"While she is also a hero, she doesn't have to come to school… what a difficult family to interact with," Emily scratched her right cheek. "I feel like something will happen with them in the middle soon, and we will be the last to hear. The story of my life."
"As long as Ian survives in order not to deny me my revenge, it doesn't matter," Ethan shrugged. "Also, we have been doing a lot of work on the shadows, and stealth isn't our strength, so we should avoid future problems for a while."
Emily sat quietly, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon as Ethan's words echoed in her mind. She pondered his perspective, contemplating the notion that perhaps it was best to avoid getting entangled in troublesome matters. She had her own goals, her own aspirations, and she knew that achieving them would require unwavering focus and determination.
A sense of determination welled up within her, propelling her forward on her chosen path. Emily had always been driven, always pushing herself to reach new heights. She knew that success didn't come easily and that distractions could be detrimental to her progress.
Around two weeks after they returned from the mission, Ethan finally could tell that Emily was about to master the first phase of the technique. He could see that she had total control over the layer of mana around her body, and she could almost use it without using more mana than she could recover during Meditation.
"She is almost there. Shouldn't we use mana potions on her to speed things up?" Kei asked.
"That sudden flow of mana will disrupt her focus; that can't be done to help her," Ethan explained. "Maybe in the future, once she can master the technique completely, but not now."
Ethan closed his eyes, reflecting on the memories of their intense training. He focused on the moments where they had made progress, dissecting them in his mind. He replayed the scenes repeatedly. He immersed himself in the memories, studying the patterns and strategies that emerged. He absorbed the lessons and strategies with each repetition, committing them to memory.
His concentration deepened as he merged with his past self, reliving the battles and absorbing their essence. Time seemed to stand still as he trained internally, seeking clarity and insights.
After doing it for a couple of hours, Ethan managed to reach the same level as Emily and eventually surpassed it. It seemed that all that magic training actually helped him.
Congratulations! You learned the skill Mana Force.
Mana Force: by enveloping yourself with mana, you can create a shield that can block physical and magic attacks for as long as you have mana. The skill can also increase your mana pool by one point every one thousand seconds.
A collective silence enveloped the room as everyone's eyes fell upon Ethan. The astonishment was palpable, etched on their faces. They stood in awe, their expressions mirroring their disbelief.
It seemed impossible, unimaginable even, that Ethan had not only caught up but surpassed their expectations. His progress, once lagging, had skyrocketed beyond all predictions. The sheer determination in his eyes and the unwavering focus in his stance spoke volumes about his growth.
Hana, Kei, and Emily exchanged glances, their surprise in each other's expressions. The magnitude of Ethan's achievement left them momentarily speechless, struggling to comprehend the immense leap he had taken.
"What the hell was that? Did you steal my progress with your power?" Emily asked, visibly shocked.
"I didn't touch you; I can't control what I steal," Ethan replied. "Besides, you can still do it, right?"
"Yeah, but how?" Emily asked.
"I am curious, too," Kei asked while studying Ethan. "It feels like you didn't try, but then all of a sudden, you decided to try for real."
"You were meditating with a bit more focus than before. Is that the reason?" Hana asked.
"Just a trick of mine that I learned on my adventures while punishing evil and rewarding good," Ethan shrugged.
"I could swear that you say the inverse," Emily furrowed her eyebrows.
"I was planning to say that, but I changed my mind," Ethan said. "Anyway, while I lost the memories and knowledge regarding a bunch of things from before, I am quite good at controlling my memories, so I used that to help."
In the aftermath of his incredible feat, Ethan found himself surrounded by curious gazes, eager to understand the secrets behind his memory manipulation technique. Realizing the importance of sharing his knowledge, he took a deep breath and began to explain with meticulous detail.
He spoke of the intricate process of dissecting and rearranging memories, emphasizing the need for focus and precision. He described how he carefully selected specific segments, isolating the ones relevant to his training and discarding the rest. His words painted a vivid picture of his mental prowess and the meticulousness required to execute such a technique.
Ethan delved into the underlying principles, describing how memories were not fixed entities but malleable fragments that could be reshaped and repurposed. He elucidated the role of concentration and mental clarity in effectively manipulating one's own memories.
"Can someone do that without using magic?" Emily asked. "Even as magic, that would be a high-ranked spell. How can you obtain the same effects without mana?"
"It is just a trick of mine, and it isn't like I can use it on others," Ethan shrugged.
As Emily observed Ethan's explanation of his memory manipulation technique, her mind buzzed with curiosity and skepticism. She couldn't help but delve into the intricacies of his ability, especially as she pondered the discrepancies she had noticed.
In her thoughts, she questioned how Ethan could manipulate his memories without expending mana. It seemed contradictory to the fundamental principles of magic they had learned. Mana was the life force that powered their abilities, and every action, every spell, required its consumption. So how could Ethan reshape his memories, a complex mental process, without utilizing mana?
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