Chapter 123

*BANG!*

“Even though I gathered mana to a single point, how did it explode? Why is the flow so strange? It feels like all the mana I carefully gathered is slipping away. Are you not maintaining proper breathing? How many times have we repeated this now?”

“AGH! AGH! I-I’m sorry!”

While I was about to bang Arthur’s head in for mouthing off to the knights, I noticed subtle cautious footsteps approaching nearby.

Glancing back, Erika was there, anxiously glancing between me and Arthur, looking restless.

Judging from her hesitant mouth movements, she had a lot to say. Well, anyone would be worried seeing their lover getting beaten in front of them.

But what can I do? Now that he’s officially my student, the teaching method is entirely up to the master’s discretion. This isn’t something his lover should interfere with. Perhaps a family’s request might be considered…

‘Not possible with Arthur.’

Still, I continued delivering blows to Arthur while conveying this meaning through a glance at Erika.

“…”

Erika briefly made eye contact with me, tried reading the situation, then looked away.

“Miss Erika…!”

Erika was stopped by Arthur’s desperate voice, but she closed her eyes tightly, gently leaving a pleading remark before returning to the temporary base.

“Looks like it’s another failure. You know without me saying, right?”

“…Yes. Understood.”

Arthur’s gloomy face followed after Erika as she left.

This disciple’s training continued all the way to the last tree.

Mastering various sword techniques is impossible in a short time, so what I could teach now was limited to mana breathing method, the creation of its core, and its applications.

Arthur was already a manifested mana user. After teaching a few tricks, he quickly mastered the mana breathing method. The problem was the forming of the mana core…

‘Compress as much as possible until its limit. Then draw a line centered on the core after it’s done. That’s it.’

‘Compress, then draw the line. Understood!’

The boy nodded with a look of full understanding.

I was initially surprised how fast he seemed to get it, but then remembered that Arthur had become a mana user from a complete novice in under a year. This meant he had definite talent with mana, so it was plausible that he grasped it quickly with a simple explanation.

The rate of learning was fast. At first, I took him on as a disciple for the experimental approach to mastering the mana breathing method, but watching him grow like a sponge absorbing water was strangely enjoyable. Is this what it’s like to train a newbie?

After casually instructing on the shape of the line that needed to be drawn, I watched Arthur’s attempt at core creation with anticipation. But…

“Teacher… I feel unwell.”

“Shut up and focus! All your gathered mana will escape!”

“Even after compressing…Ugh…”

“Dammit! Be quiet!”

“UUURGGGHHHH!”

Arthur’s surroundings turned completely red.

Every orifice of his body bled profusely as the exploded mana tore his insides apart into rags.

Leaving behind Erica’s screams, Myna barely saved him with a hurried intervention.

“Damn. And I was so close…”

…

According to Nia and Myna, I had gone through a similar ordeal. In my case, the internal upheaval was caused by the clash of cold and hot energy. However, Arthur’s failure was simply due to lost concentration during the compression of flames, causing the compressed mana to explode.

After some thought, I placed my hand on Arthur’s back and guided the compression and flow. As a result, he was able to successfully create the mana core.

Through this process, a few realizations came to light.

First, it’s possible to interfere with another person’s mana.

Second, the act of compressing mana isn’t an easy task, and compressing the inner flames was even harder.

‘…But it was easy for me?’

I was perplexed, but figured everyone has their own specialties. Plus, Arthur’s newly formed core was subtly different from mine.

‘Even the process of drawing the lines was quite different.’

Perhaps ‘circuits’ would be a more accurate term. The process of drawing the mana pathways connecting the core to the entire body was entirely different.

Does this degree of difference in circuit formation mean there are clear individual differences? Well, we can investigate this more in the future.

After Arthur created the core, we moved on to training its applications.

It should be obvious once you try it on a rotten tree. From the fourth tree onward, I instructed Arthur to break the trees by himself.

However…

Even until the last tree…

My first disciple failed to completely control the mana.

It was a situation that made me sigh involuntarily.

But seeing his overly confident attitude, as his teacher, I couldn’t help but give him some well-deserved discipline. Self-reflection and endless training are the virtues of a swordsman, after all.

“Well…”

Isn’t everything difficult at first?

I’m not like my teacher. You need to understand this much.

I slightly shook my head and called out to the group riding the wolf pack.

“Let’s go! Arthur, you lead again!”

“Understood! Everyone, keep up!”

…

*

WHOOSH!

The clear skies near Solorun didn’t last long. As we rode north on the wolf pack, another blizzard began shortly after.

All the rotten trees near Solorun have been dealt with.

The incoming blizzard while heading north suggests it’s due to the trees set up near Yelkin. This means we’ve properly entered Yelkin’s territory without getting lost.

Adding Erika’s northern knowledge, Charles’s guidance skills have improved to the point where weather conditions like blizzards no matter.

The ability to successfully charge northward through a snowy wasteland where even the stars can’t be seen is truly absurd.

Curiosity got the better of me once when I was cooking soup at a temporary shelter and inquired about his ability to navigate so well.

It was a skill that could almost be called the secret technique of a master craftsman.

Though it might be considered rude to ask for such a closely-guarded technique, I couldn’t help but ask. Even with a transcendent sense of direction, all one sees is endless white snow.

With everyone else equally curious, they listened intently to Charles’s explanation with hopeful eyes.

After a long explanation, no one understood a thing.

“I’ll explain again.”

“No, it’s fine. This might not be suitable to discuss here.”

“Understood. Then, perhaps just survival techniques in extreme conditions?”

After Charles’s survival lesson, we continued north without any significant incidents.

In the completely snow-covered white world, she calmly led the way.

Avoiding dangers hidden by snowdrifts like cliffs, crossing frozen lakes and trees with bare branches, leaping over ghost towns emptied like ghosts.

As the sun set, we took temporary shelter for the night.

And as the sun rose, we repeatedly charged northward through the blizzard.

Due to not encountering any polluted beasts or monsters along the way, we were able to arrive near Yelkin, the gateway city, rather quickly.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The pack of white wolves rushed through the snow plains, causing heavy vibrations.

Running at incredible speed without sinking into the snow.

Does riding a motorcycle on the highway feel like this? Would be great if not for the dreary blizzard.

“Ca-in!”

Turning at the sudden call from below.

The sight of Nia, clutching onto the White Beast’s fur while nestled in my arms. Her ashy hair stuck out messily from beneath the thick robe, resembling a porcupine.

“What is it?”

“Not much! Just asking how much longer we’ll keep running!”

Turning my gaze forward at Nia’s question.

Surprisingly, instead of a wolf, a person was leading the pack of wolves.

The young man with long tied-back blonde hair, clad in only thin clothing, raced across the snow plains without riding a wolf. From the point of breaking the fourth tree until now, continuously.

Looking at Arthur’s wildly fluttering hair, I spoke.

“Is there a problem?”

“Hmm? Ah, not really. Just feels a bit sorry for him since he’s been running non-stop.”

“I see.”

From the view of an ordinary person, it may seem pitiful.

Perhaps it might look like I’m just tormenting him. Actually, Myna’s expression was subtle, and Erika’s face didn’t show any signs of relaxing.

However, I remained confident.

This is merely a part of training. Not tormenting him.

“As a master, I’m simply refining a newly created technique.”

“Running at full speed?”

“Yes. Let’s check Arthur’s mana power.”

Wriggling around, Nia pulled out her glasses and narrowed her eyes.

“Since the core has been created, superhuman physical abilities are constantly maintained as long as there is internal mana.”

“That’s true. He’s keeping up with the wolf pack’s lead without falling behind. However…”

“Mana isn’t infinite. That’s why the mana breathing method must be used. It’s about continuously replenishing the depleted mana. Theoretically, if mana continues to supply, one will never tire.”

“Still looks incredibly exhausting.”

“Hence the training. The breathing isn’t properly done, leading to lack of mana.”

Nodding understandingly after the simple explanation.

This is the correct training.

Continuously using the mana breathing method will cause the surrounding mana to be absorbed continuously, replenishing the mana core. Even if running all day, one won’t tire. Because fuel is continuously injected.

Arthur, however, was pale-faced, drenched in sweat while running in this blizzard.

This is evidence that his breathing isn’t maintained properly. Actually, the amount of mana being absorbed by him was small. The cold air being expelled was also little.

Because the filtering process isn’t properly done, the cold air would continue to accumulate internally.

Therefore, making sure to maintain calm breathing in any situation. Rotating until one can maintain breathing unconsciously even while sleeping.

Just let them adapt properly, and it will work out.

This is the master’s firm belief. It was applied to me, and the methods I used in the knights’ training.

‘Since you’ve become my disciple, you should accept it.’

Becoming stronger isn’t an easy matter. It’s like earning money.

Still.

Does Arthur, that guy, even know what it means to be my disciple?

Disciple of Landeck’s disciple.

Arthur, when pressed, is also considered a disciple of the teacher. It means inheriting the lineage of Eremwald.

‘Well, he probably doesn’t know.’

I don’t intend to tell him.

He might get unnecessarily scared. Besides, I was planning to visit Ruben after finishing with the northern affairs anyway.

“Everyone! Phew! We seem to have all arrived! Phew! I can see the walls of Yelkin!”

Turning attention to Arthur’s panting voice.

In the distance, through the blizzard, a dark figure can be seen.

A broad black silhouette spreading left and right. It’s the wall surrounding Yelkin.

Just by looking roughly, it can be seen that this is significantly larger and higher than those in Solorun. The scale of the walls itself hints at the difference between the two cities.

Gazing casually at the sky, it’s filled with overcast clouds. The surroundings are also clearly visible.

‘The sun hasn’t set yet.’

Having mounts definitely significantly shortens the travel time. Capturing the White Beast might be one of the biggest gains from this Northern expedition.

Casually tapping the running White Beast’s head while taking in Yelkin’s fortress wall, which is becoming increasingly distinct.