A shiver ran down Damons' spine. He was already late. Falling behind. And yet, the universe didn't seem willing to give him any rest.
A new screen opened in front of him, bathing the alley in a violet glow.
[SPECIAL QUEST – THE 7 MANA SEALS]
FIRST SEAL
RANK: ???
ORIGIN: DEMONIC SYSTEM
OBJECTIVE:
YOUR BODY GENERATES MANA, BUT SEVEN INTERNAL SEALS BLOCK ITS FLOW.
TO BREAK THE FIRST SEAL, YOU MUST MEDITATE AND MANUALLY GUIDE THE MANA THROUGH YOUR MERIDIANS, SLOWLY, CONTINUOUSLY… FOR SEVERAL HOURS, WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTION.
REWARDS UPON SUCCESS:
– THE FIRST SEAL WILL BE BROKEN.
– PARTIAL CONTROL OVER MANA WILL BE GAINED.
– YOUR BODY WILL BEGIN TO ABSORB ITS OWN MANA, REDUCING THE ACCUMULATED MASS.
[DO YOU WISH TO LEARN THE DEMONIC MEDITATION TECHNIQUE?
[YES] / [NO]]
Damons, still sitting on the cold cobblestones, looked at the translucent screen with skepticism. His breath was short, but his mind clearer than ever.
"Meditate for hours? Seriously?" he muttered, somewhere between annoyance and resignation.
The system's voice echoed in his head — calm, metallic, almost compassionate. Emotionless, yet heavy with meaning.
"You want a unique power? Then master what no one can see. The flow of mana is a wild river… You must tame it drop by drop. Brute force will break no seal."
He frowned, eyes still fixed on the hovering notification.
"And if I fail?" he asked, his voice low and tense.
"Then you'll remain what you are. A useless reservoir of energy… bloated and powerless."
Those words hit like a slap. Damons felt his fists clench, his jaw tighten. But he didn't look away.
A long silence followed. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"Fine. Teach me. But first, tell me what the seals are."
The response came soon after — slower, almost meditative.
"The seals… are not enemy chains.
Your own body created them.
It tried to protect itself… from you."
The system continued, not giving him time to interrupt.
"The mana body produces energy constantly, endlessly. But a reservoir without control overflows.
So, to keep your body from exploding under the pressure, it locked your potential. Instinctively. To survive.
Each seal is a barrier… a shield you must remove, one by one.
Not through force. But by learning to listen to the flow. To channel it, drop by drop.
Otherwise, the first thing you'll break… will be your own heart."
Damons swallowed hard. His arms trembled slightly, but he didn't look away.
"And… what will happen once the seals are broken?"
A faint crackling preceded the answer. As if even the system hesitated to reveal what came next.
"Then, you will become what you were always meant to be.
The flow will be free.
The mana body will no longer be an anomaly… but a weapon.
Your flesh will change. So will your mind. You will see the world differently… because you will become a part of it.
But it will come at a cost. Because each broken seal unleashes a part of you that you never controlled.
And when the last one falls… it won't be your body that contains the mana.
It will be your will."
Damons took a deep breath, his eyes glowing with a new fire.
"Alright. Teach it to me.
I'll practice once I'm home."
A final crystalline chime echoed from the interface, like a bell announcing a milestone reached.
[YOU HAVE ACQUIRED THE TECHNIQUE: DEMONIC MEDITATION]
Focus mana through each vital energy point.
Requires patience, mental endurance, and absolute will.
Any break cancels the progression.
He didn't answer. Silence returned.
But it was no longer a frightening void — it was a tension ready to explode.
Fear and determination burned in his gaze. And as he looked up toward the gray sky above the crumbling rooftops, Damons knew.
He had taken his first step.
Not toward revenge.
But toward the throne.
Calm returned to the alley. The wind swept away the dead leaves. Shadows stretched as if the world itself were holding its breath.
Damons stood there for a moment, frozen, eyes looking straight ahead.
Then he exhaled, and whispered firmly:
"It starts now."