Chapter 7: New Routine
And thus, my new training routine began. At just four years old, my regimen was designed to be manageable, with a few hours of daily training. This allowed me to make significant progress without pushing myself too hard.
My father gifted me a high-quality spear suited to my small frame. While it wasn't as exceptional as the sword from Count Arlen, it was certainly usable until I matured.
Spearmanship was a new endeavor for me. A spear, while lacking the versatility of a sword, was a straightforward and deadly weapon. However, at the pinnacle, a sword wielded with mana could edge out a spear in terms of versatility and technique.
My spear journey was only beginning and couldn't yet compare to my previous life's mastery of the sword. However, my memories and techniques from my past life carried over, making me a far better swordsman than anyone else in the estate.
My spear training started with the fundamental stances and thrusts. The basic stance required me to hold the spear with both hands, keeping my feet shoulder-width apart for balance. The leading hand, usually my right, gripped the spear near the base of the head, while my left hand held it further down the shaft.
The primary attack was the thrust. With a forward step and a sharp extension of my arms, the spearhead would shoot straight towards the target. This movement relied on speed and precision, aiming for vital points.
Parrying was another essential skill. By angling the spear to intercept incoming attacks, I could deflect strikes away from my body. This required quick reflexes and a strong grip.
I was already an expert in parrying because of my swordsmanship, so adapting this skill to spearmanship wouldn't be too difficult. However, there were other aspects of my body that needed development.
My strength and speed were naturally limited by my four-year-old physique, but even more critical was my reaction speed. My kinetic and dynamic vision were underdeveloped, meaning my ability to perceive and respond to fast movements was significantly lower than in my previous life. Memories alone couldn't compensate for these physical limitations; I needed to train my eyes and reflexes from scratch.
Despite these setbacks, I could already see the advantages of my reincarnation.
'I could probably beat any knight with an orange core right now,' I mused as I continued my spearmanship training.
Beyond physical training, I focused on upgrading my mana core by absorbing ambient mana. This process couldn't be brute-forced; it required a deep understanding and mastery of mana to be done effectively.
I also studied how mana was developed and used in this world. It was similar to how we used it on Earth, but with notable differences.
The two primary methods of using mana were enhancing physical attributes, known as aura, and casting spells. Casting spells was a complex process involving the formation of magic circles. These circles were intricate patterns that gathered mana from the body and released it in a controlled manner. They streamlined the process of mana gathering and the mathematical calculations required for spellcasting.
Lower-ranked mages typically served as support, attacking from behind warriors who used aura to enhance their physical abilities. This division of roles allowed for a balanced and strategic approach to combat.
At higher levels, mages and warriors could fight on equal footing regardless of distance. Mages developed the ability to counter close-range attacks, while warriors could adapt to long-range combat. At lower levels, however, the deciding factor between mages and warriors remained the distance.
Spell casting was a complex and demanding process, virtually monopolized by nobles due to the high level of education and excellent teaching required. My mother was a spellcaster, making her a valuable teacher for us. I was particularly interested in learning spells that would complement my swordsmanship and spearmanship.
At this stage, before reaching the orange core, I focused on using pure mana. I couldn't attribute any elemental characteristics to my mana yet, as doing so would change its properties and elevate it to a new level.
Taking a deep breath, I paused to take a break. I turned my head to observe my older brother Lucas training with a sword.
'He's improving,' I noted. Lucas had been training for four years and was getting stronger. By the time he reached puberty, he would be a formidable knight. He also seemed to have a greater talent for magic than my sister.
His sword had a sharper edge than normal aura, which could only mean one thing.
'Wind attribute,' I realized.
Lucas had already reached the orange core stage and was using the wind attribute to enhance his attacks. At this rate, he would likely reach the green core stage by adulthood and might even attain the indigo core stage in the future if he continued his training. On the other hand, my sister might never surpass the green core stage in her lifetime, perhaps reaching the blue core stage if she were fortunate.
If not for my past life's memories, I likely would never have been able to reach the purple core stage, let alone the white core stage.
But I was confident. I had ambitious goals, and I was determined to achieve them.
Every day after my spearmanship training, I dedicated time to learning more about mana and absorbing its theoretical aspects. Given its similarities to my past life's knowledge, it was quite straightforward.
There were thirteen elements of mana: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, gravity, space, time, light, darkness, life, and death. They were listed approximately in order of rarity.
Even forming a mana core was a rare achievement. About half of the people in this world couldn't sense mana at all, making it impossible for them to pull mana inside and condense it in their sternum.
Furthermore, those with rare elements like light or death were exceedingly scarce. These elements were incredibly powerful, though the strength of magic depended more on the user than on the element itself.
A death magic user, for instance, could cast curses and raise the dead like liches, making them formidable adversaries. Most became necromancers. A life magic user could heal life-threatening wounds, revive people on the brink of death, and even restore burnt-down forests. They often became druids. Light magic users typically aligned themselves with the Holy Empire of Archus, the most powerful force in the world. Darkness magic users usually became assassins.
Time, space, and gravity magic were not as rare but were harder to use due to their high demands in both mana and mathematical computations. A person could technically have affinity to any number of elements, as one would expect however, people with affinity to several elements is lesser.
There was no way to check the affinity to element other than reaching orange core and trying it out.
I also learned about the vastness of this world. There were four official empires that constituted the greatest powers. The Killion Empire was the youngest and weakest of these, while the Holy Empire of Archus was the strongest.
The Holy Empire of Archus's strength lay in its widespread believers, extending its influence far beyond its borders. In terms of military might, the Hyperion Empire was considered its equal, while the Antalus Empire matched it economically.
The Killion Empire was just the weakest, struggling with powerful threats right at its doorstep.
Another interesting aspect was the lack of formal educational facilities, at least for elementary education. There were none at all. According to my mother, nobles were expected to be taught by private tutors and through self-study with books until they were old enough. Then, if they aspired to become officials or scholars, they could continue their education at an academy.
Commoners faced greater challenges due to financial constraints and lack of connections. Education for them was a luxury few could afford.
'It truly is a medieval world,' I thought with a sigh as I turned the page of my book detailing the history and impact of mana.
Mana was transformative. It allowed a single person to dominate a battlefield. With mana, one individual could decimate an entire army, a feat unimaginable in my previous world before the Towers descended.
The progression through mana core stages was another subject of interest. It was through exploration and pushing boundaries that new stages were confirmed. The book mentioned that scholars had determined no advancement beyond the white core, but I took that with a grain of salt.
Back on Earth, the New York Times once predicted that a flying machine was 10,000 years away, only for the first flight to occur a few years later. Predictions, especially about something as elusive as mana, were unreliable.
Mana was trickier than science. The book's claim that white core was the ultimate stage was not definitive proof in my mind.
I had reached a level beyond what would be considered the white core in my previous life, and I was confident I could elevate the white core to even greater heights in this world.
If surpassing the white core was what it took to protect my family, then I would do it.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone