Chapter 98

Кhаn, sitting in а сross-leggеd роsitiоn, slоwly began tо drаw up his Mаna.

Oооng…!!!!!!!

То сrеate а Circlе, аll the Маnа in thе bоdy must bе gathеred into thе hеаrt.

Нowevеr, it is not еasy to соndense all the Маna spread throughоut thе entire body at оnсe.

While it might hаve bееn роssible when creаting the 1st Cirсlе duе to the lоw Маna Cаpaсity, now that it eхсeeds 3,000, it wоuld bе difficult.

Рerhaрs it would be bettеr to рull аll the Mana out first аnd then gаthеr it intо the hеart.

Oооng……!!!!!!!

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing……!!!

Кukukukukukung…!!!

In an instant, bluе Mаnа sрrеаd out frоm Кhаn’s bodу.

Нis Mana swirled around the room, causing a small vibration to resonate inside.

Khan continued to squeeze out even the last handful of Mana from his body.

Until it felt like there was not a single trace of Mana left in his body.

And finally.

“Hoo….”

The room was filled with Khan’s blue Mana.

To Khan, it felt like there was no Mana left inside his body, but there was still a possibility that some might remain.

‘If even a little Mana remains… creating the Circle will inevitably fail.’

So Khan opened his Status Window.

Something that other Mages didn’t have, but only Khan possessed.

That was the Status Window.

By checking the Status Window, he could confirm the remaining Mana in his body.

◈ LV.39

◈ Khan (Lee Huseong)

◈ Mana: 4/3640

◈ Talent: Magic

◈ Skills: (10★)Sage’s Heart, (8★)Growth Acceleration, (1★)Arrow, (1★)Barrier, (2★)Fire Boom, (2★)Fireball, (2★)Mirror Defense, (2★)Mana Enhancement, (1★)Wind Cutter, (3★)Dragon’s Breath

Surprisingly, a little Mana remained.

Ooong……!!!!

Sssssssssssssss…!!

Khan pulled out even the tiny remaining amount of Mana completely.

After that, when he checked the Status Window again, the remaining Mana showed 0.

‘Now it’s done.’

With all the Mana in his body gone, a strange feeling of weakness washed over him.

If he maintained this state for too long, he could collapse from exhaustion, so Khan quickly drew the Mana floating in the air into his heart.

Ooong…!!!

Suwaaaaaaaaaak!!!

All 3,640 of Khan’s Mana were sucked into his heart in an instant.

Swahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Oooong…!!!!!

Thump…! Thump…! Thump…!

The heartbeat of the heart that had swallowed the Mana quickened.

The heart contracted, and the Mana circulated throughout his body through the blood vessels.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!!

“This time too… I don’t feel any pain.”

In the game, when the total Mana corresponding to each Circle was achieved, a message would appear asking if he wanted to increase the Circle.

When he clicked accept, he could see the Character on the other side of the monitor in pain.

Ooong……!!!!!!!!

The Mana swept through his entire body and gathered back into Khan’s heart.

Simultaneously, this time it burrowed into the heart.

Ssssssssssssssssh…!!!

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing…!!!

The Mana that entered the heart soon flowed back out and began to form a ring around the heart.

A new ring formed around Khan’s heart, which originally had one Circle.

Wiiiiiiing!!

Wiiiiiiing!!

Two Circles floating as if embracing Khan’s heart.

[You have reached the 2nd Circle.]

[Mana Consumption for all Skills is reduced.]

[Casting Speed for all Skills is increased.]

[Mana Recovery amount is increased.]

[Mana increases by 100.]

These were the messages that appeared upon reaching the 2nd Circle.

“Hheup…!”

Khan did not stop there and focused on the Mana being sucked into his heart.

At that moment,

[Skill ‘Sage’s Heart’ has been activated.]

[Due to the skill ‘Sage’s Heart’, the Circle increases with the minimum required Mana.]

[Due to the skill ‘Sage’s Heart’, the heart’s pain disappears.]

Until now, it was only Khan’s speculation, but seeing the message before his eyes, he could now be certain.

‘As I thought, the reason I, who have no talent for Mana, could create Circles was thanks to ‘Sage’s Heart’.’

Immediately, Khan couldn’t even create a 2nd Circle, but thanks to the Rank 10 Hidden Skill ‘Sage’s Heart’, he could create up to three without any special difficulty.

[You have reached the 3rd Circle.]

[Mana Consumption for all Skills is reduced.]

[Casting Speed for all Skills is increased.]

[Mana Recovery amount is increased.]

[Mana increases by 300.]

Upon reaching the 3rd Circle, his Mana increased by 300 compared to when he reached the 2nd Circle.

Ooong…!!!

Sssssssssssss….

The Mana that had been swirling around Khan’s heart until just now spread throughout his entire body as if nothing had happened and then calmed down.

Perhaps because the Circle had increased, his body felt much lighter than before.

Khan immediately opened his Status Window to check what had changed.

◈ LV.39

◈ Khan (Lee Huseong)

◈ Mana: 4040/4040

◈ Talent: Magic

◈ Skills: (10★)Sage’s Heart, (8★)Growth Acceleration, (1★)Arrow, (1★)Barrier, (2★)Fire Boom, (2★)Fireball, (2★)Mirror Defense, (2★)Mana Enhancement, (1★)Wind Cutter, (3★)Dragon’s Breath

Checking the Status Window, Khan’s total Mana Capacity was now over 4000.

“This alone is a tremendous achievement.”

Moreover, having reached the 3rd Circle, the Mana Consumption of the Skills Khan uses would have decreased by about 20%.

Since his Mana Recovery speed had also increased, even if battles dragged on, he would be less strained.

“All preparations are complete, so starting tomorrow, I should properly head to the 12th District.”

He had already heard roughly from Eddy about what kind of person Lexar was.

Lexar, after dabbling in Dark Magic and being excommunicated from the Magic Tower, was said to be building his own gang to seek revenge against the Yellow Magic Tower.

If he were an Archmage of the Magic Tower, his Level would be over 400, but Mages just before reaching that level were typically around Level 200 on average.

With this, Khan gained confidence that he could completely defeat Lexar.

He had achieved the 3rd Circle, and he even had Eddy’s highest-grade Scroll.

“Hoo… All preparations are done. Now, let’s rest a bit.”

Khan lay on the bed and rested for the first time in a while.

How long had it been since he properly lay down?

As soon as Khan leaned back on the bed, he was swept away by sleep.

* * *

Ooong…!!!

Kukukukukukukukukung…!!!!!

Meanwhile, at the same time, Byutek and Sharin, who had gone to their respective lodgings, hurriedly came out upon hearing the sudden vibration felt in their rooms.

“Sha… Sharin! Did you feel it too?! It’s an earthquake, an earthquake!”

“No, Byutek Oppa. This isn’t an earthquake; it’s Master’s Mana.”

“What?!”

“It seems Master is training even in his spare time….”

Sharin confirmed Khan’s Mana from beyond the door.

It was quite a lot, but not an enormous amount either.

“As expected of Hyungnim! Despite having battles with Mages, instead of resting, he’s training…. This won’t do, Sharin! I’m going out too!”

“Huh? Where to?”

“I should go to a nearby Dungeon or something. What are you planning to do?”

“Hmm… Well, I think I’ll just do Mana training in the lodging.”

“Alright, got it. Then I’m off!”

Byutek grabbed his Greatsword and quickly left the Inn.

Watching him, Sharin did not return to her room and instead cautiously approached Khan’s door.

‘What exactly is Master doing? It seems like he pulled out all his Mana….’

What could he be doing?

Sharin wanted to become a Mage like Khan.

That’s why she was following Khan around, to become a strong Mage like him.

‘Master hasn’t taught me properly yet because I’m still lacking, but I can’t just stay still like this…!’

Didn’t Byutek just say he would go to a Dungeon to become stronger too?

Unlike Adventurers or Knights, even if Mages go to Dungeons, it’s hard to gain great enlightenment or become significantly stronger.

That’s why Sharin didn’t go to the Dungeon with Byutek.

‘Should I stay here a bit…?’

Sharin stood in front of Khan’s door, holding her breath.

Ooong…!!!

Sssssssssssssss…!!!

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!!

She closed her eyes and slowly began to visualize in her mind what was happening inside the room.

Khan was now pulling out all the Mana in his body and then putting it back in.

Sharin closed her eyes and raised her Mana Sensitivity to its maximum.

She felt like she could sense Khan’s Mana gathering into his heart and how many Mana Rings were in his heart.

But then.

“Huh… Huhuk…!!”

Suddenly, Sharin’s chest felt blocked as if something had stuck! She couldn’t breathe.

It felt as if Magic had been cast on Khan’s heart.

‘Did Master notice…?’

Fortunately, nothing else happened afterward.

Either Khan noticed and pretended not to, or he didn’t notice at all.

‘It seems he noticed… He’s probably just letting it slide.’

Anyway, from beyond the door, Sharin secretly sensed Khan’s Mana and could roughly understand what he had done.

Thud. Thud. Thump.

Returning to her room, Sharin immediately sat in a cross-legged position.

“I should try it too…!”

For some reason, Sharin felt like she could do it too.