Chapter 31: Horsepower
First, Lumern briefly explained to Eclipse how to wield mana.
“To wield mana, you must first feel it and harbor a strong desire. The stronger your desire, the more mana will yield to you.”
“So, if I envision what I want, mana will respond to me?”
“Exactly. Of course, most guardians are summoned from worlds with mana, but since you’re a first for me… I can only teach you the way we awakened mana in my world.”
“Understood.”
Eclipse focused his mind, heightening his senses to their fullest.
From the blue currents swirling around him, he began to feel a refreshing sensation. He could also sense the torrent of immense power surging through.
‘So this is the power called mana. Incredible.’
Eclipse could see mana. Having grown accustomed to various types of mana through his time with Yoo Soha and the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament, feeling it came quickly to him.
However, he couldn’t control the mana swirling around him as he wished.
Eclipse recalled what Lumern had just said. Mana responds when you harbor a strong desire.
‘What I want…’
What Eclipse desired most was arrogance.
He wanted to stand unswayed by others with an arrogant demeanor, even if it meant crushing others to enforce his will.
But since he hadn’t even defined what arrogance meant to him, he couldn’t clearly identify what he desired.
‘I don’t even know what I truly want.’
Unable to clarify his own desires, Eclipse shook his head.
He could still feel the mana swirling around him.
But in the end, he couldn’t move it.
“It’s not working.”
“…Hm. Not working?”
“Yes. I could feel the mana, but I couldn’t wield it.”
“Do you know why?”
“It’s simple. I don’t clearly know what I want.”
“…So, your desire was lacking.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, it was the same in my world. Many succeeded in feeling Qi—or mana—but couldn’t wield it because they lacked desire. I never thought I’d meet someone like that in this world.”
“…I see.”
Seeing Eclipse’s disappointment, Lumern shook her head.
“Still, be glad you could feel mana at all. That’s only possible because you’re a guardian. Ordinary people—not awakeners or guardians—can’t even feel mana.”
Eclipse tilted his head at Lumern’s words.
“Ordinary people can’t wield mana at all?”
Lumern nodded in response to his question.
“Not only can they not wield it, but they can’t even feel it. Even when they see processed mana with their own eyes and desperately wish to use it.”
“…Why is that?”
“I don’t know. Do you think I know everything? The reason ordinary people can’t feel or wield mana still hasn’t been figured out.”
“Then, since awakeners were once ordinary people, how can they wield mana?”
“That, I don’t know either.”
“…Understood.”
“Anyway, feeling mana today is enough for now, so let’s stop here. And you need to think more clearly about what you truly want.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Feeling the mana swirling around him, Eclipse began to ponder what he truly desired.
Having confirmed that Eclipse could feel mana, Lumern turned her attention to Yoo Soha.
Since Yoo Soha had already awakened to all aspects of mana, there was no need for complex explanations.
Lumern simply taught her what phenomena she could trigger if she mastered manipulating metals.
For example, like this.
Yoo Soha couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Boom!
The surrounding ground shook with a single gesture from Lumern.
“You can do this right now. You don’t need me to explain how, do you?”
“…Yes.”
Manipulating the minerals in the ground with mana to move the earth.
As Lumern withdrew her mana, Yoo Soha, instantly grasping the principle, focused her mind and moved her mana.
The metallic minerals in the ground began to react to her mana, stirring.
“…So that’s how it’s done.”
“Exactly. Well done.”
“Whose granddaughter do you think I am?”
“Heh, true enough. Now, shall we try making an alloy?”
Lumern began teaching Yoo Soha, step by step, the things she had wanted to impart.
It was only then that Yoo Soha fully realized the potential she possessed.
It wasn’t just about creating iron. She could also create alloys.
There were probably countless possibilities she hadn’t yet discovered.
‘To think I’ve been letting this ability go to waste.’
She couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
Perhaps sensing that regret in her expression, Lumern smiled quietly and said to Yoo Soha,
“Don’t feel bad. Even if I’d told you back then, you wouldn’t have been able to do what I’m teaching you now.”
“…Right.”
“And now that you know, isn’t that enough?”
Yoo Soha nodded silently.
By the time Lumern finished all her explanations, Yoo Soha couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed.
The sheer volume of information was overwhelming.
But it also meant there was so much more she could do, so Yoo Soha felt joy.
“By the way, Grandpa.”
In the car heading back to Seoul, Yoo Soha asked Yoo Hyuk, who was sitting in the back seat.
“What is it?”
“If you’re attending the banquet this time… I should go too, right?”
“You should. If you skip it again, they’ll make a fuss. Honestly, it’s been a while since you attended, hasn’t it? It’s about time you showed up.”
“…Ugh. Why does the Association do such annoying things? All the guilds do when they gather is fight.”
“Exactly. It’s one thing after another that I don’t like.”
“Dear, don’t go causing a scene again.”
“I’ll try to behave this time, so don’t worry.”
“But Grandpa.”
“Yeah?”
“Is Taehwa attending this time?”
“…They are. I heard all five guilds confirmed their attendance.”
“Hmm.”
Yoo Soha let out a peculiar hum.
“Then Seo Euna will be there too.”
“…Probably.”
Seo Euna.
The heir to Taehwa, one of Korea’s five powerful guilds. She had repeatedly belittled Yoo Soha for lacking a guardian, shattering her pride.
Unlike Han Chaeyeon of Akwol, with whom Yoo Soha had a rivalry, Seo Euna harbored malice toward her, stoking Yoo Soha’s twisted inferiority complex.
Knowing Seo Euna would attend, Yoo Soha felt a strange thrill.
Initially, she wasn’t thrilled about the Association’s banquet, but hearing that Taehwa would be there, she almost felt grateful to the Association.
It was a chance to settle all her past humiliations.
“Dear.”
“I should probably apologize to you in advance, Grandma. I might end up turning the banquet upside down.”
“…Well, kids will be kids. What I don’t like is when old folks like your grandfather cause a ruckus.”
“Still.”
“It’s fine. Seo Euna’s the one who’s been looking down on you, right? We’ve stayed out of your business because it’d be embarrassing for us to interfere, but… take this chance to crush her pride.”
“That’s the plan. I’ll give her a memory she won’t forget.”
[Seo Euna?]
“Oh, she’s some girl I don’t get along with.”
[I see. Should I step in?]
“No need. I’ve learned how to wield mana from Grandma and swordsmanship from you… I don’t think you’ll need to get involved.”
[Still, I’ll step in if anything unexpected happens.]
“That’s enough.”
Feeling that good things had been piling up lately, Yoo Soha smiled brightly.
The daughter and heir of Taehwa Guild’s current leader.
Seo Euna stared at the banquet invitation with a twisted expression.
“Damn it.”
She desperately didn’t want to attend this event.
The reason was simple.
It was because of the guardian Yoo Soha revealed at the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament.
When the guardian named Eclipse defeated Shin Sungmin and sent shivers through the audience, Seo Euna felt despair.
The fact that she could no longer humiliate Yoo Soha weighed heavily on her.
Having to see Yoo Soha hold her head high again made Seo Euna seethe with frustration.
“Why her, of all people?”
Why did such a powerful guardian have to be summoned by her?
Just as Yoo Soha harbored a twisted inferiority complex, so did Seo Euna.
She was jealous of what Yoo Soha had.
Jealous enough to want to tear her down.
It was fortunate that Yoo Soha lacked a guardian. If she’d had one, Seo Euna could never have belittled her.
But now, Yoo Soha had become someone she couldn’t touch. Her guardian was a monster who single-handedly defeated Shin Sungmin and Adein’s combined strength.
It was sad. Infuriating. Painful.
Feeling all sorts of unpleasant emotions, Seo Euna genuinely wanted to refuse to attend the banquet, but she couldn’t.
Because this time, all the top figures from every guild were set to attend.
If she didn’t show up, it would surely cause gossip for a long time.
Seo Euna could only grimace in frustration.