As we sat outside, Duracal spoke calmly.
Honestly, I thought he would wait until the end of the week before teaching me magic again.
But after seeing my condition, he changed his mind.
"You're not in any state to move properly," he said. "So listen carefully instead."
Then the lesson began.
Most of what he taught about mana was similar to what Khaun had already explained—
but Duracal approached it differently.
More practical.
Less mysterious.
"For knights," he said, "aura gradually becomes part of the body."
"But for magicians—"
he tapped his head,
"everything depends on concentration."
He explained how mana control, casting speed, spell stability, and even power depended on focus.
"One mistake during casting can ruin everything."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"That's why warriors must never give magicians time."
"Don't let them think."
"Don't let them prepare."
"Don't let them analyze you."
"If you hesitate against a skilled mage, you die."
I listened carefully.
Unlike Khaun, Duracal explained things like a fighter instead of a scholar.
Then he started talking about breathing and absorption techniques.
"Most people only learn the technique itself," he said.
"They never try to understand the meaning behind it."
He explained that different breathing methods shaped mana and aura differently.
Some focused on speed.
Others on stability.
Some specialized in explosive bursts.
Others improved long-term endurance.
"Techniques with names like Thunder Breathing or Stone Breath aren't just names," he continued.
"They reflect the flow and nature of the energy itself."
That part surprised me.
I had learned Beast Breathing and Beast Skin Absorption—
but after getting used to them, I stopped studying the books themselves.
I only practiced the motions.
I never tried to understand the deeper concepts behind them.
Duracal noticed my expression immediately.
"You finally realized it?"
I stayed silent.
He snorted.
"Idiot."
But there was no real anger behind it.
The lesson continued until nightfall.
By the end, my head felt heavier than after any sword training.
Magic was complicated.
Far more complicated than swinging a blade.
Before leaving, Duracal stretched slightly and said,
"That's enough for today."
"We only touched the basics."
After dinner, I went to sleep early.
The next morning, the pain in my body had lessened slightly.
Not gone—
but manageable.
I started with weapon maintenance.
My sword had several chips along the edge after the recent fights.
The spear needed attention too.
Sitting near the whetstone, I slowly sharpened the blade with full concentration.
Every inch of the edge mattered.
If I swung—
I wanted it to cut cleanly.
As I worked, Duracal stepped outside.
"I'm heading into town today," he said.
"I'll place the armor order."
I nodded.
Before leaving, he glanced toward Rusty.
"Stay here. Recover properly."
Then he left.
The day remained quiet after that.
I roasted some Dung Rabbit meat over the fire and fed part of it to Rusty.
He seemed calmer now.
Still different—
but stable.
That alone eased my mind slightly.
By afternoon, Bharam arrived.
I greeted him, then looked behind him instinctively.
"No Siena?" I asked carefully.
Bharam laughed.
"She said if she came today, you wouldn't survive until tomorrow morning."
"…Fair."
He sat down nearby.
"Show me your Beast Style footwork."
The training wasn't intense—
more observation than anything else.
I demonstrated the rapid steps, directional shifts, and zig-zag movements.
Then my archery.
Bharam corrected my posture immediately.
"Elbow higher."
"Don't rush the release."
"Your breathing breaks too early."
Simple corrections—
but useful.
After a while, he sat down on the ground and looked at me seriously.
"Kid."
His voice lost its usual lightness.
"You need to stop standing at death's doorstep every other week."
I stayed silent.
He continued,
"Luck won't always save you."
The words weren't harsh.
But they carried weight.
Concern.
Real concern.
After that, he left without saying much else.
No long lecture.
No training challenge.
Just quiet warning.
As evening settled in, I picked up the Beast Breathing book again.
This time—
I didn't just read the technique.
I tried to understand the meaning behind it.