The Nature of Mana
Rumeorn (5)
“Alright, then…… Let’s start by explaining the power known as mana.”
Rumeorn sat Yusoha and Eclipse down in front of her and began her explanation in a clear, resonant voice.
“Mana is a force that allows humans to twist the laws of nature. Whether in the world I came from or here on Earth, that fundamental principle remains unchanged.”
Yusoha nodded. This was the same explanation she had heard when she first awakened her mana long ago.
“And mana possesses the property of being able to transform into all kinds of things. That’s why Awakened naturally develop mana characteristics that match their own talents.”
Eclipse listened to Rumeorn’s words in silence. Yusoha did the same.
“This naturally leads to one question. How exactly does a person confirm what mana characteristic matches their talent?”
Rumeorn tapped the ground lightly with her foot.
“There were countless studies conducted. When this new power called mana seeped into Earth’s atmosphere alongside the Gates, numerous scientists and researchers began analyzing it.”
“Grandmother, you came from another world…… Was there active research on mana in your world as well?”
“No. In the world I lived in, mana was simply considered something to be awakened through cultivation and instinct. And we called it by a different name.”
Rumeorn shook her head and continued.
“We called it qi.”
“And as time passed, once research on this power—whether called qi or mana—had progressed to a certain point and the information began spreading throughout the world, I couldn’t help but be astonished.”
“Why?”
“Because the conclusions my world had reached were remarkably similar to the research results from Earth.”
“……Is that true?”
“Yes, dear. As you know, when Awakened first awaken their mana, they tend to go around describing what their mana feels like, don’t they?”
“That’s right. I did the same.”
“Exactly. That feeling is instinct. Awakened instinctively understand the nature of their own mana.”
While Yusoha and Rumeorn were engaged in their conversation, Eclipse watched them with a puzzled expression before speaking up.
“There is one thing I would like to ask.”
“What are you curious about?”
“The mana that Yu Hyeok displayed earlier had no particular attribute at all…… Why is that?”
“My husband awakened his mana back when the Gates first opened on Earth. That’s why.”
“……Does that make a difference?”
“It does.”
“Could you perhaps explain what that difference is?”
“Do you remember when I mentioned earlier that mana seeped into Earth’s atmosphere through the Gates?”
“I remember.”
“It’s related to that. When mana first began spreading across Earth through the Gates, it was in an unstable state as it tried to conform to the framework of this world.”
“Unstable……?”
“Yes. Imagine if mana suddenly flooded into your body right now. Would you be able to handle it easily?”
“……Probably not. It is only natural that mastering a new power requires considerable effort.”
“It’s the same principle. The massive living entity known as Earth was not suited to accept mana. Therefore, the mana of the early Awakened was unstable, and very few of them possessed distinct characteristics. My husband’s mana is the same.”
“So that’s why it had no attribute. Because mana hadn’t yet adapted to Earth’s environment.”
“Correct. It seems the information provided to Guardian Stars when they come to this world has its limits. Well, that makes sense. Even I didn’t fully understand the concept of mana when I first arrived here. Anyway, returning to the main topic—first-generation Awakened, those from the time when the Gates first opened, do not display any special traits in their mana. Moreover, the fact that my husband managed to summon me was nothing short of a miracle.”
“A miracle?”
Rumeorn nodded.
“Indeed, a miracle. Most Guardian Stars are summoned by Awakened who possess similar mana characteristics, but mine was completely different from my husband’s.”
“Didn’t you just say that first-generation Awakened don’t display any special traits in their mana?”
“Ah, I see I missed a part of the explanation. When I refer to ordinary Awakened, I mean those who awakened after mana had properly settled in this world—the second-generation Awakened. And in the world I came from, I used iron-attribute mana. No, since I’m in this world now, I should use the proper term. I used metal mana.”
“I see.”
“In any case, the first-generation Awakened went through a great deal of hardship. Their mana was unstable, yet they refined it through relentless effort to reach their current level of power.”
“Wait a moment, Grandmother. Metal mana?”
Yusoha was so startled by the sudden realization that her own mana was not iron-attribute that she couldn’t help interrupting the conversation between Rumeorn and Eclipse.
“I was planning to tell you this a little later, but it seems the time has come.”
“……What?”
“I told you it was iron-attribute because it was easier to understand at first. My plan was to teach you the full truth once your level had advanced further. You still haven’t passed my standards, so I hadn’t planned to tell you yet…… but under the current circumstances, I can’t keep it from you any longer.”
Rumeorn let out a small sigh and continued.
“When I was still in my original world, I simply believed my mana could only manipulate iron. Steel, or even mystical iron…… But once I came to this world, I realized the truth. Iron is merely a subcategory of metal. Because of that, I experimented with various things and became certain. I can manifest and control every substance that falls under the category of metal using my mana.”
“……If it’s metal, then……”
“Yes. I can form and control countless elements discovered by science using my mana.”
“…….”
Yusoha was at a loss for words. Metal. Countless pieces of knowledge immediately flooded her mind.
Rumeorn, who immediately understood what Yusoha was thinking, nodded.
“That’s right. If you have enough mana, you could instantly create nuclear weapons on the spot.”
“…….”
Yusoha remained silent for a moment, seemingly stunned by the statement.
“……Nuclear, as in……”
Eclipse also knew about nuclear weapons. It was one of the pieces of knowledge that had been transmitted to him. Of course, his understanding was limited to the most basic information—that they were weapons of terrifying power and extreme danger. But Yusoha, who had fallen silent from shock, couldn’t help recalling everything she knew about nuclear weapons. She understood exactly how much destructive force they possessed.
Nuclear weapons were powerful enough to reduce even the creatures from so-called S-class Gates to dust in an instant, unless they possessed self-regeneration traits or special immunities. It was a power far too dangerous to be granted to any single individual.
As Yusoha trembled at the thought that such power might be permitted to her, Rumeorn’s next words left her completely drained.
“Well, that was a joke. Even with my amount of mana, manufacturing nuclear weapons is impossible. It may be theoretically possible, but in practice, it can’t be done.”
“……As I thought.”
Yusoha looked at Rumeorn with eyes that seemed slightly disappointed. In contrast, Rumeorn’s eyes sparkled with playful amusement as she looked at her granddaughter.
“Of course, it’s not entirely impossible. If your mana surpasses mine, then yes—you would be able to create nuclear weapons with your mana.”
“Which basically means it’s nearly impossible.”
“Who knows? The growth rate of Awakened is accelerating faster than ever. It won’t be long before the first-generation Awakened are completely overtaken by the second generation. That goes for my husband and for me as well.”
“Even so, it’ll be a long time before anyone surpasses you and Grandfather.”
“That is something only time will tell. Just like how you managed to summon Eclipse. But I must say, I’m rather surprised.”
“What? About what?”
“Given your personality, I thought you would have been agonizing over how to use your ability. Since iron is obviously a type of metal, I assumed you would have at least experimented a little.”
“Ah, that’s……”
Yusoha could only mumble awkwardly. It was true that she possessed an excessively strong sense of confidence in herself. However, there was one area where even she could not bring herself to assert that confidence—and that was when it came to Rumeorn and Yu Hyeok.
Because Rumeorn had told her it was iron-attribute mana, Yusoha had simply believed it and followed. The achievements those two had accomplished were more than enough to captivate her completely.
Rumeorn smiled silently as she watched Yusoha fidget.
“Dear child. You revere me far too much. That is not a good attitude. It’s good to believe, but blind faith is forbidden. Do you understand?”
“……I’ll try.”
“Now then…… Let’s move on to explaining how to handle mana and begin your training.”
“Wait. There’s one thing I still don’t understand.”
“Hm?”
“The country called North Korea is known to have possessed a large number of nuclear weapons. So why was it destroyed by the Gates?”
“Dear, didn’t you explain it to him?”
“……No. I forgot.”
“Since we can’t drag this out any longer, I’ll keep it brief.”
“Please do.”
“Even after they poured out all their nuclear weapons, the Gates kept opening. That’s why North Korea is now called the Demon Realm.”
“……I see. I understand.”
When Eclipse nodded, Rumeorn realized that the moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived. She smiled and spoke.
“Then, let us begin the real mana training.”