Sensing Mana and the Miracle of Water
The Replication power felt utterly bizarre. With my bare skin pressed against Karen's, the lewd thoughts that had been stirring faded away, and I became immersed in the strange sensation unfolding inside my body. Something's flowing through me from within. It wasn't like blood coursing through veins—it was some other "path," carrying an unknown energy. This energy was moving so delicately, careful not to harm me, yet I still felt a mix of wonder and subtle rejection.
I shouldn't resist it. The growing unease made me want to squirm and pull away from Karen's hand, but I recalled her words and endured, accepting her mana. This is mana. It was different from the faint energy I'd sensed from Laila during our time partying together, whenever she cast major spells. If Laila's aura felt like an arrogant queen reigning supreme, Karen's was like a keenly sharpened blade.
Everyone's mana has its own unique signature, right? I'd heard talk of mana patterns and such... Did each person's mana reflect their owner's traits so vividly? Useless thoughts kept bubbling up, but I took deep breaths to calm my mind and focused on the flow. Remember the path mana takes. I was confident in memorizing and understanding things—especially when they were repeating inside my own body.
As I tried to trace the mana's path, I also strained to sense my own mana, stimulated by Karen's. Squirm.
...Not you. But an unexpected issue arose. The Replication power I'd used every time I activated my ability was dominating my focus so much that I couldn't detect the mana's flow. And the Replication power, usually dormant and quiet, had started wriggling uncomfortably the moment Karen infused her mana into me.
Come to think of it, it shoved out that succubus energy back then too. The demonic energy the succubus spread—a mix of yin and demonic qi, as Laila later explained—had been shattered instantly by my Replication power. Seeing it twitch in mild discomfort now filled me with slight anxiety. Stay still.
I watched tensely, worried it might smash Karen's mana this time, but whether responding to my will or not, the Replication power just squirmed a bit more before leaving her mana alone. Does it obey my will? I'd been trying to awaken mana, but instead, my understanding of Replication deepened unexpectedly. I'd wondered if this power, granted by some transcendent being, was truly mine... This is my power.
The fact that it didn't rebel when I subconsciously accepted Karen's power proved it. This force followed my will. It had repelled the succubus's energy because I'd instinctively rejected it. But it doesn't move exactly as I intend? That was all. I could sense it reacted to my subconscious, but unlike when using the Replication ability, I couldn't freely manipulate the Replication power itself. At best, I could command it not to act rashly.
Whoosh!!
Ah. I still hadn't sensed even a fragment of my own mana, and with my attention on Replication, time had passed. Karen's power, stirring my body, began to recede. At the same time, the Replication power, which had been rippling like a growl toward the invading energy, quieted again.
Feeling it return to stillness, I clicked my tongue inwardly and opened my eyes.
"Phew... How was it? Get anything out of it?"
Turning, I saw Karen, sweat beading on her brow, withdrawing her hand from my back and asking for my impressions.
Uh. I'd come here to learn mana control, but I'd been so fixated on Replication that I hadn't properly sensed it.
"From that look, it didn't go well. Don't worry. Sensing and handling mana doesn't happen overnight anyway."
"How long does it usually take?"
"Too much variation to say. Some awaken it in a crisis like me; others never sense a shred after years."
Karen gave a vague answer to my question about training duration.
"But with someone as skilled as me helping, you could sense it within a month, easy."
"A month, huh."
"Of course, sensing it and actually wielding it are different... but start with feeling it."
Karen reassured me that sensing mana would come quicker than I thought, but... ...Hmm. Recalling Replication's overwhelming presence earlier, I doubted it would be that simple.
⋯
"Hoo..."
Back at my new lodging, I flopped onto the bed and rubbed my wrists.
"Today's felt extra long..."
I'd just gone for my usual sword training, but ended up sparring a C-rank adventurer, then trying mana practice... A chain of unexpected events, but the gains weren't small.
For now, my level's about C-rank adventurer? The biggest harvest was gauging my strength accurately. Officially D-rank, but my skill matched C-rank—like Haren, solidly mid-to-upper in that tier, I'd heard.
Still, I shouldn't assume I exceeded average C-rank. Higher adventurers had superior gear and monster-slaying experience. I'd only beaten Haren in a spar; my experience and equipment lagged behind C-rank standards.
Factoring those in, I'm barely scraping C-rank. I'd once lumped F-, E-, and D-ranks as "bottom tier." In other words, from C-rank up, no one was "bottom"—they all had real skill. C-ranks typically had a signature strength, often basic mana use or equivalent ability.
Matching them without mana was impressive, but to go further, I'd need mana.
"Easier said than done."
Lying back, eyes closed, I introspected as Karen suggested—spare time like this, meditate to feel mana's flow.
Ripple. All I felt was Replication. Its presence was so vivid it drowned out any mana. Like searching for starlight with a blazing sun right beside it.
"This is maddening."
Who'd have thought the Replication power, my savior in crises, would hinder mana sensing? Especially earlier—while Karen infused mana, I was too busy ensuring Replication didn't reject it to focus on my own flow.
We'd added daily mana training to sword practice; if this happened every time, it'd be trouble...
"Let's try the obvious first."
Pain in my wrists easing, reflections on the day done, I reached for my nightly routine: Replication training. Building Replication power and item comprehension.
Dump all my Replication power first. If it interfered, exhaust it completely—simple logic.
"Replicate."
Target: hand axe. The one always at my belt...
"Right, it shattered."
...I recalled it exploding against the succubus, clicked my tongue, and withdrew my hand.
I chucked it instinctively back then... Why'd it break? Pondering alternatives, I pictured the shattered axe, like glass. As blacksmith Kuhn said, cumulative micro-shocks?
But post-advice, I hadn't used the original—only replicas in Palos and against orcs. Yet the original still accumulated damage and shattered in the succubus duel.
...Damage feedback to the original? Recalling that, my face grew serious.
I'd assumed replicas didn't affect originals. But if damage transferred...?
Though that has holes. My goblin experiments contradicted it. I'd replicated goblins, dissected them alive in curiosity. If damage fed back, the original would've reacted—even partially.
But it only showed fear, no pain. Living vs. non-living difference? Hmm... Another test idea.
"Do shops sell glass beads?"
Transparent inside for clear status checks. Replicate daily, accumulate shocks—test feedback.
Nothing handy now, so skip...
"What to replicate then?"
Routine started with familiar hand axe, but it was gone. Spotting the room's water cup.
...Huh. I'd replicated tons, but never this.
Clink. I grabbed the cup. Slightly stained wooden cup with clear, rippling water.
"Can I replicate water too?"
Wondering if 'liquids' worked. Lately, I'd targeted potions—unused low-grade one from promotion test. But unfamiliar color/taste meant failures.
Should've tested water first, not potions. Why hadn't I? Too familiar, overlooked? I'd thought of small items when low on power, but not water.
Good I thought of it now. Brief self-rebuke over, I poured water on my hand, feeling the chill and flow. Placed the wooden bowl nearby—just in case—and activated. Replicate.
No need to hold or recall; water's properties rose naturally—transparency, bland taste. Activating, a bizarre new sensation hit.
This... Replicating formless liquid? Replication power didn't drain fixed amount; it felt like asking how much to use.
Urk. Unadapted, I lost control—residual power yanked out, fully depleted.
And then—
Whoosh!!!
"...!!!"
Water gushed from my fingertips like a waterfall. Enough for a small tub. Not a jet, just pouring under gravity—but the volume was immense.
Joy of success brief. Dizziness from depletion; ability deactivated instantly.
Whoosh!! Wet puddle vanished, floor dried crisp. But the bowl swept to the floor proved it real.
"...Ha!"
First time, hard to control... But instinctively, I knew: For formless liquids, output scaled with Replication power spent.
"This... is basically magic, right?"
Water from nothing—how else to explain without calling it a miracle? Control slipped, dumped too much too fast, short duration... but.
Yes... Replication is a power I can control!
More thrilled by control than liquid replication—even slight, when using ability on formless stuff.
A step from 'click' activation. I'd felt uneasy with mysterious power; now, knowing it's mine, relief washed over. No fear of sudden loss—this was my strength.
Didn't plan it, but maxed out depletion too. Joy aside, I introspected in the gap.
As expected, Replication's presence dimmed, faint recharge aside.
For mana training, exhaust it first. Not perfect—recovers steadily—but better than before.
"Who cares about that, fuck? I just cast pseudo-magic."
Resentment toward Replication vanished; now pure gratitude. Mana slower? Whatever—with this badass ability.