Chapter 3: Death And Resurrection (3)


    Ray focused his mind to better understand the flow of mana.


    The once blurry traces of threads began to appear more distinct.


    Mana did enter through the skin, but a slightlyrger amount entered through breathing and the heart.


    These threads did not interfere with each others paths as they exited through different routes.


    The passages that the threads traversed in aplex harmony all provided a refreshing sensation.


    After a few hours of this sensation, Ray finally understood that the ce where mana entered and exited was the same.


    However, during that time, the fatigue umted and gradually made him drift into a doze.


    He had grown ustomed to the sudden drowsiness that would ur even in normal times.


    But there was something he had not yet realized.


    He, who used to notst 5 hours awake, was now awake for more than 7 hours


    <hr>


    The next day, he continued to focus on feeling the mana.


    Lying still was boring, and the refreshing sensation of the threads passing through his body felt too good.


    While feeling the mana circting in his body, he thought,


    Is this somewhat simr to blood? Just like blood circtes in the body, mana also circtes through passages, right? What happens if I alter the passage slightly?


    Ray immediately acted on this thought.


    He imagined the passages through which mana traveled as simr to blood vessels.


    He then sensed the paths of mana and memorized all their locations.


    He was known for his exceptional brain even in modern times.


    If he couldnt memorize just this much, he would have already conceded his ce to someone else.


    Also, perhaps due to his past upational habits, he quickly memorized the concept of an alternate blood route in the body.


    In other words, he discovered where the first andst stops of mana were.


    He also naturally knew what to do next.


    He had heard it from his parents so often that he grew tired of it.


    Eil and Saein debated whether to raise him as a swordsman or a magician.


    Although Saein usually had the final say, it seemed that the decision had been made before his birth: if a boy was born, he would be raised as a swordsman, and if a girl, as a magician.


    However, for some reason, his mother insisted on raising him as a magician.


    But, a muscr Ray isnt cute!


    He thought he heard his mothers voice, but he shook his barely moving head and dismissed the thought.


    Was I supposed to imagine it strongly from now on?


    He had heard the phrase, but without knowing exactly how to think, he couldnt dare to try it.


    He needed more information.


    Ray sighed inwardly.


    With his body still not fully developed, he was immobile, and although he wanted to use mana like in a fantasy, hecked the necessary information.


    All he could do at the moment was lie still and feel the mana.


    Fortunately, the sensation of feeling the mana itself was incredibly pleasant.


    Haah. This is the taste.


    Saein tilted her head as she watched him actively inhale mana.


    <hr>


    A year passed since he began absorbing mana.


    Now he could feel a significant amount of strength in his body.


    He could easily roll over and, unlike typical children, he could attempt to stand or crawl with difficulty.


    Because of this, his parents were ecstatic.


    Wow! Hes crawling!


    Ray must be a genius! We should raise him as a magician!


    No, he should be raised as a swordsman since hes growing so fast!


    Your muscles are enough!


    I am small muscles! Small muscles!


    Ray watched and thought.


    If I have to choose, being a magician would be nice.


    He didnt care for the muscr types that Saein mentioned. He felt more suited to be a magician who sat and chanted spells rather than a swordsman who exerted himself physically during training.


    He inwardly cheered for his mother and envisioned his days as a magician.


    Ah Life should be easier from now on, right?


    A guaranteed future, a delightful sight, and a discipline that didnt require strenuous training. Everything seemed perfect.


    Then teach me both.


    Saein smiled and spoke.


    Ray doubted his ears for a moment.


    Both?


    What a brilliant n that offered the best of both worlds!


    But he soon felt relieved, knowing that Eil would oppose it.


    Father would surely want to raise me as a swordsman. Its better to focus on one rather than both.


    However, Eils responsepletely shattered his expectations.


    Yes, lets do that. There is now that says a magician must not train physically.


    But no muscles.


    Ha ha ha. Alright.


    Ray red at Eil, who wasughing heartily.


    His future had been decided without even asking for his opinion.


    Ray, who received a guaranteed future from his parents, was overjoyed.


    He hadnt anticipated that he would be doing both.


    Tears flowed.


    At this rate, he would be a swordsman who could use both healing and magic.


    In other words, a blend of both.


    He felt invincible.


    He thought this was uneptable.


    Somehow, he needed to express his opinion.


    But all thates out are baby sounds.


    Ah, oo. Erberber.


    Rays earnest baby sounds made them pause their conversation for a moment.


    Saein stroked his head, seemingly understanding his feelings.


    Just as Saein was about to say something to Ray, Eil picked him up andughed heartily.


    Ha ha ha ha! You like it too?


    Shake shake shake!


    He desperately shook his head, but Saein didnt notice because Eil was spinning him around.


    Ray red at Eil again.


    But seeing Eils utmost happy smile, he couldnt help but back down.


    He sighed, a sigh that didnt evene out.


    Alright how hard can it be? Lets give it a try.


    He should. After all, in his past life, he became a doctor to see such a pure smile.


    Nothing could surpass a pure smile.


    <hr>


    Finally, he turned three years old.


    He could now walk well and speak quite a bit.


    Since he understood allnguages, his speech was quite fluent for his age.


    He had been frequenting the study ever since he started walking.


    Initially, Eil and Saein were worried because his behavior differed from other children, but they seemed to have rxed upon seeing his mature behavior.


    The reason he spent time in the study reading books was simple.


    He wanted to build a more perfect path for the flow of mana!


    The path where mana flows, also known as the Mana Road, once established, was permanently engraved on the body, making it difficult to change.


    Of course, there was a way to change it.


    One could melt the Mana Road and then reconstruct it.


    However, melting the Mana Road involved immense pain, and there was even a risk of death, so no one dared to attempt it.


    Ray also did not want to do that, so he was putting all his effort into constructing it for the first time.


    As he flipped through the book he was reading, he muttered to himself.


    Originally, mana is something to be drawn upon, so why should mana be imprisoned in the body and used?


    Magic referred to all acts that changed the nature of mana.


    For example, if one changed the nature of the mana floating in the air to be hot, the air would be hot.


    If one further applied this by adding dryness and a small friction to the hot mana, it would ignite.


    Of course, it would consume a significant amount of mana to ignite fire in the air.


    And here, the mana used was imprisoned in the body.


    No, the book specified that it should be used in this way.


    No matter which book he looked at, there was no description of how to use mana without imprisoning it in the body.


    Even when Ray asked Eil and Saein, they didnt know either.


    It would be more certain if I could try using magic once.


    Since Rays Mana Road had not been established yet, he could not use magic.


    Therefore, he had no way of knowing how mana was consumed.


    However, the Mana Road he envisioned did exist.


    Theoretically, the manifestation of magic should also have been possible.


    What he considered was creating a way for mana to pass through freely without confining it in the body.


    In this manner, the mana in the air would naturally remain in his body as it passed through him.


    All he needed to do was draw upon it freely.


    Of course, there was no problem with this theory alone.


    However, since no one had ever attempted this method before, the risks were equally substantial.


    Although it was not described in any book, it was the most efficient Mana Road he could conceive.


    He had already thought of all the circuits for it.


    He had memorized all the paths of mana for this purpose more than two years ago.


    After a moment of thought, he shook his head.


    Whatever, I have to go my way in life! Even if I cant eat, go!


    With a shout that seemed toe from a rural card game, Rayy down on his spot.


    He then started to think intensely about the paths where mana flowed in the image he envisioned.


    Ssssss-


    A very smooth silk-like sound began to be heard as the paths within his body epted the change and began to widen.


    Slowly, step by step


    This task should not have been done in haste.


    One had to patiently wait until the paths were widened to their maximum.


    And when they seemed to have widened to their limit, one should have proceeded to construct other paths.


    This way, the effect could be maximized.


    Since there were not many waste products in the body, the work went smoothly.


    Though he had been nervous because there was usually some pain involved, it widened like a highway being opened, without any blocked pathways causing pain.


    The new path brought in mana more refreshingly, and the drawn mana gradually widened the Mana Road.


    Of course, if the path was widened beyond its limit, it could tear, or too much mana could cause the blood vessels to burst.


    Therefore, he had to be very careful in his work.


    If he had made a mistake at the age of three and ended his life, nothing could have been sadder than that.


    Rays concentration mirrored that which he had in the operating room of his previous life.


    It didnt feel as though he was operating on his own body.


    Enter as much as possible at the entrance. Exit through multiple branches.


    Sweat started to bead on his serious face.