That night Arthur was seated in a meditative posture inside his room, he exhaled deeply, as he prepared for what was to come. He could feel it, an invisible threshold looming just ahead. He was close to another breakthrough.

Tonight, he would take that next step.

With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved several high-grade mana stones from his dimensional pocket. Each of these stones contained more energy than what most mages could hope to accumulate in months of training. But Arthur had long since surpassed conventional limits.

Placing them in front of him, he extended his hand, activating [Energy Absorption].

Immediately, the air around him trembled as an invisible force latched onto the mana stones, drawing their potent energy toward him. The stones quivered, their glow intensifying for a brief moment before dimming as their mana was rapidly siphoned away.

A wave of pure mana surged into Arthur’s body, spreading through his body like a raging tide. His veins shimmered faintly, his entire being thrumming with power as the mana circulated, fueling his core.

He exhaled, steadying himself against the overwhelming influx.

For most low level mages, absorbing mana directly from high-grade stones was dangerous, an excess of energy could cause mana deviation, leading to instability or even death. Arthur’s control might not be the greatest to control the amount of energy entering his body but due to his immensely strong body and the ability [Energy Absorption], the absorbed energy becomes harmless for him after entering his body. 

He regulated the flow, ensuring every wisp of energy was stored inside the mana core properly.

The minutes passed in silence, interrupted only by the occasional crackling of the stones as their inner reservoirs depleted. One by one, they turned to dust, disintegrating into fine particles that scattered across the floor.

Arthur didn’t stop.

As he had gained tons of mana stones he decided to feed a portion of the mana stones to the golem. So he asked the Guardian to do so.

He was curious to see how the golem would react to a direct infusion of high-grade mana stone. The last time it had absorbed some mana stones, it had exhibited signs of growth and adaptation. Would there be any changes after consuming more high-grade mana stones, Arthur was looking forward to it, but he would have to wait as it had entered a phase of metamorphosis after consuming the mana stones previously.

Arthur then focused on channeling the mana to his core.

His mana core was nearly saturated, the dense energy pressing outward, signaling that the time had come.

It was time to form his second mana ring.

..

Arthur inhaled sharply, preparing himself. He withdrew his focus from the outside world, turning his complete attention inward.

His mana core glowed brilliantly, an orb of condensed energy. Surrounding it was his first mana ring, a perfect loop of pure mana orbiting the core like a celestial body.

Now, he had to create another one.

With precise control, Arthur began extracting a portion of the accumulated mana, slowly detaching it from the core. The energy resisted at first, instinctively clinging to its origin, but he exerted his will, guiding it outward.

A thin stream of mana peeled away, forming a glowing band around the core.

He carefully expanded the band, maintaining a steady distance from the first ring. The process required absolute precision; if the rings clashed or became unstable, the resulting backlash could damage his mana core, setting his progress back by weeks or even months.

Bit by bit, he molded the energy into a circular shape, urging it to rotate around the core.

The new ring trembled, unstable at first, but Arthur remained steady, pouring his focus into refining its structure.

Minutes passed, stretching into what felt like an eternity.

Then, finally…

The second ring stabilized.

It locked into place, rotating in harmony with the first. Two rings now revolved around his mana core, each perfectly aligned, complementing and reinforcing the other. A surge of energy flooded his body, far stronger than before.

Arthur could feel the difference immediately.

His entire mana circulation system had expanded, his absorption rate increasing exponentially. Every cell in his body felt charged, filled with mana.

…

Arthur opened his eyes, his irises briefly flickering with ethereal golden light before returning to normal. Then, he accessed his status window.

//——————–//

[STATUS]

Name: Arthur Sully

Designation: ECHO

Rank: 2nd Circle Mage

Age: 27

Height: 6’3″

Mana: 521.2 Units

Strength: 30.31 Kilotons 

Speed: 501.2 m/s

Durability: 131.9 GPa 

[ABILITIES]

[Reactive Evolution] [Superior Regeneration] [Toxin Immunity] [Gene Lock] [Technopathy (Lv3)] [Energy Absorption (Lv3)]

[Mana Manipulation (Lv2)]: Somewhat good at manipulating mana.

[SPELLS]

[Mana Bullet] [Mana Shield]

[EQUIPMENTS]

-Spear Of Heaven

-ECHO Mk II Armor

-Obelisk (Interdimensional Artifact)

-Shadowfang (Dark Steel Sword)

-Stormpiercer (Mithril Spear)

//——————–//

He saw his mana manipulation had also leveled up. A deep sense of satisfaction settled over him, but it didn’t last long.

Suddenly, he felt a noticeable deficiency in his mana core.

Despite the breakthrough, the sheer energy required to form the second ring had drained his reserves significantly. His core was still functioning, but it felt… empty somehow.

“Looks like I need to refill it.”

Without hesitation, he retrieved more high-grade mana stones, gripping them tightly as he resumed absorption.

One after another, they crumbled in his hands, their mana funneled directly into his core. The process was smoother this time, his enhanced absorption rate making it easier to reclaim the energy he had expended.

Hours passed in silence as he worked tirelessly to restore his mana reserves.

By the time dawn began creeping over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet, Arthur finally exhaled, sensing his mana core was full once more.

Not only had he broken through, but he had also stabilized his foundation, ensuring he could wield his new power without issue.

Arthur slowly stood, rolling his shoulders. His body felt lighter, though it does not mean he became stronger, it was just a sensation due to his breakthrough.

…

The next morning, after completing his morning training routine, Arthur met up with Leon and Finn, and the three of them headed toward the academy’s magic training field. With most of their lessons now focusing on practical applications, their classes were held outdoors more often than not. 

The field was a vast open space, segmented into different areas for various forms of training, one section was dedicated to elemental spell practice, another to combat sparring, and various other areas.

Arthur found a relatively secluded corner, away from the main groups of students, and began practicing the two spells he had learned, [Mana Bullet] and [Mana Shield]. Today, however, he had something specific in mind.

Instead of simply casting [Mana Bullet] one at a time, he wanted to see if he could fire multiple at once, a barrage rather than a single shot. The idea had been lingering in his mind for a while now. If he could increase the density of mana and split it into multiple smaller bullets, then in theory, he could unleash a rapid series of attacks.

Holding out his palm, he focused on condensing mana into a small sphere. The familiar blue glow flickered into existence, crackling with energy. He carefully began to compress the energy further, making it denser.

‘So far, so good.’

Then, he attempted to divide the condensed mana into multiple smaller bullets. However, as soon as he tried, the instability became apparent. The energy fluctuated wildly, the sphere trembling under the strain. A split second later…

Boom!

The explosion sent a shockwave through the air, scattering dust and debris. A small crater formed beneath Arthur, and for a moment, silence reigned over the training field. Then came the gasps from the students.

Students turned to see the aftermath, their eyes widening at the sight of Arthur standing perfectly unharmed amidst the destruction. His uniform, however, had not fared as well, his entire right sleeve was shredded, and a significant portion of his chest area was torn open, exposing his bare skin underneath.

“What the hell was that?!” someone shouted.

“Did a spell misfire?”

“How is he not injured?”

Murmurs spread quickly, and before long, Instructor Elaine approached, her sharp eyes scanning the scene. “Arthur,” she said, arms crossed. “What exactly happened here?”

Arthur quickly reached into his dimensional pocket, retrieving a spare shirt and pulling it on as he responded. “I was trying something new,” he admitted. “I wanted to see if I could split my [Mana Bullet] into multiple shots, essentially firing a barrage instead of just one at a time. But when I increased the density too much, it became unstable and exploded.”

Elaine raised a brow. “You were experimenting with your spell?”

Arthur nodded. “Yeah, I figured if I could control the division properly, I could increase my attack speed significantly.”

She was surprised that Arthur could think of something like that at this early stage. Though there were already people who have attempted what Arthur was trying to do, but those people who experiments on spells all have extremely good mana control. 

It is not that the people of this world are dumb, they can also think outside of the box, but nobody in the early stage tries to experiment with their spells as it could end badly, just like what happened with Arthur. 

A moment of silence stretched between them before the instructor let out a quiet sigh. “You’re certainly bold, I’ll give you that,” she said. “But you should know that experimenting with spells at your level is extremely dangerous. The instability in the spell you just experienced? That’s why most mages don’t attempt this kind of thing until they’ve mastered precise mana control.”

Arthur listened attentively. “So, it all comes down to control?”

“Exactly,” Elaine confirmed. “What you’re trying to do is possible. There are advanced spell techniques that involve splitting and controlling multiple projectiles simultaneously. However, they require years of refined mana control. Right now, your mana control isn’t developed enough to safely attempt this. You’re lucky your body is durable, otherwise, that explosion could’ve taken your hand clean off.”

Arthur glanced down at his hand. Not a single scratch. He supposed his absurd durability had saved him from what could have been a serious injury for others.

“Look, I’m not telling you to stop experimenting,” Elaine continued. “Pushing the boundaries of magic is how breakthroughs happen. But don’t rush into things without improving your foundation first. For now focus on control. Once your mana control reaches a higher level, then you can start experimenting on your spells.”

Arthur nodded. “Understood.”

Elaine gave him a final scrutinizing look before walking away, shaking her head slightly. “That kid is going to give me a heart attack one day,” she muttered under her breath. She was also surprised to feel that Arthur had reached the 2nd Circle. Though she knew that Arthur had the mythical Black level talent. 

But just the talent couldn’t explain his fast improvement, as the academy only gave the students the standard mid- grade mana cultivation technique who didn’t have them. Though she didn’t ask Arthur about it as she thought it was not her place to pry into his secrets.

After Elaine went away Leon and Finn came to check what happened, and after hearing him experimenting with spells, they were surprised. Though they felt since it was Arthur it was most probably alright. Then they went away to continue with their practice.

Arthur, meanwhile, resumed his practice, this time focusing on the basic applications of [Mana Bullet] and [Mana Shield]. However, as he continued, he noticed something interesting, his mana control was much better than before. Even though his earlier attempt had failed, the very act of trying something new had forced him to push the limits of his precision.

‘So that’s how it is…’

He had been told that practice was the key to better mana control, but just casting the same spell repeatedly wasn’t as effective as experimenting new things. By trying new approaches, he was actively engaging with the process rather than just going through the motions.

A slow smile crept onto his face.

‘I need to experiment more… but not here.’

Looking around, he realized that further failed attempts could cause unnecessary disturbances for the others. If he wanted to push his abilities, he needed a more private place to train. Perhaps one of the academy’s isolated training rooms, or even somewhere off-campus.

With that thought in mind, he continued practicing his spells, already planning his next steps.

***

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