An Outrageous Proposal
Stunned by the unexpected situation for only a moment, I soon broke into a wide grin. This is like manna from heaven. Who would've thought that simply replicating Karen and spending the night with her would lead me to the key to mana?
"But seriously, what the hell is this Replication ability?"
Even after my Replication ability was completely depleted and Karen's duplicate vanished, I could still faintly sense the mana. Tracing that sensation, I couldn't hold back my question. Back when I'd replicated undead or the necromancer's death energy, and now even a person's mana? It felt exactly like Karen's mana, so it seemed to copy even their unique mana pattern...
"...Well, I did replicate a holy relic infused with divine power."
If it could copy a god's power, replicating a human's mana was no big deal. The more I thought about it, the more curious I got about the true nature of Replication, but now that I was convinced it was my power, it didn't feel as unsettling as before. Just intriguing.
"No point dwelling on Replication since there's nothing I can do about it right now... Anyway."
Putting my curiosity aside for the moment, I closed my eyes and focused on the power nestled within me, despite the heavy fatigue.
Tzzzz...
This is mana.
Near my heart. I could clearly perceive the faint flow of that subtle energy now.
"Can I make it move...? No luck, huh?"
Feeling the flow, I tried to move the mana as Karen had described, but it didn't budge an inch.
"Still, this is progress."
I'd only wanted to replicate her hymen to enjoy it, but ending up with this bonus felt like an unexpected gift. I could probably sleep like a baby now...
......Plip.
...Hm?
As I smiled contentedly and surrendered to the drowsiness from overusing Replication, just as I was about to drift off, a strange noise brushed my ears.
.....Nyaaat... Hnya... Ahh....
The next room?
A faint voice coming from the headboard where I'd leaned back to sleep. It was so subtle that you'd only notice it after all other noises had died down, but with my heightened senses, I caught it faintly.
The soundproofing was supposed to be good... Is my hearing too sharp now?
I'd confirmed the room's soundproofing when I rented it, but apparently it wasn't enough to block beastkin-level senses.
Hmm. So if the next room has a beastkin or someone with sharp senses, they might hear me too?
True. No soundproofing is perfect. Gotta be careful.
Reminding myself to be more cautious during Replication experiments or anything I didn't want overheard, I ignored the faint sounds and closed my eyes.
But... it kinda sounded like a woman's moan...?
Feeling my eyelids grow heavy with sleep, I drifted off with that thought.
And the next day.
"You sensed mana? Faster than I expected."
I rushed straight to Karen and told her I'd successfully sensed mana.
"Did meditation finally click, like I told you?"
"...Yeah, pretty much."
I couldn't exactly say, "I sensed it while replicating you and having sex," so I fudged it with the meditation excuse.
But... something feels off about Master.
Karen's face lit up with joy at my progress, looking like a mentor purely thrilled by her disciple's growth... but for some reason, it carried a hint of awkwardness and... guilt?
"Y-You sensed mana, right? Try moving it."
"...I tried, but nothing happened."
Her attitude was a bit weird, but I focused on her teachings instead of prying. I was more curious about handling mana than whatever was up with her.
"Hmm. If you've sensed it... let's switch up the lesson order. Put the sword down. And, uh, strip like usual and sit."
She stuttered a bit at the "strip" part, but I didn't mind and shed my clothes without hesitation. Showing my body didn't faze me anymore.
"....Gulp."
"....?"
Did I just hear something?
"Ahem! You know the drill. Get into a comfortable position like always."
I glanced back after the odd sound, but it was just Karen, diligently preparing to teach. Shrugging it off, I sat cross-legged naked on the training ground floor as usual. She approached, placed her hand on my back.
"...Ngh... I'll infuse my mana like normal, so feel how your mana reacts to external mana entering you."
"Got it."
Success sensing mana didn't change the routine much. I breathed deeply, waiting, but no mana came despite the wait.
"......"
"Master?"
"...Huh? Oh, right."
Her demeanor was definitely off today—she stared blankly at my back before hurriedly infusing mana.
As her mana flowed in, I closed my eyes and focused on my own mana flow, now detectable.
It's moving.
The mana that wouldn't budge on my command rippled like waves, reacting to her infused mana and starting to shift slightly.
"Once you sense it moving, will it to obey your intent. Your personal mana will respond to your will."
Will it...
"Don't aim for complex stuff like control or body enhancement yet—just focus on the simple will of 'move.'"
Concentrating on her words with eyes closed, I tried channeling solely that single intent, ignoring everything else.
Watching Yuseong like that, Karen thought, ...Why did I do that last night...?
Infusing mana gently into him, she recalled her shameful act from the night before.
It was her first time masturbating after years of abstinence, guarding against her cursed seal. She'd taken a numbing agent and planned minimal stimulation—just enough to relieve built-up lust without excess...
Too much...!
Against her plan, last night's Karen had used not just her hands but her mouth, indulging fully. Without the heavy dose of numbing agent, the seal-amplified pleasure might have broken her mind.
That weird, pinpoint stimulation...
Unlike the usual amplified sensations, it was subtle yet perfectly targeted at her sensitive spots. The seal's doing? But it hadn't happened in two years since the seal...
No... I don't know everything about the seal and the black holy relic, so maybe.
She wasn't ashamed just for overindulging in pleasure. What mortified her most was...
Why my disciple... Yuseong...!!
Using her precious disciple as fap material. Imagining Yuseong's face, hands, broad back—she couldn't face him straight after that.
...Have I been looking at him that way without realizing?
Gazing at his broad back as he focused, she wondered if she'd unknowingly eyed him lustfully. With fresh eyes, she slowly observed him.
Looks... Hmm. Exotic features, but handsome. Black hair like mine—kinda appealing...
Body... Honestly perfect. How does he sculpt such an ideal physique? The gula he mentioned? But he said it's mild...
Personality... Trains diligently every day, effortful. Killed those death god cultists without mercy—refreshingly bold...
Evaluating his face, looks, and traits, Karen snapped out of it and shook her head vigorously.
What am I thinking!
Regaining her senses, she shoved idle thoughts aside and refocused on training him... but a tiny temptation and faint heartbeat planted a seed within her.
"No dice."
"Obviously. Handling mana isn't that easy."
Today, she seemed closer during instruction...?
After training and our usual spar—where I got thoroughly thrashed as expected—I failed to control mana directly. She'd seemed awkward earlier, but by sparring, she'd sorted her thoughts; her expression was back to normal.
"Mana responds to will. Keep stimulating it with the intent to move, even daily."
"Hmm..."
Listening again, I willed it strongly, but mana stayed stubbornly still.
"Once you succeed once, it gets easier. Mana remembers the will and moves more smoothly after."
"Tough."
Last night, sensing mana had me thinking I'd reinforce my body or emit sword aura immediately. Reality's harsher, huh.
"There is a faster way, actually."
"Faster?"
"Mana responds to will, right? Humans have a moment when will peaks."
"When will peaks...?"
"Right before death."
Wiping sweat as she approached, Karen casually mentioned death as a quick mana method.
"I told you—I awakened mana fighting an ogre."
"Still sounds insane."
"I agree... Anyway, I definitely moved mana thinking I was done for. Survival will is strongest."
"Hmm..."
I got it somewhat. I'd faced death multiple times since isekai-ing, pushing through with sheer will to survive.
That intense focus might...
"Why bring it up?"
"If you want quick progress, I could push you to death's door myself."
"...Just to be sure—what's the method?"
Her chilling tone made my spine tingle; hesitantly asking, she raised her sword like it was obvious.
"Don't worry. I know exactly where to cut and hit to bring you right to the brink without killing you."
"...Pass."
Growth's great, and I enjoy training, but nodding to half-death? Terrifying—especially from no-nonsense Karen.
"Kidding, mostly. Hard to feel real death threat in a controlled setup."
"Y-Yeah..."
"...Hm? Wait, no. If I ambush you disguised so you don't know it's me, beat you to the brink... Hmm, with appearance potion..."
"...Master?"
"...Training's over. Go rest."
"Thought I heard something weird..."
"Go home."
Joking, right...?
About two weeks after starting mana training with Karen.
"Time to get back to adventurer work."
Two weeks immersed in mana practice meant zero quests. Felt like time to resume. Truth be told, I'd avoided it fearing another weird request tying me to death god cultists...
But dodging out of fear gets nowhere.
And wallet's getting thin.
New inn room's soundproofed and well-equipped, but pricier. Still some cushion, but can't burn cash without earning.
Adventuring's inevitable for survival. Plus, mana's stagnating—need a breather.
"Karen's stares lately are weird too..."
I want mana mastery fast, but her questions like "You prowl back alleys often?" chill me. Feels like any moment, a Karen-lookalike thug'll jump me and leave me half-dead.
I get she wants me safe with mana skills, but scary as hell. So, guild for quests to clear my head and explore alternatives.
"...Why's it so noisy?"
Rivil's guild, revisited after weeks, buzzed more than ever. Scanning for clues, someone spotted me, grinned, and approached. I smiled back and met him halfway.
"Yuseong! Long time no see!"
"Rikar. Doing well?"
The gray-furred wolf beastkin warrior. D-rank adventurer who'd fought the necromancer threat with me before—greeted me warmly.
"Almost a month? What've you been up to? Thought we'd bump into each other here, but no sign of you!"
"Went to another city briefly."
Palos was two weeks; the rest, mana training with Karen.
"Too bad. Wanted to party up for quests, but you vanished."
"Sorry about that. Was sudden... You here for quests today? We could team up now..."
Rikar was trustworthy, and I was glad to see him, so I suggested partying—when
"Quests? What're you talking about! A dungeon appeared—obviously heading there!"
"....A dungeon?"
Rikar dropped an even more radical proposal than quests.