A week had passed since Levy's elemental nature assessment.
In the Morozov estate courtyard, golden light from the late afternoon sun stretched across the sky.
Levy sat in a lotus position at the center, breathing slow and steady.
Vladimir stood nearby with his hands behind his back, observing silently.
'This kid's mana absorption rate is slightly below average', Vladimir noted. 'Which is abnormal in of itself!'
The Varnhagen Circulation Method gathered mana far more aggressively. By comparison, Levy's technique seemed inefficient.
'...however it is an innate technique. It must specialize in something.' He thought.
------------------------------
Inside Levy's mind—
Lin Feng watched quietly.
'Vladimir has surely noticed the flaw by now,' he thought. 'The kid's technique has a slow mana absorption rate.
'But he's looking at the wrong metrics. The real function lay elsewhere.' Lin Feng watched the situation unfold with interest.
Levy, meanwhile was concentrating even though he looked at peace.
'He's completely relaxed,' Vladimir observed. 'Most rookies tense up under when circulating mana.'
"That's enough," Vladimir said calmly.
Levy opened his eyes immediately.
"So, Grandpa Vlad," Levy grinned, "find anything?"
'He wouldn't get mad that I'm calling him grandpa Vlad right?'
Levy recalled how Vladimir previously told him to stop calling him great grandpa as it sounded too distant.
Vladimir ignored the nickname.
"I have yet to fully decipher your innate circulation method even though it's been a week... it's really peculiar." He admitted.
"It does not increase absorption efficiency. It does not expand your mana pool. It does not enhance your body beyond baseline improvement."
"There wasn't any connection towards the lightning elemental nature through the circulation technique. The technique is subpar in terms of mana absorption, so the explanation for Levy's mana pool iis that it was abundant to begin with. It does not enhance your body beyond baseline improvement." Vladimir mumbled.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
At that moment, Theodore returned home, jacket loosened, tie slightly crooked from work.
"Great Elder," he greeted respectfully.
Vladimir gave a short nod.
"Dad!" Levy ran over and hugged him.
Theodore smiled tiredly, then glanced at Vladimir.
"So… about Levy's technique."
"What of it?" Vladimir looked at him.
"You've already tested most of the things affected by circulation techniques." Theodore pointed out.
"Since the first day, we found out itdoesn't affect the elemental nature, then the following days for the mana absorption, mana pool, and the external reinforcement of the body respectively..." He trailed off for a bit.
"...then what could be the technique for?" Theodore asked.
"I wouldn't be thinking hard like this if I knew the answer now would I?" Vladimir retorted a bit annoyed.
"R-right!" Theodore admitted.
"Ahem- So should we review what we previously learned Levy?" Theodore asked Levy.
"There are 6 fundamental aspects of a mage!" Levy recited proudly. "Elemental Nature. Magic Techniques. External Reinforcement. Mana Absorption. Mana Pool… and Mana Pathways!"
Vladimir froze.
"Very good! Now tell me what each of them are for." Theodore continued.
'No... that's impossible.' Vladimir was brooding, 'what even is impossible?'
Levy reciting could still be heard in the background.
"...external reinforcement is using mana to augment certain parts of the body..."
'Did I dismiss it because no one in history has achieved it?' Vladimir was still contemplating.
"...mana pool is the amount of mana that can be stored in the body..."
'But if it really is that...' Vladimir continued debating within himself.
"...ana pool is the quantity, then the mana pathways is the quality..."
'...' Vladimir stood still.
"...mana pathways are fixed at birth," Levy concluded.
Theodore smiled proudly at his son's brilliance.
Vladimir began laughing softly.
"kukukuku..."
"Levy."
Both father and son startled.
""Yes!?""
"Come here."
Levy walked over.
"I am going to inject a trace of my mana into you," Vladimir said evenly. "Do not resist."
Theodore stiffened. "G-great Elder! That's dangerous!"
"I am aware."
His tone left no room for debate.
"But if it's what I think his circulation technique is, then this kid will flip the foundations of modern magic theory upside down, even in and out!"
Vladimir was firm in his decision.
"Levy... obey your great grandpa, do NOT resist it." Theodore looked worried.
"Okay~" Levy simply responded.
"Good. I'll begin." A thin current of wind flowed from Vladimir's palm into Levy's shoulder.
[System Notification]
External Inspection Detected. Countermeasures Available. [Yes] [No]
Levy's brows slowly furrowed.
[No]
"You'll feel something foreign enter your body. As if someone blew into your ears, it'll feel weird, creepy-uncomfortable even. But let it take its course." Vladimir assured.
------------------------------
Inside Levy—
Lin Feng grew tense.
'This is dangerous... if this goes wrong, this kid will seriously get injured, best case scenario his pathways could rupture.' Lin Feng thought, 'Worst case scenario, he'll be crippled.'
'But I have to admit, this is on the right track. This is the only way to evaluate the mana pathways in this era.' He concluded.
Vladimir's eyes widened.
"…This is…?"
He immediately withdrew the mana.
"It's done."
"Huuuuu~" Levy exhaled sharply.
"How is he?" Theodore asked urgently.
Levy also looked at Vladimir with anticipation.
"Where's Lisa?" Vladimir asked in a serious tone of voice. "Get her here now."
"U-understood!" Theodore ran off inside the mansion.
"Wilson!"
The butler appeared instantly.
"Ensure no living soul enters within a hundred meters."
"Yes, Great Elder."
'...what's with this reaction? Did he find out anything else?' Lin Feng pondered momentarily.
Lisa and Theodore came running, panting a bit.
"G-grandpa, what is it?"
Seeing the two, Vladimir exhaled sharply. "Silence."
As if the space between the outside world and the Morozov estate had been separated from reality.
A barrier like phenomenon was induced, the golden-orange scenery from the setting sun earlier was now in a bluish hue.
Within seconds, the estate was sealed.
'This was what grandpa Vlad created last week.' Levy figured.
"What I am about to say does not leave this estate."
The atmosphere tightened.
"Your son," Vladimir said, voice steady—
The three, swallowed unconsciously.
"Should become the next head of the Varnhagen family immediately."
"Eh?"
Even Lin Feng was stunned.
'This geezer...'
"I should just kick out the current family head right here and now, then instill him as the heir!" Vladimir continued.
"Eh?" The three uttered.
'Has he gone senile?' Lin Feng was bewildered at the situation unfolding.
"Eh this, eh that. C'mon! Say something else!" Vladimir snapped.
Lisa finally found her voice. "Grandpa… what are you saying?"
"Ahem- I finally figured out Levy's innate circulation technique." He clarified.
"Seriously?" Lisa a bit sketpical.
"Really?!" Theodore in disbelief.
"Whoaaa!" Levy in amazement.
"I examined his mana pathwa-"
"You did WHAT!?" Lisa cut him off.
Theodore held her back.
"It was dangerous, yes. But we got over it safely." He reassured. "Now, listen."
He looked at Levy.
"I knew it was weird. Levy's mana absorption rate wasn't fast, in fact it was mediocre." He said bluntly, "while he does have a huge mana pool, it isn't proportional to the mana absorbed."
"But your mana pathways is a different story! It's so pure, unnaturally so..."
He paused.
"They are nearly immaculate."
Theodore's breath caught.
"The mana you absorb does not go directly into your mana pool. It first circulates repeatedly through your pathways. Each cycle compresses it. Refines it. Purifies it."
Vladimir's voice lowered.
"By the time it reaches your mana pool… its density far exceeds standard atmospheric mana."
Silence.
"But mana pathways are fixed at birth," Levy said carefully.
"Yes," Vladimir nodded. "They are. At best, they can be slightly reinforced through divine treasures or miracle drugs. But they're temporary enhancements at the end of the day."
He leaned closer.
"Your circulation method on the other hand is permanently restructuring them."
The weight of that statement settled over them.
"Even if it absorbs slower than the Varnhagen method?" Levy asked.
Vladimir glanced at Theodore, "Weren't you in charge of teaching theories?"
Theodore coughed awkwardly. "Well—technically speaking—higher mana density increases spell conversion efficiency per unit expenditure, meaning destructive yield per cast scales non-linearly—"
"Enough," Vladimir cut him off.
He turned back to Levy.
"The single most important trait of a mage is not quantity."
"It is output efficiency, or the quality of the mana absorbed"
He placed a hand on Levy's head.
"Your technique is not inferior, in fact it is superior by a long mile. Enough so to be categorized as one of the Magic World's Treasures!"
"That being said, do you know what it's going to be called?" Vladimir asked Levy.
Lisa knelt beside Levy.
"Techniques are named by resonance," she explained gently. "Close your eyes. Feel the flow. The first name your mana answers to… that is its true name."
Levy closed his eyes. As if entranced by something.
Inside—
Following the flow of mana inside him, a faint whisper echoed.
A…sha…
Lin Feng panicked.
'Brat. It's already named. Don't invent something new! It's in the system panel! The closer a techniques' name is to the origin, the stronger its effect—'
The whisper grew clearer.
Asha… Circulation… Method…
Lin Feng yelled internally. 'That's what's on the system panel! Don't overthink it!'
Levy opened his eyes.
"I know."
He looked at Vladimir calmly.
"It's called the Asha Circulation Method."
Vladimir's pupils narrowed slightly.
"…Asha."
He nodded once.
"A fitting name."
But inside—
He had already begun recalculating the future of the entire magic world.
------------------------------
[Magic Mastery System]
Name: Levy Tobias Morozov
Physique: 9.23 → 9.26
Mana: 23.120 → 23.129
Elemental Nature: Wind (S-rank), Lightning (C-rank)
Magic Skills:
Active Skills:
> Wind Gale Palm (E-rank)
Acquired Techniques: Asha Circulation Method
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[Quest - in progress (56.81%)]
Practice Asha Circulation Method for 1 hour daily
Duration: 5 years
Reward: +20 Mana
Failure Penalty: -10 Mana