Chapter 24: Mana Focus Band
THIRD PERSON POV
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Evelina continued her relentless training, she was a graceful yet determined figure moving through the simulated attacks of the Enchanted Grimoire. Hours passed, marked only by the increasing intensity of the mana arts she conjured and the growing sheen of sweat on her brow. She conjured Vexal Walls with practiced ease, deflecting the arrows, her focus absolute, her movements precise.
From the hidden vantage point in the viewing section, Kai watched, his body tense with a strange mix of apprehension and grudging admiration. She was truly skilled, her dedication unwavering.
After what felt like an eternity, Evelina’s movements began to falter. Her Vexal Walls appeared with a slight delay, their shimmer less vibrant. Her breathing became ragged, deep gasps for air. There was subtle tremors in her hands, the strain on her face. She was pushing herself to her limits, draining her mana core dry.
Finally, with a frustrated gasp, she stumbled, a mana arrow grazing her arm as her Vexal Wall flickered and failed. She stood panting, her shoulders heaving, her mana core utterly exhausted. The grimoire, sensing her depletion, paused its assault.
Evelina reached to her wrist, her fingers fumbling slightly, and pulled out the Mana Focus Band – the elegant silver conduits armlet artifact that Kai had acquired for her. It boosts external mana absorption rate and casting rate. She slipped it onto her wrist, then, with a renewed surge of determination, said, "Grimoire! Enter simulation to Level 5!"
Kai eyes widened. Level 5? That’s a significant jump in difficulty. The grimoire, as if responding to her unwavering resolve, began to hum with a deeper, more ominous energy. Its pages flipped rapidly, then settled on a new, more complex written page. The air around the book began to warp, pulling in mana from the surroundings with an almost visible force. The very light in the training hall seemed to dim, drawn into the grimoire’s core.
A cold dread settled in Kai’s stomach. He could sense the immense pull of mana, even from his distant vantage point. It truly was a terrifying, immersive sensation for Kai, It felt like standing too close to a black hole. This wasn’t just a simple mana art. This was something far more potent. Kai’s instincts quickly acted. This offensive art was probably lethal. For a training simulation, the feeling it emmitted felt utterly, terrifyingly real. Kai began to worry, not just for Evelina’s safety, but for his own. If the blast went off, even from there, Kai may barely be safe.
As the grimoire continued to charge its attack, mana fusing into a swirling vortex of raw power, Evelina, with an empty mana core and only a few minutes before the book unleashed its devastating blow, pulled out the Mana Focus Band. She closed her eyes, her face a mask of intense concentration, and began to meditate. The artifact on her wrist glowed with a soft, steady light, amplifying her connection to the external mana, increasing her absorption rate exponentially. She was trying to replenish her mana core in mere seconds, to gather enough power to defend against what was coming. It was a desperate gamble.
The grimoire pulsed, a low, guttural growl emanating from its pages. The mana it had absorbed reached a critical mass, shimmering with an unstable, volatile energy.
It was ’Shock Gun’ the high level destructive mana art that boomed from the grimoire, its pages flaring with intense light.
A massive, concentrated blast of pure mana, crackling with raw power, erupted from the book. It wasn’t a projectile; it was a wave of pure, concussive force, a shimmering golden blast of destruction that tore through the air, heading straight for Evelina. The sheer speed of it was terrifying.