Chapter 177 : Althausen (2)
Chapter 177: Althausen (2)
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"……Ah."
The one who opened his eyes after Laysis, who had activated the Ren and Du Meridians, was none other than Maximilian.
From a young age, he had consumed every kind of tonic under the support of his family, but this was his first time taking something like a Mana Bead.
‘Since it’s something Carl brought, it must be unusual, right?’
Still, he hadn't had high expectations.
What major change could one small bead really bring?
But Maximilian’s eyes were filled with awe.
“What is this? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
A dense energy had newly settled near his heart.
Normally, it was difficult to accumulate this much mana just by consuming something—how had this been achieved?
Maximilian's question was answered by Pozers, who opened his eyes a beat later.
“Told you. It's a product on a different level than the existing Mana Beads. That’s why it caused such a stir in the capital. Isn’t it amazing? That you can artificially accumulate such pure mana.”
“So if I just keep consuming this, I can accumulate mana indefinitely?”
“Not quite. There’s a limit to how much mana a person can absorb at once. What do you think?”
Carl nodded in agreement to Pozers’ gaze.
“That’s correct. Mana Beads don’t endlessly increase your mana. If taken consecutively, the effect diminishes significantly.”
That was the inherent limit of using elixirs to increase inner power.
Of course, with top-tier elixirs, their effects wouldn’t drop off rapidly even with continual use.
Famous elixirs like Shaolin’s Great Elixir Pill, Wudang’s Supreme Clarity Pill, or Mount Hua’s Purple Pine Pill could still offer decent gains even with repeated doses.
However, the Mana Beads developed by NOX had yet to reach that level.
‘At best, they’re comparable to Gold or Black Beads.’
Gold and Black were equivalent to second-tier elixirs like the Summoning Pill or the Demonic Energy Pill.
Still, they weren't to be dismissed, and it was no surprise that the Imperial Capital had been abuzz with excitement over the Mana Beads.
For the cadets, they had become a significant opportunity.
“Nice. My body feels lighter.”
“So this is a Mana Bead? Too bad we only get one.”
“Are there any side effects?”
To Amy’s question, Carl lightly nodded.
“If consumed excessively, it could lead to mana overload, but under normal usage, there’s no serious issue.”
There were even Mana Beads that exploded latent power in emergencies to grant immense strength.
But even those had only been designed to leave the user fatigued or depleted of energy for a few days—nothing permanent.
If not, they’d risk being classified as narcotics and face scrutiny from the Imperial Family.
“Well then…….”
Carl raised his head and looked at the cadets.
Laysis, who had activated her Ren and Du Meridians, had just opened her eyes.
Yuria let out a light breath, while Maximilian and Gale chatted cheerfully with bright expressions.
Pozers still licked his lips with regret, and Amy and Lien moved their hands, testing their newly gained mana.
‘Seven in total.’
The same number as the Ancient Heroes.
They were Carl’s chosen candidates—his foundation, prepared from the moment he planned to enroll at the Bavarian Academy.
‘Turn them into powerful figures with strength and fame like the Ancient Heroes.’
Carl was painting a picture where he would orchestrate everything from the shadows without stepping into the frontlines himself.
He had offered them carrots through the Mana Beads—now it was time for the stick.
“The mana gained through the Mana Beads must be constantly stirred and trained in order to be fully absorbed as your own. Right now, it’s merely residing in your mana heart.”
“He’s right. Even if it’s pure energy, it still feels foreign.”
At Maximilian’s comment, Carl nodded.
“The best method is impact training. Training while subjecting your body, inside and out, to intense stimulation. So, everyone, draw your swords.”
Shhhng.
Carl drew the Heavenly Thunder Sword from his waist and pointed it at the cadets.
Holding the Mana Bead session in the Training Hall had not been without purpose.
It was finally time to reveal his power in earnest.
“…….”
Sensing Carl’s true intent, Laysis reached for the sword at her waist with a slightly tense expression.
Feeling something was off, Yuria had already begun chanting a spell in preparation.
However, the other cadets still hadn’t grasped the meaning behind Carl’s words and simply stared at him blankly.
“What? Are we going to spar or something?”
“I’m in. If I want to squeeze out every drop, I’ve got to move fast.”
“Ah, I wanted to go to the beach. So we’re going after the training, right?”
They all spoke thoughtlessly, but Carl twisted his lips into a faint smile.
“Unfortunately, since we’ve even invested in Mana Beads, you all now have no choice but to grow stronger.”
Thud.
Carl, who had reached the Transcendent Peak as a Sword Master, released part of his aura.
The unleashed energy filled the Training Hall and pressed down on the cadets from within.
“……!!”
The overwhelming pressure, unlike anything they had ever experienced before, drained the color from the cadets’ faces.
It was an instinctual sense of crisis, as if they had suddenly come face to face with a giant bear or tiger in the forest.
Unable to even exhale rashly or twitch a finger, Carl slowly walked between them.
“I didn’t give you the Mana Beads just to build friendships or out of pure goodwill. Some of you may have sensed it—there are strange things surging across the continent.”
Demons, demonkin, demon humans, heretics who worship false gods, remnants of heroes, and anomalous elements like Yuria herself.
“I believe this world has reached a turning point. The black mages who attacked our territory not long ago, and many other things I haven't told you all about, made me feel that way.”
Having walked to the end of the Training Hall, Carl turned to face the cadets and slowly lowered the sword in his hand, withdrawing the pressure he had been emitting bit by bit.
“If you grow complacent in reality, you’ll be swept away by the changing tide and die—without even being able to scream. I want you all to survive. So come at me. I’ll teach you how to stay alive.”
“…….”
A heavy silence fell over the hall.
Maximilian trembled with wide eyes, Gale nodded as if he had expected this, and Pozers, Amy, and Lien were still overwhelmed by Carl’s tremendous aura.
Shhhng.
Among them, someone slowly drew their sword.
With no hesitation, the sound of the blade unsheathing rang in the ears with a satisfying clarity.
Swiish─!
A gust of wind surged through the cadets as Laysis’s figure dashed toward Carl.
‘Fast!’
Maximilian’s eyes widened from nearby.
Laysis moved so quickly past him that it was hard to track her speed with the naked eye.
Only when the trailing gust brushed his skin did he understand what had just happened.
Clang!
A sharp clang echoed in the middle of the Training Hall, which had been filled with silence.
Laysis’s forceful strike had been blocked, unable to advance beyond the Heavenly Thunder Sword.
Carl peeked out from behind the sword he had extended with one hand and spoke to the cadets.
“If you keep hesitating like that, you’ll be in real trouble when this is over. You might end up bedridden until the end of the break.”
Fwoooosh─!
At the same time, a crimson blaze flared up at Carl’s feet.
It was the mouth of a snake, made of intense heat, engulfing only Carl without affecting Laysis.
“Carl!!”
Amy, watching from behind, screamed in panic, but Carl brushed away the flames with a light gesture and let out a short laugh.
“I don’t know who’s worrying about whom here.”
Boom.
With a casual step, a tremendous wave of energy burst from Carl's center.
Laysis, standing right in front of him, was flung backward with the force of being struck by a charging bull.
Carl then swung his sword toward Amy, who was staring wide-eyed from behind her.
“……Kuh!”
Maximilian, regaining his senses, swung his sword to block in front of Amy.
He had intended to parry the strike and immediately counterattack, but as soon as he blocked the blow, one of his knees slammed to the ground.
Craack!
The weight of the strike crushed his sword.
The shock made him feel like his shoulder was broken and his leg had been dislocated.
It was so painful he couldn’t even scream.
“Insufficient. Brother Darius would have taken that strike and even counterattacked. If you truly admire him, you’ll need a stronger resolve.”
“Uaaahhhhhh!”
Maximilian gritted his teeth.
Pouring all his strength into it, his bloodshot eyes stared as he raised his sword to shake off Carl, who had struck him down.
But no matter how strong his determination, the gap in strength could not be bridged.
Swish!
Unable to stand it any longer, Gale swung his greatsword from the side and knocked Carl away.
Thud.
Carl stepped back lightly and landed on the ground with calm footsteps.
“……Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
Maximilian, panting heavily, glared at Carl.
He had understood when Carl struck him after they returned from the practical in the Forest of Nore.
He had been pathetic, caught up in the past, unable to face reality.
Honestly, he had thought he deserved worse back then—but now?
To Maximilian’s question, Carl shrugged and replied.
“I told you, I’m teaching you how to survive. Today is a test I’m giving you. Prove your worth. If you fail……”
Carl raised his head and made eye contact with each cadet one by one.
In the face of his utterly emotionless gaze, each of them flinched and swallowed hard.
‘Was Carl always like this?’
It was a side of Carl unlike anything they had seen before.
His skill was one thing, but Carl had always smiled and treated them kindly.
Seeing this unfamiliar side of Carl for the first time, everyone hesitated, feeling a sense of dissonance.
“If you’re not going to fight, step aside!”
Once again, it was Laysis who moved first.
Throwing away any hesitation, she followed Carl’s words and tried to prove her worth, showering him with sharp sword strikes.
Swish, swwiish!
With every swing of her blade, cutting sonic bursts surged outward in a torrent of sharp sword energy.
The cadets watching from behind covered their mouths in fear at the danger, but Carl dodged everything with simple footwork, without even swinging his sword.
“You still don’t get it?”
Yuria, who had been watching in a daze, offered a word of advice to the other cadets.
“That’s the real Carl. Of course, that doesn’t mean the Carl we’ve seen until now was fake. That’s also Carl, and this is also Carl.”
Tap.
Yuria lightly tapped Maximilian’s shoulder and smiled faintly.
“So stop thinking and just do what Carl says. When has he ever been wrong?”