CHAPTER 23: MANA GATHERING [2]

Chapter 23: Mana Gathering [2]

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"Find your positions," Instructor Bale commanded, his voice cutting through the quiet feel of the hall.

The students of Class 1-D settled into various kneeling meditation postures, their backs straight and their hands resting on their knees. A solemn silence fell over the room as they followed his instructions. The air, which had been thick with the scent of burnt wood, was now filled with a sense of anticipation.

"Some of you are already above the novice stage of cultivation, especially those from noble houses," Instructor Bale continued, his voice a low rumble. "But then there are those who can’t even sense or feel mana.

"Mana is the essence of life in this kingdom. Close your eyes and try to visualize a second mixture, other than air, flowing against you—the one that makes your soul tingle. That is mana."

A wave of stillness washed over the class as the students closed their eyes, their faces a canvas of concentration. Some shifted uncomfortably, their bodies not used to the strict posture, while others seemed to settle into it naturally. After a few minutes, a soft blue glow began to emanate from some of them—the telltale sign of successful mana gathering. The students from the noble houses were the first to glow, their bodies shining with a vibrant blue aura.

Suddenly, a burst of mana erupted from one corner of the room, a powerful wave that made the air itself vibrate. Instructor Bale’s eyes flickered open, a proud smile on his face. "That’s it," he said, his voice laced with satisfaction. "He has finally ascended to the mana refinement stage. It doesn’t even take that long to ascend past novice; at worst, it takes a week."

The praise was aimed at a student from a noble house, a boy who was now glowing a bright, vibrant blue, his aura pulsing with newfound power. It was a clear demonstration of the difference between those who came from a lineage which focused on magic and those who were starting from scratch.

Arios, for his part, had his eyes closed. He didn’t need to struggle. His memory of dual cultivating with Liza Garnet was fresh in his mind. The sensation of a swirling, ethereal energy filling his body was still vivid. He just needed to recall that feeling, that sense of connection with the invisible force that permeated the world around him. He took a deep breath, letting his mind relax, and the sensation returned. He felt a cool, soothing energy begin to flow into him, a gentle current that filled his very being.

As he began to cultivate, the system began to record the changes.

[Mana: 300/600]

[Mana: 310/600]

...

[Mana: 330/600]

...

[Mana: 380/600]

[Ding! You have gained 20XP]

Arios felt a surge of warmth in his chest as the experience points were added. He was making progress, and it felt good. He opened his eyes just a little to see how his classmates were faring.

Rain Blake, a boy from a commoner family, was still struggling. His face was a mask of frustration, his body stiff and his mind clearly not at peace. He fidgeted, shifting his weight, unable to find the calm needed to meditate. The contrast between him and Greg Tunley, a noble, was stark. Greg was a natural, a calm blue light already injecting into his body, his posture perfect.

Liza was struggling as well, but not with the same frustration as Rain. She just couldn’t seem to get her mind to fully relax. That was until Elisa Ravencroft moved over to her. Elisa, with her serene expression, whispered something to Liza and helped her adjust her pose. Liza’s body relaxed, and a faint blue glow began to flicker around her.

Elisa, however, was the true show of the class. She was glowing with a bright, navy blue light that pulsed with immense power. As Arios watched, she began to float a few inches off the ground, her body serene and her face a picture of pure focus. Arios knew from the anime that she was already above the novice stage and was actually in the middle stage of Mana Refinement. Her talent was a force to be reckoned with.

Then there was Kyousuke, the protagonist. He sat there, his body glowing with the same soft blue light as the other nobles, but Arios knew better. He was actively suppressing his cultivation, making it look similar to others. In the anime, Kyousuke was already at the middle stage of Path Tracing, a level far beyond what any of them had achieved or could ever achieve.

Arios closed his eyes again, refocusing on his own cultivation. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. He had his own journey to follow, his own path to forge. He recalled the feeling again, the soothing current of mana flowing into him, and pushed it to its limit.

[Mana: 480/600]

[Ding! You have gained 20XP]

A powerful wave of energy surged through his body, a feeling of immense growth that made him want to shout in triumph. He felt a shift in his body, a subtle change that signified a major breakthrough.

[Stage Leveled Up!]

[You have ascended to Mana Refinement - First Stage.]

This was it. He had done it. He had taken his first major step against Kyousuke. He felt stronger, more in tune with the mana around him. His perception had sharpened, and he could feel the flow of mana in the room with a clarity he hadn’t possessed before.

Then, a new wave of notifications appeared, even more shocking than the last.

[Dual Mana Cultivation Leveled Up!]

[You can now Dual Cultivate when performing Threesome.]

[Only compatible with two female partners.]

Arios almost stumbled out of his meditation pose.

What? A threesome?

The system was getting wilder by the day. He quickly smirked, a mix of joy and amusement washing over him.

He would get to fuck two girls at once, Maybe one would be sucking his shaft and the other will be fingering herself as he explore the tendencies of her breasts.

The system was truly a strange thing, a blend of a typical cultivation novel and a harem anime. He wondered how he was going to explain this to Liza, assuming he ever had to use it.

Another notification popped up, pulling him out of his crazy threesome imaginations.

[Swordsmanship Leveled Up!]

[+7 to all STATS]

[D-Tier Martial Manual Available.]

The notification was so sudden, so out of place, that he almost laughed. He had done nothing related to swordsmanship, yet here he was, getting a level-up. It must have been a side effect of his mana refinement. The dual mana cultivation, the swordsmanship level up—his system was truly a direct path to power.

He opened his eyes, a calm confidence in their depths. His body was now glowing with a soft blue light, a testament to his new stage of cultivation. He stood up, his joints popping slightly as he stretched.

"Congratulations, Mr. Arios," Instructor Bale said, a proud smile on his face. "You’ve ascended to the next stage. It seems you’re a natural after all. Now, let’s see if anyone else can follow your example."

Arios simply smiled, a quiet confidence settling deep in his core. He had a long way to go, but he was on his way.

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[A/N:] The book has finally been contracted, your support is my motivation to keep writing, golden tickets and gifts makes the algorithm push books, so it will be great if you can help push this book. Cultured Men This book if for you guys.