Chapter 244: MANA VS INTERNAL ENERGY

“A dungeon boss?!” Charles, one of the four elite hunters invited for the mission spoke up, his voice sharp with alarm. “Which dungeon boss?!” Though it was he who asked, the question lingered on everyone’s mind like a storm cloud ready to burst.

Logan met their gazes calmly. “It’s the boss of the largest S-Class dungeon in the entire Kingdom of Solmyr.”

A stunned silence followed.

“And how do you even know that?!” Robert, another seasoned hunter from the same kingdom as Charles, demanded, his brows furrowed in disbelief.

Logan didn’t flinch. “One of the human hybrids, those who were turned into monsters, told me.”

Charles raised an eyebrow. “And it just talked to you? Why? Did it suddenly remember who it used to be or something?”

Logan nodded solemnly. “Yes. During the fight, something triggered its memory. It remembered its past, who it once was. And perhaps out of guilt or desperation to right the wrongs it had committed, it told me everything it knew.” Logan was talking about Nolan.

A grave silence fell over the room.

Then, Charles’s fist slammed into his palm. “Then what are we waiting for?! We need to gather the strongest hunters from all the kingdoms and raid that dungeon. Take down that monster boss and end this wicked cycle!”

Noah turned toward Ali and said in a firm voice. “He’s right. We should hurry.”

“Yes, before it’s too late,” Emily added from the side. Her eyes were also sharp with determination.

But Ali Arkman said nothing. He remained silent, his gaze locked on Logan, as if searching for something beneath the surface of his words. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“So what do you say, Logan? Should we raid it right away with all the help we can get?”

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Logan was holding something back.

And Logan…

He sighed. “We have to raid it,” he said slowly. “If we want to stop this endless cycle… and prevent otherworldly invasions, we must. But…”

He paused.

“But what?” Ali pressed, his voice dropping low.

Logan looked up, his expression troubled. “The moment we step inside… our magic, the way we use it, it won’t work anymore. At least, that’s what the hybrid told me.”

That struck the room like a bolt of lightning.

“Our magic won’t work?” Emily’s voice echoed in disbelief.

Jasper, a high-ranking mage from the Court of Mages, leaned forward and asked with a pale face. “Are you certain, Logan?”

He turned anxiously toward his companion, Oliver, who looked just as shaken.

Logan didn’t blink. “That’s what I was told. In that dungeon, the laws of magic are not the same. Our usual spells, incantations, even elemental manipulation, they’ll be rendered useless or severely weakened.”

A heavy silence blanketed the group.

The implications were terrifying.

“What should we do then, Logan?” After a long moment of thought, Ali finally asked the question that was on everyone’s mind.

Logan exhaled slowly, his expression grim. “We could try using the cultivation technique to strengthen everyone… but with the limited spiritual energy in the atmosphere and the little time we have, it’s almost pointless. The results would be minimal at best.”

That sparked immediate confusion.

“Spiritual energy? Cultivation technique? What are those? How do they even work? How do they make someone stronger?” Jasper and Oliver fired off questions in rapid succession, their voices overlapping like a barrage of arrows.

Logan then started to explain. “Spiritual energy or Qi is what fuels internal energy. Think of it like mana… but instead of casting spells, it enhances your body and natural abilities. Through cultivation, we refine our Qi, or spiritual energy, absorb it, and store it within ourselves as internal energy. Over time, it elevates our physical strength, speed, senses… even our resilience.”

He paused there, his words trailing off.

“And how exactly is that helpful? Can we use it against any mages?” Jasper pushed further, still unconvinced.

Logan hesitated.

Ali noticed it right away and spoke up. “If you’re uncomfortable sharing, it’s okay.”

But Logan shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to share it, Master.” His voice was calm but firm. “The truth is, simply hearing about its effect is meaningless. No one will truly grasp what it can do until they see it in action.”

“Then show us.” Charles stepped forward, standing up from his seat. “Let’s see it practically.”

Just then, Emily, who had been listening to Logan, suddenly spoke.

“Logan… back at the Arcadia Young Elites Tournament, when your mana was sealed with that Tranquilin Needle, you still fought till the end and even won that match. You used this cultivation technique or internal energy, whatever you are calling it, then, didn’t you?”

All eyes turned to Logan.

Without a hint of hesitation, he nodded. “Yes. I did.”

“There’s no need to hide anymore. With the cultivation level I am at now, there’s no one left who can threaten me, not unless they come from another world.” Logan thought to himself.

“Is this really that useful?” Except few, all had this same doubt.

Ali and Noah knew what everyone was thinking. After thinking for a while, Noah suddenly suggested, “Logan, do you think you can fight me head on without using any magic and only your internal energy?”

Hearing the question, everyone was intrigued. They wanted to know what this technique really was. What it was capable of.

They all looked at Logan intently, waiting for his response.

Logan also looked at them. And then nodded calmly.

Almost everyone was shocked, except for Ali. Emily too was taken aback. Although she had seen Logan fight without using magic before, the thought that he could match her husband in combat without using magic, a full-fledged S-Class hunter, felt completely surreal.

“Alright then. Let’s get going,” Charles said with excitement as he stood up.

The others also got to their feet, all except Ali and Noah.

Just then, Logan spoke again.

“I have no problem having a spar with Mr. Starwind. But can we do it somewhere else? Even though I disliked Lady Mirena, my father is still in a fragile state after everything he just found out today.”

Everyone who had started walking toward the door stopped and turned back to face Logan.

“Ah, yes. You’re right. Sorry about that. We got a little too excited and almost forgot what happened just moments ago,” Charles said, looking a bit embarrassed.

“It’s alright.” Logan said.

“Where do you want to fight then? Do you want to return to the Hunter’s Guild in Solvane and fight there?” Ali asked.

“No, Master. I just came back home after a long time. I would like to stay here for a few days before heading out again,” Logan replied.

“Then what about that deserted area we passed on our way here? I think it’s only a few miles away,” Emily suggested. She, too, was curious to witness what Logan was truly capable of. She wanted to see the full extent of his strength.

“That sounds fine,” Logan agreed.

“Then if there is no objection, let’s head there,” Jasper said.

“Alright. Let’s go,” Logan nodded. He knew he needed to demonstrate the seriousness of the situation. People had to understand what they were up against and what the unknown enemies were truly after.

With that, the group exited the room and began making their way toward the main gate.

But just as Logan was about to step out of the house, a familiar voice called out behind him.

“Logan, are you already going somewhere?” Alice asked, worry lacing her tone. Her son had just returned home, and although he had told her that he would have to leave again, she didn’t expect it to be this soon.

“Mother, I’ll be back soon. Maybe an hour or two at most,” Logan reassured her.

“Are you sure? You won’t disappear again, right?” Her voice trembled slightly. She still wasn’t convinced.

“Yes, Mother. I promise,” Logan said with a gentle smile.

“Alright,” she replied softly. But even as she said the word, the hesitation in her eyes remained.

After that, they all stepped out through the main gate.

The carriage that had brought them for the mission against the Third Eye Sect was still waiting outside, just where they had left it.

One by one, they boarded the carriage.

With a light pull of the reins, the coachman clicked his tongue, and the horses neighed before moving forward, pulling the carriage along at a steady pace.

No one spoke much during the ride. There was a quiet tension in the air. Everyone was waiting. Waiting for the duel to begin. A duel between a traditional magic user and someone who wielded an unknown kind of power.

Time seemed to move slowly, but the journey did not take long.

Once the carriage came to a stop, the door creaked open and everyone stepped out, one after another.

Noah was the first to move. He walked ahead and took position at a distance.

The others remained where they were, except for Logan. They would watch the fight from here.

Under everyone’s silent gaze, Logan moved forward. His footsteps were calm and measured until he stopped exactly ten meters away from where Noah was standing.

The two now faced each other.

Noah glanced toward Ali before the duel began, silently asking for permission.

Ali gave a subtle nod in response.

Noah then turned his eyes back to Logan.

“You can take the lead, Logan,” he offered politely. He didn’t feel it was right to attack a junior first.

But before he could even finish his sentence, Logan vanished.

A blur of motion tore through the air where Logan had been standing just a moment ago.

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