Chapter 329
Chapter 329
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 329
Chapter Title: Carrot and Stick #3
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Looking back now, even from my childhood, I heard a lot that I lacked focus. It was hard for me to concentrate on one thing, so I'd quickly start bouncing around everywhere.
Worried about me like that, my mom had stuffed me—back when I was in elementary school—into a cram school like I was being imprisoned.
I remember pleading with the academy director during our talks, over and over: "My kid seems like he'd excel at anything if he just put his mind to it, but he has no concentration."
That said, whenever break time came at the academy, I'd be running around with my peers, jumping on desks or zooming down the hallways on inline skates, and I'd get scolded by the teachers every single day.
"San-ah, you're the one running around, so all the kids follow suit. Break time's over—sit down."
"I'm not San, I'm GaoGaiGar! Hioooot-!"
"You little punk, hand out!"
Still, I had a knack for things by sheer luck, so I never fell out of the top ranks in math competitions or school exams. They even hung up those big posters with my name on them every season on the academy bus and the neighborhood poles.
It was the same in middle school. As puberty hit and I matured a bit early, the hyperactive ADHD symptoms of running around toned down.
"Hey, quit spacing out. What's the answer to number 25?"
"Number 5."
"There's no number 5 on a short answer question, you brat—! I told you not to zone out in class!"
But the habit of not being able to focus on one thing stuck around, so instead of running wild, I'd often get lost in daydreams or fantasies.
What if I'm actually someone special?
What if with enough effort, I could use superpowers, or see the embodiment of death as a line? Or maybe my dad's a magician, and we won't get dragged into some war over treasures.
The kind of thoughts a second-year middle schooler might have.
It's a silly story anyone goes through once, but I truly believed I could do it, and looking back now, I was half right.
Maybe even back then, I was starting to realize I was different from others—someone extraordinary?
"Hassan, zoning out during meditation again?"
"Nope. I was meditating properly."
"Then what's the answer to the question I gave you?"
"Number 3."
"There's no number 3 on a short answer question, idiot!"
*Smack*-.
"Gyaack-!"
Something hit my shoulder, and tears welled up in my eyes. No need to ask what it was—it was that flyswatter-like whip Elfride had been using since forever ago.
Even though I was leagues stronger than back in my slave days, the whip still worked on me.
On one hand, though, I wanted to make excuses that it was unavoidable.
The whip—a ridiculously powerful weapon passed down since ancient times.
No matter how elite a master or warrior, they can't train the nerves in their skin that feel pain. So when that wide lash cracks down, all you can do is cry and scream like a child.
But what if I used my full-body muscles—the ones I don't normally tap—to distribute the pain?
If I didn't just feel the pain on my skin but used my whole body like a shock absorber to dull the whip's agony?
Wouldn't I be the first human in history to conquer the whip? Letting pain flow away. Pain is like a flowing stream—.
Right then, a cool sensation flooded my mind like a stream bursting open. I swear, this must be what enlightenment feels like.
"This punk's daydreaming even while getting whipped! Your head finally thickened a bit, huh!"
"Shh, pain's just a state. It passes eventually. That's my answer to the meditation."
Everything is meant to pass, and this bodily pain I'm feeling will fade naturally someday.
I could say I've grasped the wisdom of wise King Solomon, who said all is vanity and vanity. Did Solomon realize this back in BC times?
"No, feel the mana. Don't think weird stuff."
"Oh."
Only then did I realize this meditation wasn't about pain or endurance—it was for sensing mana.
A few hours after bowing my head to Elfride and enrolling in beginner magic school.
I'd been meditating as she instructed, trying to sense this mana thing, but sitting cross-legged in contemplation for so long naturally led to stray thoughts.
But just now, it really felt like I had an enlightenment. Was it just my imagination?
Then, a tingling sensation prickled my right shoulder.
Proof someone was attacking me. I was defenseless in meditation, but an attack this obvious was useless against me now.
*Swish*-.
I hurriedly rolled aside, dodging the surprise strike.
"Your whip can't touch me anymore, Elfride. I've already surpassed my past self."
"No, I told you not to dodge! Taking the whip is part of the training! Keep it up, and I won't teach you magic!?"
"Hey, Elpi. Your yelling's echoing all over outside. The whole inn's buzzing."
That's when someone pushed open the rickety inn room door and walked in.
Golden bobbed hair, a sharp estoc at her waist, practical leather armor loaded with belts and pouches. A silver necklace around her neck.
Delphina, the female swordswoman from the Silver-tier adventurer team White Rose.
"Ah, Delpi. Come on in."
"What's with the deathmatch vibe since lunchtime?"
"This punk keeps pissing me off. Can't even use magic, and when he begged me to teach him, he just spouts nonsense."
Delphina burst out laughing at Elfride's rant—her face red with fury—then pulled something from the pouch at her waist.
It was a weird item. Dried leaves rolled up in thin paper. A bizarre, unfamiliar smell hit me, making my head spin.
Cigarette? Delphina smokes, huh.
Antiope too, and now Delphina—women in rough physical jobs often pick up smoking-like habits. Not that surprising.
"Want a mana herb cig?"
"Nah, I'm good. You know I don't smoke that stuff."
"No, Elpi—not you. Hassan."
Delphina offered it to me. But I had no interest in learning to smoke, so I was about to politely decline.
"You wanna feel mana, right? One puff of this, and it'll come easy."
Her added explanation perked up my ears. Sensing my interest, she leaned in with a sly whisper.
"You know how amazing it is to sense mana? The world feels totally different. Incredible."
"Delpi, mana herbs do boost mana sensitivity, but the downsides outweigh it. Not for beginners. Especially not men."
"'Course. Men get too sensitive and turn premature, or too numb and go impotent, right?"
"Eek, get that horrific shit away from me!"
I freaked out at the gruesome tale. Delphina snickered like a back-alley thug and neatly tucked the mana herb cig behind my ear.
"Good luck, buddy. Heard you were back from Delphoi, so I came to see your face after so long. Can't interrupt meditation time, though. Catch you later—."
With that, Delphina turned and vanished from the room. Only when her waving hand disappeared down the stairs did I finally speak.
"You patched things up with them?"
"Eh—."
Elfride, perched on the bed, replied.
"Not really 'patched up.' Adventurers fight and make up all the time. Anyway, no more dodging—sit on the floor. Focus on meditation."
"...."
I sat my butt on the hard wooden inn floor as Elfride said. Closed my eyes, steadied my breathing like before.
"Empty your mind. Empty your thoughts, your body empties. When your body feels hollow, mana fills it naturally."
I tried emptying my thoughts as Elfride instructed.
But as I'd mentioned several times before, focusing on meditation was damn hard, and I wasn't sensing any mana.
Empty your thoughts—.
This time, I decided to focus inward.
Drawing on the ki circulation I'd learned from Hippolyte while training in aura, I turned my attention to that life force slowly stirring from my lower abdomen.
*Tingle, tingle*-.
Then, something I could call a bizarre heat flowed through my entire body, riding my heartbeat to my fingertips.
My blood flowing through my veins, carrying this strange power to awaken my body—yeah, that works.
"Hey, Elfride! I feel it—mana! Mana flowing so clearly inside me!"
"That's not mana, it's aura. The two are completely different."
"Damn it. I can't tell what the difference is."
"Can't be helped. Mana and aura are opposing energies from the start. Master one, and you can't learn the other."
Her words hit me like a smack to the head.
Now I get why Mars's daughters can't handle magic. They're naturally gifted with aura and blade ki, but zero talent for stuff like magic.
Antiope blasting lightning from her hands and loving it made perfect sense.
"Wait, so you're saying I can't handle mana or magic?"
"If you were normal, yeah. Being able to wield even one is amazing."
"Yeah..., true."
I drew the dagger from my waist.
My trusty dagger, corroded by hydra venom, but after shelling out 1 gold for repairs, it performed like new. Sharp as hell, cool too.
*Shing*-.
I let the tingling sensation from my arms and fingertips flow into the dagger.
The blade vibrated with a hum—flashing a creepy red glow.
Not much is known, but aura is said to be each person's vital energy.
Unlike Hippolyte's golden aura, mine was this ominous blood-red.
As I stared at it blankly, I noticed Elfride's eyes reflecting off the blade, watching me.
She spoke.
"With aura control like that, you'll never starve."
"True. But they want me to learn magic for a noble's letter of recommendation."
"Get the letter, build the temple—what then? Need it that bad? I don't even know what you want anymore."
"Me neither. But I've started wondering what I can really do. How far I can go. How high I can climb."
"Gonna become some hotshot god? The Golden God Hassan or whatever."
A hotshot god.
That sounds good.
But my efforts weren't just for that.
I said,
"Elfride, remember riding on the dragon's back, looking down at the world? Felt pretty great. If I really became a god, I could see views like that every day."
"...."
Whether she understood my heart or gave up trying, Elfride just sat on the bed, silent. That explanation was enough for now.
What I really want is something else, but I didn't feel like spelling it out.
Hassan, son of health spa owner Hadai-su. Zigres, son of Hades Pluto.
Both me. But always tagged as "in his father's shadow"—I hated that.
I wanted to surpass my father.
Not inherit Pluto's temple, not take over his health spa—I wanted to do my own thing.
I wasn't even sure what that was yet, or when I'd figure it out, but it sure as hell wasn't the health spa.
Truth is, I always wanted to tell Dad I didn't really want to inherit the spa.
But his back was so broad and huge, no matter how much I grew—a wall I couldn't climb.
Now I wanted to.
"Elfride, starting meditation again—don't interrupt."
"Interrupt? When did I ever? You little—."
*Hoo*-.
I exhaled shortly to empty my lungs, then sank into meditation.
Empty thoughts, empty body.... But what even is this mana? Empty and fill what how?
Could I do this in a week?
As that worry flickered, I sensed Elfride—sitting on the bed behind me—part her lips slightly.
"If you're really in a rush, there is a way to make you sense mana quick."