The mysteries of mana

I could feel it. My own small amalgamation of mana, seemingly deep within my core. Although my heart was beating hard I could still retain my focus on the energy inside me. It didn't feel inanimate, instead, it felt organic. Like another living thing inside of me, something which had a will of its own.

Gripped by a sudden burst of inspiration I tried the first thing that came to mind.

'Hey little buddy, do you want to play? If you want we go out for a walk or if you'd rather want we can go to the fields and run for a while?'

...

Am I an idiot? Was I really trying to communicate and talk with my own mana? At this point, my concentration was already long gone and I could no longer feel the mana inside of me. Maybe I had been a bit too ambitious. Thinking that just because I knew that the main characters would meditate in order to cultivate their mana, I would just be able to increase my mana grade in the span of a few hours.

*Knock, knock, knock*

Just as I was thinking about my own stupidity, as well as the possibilities of maybe getting a bit of therapy, someone started knocking on my door.

'Shit, I didn't even shower after my little adventure and it's already time to go.'

Running to the bathroom I quickly washed my face and then went to answer the door.

*Click*

Looking up, only reaching the middle belly area of the black-suited man, he asked me.

"Hello, are you mister Porter?"

"Yea, that's me. Why do you want to know?"

'Wait, what's with the unnecessarily aggressive response? Is that a side effect of Hiren's memories or am I just an asshole?'

"Haha, I am here to transport you to your appointment to get your status measurements. No need to get your panties in a bunch kid. Name's Mike, a pleasure to meet ya."

*Pok!*

'Kid?!'

Feeling the veins on my forehead pulsating, I couldn't even retort to the chuckling middle-aged man. One of the reasons being he took my aggressive attitude pretty well but mainly because I couldn't deny his statement. I did, indeed, look like a kid. Feeling once again the misery of fate, I could only hang my head and follow the man who had already started walking away from the door.

"We are gonna walk to the administration building from here, although it isn't far we really need to be on time. Those old goofs always seem to have something up where the sun don't shine, so it would be annoying if they start complaining about us not being on time".

"Hmm?"

"Well, I was just thinking that it might be good to spur you on so you don't drag your feet too much. With your ... stature?... it seems like it might take more time than usual".

'This fucker!'

Thinking about it, he should be well aware of my age. Only students at the age of 16 and higher are eligible, as well as forced, to stay on academy grounds. Is he really that immature to rub it in or is he doing it unconsciously?

While continuing to think about stupid stuff, I started to raise my speed. Without breaking out into a run, I started to walk with a speed impossible even for professional power walkers and left Mike behind for a bit.

[Mike - POV]

'Oh, that's interesting.'

Staring at the small student who just managed to create some distance between him, Mike couldn't do anything else but that it was interesting. A small little kid who, seemingly, relaxed floated forward with a speed that couldn't be said other than extremely impressive for a new student.

Thinking back at when the old fox told him that he was supposed to guide a new student to the administration he couldn't help but be perplexed. Why should a grade VI hero, as well as the main combat teacher at the prestigious academy, guide a small little runt who hadn't gotten his measurements before attending the academy?

When Mike asked the principal he only got a cryptic answer.

-All will be revealed in time, just like the snow enters after a warm summer.

'The principal is pretty whack, not gonna lie. Nonetheless, I can't refuse the request, can I? As the most powerful man on academy grounds, and a former grade VIII hero, who would be able to stand against his decisions?'

Although he was never aggressive, the pressure he exuded just by stimulating his mana was enough for most people to faint if they were too close.

Looking back at the kid who raced forward a small tinge of interest started to grow in his mind. Maybe this student was special, maybe he had a unique Inherent Disposition that made it worth his time? As they made their way to the administration he knew he would get his answers soon enough.

[Miren - POV]

Standing in front of the administration a weird feeling started bubbling up in my stomach.

'What is this? Am I sick?'

Theorizing that maybe I had gotten a fever from sleeping in the cold apartment I couldn't help but try to analyze this new feeling I felt. It was a feeling unfamiliar from both streams of memories I had, something neither the old me nor the original Miren had experienced.

Thinking about it, what should you feel like in a situation like this? I am just about to measure my pretty much nonexistent mana in front of leading experts in one of the best academies in this world.

'Huh, I am nervous'.

Being nervous was something I hadn't gotten to experience yet. In my previous world, my feelings were based around that nothing really mattered as nothing felt fulfilling. Why would I feel nervous because of a test I felt didn't matter? From this world's memories, I just didn't have the opportunity to feel nervous. I had felt scared and apprehensive but not nervous. Why would you feel nervous because of training when no one expected anything from you?

"Hey kid, what are you standing around for? Didn't I tell you those old geezers were gonna get their feathers rustled if we are late?"

Pushing away the uncomfortable new feelings I braced myself and started my voyage up the big stairs. Where in my previous life I would usually walk two steps of the stairs at a time, in this life I had no choice but to struggle up one at a time.

When we got inside we got greeted by an extremely tall, blonde woman behind a counter. Or maybe she was normal-sized... Anyway, she greeted us and told us to walk down the corridor and enter the fifth room on the right.

We walked through the seemingly incredible modern facility until we got to door number 5. As Mike opened it I saw an older man sitting behind a desk reading what seemed to be research papers. In the office there was a three-piece sofa with a complementing coffee table on one side and on the other was a pedestal with what I could only assume was the mana orb.

"Oh, you're here... It might be the first time this year that you are actually on time Mike."

"Oh shush you old geezer. I brought the boy here, now while you do your job I'm gonna go talk with Cindy for a while!"

"Flirting on the job again huh? Well good luck, this shouldn't take more than half an hour at most. Although, you should probably work on your memory before talking to Mindy. At this rate, you might seem older than me."

"..."

Seemingly without a possible retort to make, Mike left the room with steady steps. The man turned to me with an unreadable smile and piercing look in his eyes.

"Hello young man, you must be the new student who didn't make time to even measure and record your status before attending Kirkegaard."

"Yes, that does indeed seem to be the case, sir."

Why does everyone seem hellbent on it being my fault that I didn't get a chance to record my status? No one at the orphanage believed the letter of admission to be true, never mind me. Why would a feeble young man like me, who can't even break a mirror, measure and record my status in preparation to attend an academy?

"Well, now that you are here, let's make sure you waste as little of my time as possible. Shall we"

The old man, who still hadn't even given me his name nor asked to hear mine walked to the mana orb and waved his hand for me to approach it.

"Now just put your hand on it and it should stimulate your mana automatically without you having to do a thing"

As I put my hand on the orb something within me started to stir.

'Oh, it's you little one. Nice to meet you again'

Feeling my minuscule swirl of mana starting to move, my body automatically responded. It was as if I developed extra arteries, made solely to transport mana around my body. It went from my stomach into my arms, legs, back, and head almost immediately. Like a snake of warmth, it moved around my body. Feeling as if I had a minor breakthrough on my path to grow my mana-related capabilities, a stream of text started appearing on the orb.

===Status===

Name : Miren Porter

Rank: I

Strength: I

Speed: VII

Stamina: III

Intelligence: III

Mana Grade: I

Charm:?

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