New Power (3)
Two more pieces of good news remained. The first one I'd already heard.
"The second piece of good news is that you've been blessed with dual affinities."
"Dual affinities—you mean the ones you mentioned earlier? Earth and wind."
"Exactly. You remembered."
"Got it."
My expression was utterly flat. And why wouldn't it be? I'd already been told I couldn't use magic. What good was hearing about affinities now?
Affinities this, affinities that—who cares? I still couldn't cast spells anyway.
"You're thinking it has nothing to do with you since you can't use magic, right?"
"...How'd you know?"
"It's written all over your face."
"Ahem."
I straightened my expression. Guess I'd been sulking too obviously.
"Affinity is a separate concept from magic. It's a broad principle that applies to all forms of power. That's why it's good news—you can use it in all sorts of ways."
"Broad, huh?"
"Yes."
"So, can I use it with my axes?"
"Of course."
"Oh!"
I let out a gasp of admiration. Now that was music to my ears.
"So, Balun, could you use a fire axe?"
"In theory, yes. Among knights who wield aura, there are those who actually use flame aura. They aren't mages, yet they command fire."
"Ooh!"
I got excited. If that's a thing, why didn't you say so sooner?!
"Of course, it's incredibly difficult. Not just anyone can do it. It requires genius talent, innate affinity, and grueling effort."
"..."
"At that level, there are probably fewer than a hundred across all humankind. Elves and dwarves have far more, naturally."
Those words didn't even register with me. I was too busy picturing a bright future in my head.
A great warrior hurling fire from his axes—Balun's future.
Yeah. So what if I can't use magic? I can just shoot fireballs. Good enough.
Mage? Never even crossed my mind. After fifteen years swinging axes, how could I abandon them?
Magic just seems like a headache anyway. Gotta study a ton, right?
I'd completely forgotten how I'd been pouting over not being able to use magic just moments ago.
"Using plain aura or fire magic would be hundreds of times easier. Manifesting affinities is that rare—rarer even than spirit summoners."
"The third piece of news!"
Kalente flinched. What the hell was with that volume?
"Aigoo, my ears! Lower your voice!"
"Spill the good news already!"
"Fine, fine. Hold your horses. Everything has an order..."
I wasn't even sure if he thought I was listening in the first place. Looked like he figured I was letting it go in one ear and out the other.
"The third piece of good news: You possess innately exceptional mana affinity."
"What's mana affinity?"
"Just what it sounds like—how friendly you are with mana. The higher it is, the better you sense it and manipulate it."
"Got it."
I nodded. But Kalente didn't trust this barbarian one bit. Did he really get it? He was nodding, sure, but...
"Do you know what mana is?"
"Yeah."
"Tell me."
"Stuff you need for skills."
"...?"
"Big mana pool means more skills. More fire axe throws."
"???"
Sketchy, but he seemed to grasp the basics, so I let it slide.
"Your mana affinity is at a heavenly level. I've tested countless talents, and you're in the top ranks."
I smirked. What kind of nonsense was this? Can't use magic, but top-tier mana affinity?
"Proof is that your body was already aware of mana."
"Hmm?"
"And not just aware—you knew how to use it. Even before meeting me."
"Me?"
"Yes."
I tilted my head. News to me. Use it? Bullshit. I didn't even know it existed until I came here.
"Think back. Any special experiences in your life? Mysterious moments? Things you did that seemed impossible?"
Suddenly, a bunch came to mind. The biggest one?
"Balun good at sensing danger."
"Be specific."
"Well..."
I'd been hypersensitive to danger since I was a kid. Not just luck or nerves—it was like I could detect it. Nine times out of ten, that gut feeling meant real trouble was coming.
I rattled off a few examples briefly.
"Definite. That was mana at work. Your body read the danger signals in the mana. We mages call it Mana Sense."
"..."
"Mana Sense is an advanced ability even seasoned experts struggle to attain. You have it naturally, without training. Impressive, no?"
"Impressive, yeah."
How could it not be? I'd chalked it up to luck, but it was actually a skill.
"Be proud. Plenty train for over a decade without gaining Mana Sense. You mastered it as a snot-nosed brat."
I shrugged, feeling smug all of a sudden.
Come to think of it, that was weird. How'd my instincts always nail it?
"Point is, your mana affinity is so high you gained Mana Sense without effort. It'll be your strongest weapon going forward."
"So what now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Balun came to learn magic. Can't use it. No point sticking around."
"Not true. I know plenty to teach you. Experiments to run, too."
Experiments?
What experiments?
"Our contract isn't over. You become my research subject; I teach you."
Why was he grinning like that?
* * *
I half-worried it'd be human experiments or something, but luckily, no. Just basic magic knowledge and one training method.
A meditation technique called the mana circulation method—something every mage knows. It's for gathering mana, and surprisingly, it wasn't hard for me.
I was used to meditating.
Kalente couldn't hide his shock at how quickly I picked it up.
"Balun. Didn't you say you'd never learned mana circulation before?"
"Right."
"Then why are you so good at it?"
"I meditate a lot."
"What?"
"Balun meditates. When bored."
To Kalente, it was absurd. A barbarian meditating? Like the sun rising in the west.
"Why?"
"Clears the mind."
"Don't normal barbarians skip that stuff?"
"I do it."
"...You're one of a kind."
"What? Speak up."
"Nothing. Just saying you're an enlightened youth."
"Right. Balun enlightened."
One awkward part, though: mana circulation differed from regular meditation. Meditation empties the mind; this gathered mana. Big difference.
"Breathe deeply and calmly, but don't empty your mind completely. Focus consciously. That's how you guide mana properly."
I fumbled a bit but got it with Kalente's help.
"Now, guide the mana circulating through your mana circuits to your heart. This forms your mana hall. Can you do it?"
"Seems like it."
"Good. Don't lose focus. No slacking until the mana hall is complete."
"Hm?"
I was doing fine, then suddenly voiced a doubt.
"This feels weird."
"What's wrong? Problem?"
"Mana won't go to heart."
"What?"
"Going somewhere else. Whoa, can't control it."
Kalente sensed it instantly.
Mana surge. Is it the narrow mana circuits?
Fine. Within expectations. He pressed a hand to my back, infused mana to observe, then went slack-jawed.
Muscles and bones... absorbing mana?
He checked again. Same result. My muscles and bones were sucking it up like vacuums.
Is this even possible?
A man who'd studied magic since age ten for over seventy years—this was a first.
"Something wrong?"
"No, not exactly. Well, uh..."
What baffled him more was my reaction. Mana leaving circuits should hurt—destabilizing the body. But I was chill, scratching my thigh like a mosquito bite.
"Doesn't hurt?"
"Nope."
"Uncomfortable? Distracting?"
"Nah... Huh?"
"What now? Pain?"
"Suddenly overflowing with power."
"What?"
"A ton!"
I shot to my feet. My body itched unbearably, like it was begging me to move.
A bizarre sensation I'd never felt before threw me off, but I didn't panic—just followed instinct.
"No, what are you—"
"Can't stay here. Wreck the house."
"What?"
I scanned around. Where were my axes? Nowhere. Probably upstairs. Bare-handed it was—I bolted outside.
Like a predator eyeing prey, I whipped my head around and spotted a target: a massive old tree beyond the shed.
That one!
Barefoot, I charged, bent my knees, tensed my arms.
Crunch! My right arm's muscles visibly swelled.
What's with my arm?
No time to freak—my fist slammed into the tree trunk.
Bam!
I blinked. What? Did I hear that right? A punch making that sound?
Crack! The tree split, tilted, then crashed down.
Thud!
Dust rose; birds scattered in panic.
"Balun! What happened?! Explain—gasp!"
Kalente's voice pierced my ears, but I barely registered it. I was fixated on the scene I'd caused.
What the...?
Just a straight punch, and the tree snapped. That huge thing that must've stood for centuries.
With my bare fist?
"Balun! How?!"
"Dunno! Just happened!"
"You... what the..."
"Did I use aura just now?"
I'd learned a bit. Civilized fighters here used something called aura. That Viper boss Jackson's light blade? Aura too.
Did I awaken it unconsciously?
"Aura? No! No mana movement—how could it be aura?!"
"Not?"
"Yes! Pure physical force—no mana!"
I blinked. So... just broke it with raw strength?
That make sense?