Mana Cultivation Methods (1)
Oros, seated in his chair with legs crossed, leaned forward.
"If you're open to it, have you considered working at the university? I've been watching you closely these past few days, Allen the explorer, and it seems like you learned magitech from some unconventional mentor—or perhaps taught yourself."
"I studied alone."
"Just as I thought. My judgment was spot on. If a creative and forward-thinking explorer like you worked at the university—a true repository of knowledge—you could spread your wings even further. What do you think?"
"Are you talking about being a teaching assistant? Unfortunately, I can't enroll at the university due to my circumstances."
"...I see the issue. It's your ID, isn't it?"
"Yes, exactly."
With age came experience, honing Oros's insight to instantly pinpoint Allen's situation. Just a young adult, a labyrinth explorer, self-taught. A few clues pieced together effortlessly.
"It's regrettable that sacred learning is dictated by something as trivial as an ID, but I understand the city's and administration's position. The municipal university is for elites. If someone with malicious intent sneaks in and causes trouble, it would be a nightmare in every way."
"I'm quite disappointed as well."
Allen felt the same regret. Minus time for eating and sleeping, it was a chance to always have knowledge at his side.
But the constraints were many. For starters, Yohwa's murder flower cost 300,000 coins per bloom—at base price. And that was for just one.
'I get two or three seeds a month, and that's already a hefty expense.'
Just maintaining the status quo drained that much. As he aged, his condition would worsen, driving costs even higher.
"There are ways around it, like hiring indirectly, but..."
"The pay would be ridiculously low."
"I could bump it up to 300 myself..."
Oros suddenly trailed off, fixing his gaze on Allen's eyes. Then a knowing smile crept across his face.
"I thought bringing up money made you seem a bit materialistic, but that was my mistake. No one with eyes like yours would be. I pride myself on reading people. Even if you were bluffing, pulling it off would be impressive."
"In any case, I appreciate your understanding."
"Everyone has circumstances they can't discuss."
Beyond money or health issues, there were other reasons. Labyrinth exploration was starting to feel enjoyable; working at the university would likely kill those opportunities.
And that wasn't all. Adhering to the labyrinth studies department's schedule would cramp his research freedom.
Then or now, if he had the skills, going solo was always easiest.
All in all, it was a shame. University TA positions were typically for elite master's and PhD students.
*
Back at his warehouse home, Allen tinkered with mana bullets while adjusting his eyes.
Rubbing them as if awakening a soul stone summoned a galaxy across the warehouse. Vast compared to a standard soul stone, brimming with stars. A larger input field meant he could add abilities at will.
'If I fine-tune the star letters right, maybe I can fire eye beams like a water gate.'
If output worked well, no need for cutters or welders. Saving time meant more for other studies.
Or use it as a trump card. Who wouldn't be shocked by sudden high-powered heat rays from the eyes?
Allen dove into experiments immediately. Using the eye mounted in the leopard's throat as a base, he reviewed star letter interpretations and carefully generated stars.
Once arranged, he steadied his pounding heart and stared straight at a paper with his left eye. Channeling mana produced a thin red line shooting from his eye.
"Ugh!"
The sudden scorching heat made Allen cut the mana flow at once.
'The eye itself is fine, but the heat affects surrounding skin...'
And it was a sensitive area around the eyes. Good thing he stopped quickly.
He'd nearly suffered a serious burn, but his eye naturally scanned the target paper. A hole burned through it, like focusing sunlight with a magnifying glass.
Recalling the incident, Allen sank into the vine chair. Yohwa approached, launching into a scolding.
"Do you think this is a hospital? This is a proper pharmacy workshop."
"The effects are just that good."
Unable to hide her smile at Allen's praise, Yohwa probed casually.
"How'd you get burned around your eye fighting in the labyrinth?"
"A wound from a moment's carelessness."
"Be careful with everything. In the labyrinth, keep your mind sharp awake or asleep... Wait, the burn's from the inside, not external."
"..."
"You... I didn't think you could lie like that. Though you seem more human now. There's that saying: if an AI can lie on its own, treat it like a person."
"So I've seemed mechanical until now?"
"You know it. So how'd it really happen? I won't scold—just tell the truth."
Allen admitted to the experiment injury.
"Sigh. Are all magitech engineers this eccentric?"
"You said you wouldn't scold."
"Tsk. It's all advice that builds character and flesh. Lie down for two hours, and it'll heal fully. Check with me before you go, just in case."
Yohwa, who had been tending the garden when greeting Allen, returned to her tasks. Allen lay with cold moss over his eyes.
Even with lids closed, the eye functions persisted. A blue window erupted in the darkness.
From: Francois
Remember that talk from before? Let's meet.
It was a message from Francois to the comm number Allen had opened. He'd registered it with Breaker, so no surprise there.
Allen tried sitting up with moss still on but failed, bound by vines.
"I'm watching everything!"
Yohwa was a flower fairy. All of Western Sky lay under her gaze.
Mana Cultivation Method (1)
Allen leaned his head against the glass window. The view from the suspended monorail had a unique charm. Up close, lives seemed gritty; from afar, just natural cityscape.
'Tragedy up close, comedy from a distance, was it?'
People harbored private thoughts, unknowable without intimacy. What chance did Allen have of knowing that elf's mind below on the sidewalk?
As the elf vanished from view, so did the sentiment. Weaving between buildings like a rollercoaster, the monorail knew no traffic jams.
Allen disembarked like others, descending stairs. Some headed to newbie explorer welcome buildings; a few to Breaker HQ.
He walked the park behind HQ. No people, yet no animal signs or sounds—not even birdsong.
Looking up at passing shadows revealed bird-like surveillance golems flying in formation.
Always the same scene. Or lack thereof.
Allen's expression matched the barren surroundings, but his steps quickened toward the adjacent building.
At the empty entrance, a surveillance camera snaked out, scanning him thoroughly.
Ignoring the mechanical tone, Allen recalled old memories to find the first-floor reception.
Opening the door, he paused. The dark-skinned human from Breaker training sat on the sofa, engrossed in something.
Mana swirled intensely between his facing palms. His presence was eerily faint.
'What was his name again...'
As Allen wondered, his left eye activated, focusing on the man. Soon, a green frame enveloped him, with text visible only to Allen.
Question marks signaled malfunction or ignorance. Allen blinked to reset. After a few tries, proper info displayed.
Memory sharpened. A mage who wielded his staff like a club, smashing more automatons with brute force than spells.
No idea why he was here, but since he was focused, Allen didn't interrupt. He hated distractions during his own research too.
Allen approached the wall table slowly, reaching for the basket of bread and cookies. He remembered they were high-end and delicious.
"Wah!"
Startled by the sudden yell, Allen turned. Omar grinned mischievously from the sofa.
"Gotcha? ...Nah?"
"Why would I jump from a yell? You were focused, so I didn't speak up on purpose."
"Oh, yeah? Practicing presence-concealing magic, but total fail. What next? Got ideas?"
"Ideas?"
"Stuck with body enhancement spells, useless at this. Whatever if you don't know."
Before silence returned, the door opened. A relatively mild-looking half-orc entered.
Francois nodded faintly at Allen, then scowled at Omar.
"Why are you here? That's why I couldn't find you despite searching."
"Tell 'em I worked without sleep. People need rest—not just me, the others too. You machines wouldn't get it."
"Do as you like."
Francois's eyes flashed blue briefly, then stopped—meaning he aborted the comm.
Allen eyed the pair side by side.
"Now I see—both you, Francois, and Omar have gray hair. Matching Chairman Marshall?"
Omar blinked, then smirked faintly—one corner of his mouth lifting, suiting his thug-like face, almost a sneer.
"You could... interpret it that way. Simply put, unit tradition. Not always, but we change for missions."
"Enough chit-chat."
"Yes, yes. Got it."
Omar refocused on structuring mana—spectacular, tempting closer inspection, but Allen had business.
"What did you want to see me about?"
"You guessed: mana cultivation methods. Sharing info... Keep forgetting you skipped brain expansion."
"Most get the procedure, so the mix-up's understandable. I'm the odd one."
"I know."
Before Allen could respond, Francois pulled a terminal from his pocket. Tapped a few times, then handed it over.
Several mana cultivation methods were listed, with performance evals for mana control and brain enhancement as Allen requested.
After brief thought, Allen selected mana control 'High', brain enhancement 'Low'.
Honestly, he trusted his brain. Without expansion, couldn't he still craft solo labyrinth gear?
Francois nodded at the choice.
"Retired from the unit."
"Unique guy. Focused on mana control sans growth in a combat unit..."
"..."
Francois stared steadily—you're one to talk, same request in his eyes.
Before Allen spoke, Francois added,
"He has reasons. No mana heart, so implanted artificial one. Prioritized control over accumulation. This what you want?"
"Exactly. Impressive he retired."
"What do you mean?"
"Media says retired agents go informant or... quietly..."
"Stop. Too many movies."
"Movies..."
"Drop it."
Francois cut in masterfully.
Truth was, Allen hadn't chosen those films. Vito, his companion post-Nobak Clinic escape, loved spy thrillers.
"I get what you're implying, but killing's too cruel. We use restrictions and brainwashing—locks on secrets. We don't handle secrets lightly