zero Circles."
For a month and a half, Jehyun arrived first thing in the morning without fail and trained all day.
In truth, spending long hours meditating daily in the Mana Training Room was grueling. Sitting still all day wasn't sustainable beyond a day or two—it was torture.
No stray thoughts allowed. To sense and absorb mana, one needed unwavering concentration. Far from easy.
Even kids with grit struggle past eight hours...
Jehyun was different. Aside from meals and bathroom breaks, he sat and trained nonstop. Not just sitting—he was truly cultivating. Curious, Kim Haksoo had once focused his senses outside Jehyun's room.
He'd felt it clearly: faint mana lingering around Jehyun's body.
"And lately, even denser mana is gathering?"
If he were 7th Circle or higher, he'd be shocked. Even with the training array obscuring flows, a higher Circle mage could sense what was happening inside.
At his level, Kim only glimpsed the flow, thinking, He has some mana affinity.
"I should mention him to the elders later. Doesn't seem talentless at all..."
Kim pitied that Jehyun hadn't reached 1st Circle despite clear potential. He resolved to introduce him to high-ranking Magic Tower mages he knew for guidance.
Ruuuumble.
While Kim Haksoo observed and left, Jehyun fiercely absorbed mana via Skin Breathing.
—...Incredible. Unbelievable.
Alkasha gasped at the changes in Jehyun's body. One month to learn Skin Breathing. Two weeks since starting to absorb mana with it.
Just two weeks, and signs of core formation were already appearing. Theory predicted at least three months.
Yet here it was.
—Lord Arkanios's theory can't be wrong... This must be purely his talent.
Regression doesn't create talent from nothing... Alkasha gazed at Jehyun in confusion.
Talent blooming was good, but there must be a cause for such rapid awakening. He'd investigate later.
Meanwhile, Jehyun steadied his breath, ending his session.
"Fuuuuh."
His exhale carried out bodily impurities.
Skin Breathing lived up to Alkasha's hype—far beyond his old basic mana art. Elephant to flea.
Absorbing mana through the whole body built it up at an alarming rate. Mana permeating everywhere even boosted physical abilities.
"Good work."
"Thanks, you too."
Exchanging greetings with the now-familiar Kim Haksoo, Jehyun left the Mana Training Room. Another satisfying session.
"I think I can complete the core soon, right?"
—Aye. Hard to believe, but it's nearly there. Maybe weeks... Unbelievable, no matter how I think of it.
Alkasha replied in a voice full of disbelief.
"You seem kinda sulky that I'm progressing faster than expected?"
—Ahem. Not so. Merely surprised by thy unanticipated speed.
"Ah, is that it? Even the great Alkasha gets flustered."
Teasing the now-familiar Alkasha, Jehyun headed to the dorms.
Flinch.
A piercing gaze from the side. Turning, he spotted a figure glaring at him.
"You're... Jinhojang?"