Chapter 5: The Crystalline Current
"Teacher V, we have a question about our mana hearts," Mike and Jek said in unison, their voices a blend of nervousness and excitement.
Teacher V's eyes widened. "And what is it, my dear students?" she asked, her tone surprisingly gentle. A flicker of surprise crossed Mike and Jek's faces; they weren't used to such politeness from their usually stern instructor. Seeing their confusion, Teacher V chuckled, a warm, unexpected sound. "Speak up! I'm feeling generous today!" The shift in her demeanor eased their tension, though a hint of apprehension remained.
"Oh, an excellent question!" Teacher V exclaimed, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Sometimes, hidden branches of mana hearts manifest later, especially if it's an innate ability passed down through your bloodline. Regarding your stats, don't worry; it's not an error. Awakened mana hearts with hidden branches often possess higher stats than usual. It's perfectly normal."
"Jek, is there a history of this type of mana heart in your family? If so, you may have inherited a bloodline mana heart," Teacher V inquired, her gaze thoughtful.
"Yes, I think so. I vaguely remember my grandmother mentioning a rare earth mana heart. I should ask my parents for more details," Jek replied, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow.
"Very well. Here are your tokens," Teacher V said, handing them over with a warm smile. "And because both of you have awakened rare mana hearts, you'll each receive a silver-grade cultivation method. These are only available to those with exceptional mana hearts."
Jek grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Fantastic! This gives us a significant advantage. Let's go, Mike!" He practically bounced out the door, his excitement palpable.
"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher V!" Mike added gratefully, his voice filled with relief and gratitude.
After receiving their tokens, Mike and Jek headed to the school's vault. A palpable hum of magical energy filled the air as they entered the vast, circular chamber. Rows upon rows of shelves stretched towards a high, arched ceiling, each holding scrolls and tomes bound in leather, wood, and even shimmering obsidian. The air was thick with the scent of aged paper and potent arcane energies.
The vault had three floors: the first floor housed bronze and silver-grade cultivation methods; the second, gold and platinum; and the third, the rarest diamond-grade methods. Their school, however, was unremarkable, possessing only a limited selection. Truly advanced methods were usually found in prestigious academies. This vault was merely for exam preparation.
Jek's jaw dropped as he gazed upon the vast collection of bronze-grade scriptures. "Whoa!" he breathed, utterly awestruck. Mike chuckled. "Easy, Jek. We need to go to the silver-grade section."
"Right, right! Silver is much more advanced," Jek agreed, his excitement slightly tempered by Mike's words.
They arrived at the silver-grade section...
Mike and Jek, along with other students who had awakened rare mana hearts, carefully scanned the shelves. Their eyes darted over titles like Earth's Embrace, Wind's Whisper, and Tidal Surge. Mike focused on the water mana heart category, remembering his unique crystalline mana heart from the awakening ceremony. A frown tugged at his lips. He worried that the corresponding cultivation method might only be found in prestigious academies. How could something like that exist in their ordinary school?
Meanwhile, Jek found a promising text: Mountain's Strength, a scripture focused on physical enhancement and earth manipulation. "Hey, I found something perfect for me! With my Nature Absorption skill, this will be amazing!" Jek exclaimed proudly.
Mountain's Strength focused on strengthening his body and harnessing earth energy for powerful strikes and defensive maneuvers. It included a unique meditation technique for drawing strength from the ground. Jek found it straightforward and practical, a perfect match for his personality.
Mike continued searching, his brow furrowed in concentration. Then, he spotted a tattered, ancient-looking book with few pages remaining: The Crystalline Current. Could this be related to his mana heart?
"Maybe the first person to awaken with that mana heart was from this school and left behind their discoveries," Jek suggested, seeing Mike's puzzled expression.
The book contained limited information but provided a stable foundation for cultivation. "This is great! This will help my cultivation, and maybe I can discover more skills," Mike said, his voice filled with hope.
Jek and Mike left the vault, their spirits high. Suddenly, Shan appeared, a sneer twisting his lips. "Oh my, look who it is! The promising mages, Mike and Jek!" he taunted.
"What's the use of this school's vault? It's just ordinary silver-grade stuff! Look at this cultivation method!" Shan declared, ostentatiously displaying his own scripture.
"That's...a gold-grade cultivation method," Jek stated, his voice awed.
"Indeed! It's called Scorching Fire Dragon Breath!" Shan announced smugly. "A gift from my family. This is the difference between us. I'll easily outrank you both in the exam!"
"Are you finished showing off? We need to practice our cultivation methods," Mike retorted, his voice laced with impatience.
"Oh, alright, alright!" Shan chuckled, his arrogance undeterred.
"Thanks you mister gold-grade cultivation method," Jek added with a condescending smirk.
They already left...
"You'll regret this!" Shan spat as he realize something, his face contorted with anger as Mike and Jek ran off, laughing.
Back in their room, they began practicing. Mike started meditating with The Crystalline Current. "This is unique. It's like a water current that draws in mana from the air, surrounding me like a river," he mused.
The Crystalline Current used the flow of water to control water-related mana, gathering it into the mana heart for cultivation. Mike quickly learned to manipulate the surrounding mana, absorbing it until a brilliant light filled the room, startling even Jek, who was just beginning his meditation.
"I...I reached level 2 in Tier 1!" Mike exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief and triumph.
"What?! Level 2 already? Let me see your data panel!" Jek exclaimed, leaping from his bed.
-Data Panel-
Name: Mike
Race: Human
Realm: Tier 1 [Level 2: 0/20]
Mana Heart: Crystalline Mana Heart [hidden branch of Water Mana Heart]
Scripture: Crystalline Current
-Status-
Strength: 19
Physique: 18
Agility: 19
Mana: 20
Native Skill: Crystallization
Skills: Mana Sensing
[Mana Sensing - the ability to feel mana in the air]
"You're a monster! How did you do that? You already mastered the scripture? I need to catch up!" Jek exclaimed, rushing back to his bed to continue his practice.
"Wow, level 2 adds 10 points to every stat. I feel incredibly strong! I wish you could see this," Mike said, a touch of sadness in his voice, as he returned to his cultivation.