NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49: Achieving Mana Sensing and Mana Manipulation!
Mana Sensing.
It was the very first gate. According to the text, before one could manipulate mana, they had to first feel it — both within and without.
"Mana is the breath of the world. It surrounds all things, flows through air, stone, water, and life. To sense mana, one must quiet the mind, silence the body, and listen with the spirit. Begin by focusing inward — feel the pulse of your own life force, and then extend your awareness outward, seeking the subtle currents that brush against your existence."
Ethan's brows furrowed as he read. It wasn't just about brute forcing it. It was like tuning into a frequency — one that required patience and a certain stillness.
---
Next came Mana Manipulation.
This was where things got heavier.
"Once mana is sensed, the practitioner must learn to command it. Begin by drawing the ambient energy into the body — through breath, through will. Direct it to the limbs, to the weapon, to the desired point of release. Mana manipulation is the act of weaving and guiding energy particles, both within the bloodstream and in the surrounding atmosphere."
"Control is achieved through visualization and precise intent. Forceful attempts lead to backlash. Gentle but firm guidance leads to mastery."
Another passage caught Ethan's eye:
"Only when the inner mana and outer mana harmonize can true manipulation occur. The body serves as the vessel, the will as the guide."
---
Ethan leaned back in his chair, thoughts racing.
So first, he had to refine his sensing ability — reach that threshold where the mana around him no longer felt distant, but close, almost tangible. Only then could he start pulling it in, directing it, fusing it with his sword technique.
His jaw clenched.
---
'So this is the road…' Ethan muttered inwardly, eyes sharp with resolve. It wasn't going to be easy — the books made that much clear. But now that he'd seen the structure, understood the steps, it felt possible.
From what he read so far, he could already imagine the insane boost Crimson Edge would receive once mana manipulation came into play. It would no longer be the crude, incomplete version he used till now. It would evolve into something dangerous — real.
And if he pulled it off…
His father would have no choice but to acknowledge him.
---
Without wasting another second, Ethan left the library and headed deeper into the mansion — toward one of the Drakethorne's private training chambers.
The Mana Resonance Room.
This place was built for this exact purpose — walls lined with special stones that naturally amplified ambient mana, making it denser, easier for Awakened to interact with during practice.
A faint hum of energy pulsed through the chamber as he stepped inside, and the heavy doors closed behind him with a solid thud.
Ethan took his position in the center of the circular platform, dropping to a seated posture. He pulled the white towel from his neck, tossing it aside.
His breathing steadied.
His thoughts quieted.
And then… he began.
---
The first step: sensing mana.
He remembered the book's words — to quiet the body, silence the mind, and listen with the spirit.
So he did just that.
His breaths grew slow and deep. In. Out. In. Out.
Minutes passed.
At first, there was nothing. Just the steady beat of his own heart and the faint hum of the room around him. But Ethan didn't get frustrated — he kept going, deeper, calmer.
Then, faintly… ever so faintly, he began to feel it.
A subtle warmth pulsing within his core. Like a second heartbeat, quieter and deeper than the physical one in his chest.
His eyes narrowed. He focused on that pulse.
And as he did, it grew stronger — the warmth spreading faintly through his limbs, tracing the paths of his blood vessels, like invisible rivers branching outward.
His breaths grew lighter. The world around him dimmed, and that inner pulse became everything.
Then suddenly—
Ding!
---
┏━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┓
•──────────────────•
[Mana Sensing Achieved — Level 1]
[You can now sense the mana within your own body.]
[At Level 2, you'll be able to sense ambient mana in the surroundings.]
[At Level 3, you'll sense the flow of mana within other living beings — allowing you to gauge strength and detect hidden forces.]
[From Level 4 onward, the skill becomes instinctual, range widens, and even concealed traces of mana can be discovered. An essential tool for lone adventurers venturing into dangerous lands.]
•──────────────────•
┗━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┛
---
Ethan's eyes snapped open, a thin sheen of sweat on his brow — but his lips curled into a smirk.
Progress.
It wasn't much yet — he could only feel the mana inside himself, but the path forward was now real. Tangible. And that was enough to fuel his excitement.
But he wasn't done.
Next… mana manipulation.
---
Closing his eyes again, Ethan shifted his focus.
Now that he could sense mana, the next step was to command it. To draw it toward his will.
He visualized the warm current in his body, flowing faintly. The books said: gentle but firm. Don't force it — guide it.
Ethan exhaled slowly and concentrated on gathering the mana toward his right hand.
At first, the flow resisted — slipping away, like trying to hold water with bare fingers.
But he persisted.
Minute by minute, he kept calling it. Urging the current to converge.
His hand tingled faintly… then grew warmer.
And then — as if a dam cracked open — the mana shifted. It flooded toward his palm, pooling there, coiling under his skin.
His hand glowed faintly, subtle but real.
A sharp ding echoed again.
---
┏━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┓
•──────────────────•
[Mana Manipulation Achieved — Level 1]
[You can now manipulate the mana within your own body.]
[At Level 1, you can concentrate mana in specific parts of your body to empower physical strikes, or coat your weapon to enhance attacks.]
[At Level 2, you will gain the ability to manipulate ambient mana from the surroundings — significantly amplifying your power.]
[At Level 3, you will be able to disturb and manipulate the mana flow within other beings. Stronger enemies will resist, but even partial disruption can turn battles in your favor.]
[From Level 4 onward, the range and speed of manipulation increases. Control will become instinctual — the foundation for advanced techniques and survival in the wild.]
•──────────────────•
┗━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┛