I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 16: Mana training method (1)

I struggled to drag the enormous greatsword, which was taller than me. 
Though I enhanced my body with mana to carry it, the effort drained me quickly, and soon, I could no longer lift it properly.

Theo and Flora, unable to watch me struggle any longer, eventually came to help.

“Why are you even keeping this giant thing…?” Theo grumbled.

“Bigger doesn’t always mean better, you know…” Flora added.

No matter what they said, I refused to give up the sword. I couldn’t give it up.

The moment my hand had touched the sword, memories flowed into me through its surface. 

They weren’t like ordinary memories—they were brilliant, glowing, and alien, belonging to a world far removed from this one.

What was contained in the sword was a breathing technique. It was simple in its basics: regulating one’s breath to channel internal energy and activate physical potential. 

Yet, as the technique delved into deeper intricacies, it presented conditions far too advanced for me to use immediately.

But if I could fully absorb and master this memory, it would give me a body far stronger than the one I had now.

What concerned me, though, was the aftermath. As I glanced around at the desolation of our surroundings—the dead plants, the lifeless mountain—I frowned.

Back at the Azure Wings Headquarters

After returning from the mission, we barely had a moment to rest. We needed to resupply our used provisions, exchange worn equipment for newer versions, and prepare for future missions.

Kanok, as our direct supervisor, handled the mission report paperwork for us.

“Here, take this. It’s your share. Feel free to use it however you like,” Kanok said, handing each of us a heavy pouch.

I opened my pouch to find it brimming with shiny silver coins.

“Azure Wings pays a regular salary, but you also get additional compensation for completing missions. Nice job, right?” Kanok added with a grin.

I only nodded. Having never had a job before, I had no frame of reference to compare it to.

In truth, the extra pay didn’t interest me much. What I was eager for was to return to my room and examine the greatsword I’d left behind.

Kanok rested his hands on his hips, observing us. Our focused management period had come to an end, and from now on, we’d follow the same daily training routine as the other knights.

Kanok smiled faintly. “I’ll have to carefully balance their mission difficulty so none of them die…” he muttered before leaving.

As soon as Kanok was out of sight, I turned and headed for my room without hesitation.

“Hey, Saeorin!” Theo called after me.

“I’m busy,” I replied curtly, not stopping.

In My Room

Once inside, I dropped to the floor and placed my hand on the greatsword.

The faint, blurry memories became vivid again, layering over my mind. The more I delved into the sword’s memories, the deeper they pulled me into their depths.

There was so much to learn. Concepts I had never encountered began taking root in my mind:

Essence

Energy

Spirit

Mind

Breath

Body

The fragments of thought were cryptic and abstract. I didn’t need to fully understand them, though—the sword’s memories forced comprehension upon me.

The technique revolved around gathering nature’s energy through controlled breathing and storing it within the body. 

This stored energy was then circulated to stimulate and strengthen the body’s meridians, a process referred to as inner cultivation.

It was crude, violent, and straightforward. The phrases and concepts surfacing in my mind felt brash and aggressive, demanding a volatile temperament.

My expression twisted in displeasure.

This wasn’t what I was looking for. Learning the techniques of reincarnators wasn’t an option. Drawing attention by absorbing nature’s energy would expose me.

What I needed was something more fundamental.

I began stripping away the unnecessary elements from the breathing technique imprinted in my mind. 

The initial steps of accumulating and refining energy within the body? Discarded. The complex mnemonics? Irrelevant.

What remained was a single thread of knowledge: the pathway for moving energy within the body. A fragmentary understanding of the circulation routes. I clung to this.

I’d already had a glimpse of mana manipulation during my first mission. If I could weave together this fragmentary knowledge from the sword with my current understanding of mana control, I might create something functional.

But it still eluded me. I felt tantalizingly close to a breakthrough, grasping for something just out of reach.

I pushed myself to focus deeper.

Creating something from scratch was an entirely different challenge compared to absorbing complete, ready-made knowledge. Despite my effort, by the time dawn broke, I hadn’t made any progress.

It had been a wasted day of sitting and struggling.

Knock, knock.

[“Saeorin!”]

Flora’s voice called out from beyond the door. A glance out the window revealed the rising sun, signaling the start of the day’s training routine.

“Ah…”

I sighed and got to my feet.

Training was grueling. By the time our bodies were pushed to their limits and exhaustion set in, it was finally time for lunch. Naturally, Flora, Theo, and I gravitated toward the dining hall.

I took the largest portion and ate the fastest.

As usual, I devoured my food with the efficiency of a warrior on the battlefield, stood up abruptly, and left before Theo and Flora could even attempt conversation.

Watching me leave, Flora couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.

“Saeorin, what’s been keeping you so busy lately?”

“Just… something urgent,” I replied, my voice trailing off.

In truth, it wasn’t urgent—just frustrating. I had grasped the framework for mana manipulation and could intentionally move mana through my body. However, the results were underwhelming.

The energy pathways described in the sword’s memories didn’t align with my body.

Or rather, they existed, but they were slightly different. If the reincarnator’s memory had been more recent rather than ancient, the outcome might have been different.

‘The physical structure is different. What should be there isn’t, and what shouldn’t be there is.’

Reincarnators came from other dimensions. The memories I inherited came from those worlds, so it was only natural that the physical structures of their people differed from those in this world.

My gaze shifted to Flora. She had demonstrated her skillful control over mana since our first meeting. Perhaps she held the key to solving my dilemma.

I sat next to her.

“Uh… Saeorin?” Flora asked, confused.

“Finish your food. I’ll wait until you’re done.”

I remembered the book I’d read on etiquette—it advised against speaking during meals. Resolving to follow its advice, I decided to wait until she finished before asking my question.

“Ah, um…”

Flora looked uncomfortable under my steady gaze. At first, I thought she might think I was eyeing her food—understandable, given my usual enthusiasm for meals.

When she offered me a piece of bread, though, I declined.

Increasingly flustered, Flora stood up, her plate still unfinished. I pressed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to sit back down.

“W-wait, Saeorin?”

“You shouldn’t waste food. Finish it all.”

“But… I’m not hungry anymore…”

“In that case, I’ll feed you.”

Ignoring Flora’s protests, I picked up a spoon and began shoveling food into her mouth.

It reminded me of the past, of coaxing stubborn children to eat. I recalled pinning down a reluctant child and forcing them to finish their meal.

“Urk…”

“Chew thoroughly,” I instructed sternly.

Flora didn’t manage to leave the table until her plate was entirely clean.

Theo, watching from the side, looked envious, but I paid him no attention.

After Lunch

Back in Flora’s room, the two of us sat at the small table, facing each other. I kept my expression serious.

“Flora, do you know of any books or materials that detail human anatomy?” I asked.

“Books on anatomy? Wait… are you training in mana breathing techniques?” Flora asked, her eyes narrowing in curiosity.

“Mana Breathing Technique…? What’s that?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“You don’t know what it is?” Flora replied, surprised. “Well…”

She began explaining. The Mana Breathing Technique, or Mana Refinement Technique, was a form of training designed to utilize mana more efficiently. By circulating mana along predetermined pathways, it enhanced physical strength and capabilities. 

Furthermore, specific types of energy could be imbued into the mana, granting unique effects.

I stared at Flora in astonishment. What she described sounded exactly like the inner cultivation technique I had been painstakingly reconstructing—except it already existed in this world, in a much more developed form.

The only difference was the absence of the step involving the accumulation of energy through breathing.

‘It already exists…?’

The realization hit me like a blow.

What I had been meticulously piecing together was already a well-established practice here. And it wasn’t just rudimentary—it was vastly refined.

A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over me. I slumped back into my chair, unable to hide my frustration.

“Hey, Saeorin, are you okay?” Flora asked, her voice tinged with concern.

“Flora,” I began, keeping my tone steady but serious. “Can you teach me this Mana Refinement Technique?”

“Ah… that’s difficult,” Flora said hesitantly. “Techniques like these are considered family secrets. They’re strictly forbidden from being shared outside the family.”

“…So it’s like swordsmanship,” I mused.

“Right. But if you haven’t learned any refinement techniques yet, you could try the basic one issued by the Imperial Knights. It’s excellent, too…”

Before Flora could finish, I shot to my feet.

I had to see this Mana Refinement Technique for myself.

If it turned out to be significantly inferior to the method I had been conceptualizing, then:

‘I’ll create my own.’

My eyes burned with renewed determination.