Mana is refined in the body and naturally converges at the heart which acts as a cleanser before spreading to the rest of the body
Cores are formed due to the hardening of excess mana in that part of the body alongside natural mana acting as a storage, such a process tends to happen naturally for some while others could be sped up or artificially made through other means
Once the mana inside the core is fully saturated it proceeds to flood out creating a new layer above the core while destroying the previous one to create larger space
As such it is common knowledge that a new rank equals greater mana reserves
That was until I had somehow created a C rank core with the reserves of a D rank
" ... "
" ... "
A few moments had passed as an awkward silence settled in the office as we both simply continued to stare at each other like that but what else was there to say that was what happened
" Stuff happened? "
" An epiphany of sorts "
" Are you actually willing to say? "
" It isn't something to hide after all "
" Is that so? "
Taking out two cups of tea from thin air, he placed one on each side of my desk as he sat down in front of me
Usaully Albert was never the type to ask or delve into any specifics in my life that I don't readily divulge even with cases of me possessing unknown information or the blooming of some hidden talent I had suddenly acquired
Yet the fact that I had broken what seemed to be a fundamental rule of this world seems to have caused him great worry
" Ah... may I inquire something before you begin master? "
" Sure, what is it? "
" If it was nothing to hide, why did you beat around the bush earlier? "
" That's... "
" ...? "
" I mean... it was a rather instinctual understanding rather than one made up of facts you know?
I couldn't quite explain it with the sudden question "
" Stuff happened I suppose? "
" Quite literarily "
Taking a deep sigh, I reclined into my chair, as I put together the jumbled mess of information I had into coherent sentences
" My core capacity, strength and purity are all C rank "
" Yes "
" However, at complete odds with my supposed capacity the amount of mana that I am capable to store is D rank "
" Indeed, that's the current problem at hand "
Feigning ignorance at Alberts curt tone I continued
" But what if we didn't just use the mana in the core? "
At my words Albert slowly raised an eyebrow
" We simply assume that a core can only be strengthened by the mana from within it, the mana that is already refined by the body "
" ... "
" But then... what if we used the mana naturally imbued in our bodies as substitute to temporarily flood it? "
" Elaborate? "
" All things have mana as everything comes from the same earth, from this world, with or without a mana core we as humans naturally create, deal with, exchange and retain mana with the world
mana goes through a cycle through all living things merely changing forms never vanishing or getting destroyed
the pure mana that is made and replenished anchors the body, and it is intertwined with life force that anchors the soul"
To that albert nodded his head
" But doesn't something feel missing?
We simply assumed that mana cores are due to excess mana but that's incorrect, or at least that's only how artificial mana cores are made "
" Artificial... you mean those that are made with the help of others not naturally? "
" Yes, those simply copy the blueprint of natural awakeners, after all you should now that natural awakeners always seemed to be more blessed than artificial ones "
at that point albert had set down his cup of tea giving me the stage to speak
" Mana cannot be destroyed it simply changes from one form to another, it acts as any other natural force as such it affects what is around it as well
' Mana anchors the body ' that quote is said as natural mana is seen chained around our bodies flowing through it and mixing with the pure mana we produce "
" Then... "
" The body isn't something that only conducts or refines mana, it is steeped in it, every cell is filled with mana of this world
That mana that doesn't pass through and stays alongside you as you grow that becomes your identity, the part of you that is from this world that merges with the incoming natural mana turning into a chain
due to that matters of mana is highly sensitive, without mana the body dies, any excess and something might go wrong causing total collapse "
" ... "
" When excess mana is forced in, there is always a mentor to help guide and take in the backlash onto their selves
that's why they are capable of creating a core without the risk of any mana displacement, however how do natural awakeners create it then? "
Albert face was rather rigid at that question as the answer dawned on him
Yet watching him again his eyes showed a brief hesitation, as if telling me I didn't try something so stupid
" Albert those who are naturally awakened are less than 1% in the entire history of the continent "
' The fact is no one in the current generation was naturally awakened either, aside from Jake '
" That is because on pure instinct they undergo the formation of the core using nothing but the mana inside their own body alongside anything that comes inside to replace it
and as they die and the body shuts down the core is either formed and the body starts absorbing mana once again or it takes too much time, and the body dies right then and there "
" ... "
" Albert the reason they are blessed is due to the core being their made from their own mana, mana that has been a part of them all this time will follow its owners will much better than one forced in the body
Those are how legend such as merlin and the golden warrior of old were made "
' Though they themselves don't know it '
" You actually did... "
" I didn't know I was doing it if that made it better "
I explained giving an excuse
At the time I was so preoccupied by what I saw, I thought I couldn't move due to that, turns out even though I couldn't retain the information at the time my body did as it immediately went to work
' I thought I had spent hours, yet it was only 15 seconds I only truly grasped time in the last 10 of them '
" whew "
Shaking me off from my reverie was albert who had at some point cleaned up table alongside the tea as he exhaled briefly
" The difference is caused due to the fact that I was originally an artificial awakener "
I explained to the now standing albert
" I assume the difference in capacity can be solved? "
" We still got elixirs? "
" Not after this I assume "
Shaking his head in lament he bowed his head seemingly done asking questions as he disappeared right after probably to pick up the elixirs I'll need
' He got his answer it seems '
yet as I sat alone in the now empty office, what I learned today that forbidden information blared into my head again as I recalled everything I knew
About the hero Jake
The one blessed by the very master of this world
his final battle alongside his companions against the demon king
How they would be absolutely obliterated
His blessings disappearing as if they never existed in the first place
How íroas who had blessed him for so long abandoned him
However, none of that was true
the fact was even if he was blessed with every ability the god of heroes could give he would still lose the very same way
that his blessing wasn't taken away they had run out due to the person who supposed to supply them power no longer being there
They simply held on due to the power left over after his death
After the demon king killed him 7 years ago