The Art of Circulation

The coach gestured with his shin, then fixed his gaze on the trainees.

"Describe how you felt then," he said.

The trainee nodded once before explaining, not flinching even under two hundred pairs of watchful eyes.

"The mana we breathe in travels through an innate magic circuit that mirrors our veins. I'll assume everyone here remembers how magic circuits work from Professor Wiseman's lectures, so I'll skip that part."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"As for how mana moves through these circuits, I've noticed it's quite chaotic. Sometimes it goes straight to the heart. Other times, it lingers in different parts of the body before moving on."

His tone grew more thoughtful.

"Even its speed is inconsistent. At times, it rushes, while at others, it slows down for no apparent reason. It's unpredictable, but in the end, it always gathers in the heart for refinement."

The coach gave an approving nod before adding,

"Exactly. And that's why mana circulation techniques were developed… To tame this unruly child we call mana, at least within our own bodies…"

He smirked at the eager looks in the crowd, clearly recognizing their impatience to try out the new method. Deciding to keep things brief, he added one last remark.

"Now, regarding these mana circulation methods… creating a technique tailored for each of you individually would be impossible under these conditions." 

"Something of that magnitude would require extensive study and an immense amount of data. After all, each person's magic circuit is unique."

Shaking his head in mock disappointment, he continued,

"So, I had to compromise. I designed a technique based on the common patterns found in everyone's circuits. This makes it the best method to build a strong foundation for any future techniques you might acquire."

His smirk widened slightly as he finished,

"So use it with peace of mind. I made sure you can seamlessly switch it out whenever necessary."

With the coach's lecture concluded, everyone spread out across the field, eager to try out the new mana circulation method.

Ashen followed suit, settling down before activating his bracelet.

Skimming through the previous entries, he quickly spotted a new one about Magic Circuits, highlighted for easy access. Not surprising. The coach was always thorough, ensuring no one missed crucial information.

Deciding it wouldn't hurt to refresh his memory, Ashen began reading.

*

Every human, without exception, is born with a unique magic circuit.

This circuit is a semi-ethereal organ, only manifesting physically when mana flows through it. Otherwise, it remains in an intangible state.

Structurally, it runs parallel to the veins, much like how blood vessels circulate blood throughout the body. But instead of blood, magic circuits act as conduits for mana, ensuring its distribution to every body part.

Although their primary function is channeling mana, a circuit, like any other organ, can be damaged, sometimes permanently.

Such damage occurs when someone forces mana circulation beyond their circuit's capacity or moves mana at speeds exceeding its stress threshold. These reckless mistakes can lead to circuit burnout, which is a potentially irreversible condition.

Normally, a magic circuit matures naturally alongside a person, starting in a fragile state at birth and gradually strengthening into adulthood. But to push its limits beyond the natural growth process, one must manually train it.

Much like muscles, a magic circuit grows stronger through controlled stress. By circulating mana just above its tolerance level for a sustained period, followed by adequate rest, the circuit adapts and fortifies itself.

This is where mana circulation methods become invaluable.

But, Ashen noted, overdoing it could be catastrophic. 

A magic circuit permanently damaged beyond a certain point loses its ability to heal naturally, leaving a person crippled in their ability to harness mana forever.

Ashen moved on to the final entry: the Circulation Method.

As he accessed it, an illustration of a human body appeared before him, displaying a standard magic circuit. 

His eyes traced the three highlighted points, which seemed to form the backbone of mana circulation. 

These points were called vital veins, and they played a crucial role in directing and refining the flow of mana throughout the body.

The first was positioned in the head, acting as a channel that guided mana from the upper body toward the heart. 

Its counterpart lay in the lower body, stretching from the abdomen to the legs, performing the same function in reverse, pulling mana upward. 

At the center of it all, nestled around the lungs, a third vein controlled the exchange of mana, ensuring its constant renewal before sending it back into circulation.

Ashen quickly realized that these three points formed the very foundation of the technique. No matter how advanced a circulation method became, it always built upon this structure. 

The guide went beyond just describing their functions, offering a detailed breakdown of how to train them properly. 

It provided precise instructions on when to stop, how much mana to push, and the dangers of overexertion… warnings that made it clear just how delicate the process could be.

Everything was laid out in a way that left no room for confusion. After reading through the instructions several times to ensure he fully understood them, Ashen felt ready to give it a try.

He naturally slipped into the familiar rhythm of MistForge Breath. His inhalations grew deeper, more controlled, and perfectly synchronized.

As his breathing settled into its heightened state, he turned his focus inward, willing the mana in his circuit to follow the path outlined in the instructions.

Slowly, he guided it along the intended route. The energy flowed from the exchange vein, weaving its way up to the upper vein before descending through the lower one and eventually settling in his heart.

Anyone witnessing him manipulate mana through his veins for the first time would be utterly blown away… especially knowing it was his first time doing it.

With each exhale, the exchange vein purged any lingering, unrefined mana from his system.

He repeated the process a dozen times, alternating the cycle, first from top to bottom, then reversing the flow, until he began to notice the difference.