The System
"Mana, the fourth originator of this verse and existence. Theory said that mana originally did not exist and energy was supposed to be the main component that construct this verse. Yet, for some inexplicable reasons, approximately half of energy within this colossal universe converted into mana by some medium that could not be clearly explained... This is merely a theory yet the general treated it as a factual information..."
Earth, the place of birth of Kazuma Satou did not possess mana. They only have energy. Many elements are created by reactions of elements to other elements. And energy was what makes it possible. Kazuma pondered, in this verse's case, half of the energy turned into mana that made it possible for living beings to manipulate them as they will. Not by reactions, but purely by their own capabilities. With a wave of hands, the wind formed tornadoes. With a motion, the earth surged up. With a flick of fingers, a blaze sparked through the air.
So in analogy, energy is like the sun, it could be utilized but it was barely counted as utilizing, most of its functions happened naturally, and living beings do not have the power to control it as their will, perhaps with tools, but it hardly counts. While mana is like calorie, the source of energy within living beings, it depends on the living beings on how it would be used. Some just used it to live, some used to enjoy life, some used it to reach their ambitions and some used it to fulfil their purpose. While could not entirely be controlled at will, it's possible if it converted into energy. It all depends on the utilizer. Whether they could wield its power to its peak potential or not.
They are like fuels, power. But while in Earth it was like an unreachable height, needing many steps and experiments to truly utilize it, in Kono, it was like grasping one's hand, merely by learning the way of utilizing it that they could manipulate it as their will. It wasn't specified so of course, like always, it won't be as easy as in words.
"I'm curious, where did this theory come from?"
Half of the energy was converted into mana by a medium that could not be clearly explained. It was just a theory, with no proof and no real justifications. A theory, yet believed by most of the general. If Kazuma put it roughly, then it was simply bullshit who turned out to be correct by the believes of many people.
There's no justification, no references, no means, nothing. It was simply there, existing as if it was its own variable, disconnected to anything else yet recognized as factual information. Fitting as it sees fit and not caring any effect and aftermath.
Mana is accepted as a law that stated that before anything existed, there will be mana. And yet there's this theory that stated half of the energy was converted into mana by some medium that could not be explained? Then wasn't energy supposed to exist alongside with mana? Then is the law was merely just a load of crap?
Kazuma placed his elbow on his table and put his palm on the side of his face, he was pondering deeply. He could make a few points out of this. Perhaps this theory existed out of respect for the ancestors who created it, or it was forcibly made of to fit the hole. What's that hole? Obviously, the way energy turned into mana.
Mana is sourced from nothingness, chaos and energy. Nothingness created chaos, the chaos created energy and energy created mana. So while the statement was technically correct. How is the process?
Kazuma only managed to get the process of converting energy to mana. And that could not be trusted either. Then how about the process of nothingness converting into chaos? Chaos converting into energy?
Simply, sometimes, logic isn't everything.
Kazuma could guess that the mages in this world were similar to scientists, and they tried to prove what exist with logic, something that could be grasped within the scope of their understanding. But they forget that this universe is colossal. Massive. Kono was merely one in infinity of this universe. So what did they count in this universe? Not ants, not bacterias, not viruses, not even atoms. They, are nothing.
Tiny, small beings. Beyond what words could describe. And now they want to create conclusions based on this universe?
They are unqualified. They have no rights or capability to create something like conclusions that were based on this universe with their narrow and limited mind. But living beings, humans especially, are curious forms. They wanted to find and discover something accordance with their desire. Perhaps they never truly learn an idiom made by themselves, that curiosity kills the cat.
And perhaps one day, when they actually learn the secret they pursued, the dreaded doomsday would arrive sooner than expected. And the one that upholds such duty would be the future generations. Befalling such a burden to the shoulders of their descendants, like always, human is exceptionally and stupidly selfish.
"It's always impressed me that they actually could make conclusions out of the impossibly vast universe that could be grasped by our mind. Grasped by logic and with absolute principle nonetheless."
Big bang, from the beginning to the end of a verse, the black hole theory that was hard to be denied...
Kazuma Satou realized how impressive the discoveries of the citizens of his birthplace were. Earth lacked anything but talent. What they lacked is integrity. While impressive, Kazuma learnt from many things that no matter how credible a discovery was, some parts could be manipulated. Of course, it was merely a personal suspicion.
Still, even if it was manipulated, it was still mind-blowing.
He remembered a thing named the god particle, he thought it was something that would change everything. Yet when he dug deeper, he found out that the name was actually based on the original name, the God Damn Particle because of how annoying it was for it to be discovered. Damned media and its exaggeration!
But it doesn't change the fact that a new element was discovered.
"Ah, a headache."
He was going astray. Kazuma thought for a moment before going back to Yunyun's textbook.
He already learnt the principle, so how about the basics?
"...Mana is like energy, and when it entered our body, it turned into energy that was required for our body to function, like how calories work within our digestion system. Calories are necessary for the system of our body and mana could be a substitute, or even entirely change our body from needing calories, to only needing mana. High-level Arch-Mage is the requirement for such change. They could change the source of energy of their body according to their will. From mana, calories and even the atmosphere itself. As almost every space within this world contains a certain amount of mana..."
Kazuma's eyes lighted up.
"Mana is everywhere. Everything needs to contain mana within them to function. Volcanoes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests and every living being."
The basics covered the origin, the principle and the function of mana for living beings and the world.
"It's not hard."
Then he turned the page and saw many complicated formulas. From mass, to acceleration, to chance, to kinetic, potential... And it was even more complicated than what he knew of. Kazuma skipped the parts that he wasn't interested in and read the requirement to manipulate the fourth originator.
Kazuma gets it, these parts are significant. But in real experience, in a real battle, what he leaned on the most was the instinct he forged by battling and the small yet important predictions that come from the experience he accumulated. He's a warrior to his core, not a magician. So yes, he lied. These parts aren't important.
Where mana dominates every single system of this world, of course, the one with power, the one with the highest degree of manipulation of mana would be always the winner. And it was the world filled with monsters nonetheless. Without capability, power, how could one overcome the obstacles within this world?
Kazuma Satou couldn't care about such a thing, but the prideful Crimson Demon, Kazuma, refused to be controlled.
Now, let's switch to the one he's interested in. Kazuma Satou was the main reason the interest exists.
"Grades of Mage. Grades depend on how many activated circuits your body possessed. Circuits, or in other words, organs of your body. 82 in total, with limbs included, and if all bones were included, 319. But before focusing on the circuits, the skin and the muscle have to be circulated by mana. Personal note: The mana circulation of skin and muscle started from the crown of the head to the tip of the toes. After it was done, activate the circuit of the brain to increase the acceleration of its function to accelerate one's comprehension and progress of absorbing mana."
It sounds like general information, but it's not. In general, many thought that the head, specifically the brain was the most vulnerable part, so they must be extremely prepared when mana would penetrate the circuit to activate it. Resulting in the order of limbs, body, and head. Crimson Demon, with their exceptional mana manipulation comprehension, found out that the brain's circuit increase comprehension and mana's absorption. The general thought is that such change only happens when you complete the whole mana circulation system within the body.
But the ancestors of Crimson Demon thought otherwise. They risk themselves to start the mana circulation system of their body from their head to accelerate the mana absorption rate of the younger generation and discovered a mind-blowing fact.
The weakest force of mana was when one started the whole mana circulation system. It was when the accumulation of mana within the body was at its weakest state. So, if, the head took a hit of such force, combined with the skull which was the densest bone of the body, it won't take damage at all. Different from when the accumulation of mana within the body has already reached the peak. Like what the general thought.
The result was obvious, many mages and mana manipulators that attempted to breakthrough died because the force of mana that penetrated the circuit of the brain was too strong. They started from limbs to the body, and finally the head. While Crimson Demon started from the head to body and finally, limbs.
Crimson Demon could share this information with the whole world and save countless lives, yet they didn't. Because they understood that this is the advantage that they had and received by their work, their sacrifices. The strong, mindful and brave soar while the weak, thoughtless and cowardly die.
"It's the same principle everywhere, huh?"
Kazuma smiled bitterly at the notebook. This is the secret that many starters would probably die for. And while Kazuma Satou pity them, he did not care. Fairness and justice, while sounds good and harmonious, were merely bullshit in many people's eyes. Including him. Except when fate said otherwise, but that was rare.
But while that was the case, Kazuma Satou still wanted to act according to what his conscience said.
Perhaps that's why if Kazuma Satou alone was dumped into this world, then he couldn't do anything at all. But Kazuma Satou merged with Kazuma, the prideful, nonchalant, arrogant Crimson Demon, who was selfish, conceitful and despiteful. His traits were bad, but everybody could not deny that it was important for survival. One was too soft and the other was too hard.
Kazuma sighed before continuing his study session. The sun was peeking the world, while the sky got its pure indigo dirtied by the redness of the sun.
"After the mana circulation system was completed, one will undergo the ascension. The state where one discard their physical form and recreated a physical form made out entirely with mana."
"The grades were divided into three, the Start or Beginner, the Creation of Circulation System or Intermediate and the Ascension or the Advance.
The Beginner was divided into 2 levels, with each having 10 degrees. The first was Skin Absorption and the second was Muscle Absorption.
The Intermediate was divided into 5 levels. In general, the first was the limbs, the bones, then vital organs, the rest of the organs and the head. While for Crimson Demon the first was the head, the bones, the vital organs, the rest of the organs and finally, limbs. Usually, people wouldn't completely circulate their mana through all the bones. They just do the circuits of the whole limbs, the ribcage and the skull to accelerate their progress.
And the Advance, or in their titles, Arch-Mages. It was divided into 3 levels. The body, the mind and the soul.
Soul...? Mind?"
Kazuma was perplexed, but according Yunyun's notes, it seems like such a grade could be accomplished only by a handful of people, with such noticeable lack of information on her notes. It's whether there aren't many people who accomplished it or there are many who are secretive about it, but the latter makes more sense.
"Still, how the hell do you circulated mana through your soul and mind?"
He tried to comprehend it, but he's not at the level yet. So he could only sighed spitefully before continue reading.
"Level 1-20 was acknowledged as the Beginner. Level 21-70 was the Intermediate. And level 71-100 was acknowledged as the Advance. Based on the Card System. Ah, it was the external force I saw on Yunyun."
"That's why it was stated that grades depend on how many activated circuits in the body. Probably because the majority has given up on the Advance level."
High-level Arch-Mage means that one could live full of vigour without food. But the requirement was to reach the Soul level of the Ascension grade.
"It was quite far."
Kazuma hasn't even started yet. And the goal was really distant. But instead of being dispirited, like Kazuma Satou usually do, he was filled with excitement. Vigour, hotness that burns his chest.
He stood up from his chair and went outside. By now, the sun showed its full form, and the sky already turned orange, with a hint of indigo behind it. The mystical and wonder of the midnight sky was on the verge of being blocked by the white, fluffy cloud.
He looks at the sun and smiled.
"I feel excited."
an: so... novel-readers? Familiar with this?
