Chapitre 25: Mana
"Mana is everywhere; it is the ambient energy that all creatures thrive on. Mana is somewhat like the air we breathe, as the laws governing it are almost similar. All humans possess what we call a mana core. Now, it is this core that purifies the mana we take in. Mana, in its neutral form, is toxic, and if ingested directly, it could cause mana pool combustion. That's why the mana core is crucial. However, that's not its only function, but for now, we'll focus on its most fundamental purpose.
After purifying the mana, the core transfers it to the mana pool. But mind you, once purified, the mana carries the unique signature of the person. This is why it's impossible to directly absorb another person's mana, but there are special conditions, but that in itself a topic for another time.
When a spell is cast, the mana is released back into the air. Much like how carbon dioxide is absorbed by trees, the unstable mana, now carrying a signature, is reabsorbed and purified by nature before returning to the atmosphere. This cycle continues as mana is drawn back into the body through the mana core—"
The teacher droned on, but my mind was elsewhere. I could barely pay attention.
I don't know what's wrong with me.
I really don't.
I just can't explain it.
The obsession I felt for Renay... it's completely vanished.
I mean, I still love her, but for some reason... it's not as desperate as before.
And not just that—Zel is gone.
Wait. Could all of this be connected somehow? Zel's disappearance, the return of my long-lost mana, and... my feelings?
"Sigh."
"What's wrong?" I heard a gentle voice as a warm hand rested on my cheek.
I glanced to the side, and sure enough, it was Selena.
"...Nothing, just some idle thoughts," I replied, shifting my focus back to the busty teacher lecturing about 'Mana.'
That's another problem. Selena.
I feel more... conscious of her now. I can't explain it. It's as though, after my unhealthy obsession with Renay faded into a bittersweet memory of someone I once loved, I became more aware of the people around me.
Take Selena, for example.
She has striking blue hair and peach-colored eyes. Yesterday, while looking at her, I admitted to myself that she was beautiful and all, but I felt nothing—not even a shred of infatuation. I just stared at her as though she were the same gender as me.
Yes, almost every girl I encountered back then felt like just another guy to me. The only one who ever felt different was Renay.
Damn. Why did I fall so hopelessly in love with her?
Anyway, as usual, I sat in the back row, but today Renay sat beside me, her smile radiant as she linked her arm with mine.
But now that I'm more conscious of her—and these raging hormones—I can't focus on anything.
"Oh, right, I wanted to ask you something," I said, turning to her. She tilted her head, her smile unwavering.
Isn't she too close? We're literally a finger's width away from kissing.
"When you said you 'just asked nicely,' how exactly did you do it?" I asked, voicing something that had been bothering me for a while.
I just don't get it.
This morning, on my way to class, I ran into the guys who had beaten me up and robbed me on the first day of school. I was about to avoid them when they noticed me.
But then something weird happened.
They turned pale—like sheets of paper—and started running.
What's more, their run was odd, almost... awkward. Like someone trying to hide a very public and inconvenient problem.
"Oh, that," She said, smirking. For some reason, she looked so devilishly beautiful at that moment. "I asked them for it, and they said they'd give it to me if I showed them a good time."
I frowned.
"...And that I did," she added with a cheeky grin.
"..." I just stared at her in silence.
"Wait... don't tell me you're jealous, thinking I did something with them," she teased, her eyes widening as she covered her mouth dramatically.
"Fuck off," I muttered, turning my attention back to the teacher.
Why am I acting like some awkward teenager talking to his crush? Damn it! I need to get my act together.
"You didn't ask about Silver, though," she said, casually changing the topic. "I thought he was your friend."
Instinctively, my eyes darted to the seat Silver had occupied yesterday. It was empty.
"Did something happen?" I asked, not particularly concerned. I never really liked him anyway. He always made me uncomfortable.
"Well, he was found half-dead in one of the school's private training rooms," she said.
I turned to her, eyes wide.
"What?"
....
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