Hey, Ai, when Hunters usually fail Tabulization, the only way they can use their Magic is by figuring it out manually, right?
Exactly how difficult is that?
Okay, then safe to say that it's pretty tough.
Since you can hear all my thoughts, shouldn't you already know?
Oh, cool. Thanks, I appreciate that.
Anyway, to answer your question, I've been thinking about this...I've been lying and saying I figured out how to use Devour and Drain by manually channeling my Mana, so a thought occurred to me, what if I actually start experimenting with manually channeling my Mana?
Okay, that's not bad. Sounds like it's worth a shot, at least. Let's see here...
I closed my eyes and focused, feeling the sensation of the Mana flowing through my body. I do feel a slight sensation of its flow a bit when I cast my Skills, but nothing beyond that, I've never really focused on it before.
Alright, I think I've got it, I'm locked into this sensation...now, let's try to control the flow. Nice and slow, I can't get impatient, I need to take this step by step.
Hm, based on the way it feels, I think the flow of Mana starts in the solar plexus, and then flows in a swirling pattern through my torso. From there, it branches and spreads out across my limbs and head.
The flow goes straight down my arms and legs, into my hands and up along my fingertips. It flows straight up my neck too, but the flow through my head feels a lot more complex, like a maze.
Its highly concentrated around my brain, a fair bit around my eyes, and then my mouth, nose and ears.
Okay, I think I've got it now.
I'll keep focusing on the flow, steadily familiarize myself with how it feels.
Alright, I understand it now...the way my Mana flows when I use my Skills, it'd be incredibly difficult to pull that off manually.
It would probably take years to be able to cast my Spells more efficiently manually than I can by chanting.
Still, it may be worth working on in my free time.
Hey, Ai, do Hunters who have gone through successful Tabulization work on manually casting their Magic?
Interesting...that sounds pretty damn useful. How common is that?
Then, I won't be able to pull this off until I reach the level of K-Rank or Ace?
Cool, in that case, I might as well keep working at it. Even if I am too weak right now, it certainly won't hurt to have a head start by the time I am strong enough, if that's the case.
Alright, I think I've got a good feel for how my Mana flows through my body. Now, for the tough part...controlling the flow manually.
Huh...okay, this is pretty tricky.
I am feeling slight shifts in the flow of my Mana, but it's more like I'm disrupting the flow instead of channeling it.
Calm down, take it easy, nice and slow...no, that still doesn't feel right.
I'm trying to channel the Mana flowing through my right arm, but I can't get it to flow the way I want to, it's more like a jolt around the spot I'm focusing on, like when you hit your elbow against something.
Hold on...maybe I need to control the flow from start to finish, maybe it isn't working because I'm only focusing on one area.
Okay, let's try this again...focus on your solar plexus, then channel it through the swirls of energy flowing through to my right arm, and-...crap, I messed it up!
Right as I channeled the flow into my elbow and began to transition it through my forearm, I lost control.
That said, it was working...it was definitely working!
Let's try that again, slower this time...there we go, that's it, keep it nice and steady. There we go, it's flowing through my arm now, it's past my elbow, going down my forearm.
It's into my hand, flowing through my fingers, gathering in my fingertips...as I felt an increasing pressure in my fingertips, I unleashed the channeled Mana, which burst out, the flow of the Mana across my body going back to normal as I opened my eyes and sat up, a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, before glancing down as my stomach rumbled.
Huh, why do I feel so hungry? Does channeling Mana manually make me hungrier?
I'm sorry, what?
There's no way, what's the time-...holy shit, you're right. How the fuck did three hours go by?!
Eh, whatever.
Ai, the thing I just did, what kind of effect does it have?
Well, that's disappointing. Might as well test it out on myself and check, I guess...
I concentrated on the flow of my Mana again, channeling it though my right hand as I placed my fingertips across the middle of my left forearm, the Mana flowing through my fingers and gathering in my fingertips.
Alright, now to just fire it out and-...f-fuck!
Fuck, FUCK, SH-SHIT, that...th-that really fucking hurt, damn it! What the hell was that?!
Ow, my arm feels so sore...I don't think anything's broken, but there's a stinging pain throbbing around my forearm. I think it's starting to subside, but it still hurts a lot.
Seriously, what just happened?
Oh? I'm listening, elaborate-...ow.