Chapter 4

"Hgh… where is this?" Aliff had just opened his eyes, his vision still blurry. He rubbed his eyes roughly, trying to focus on his surroundings. "Hah, is this my room? When did I come back here? I don't remember entering my room…"

"Hmm…

He got up from the bed, his body feeling heavy. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hand pressed against his throbbing forehead. "What happened? That last training... I remember, I almost died because I did that crazy training."

"Fortunately, because I'm smart, I was able to complete the training that the old man gave me, not an old man, but my teacher,

"Hah, I'm so happy now because I've finished that training…

"Hmm…

"It seems like my body is no longer human," Aliff said while looking at his body.

"Am I now a human with a physical form that surpasses humans?...

"Hah?!...

Suddenly, the door to his room opened. Aliff turned towards the door, his eyes still sparkling. "Oh, you're awake," came a voice from Ina, the teacher's granddaughter. She brought a plate of food and placed it on a small table in the corner of the room.

"Here, eat. It seems you've successfully completed the training that grandpa gave you. Congratulations," Ina said with a soft yet flat voice, as if devoid of any emotion.

"Ohh…

Aliff was surprised. He didn't expect Ina to congratulate him. "Thank you too, Ina. You have brought me food for the past 6 months. I think if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to finish this training," Aliff said while looking at Ina's face.

"Hmm…

"That's my duty," Ina replied with the same flat expression. She didn't look at Aliff at all, only focused on the food she placed down.

"This woman never changes, he thought to himself.

"Yeah, I don't care about that…"

Aliff sighed, a feeling of dissatisfaction began to creep in. "Hmm..." he furrowed his brow, his eyes never leaving Ina's face.

"What's wrong?" Ina finally turned to look at Aliff. Even though her eyes were covered by a cloth, Aliff could still feel the cold and sharp gaze from Ina, making him feel like he was being judged.

"Hah!...

"I want to ask, why are you wearing that cloth on your face? I'm sure you're not blind. Is there a reason?" Aliff asked.

"Because I like it. Is there a problem?" Ina replied in the same flat and slightly cold tone, as if she were angry.

"Because I like it? That's not an answer at all, Aliff thought to himself.

"I was just asking, no need to get mad like that," Aliff said, trying to calm himself.

"I'm not angry. My voice is just like this," Ina replied in the same tone. She turned, as if wanting to leave.

"Don't lie, I know you're angry right now. Does she not like people talking about her face? Aliff thought to himself.

"Quickly finish your food. Grandpa wants you to come to the forest. You know which forest I mean, right?" Ina asked, still in the same flat tone.

"He wants me to come to the forest? Seems like the next training will start soon," Aliff thought to himself. "Alright, but how long are you going to stay in my room?" Aliff asked in a harsh tone, his eyes fixed on Ina.

"Hah, then I'll go out first," Ina replied quickly. She turned and left the room quickly, leaving Aliff alone.

Aliff sighed again and finished his food.

°°°

Half an hour later, Aliff arrived at the forest. He stood tall in front of his teacher, or Grandpa Ina, as Ina called him. His grandfather was an old man, thin but strong. His eyes were sharp.

"I must praise you, Aliff," said his teacher, "Because you were able to complete the training I gave you a few months ago. I didn't think you would finish it in 6 months. Do you know that the training I gave was supposed to be completed in 2 years, but you managed to break that record? That's completely beyond my understanding."

"Hehehe, now you know who I am, hahaha," Aliff thought to himself.

Aliff smiled proudly, his chest pounding.

"What's with the boy's face? Just looking at it makes me want to punch him… his teacher thought to himself.

"You should know, teacher, I'm very smart. Things like that are nothing to me," Aliff replied with an arrogant tone.

"--"

"This kid is so arrogant," Where does this arrogance come from? his teacher shook his head. "Let's see how long you will stay arrogant. Let's continue with today's training."

"Hmm…

Aliff swallowed hard, his pride slightly shaken. He didn't expect his teacher to immediately continue with the new training without giving him a moment to rest. He nodded, his eyes still sharp and confident.

"What kind of training will he give me…"

"Today, you will learn how to control mana," said his teacher in a deep voice.

"Mana? What is that?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity. He had never heard the term before. In his mind, he tried to remember, but it was blank. Empty.

Grandpa sighed deeply, as if thinking of the best way to explain something complicated to a boy who was just beginning to learn. "Mana," is internal energy. The power that exists within every human. But not everyone can control it. This mana can be used for many purposes—to heal, to protect, or..." he paused, his eyes fixed on Aliff, "...even to destroy."

Aliff fell silent for a moment. His eyes widened like plates. *Mana?* "I feel like I've heard that term before. But where? In a novel? Perhaps. But I can't remember the title," he whispered to himself while scratching his head.

"So, you want to teach me how to recognize mana?" Aliff asked in a somewhat calm tone, "For some reason, I think it's very easy."

"This kid!!!...

His teacher smiled, but there was a slight hint of annoyance, "Easy?" he repeated Aliff's words in a higher tone. "Mana is not just ordinary energy, Aliff. It is a reflection of your soul. If you do not control it properly, it can consume you." He paused, his eyes locked on Aliff. "And if you cannot control what is within your body, it will move freely. And if it moves freely, it will destroy what is inside your body."

"Hah!...

Aliff felt a bit nervous. He could feel his heart beating faster. But he tried to remain calm. "Can destroy what's inside my body…" he whispered.

"Hahaha…

He lifted his chin, his eyes blazing. "Don't worry, I think I can handle it easily. You just need to demonstrate it, and I'll master it right away."

His teacher shook his head, this time with more evident annoyance. *Is this stupid kid not afraid of dying?* he thought to himself. But he didn't say those words. Instead, he took a deep breath. "Alright, if you feel good enough, let's begin."

"Ahh…

With a swift motion, the teacher raised his hand and placed it above Aliff's head. Suddenly, the atmosphere around them changed. The wind began to blow, and the leaves swayed wildly. Aliff could feel something strange within him. It seemed like energy was starting to move, but he didn't know how to control it.

"What is this?...

"Feel your *Mana*, Aliff," stay focused on controlling the mana, his grandfather said in a firm voice.

Aliff closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. He could feel something hot, like fire beginning to blaze inside him. But the more he tried to control it, the more the energy felt wild and uncontrollable.

"I… I can't control it!" Aliff shouted. He opened his eyes and saw his hands trembling. A golden light began to emanate from his skin.

"Calm down, Aliff! Don't panic! You have to control it!" shouted his grandfather.

"It seems you want to take over my body, don't think I'll give my body to you, he thought to himself.

"Ahhhh!!!

Aliff tried to calm himself. He closed his eyes again, trying to focus. "I must be calm... calm," he whispered to himself. He tried to sense his energy, trying to control its flow. But the more he tried, the hotter he felt. Like a fire growing inside him.

"Aliff. Let the mana flow. You must merge with it," said his grandfather.

"What?!... merge with the mana?...

Aliff nodded slowly, trying to follow his grandfather's instructions. He allowed his energy to flow, not fighting it. Gradually, he could feel the heat diminish. The golden light emanating from his hands faded.

Aliff suddenly felt his body light, as if floating aimlessly. His eyes opened, but all he could see was pitch black. He tried to move his hands, but it seemed like he couldn't touch anything.

"Where am I? I can't see anything!"

Suddenly, small lights began to appear around him. Their light flickered like fireflies dancing in the air. The lights began to swirl around his body, slowly becoming brighter. Various colors emerged—red, blue, green, yellow, purple—all blending in a mesmerizing dance.

"What is this?!" Aliff was startled, his eyes blinking trying to adjust to this sudden light. Is this what they call mana?... "The mana seems to like me. They seem to want to get close to me."

The mana continued to swirl around him, as if dancing to the rhythm of Aliff's heartbeat. He remembered his teacher's words. "You must become one with them," his teacher said.

"To merge with the mana?…

"Hmmm…

Aliff sighed, trying to calm himself. "So, is this what my teacher meant?" he whispered to himself.

He looked at the mana, "The mana seems alive and has feelings. "Come, unite with me," Aliff said softly…

As if hearing his call, the mana stopped swirling around him. They seemed to stare at Aliff, as if judging him. Aliff felt something different, as if energy was flowing around him.

Without warning, the mana began to move towards him, slowly entering his body. Aliff could feel the warm energy flowing through every nerve in his body. He didn't feel pain; instead, there was a sense of calm and strength he had never felt before.

"Hah!" Aliff was startled, his eyes wide open. "I feel… different. It seems there is something new within me."

He looked at his hands, as if expecting significant physical changes. But nothing was different, just a new sense of strength and clarity.

"So, am I one with the mana now?" Aliff asked himself, still trying to process what had just happened.

Suddenly, his vision changed. The mana disappeared, and he found himself lying on the ground. He squinted, trying to adjust to his new surroundings. He was in the forest. He slowly sat up, looking around.

"Hmmm…

"I'm back to where I started," he whispered, a mix of relief and confusion in his heart.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice. "So, what did you see in that room?" the voice was filled with curiosity.

"Hah!...

Aliff turned around, and there stood his teacher, staring at Aliff with sharp eyes, as if trying to read his thoughts.

Aliff nodded, trying to gather his words. "There were all the colors in that room," Everything was swirling around me,

His teacher was startled, his eyes widening. "All the colors? Did you see all of them?" his voice rose, full of astonishment.

Aliff nodded again, confused by his teacher's reaction. "Yes, all the colors. Why? Is there a problem?"

His teacher shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "This kid... who are you really, Aliff? Someone who can see all the colors in one room… that means you can use all types of magic in this world." "Who gave birth to this child… he thought to himself.

"What's wrong with this silly old man's face?... Aliff looked at his teacher's face blankly…