Chapter 107: Mass Ranking

"AHHHHH!"

The crimson aura around Reiji suddenly became unstable.

Mana poured wildly through every part of his body.

His muscles trembled. His veins bulged.

The Mana Suppression Weights tightened around his wrists and ankles as if trying to force the overflowing mana back down.

Crack!

Tiny cracks appeared across the surface of the weights.

Reiji’s eyes widened.

’What’s happening?’

The mana inside his body didn’t become stronger.

Instead, it became calmer.

For the first time since awakening the Dominion Bond System, he could actually feel it.

Not as a violent current. Not as a raging river.

But as something flowing naturally through every part of his body.

’Warm...’

Reiji slowly closed his eyes.

The pain from his broken ribs, the burning sensation from Blood Rage, even the overwhelming pressure released by the Anomaly...

Everything slowly faded into the background.

Only the flow of mana remained.

’I understand. The Mana Suppression Weights... they weren’t suppressing my mana. They were forcing me to control it.’

The mana that had once felt like a narrow stream suddenly burst open.

It no longer felt like a tiny pipe struggling to carry water.

It flowed freely and naturally.

’I can feel it. I finally understand.’

"I’ve been using mana wrong this whole time."

Ding!

[Hidden Quest: Mana Training Completed!]

[Mana Enlightenment Achieved: Mass Ranking!]

[Reward: All of the Host’s Skills have advanced to C-Rank!]

[Mana Manipulation has met the required conditions and advanced to B-Rank.]

The Anomaly frowned. It had sensed the change. Without hesitation, it lunged.

Reiji slowly opened his eyes. They were as calm as a still lake.

"Mana Manipulation."

BOOM!

The charging Anomaly suddenly froze.

Its entire body jerked violently.

Blood burst from its mouth as though an invisible mountain had slammed into it.

For the first time, Derat Thorn took a step backward.

Aoi’s eyes widened in disbelief.

’What the heck just happened?!’

Just moments ago, it had seemed like Reiji had already lost the battle. He had been thrown around the chamber, his ribs shattered, and had even been forced to drink Healing Potions just to remain standing.

Yet within only a few minutes, the tables had completely turned.

The terrifying creature that had overwhelmed him from the very beginning had suddenly been stopped in its tracks by a single spell.

It made her question everything she had witnessed.

Had Reiji really been cornered?

Or had he simply been hiding his true strength from the very beginning?

A chill ran down her spine.

She even began to believe the possibility that everything she had seen until now had been an act.

Every injury. Every retreat. Every desperate expression.

Maybe it had all been nothing more than a performance.

But she still didn’t abandon logic.

Who would willingly act like this?

As far as she knew, Reiji wasn’t a masochist.

’Who are you... really?’

The more time she spent around him, the more mysterious he became.

His swordsmanship. His countless magic spells. His strange black-and-amber mana.

The way he always remained calm no matter the situation.

And now, after suffering such serious injuries, he had somehow become even stronger in the middle of battle.

Nothing about him made sense.

Reiji, on the other hand, had no idea what was going through Aoi’s mind, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care.

Right now, his mind was calm. Peaceful. Almost tranquil.

The panic and desperation he had felt moments ago had completely disappeared.

His breathing became steady. His heartbeat slowed.

Even the overwhelming pressure radiating from the Anomaly no longer affected him as much as before.

’It seems the state of one’s mind controls the mana within.’

For the first time, he could clearly feel the flow of mana inside his body.

It wasn’t simply about having more mana.

It was about understanding it. Controlling it. Guiding it.

Only now did he truly understand what the Mana Suppression Weights had been trying to teach him all this time.

Just now, he had used Mana Manipulation to tighten the mana stream flowing through the Anomaly’s brain. Mainly because of his understanding of mana, and because Derat Thorn’s state of mind had wavered for a brief moment.

That tiny opening was all Reiji needed.

The beast snarled furiously.

It refused to be beaten by a weak creature because of a single strange skill.

ROOOAAARRR!

It let out a deafening roar as it spread its massive wings and shot into the air.

Aoi instinctively shrank back.

The pressure pouring from the creature was immense.

Even with the reinforced mana barrier protecting her, it was still enough to make a D-Rank Awakener tremble in fear.

’It broke free... as expected.’

Reiji’s expression didn’t change.

His eyes remained strangely calm.

Despite Blood Rage still being active, it no longer affected his state of mind.

It seemed Mana Manipulation advancing to B-Rank had brought about an unexpected change.

The state he had entered wasn’t ordinary.

Derat Thorn slowly opened its mouth.

Mana gathered at an astonishing speed.

A crimson sphere of flames rapidly formed before growing larger and larger.

RRAAAARRR!

The blazing sphere shot toward him.

Reiji calmly raised one arm.

"Wind Blades."

Compressed currents of wind instantly condensed into several razor-sharp blades before shooting forward.

SHING! SHING! SHING!

The Wind Blades sliced straight through the crimson sphere.

For a brief moment the attack split in half.

Then, right before Reiji’s eyes...

The severed flames twisted violently.

The two halves merged back together as though nothing had happened.

Reiji immediately dodged the attack.

BOOM!

The crimson flames exploded behind him, instantly swallowing an entire section of the chamber in a sea of fire.

Heat waves swept across the battlefield.

Chunks of molten stone rained onto the floor.

Reiji didn’t even glance back. His eyes remained fixed on the Derat Thorn.

’Now.’

He bent his knees.

The floor beneath his feet cracked.

BOOM!

His figure shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.

The distance between them vanished almost instantly.

The beast’s crimson eyes narrowed. Then it disappeared.

’Teleportation?’

No.

Detect Presence had never lost sight of it.

Before he could react the Derat Thorn appeared beside him.

Its massive claws stretched outward, aiming directly for his neck.

Reiji calmly turned. His Long Bone Sword was already moving.

CLANG!

Sparks exploded.

The impact echoed throughout the chamber.

Yet something felt wrong.

Reiji frowned.

The feeling in his hands the resistance from the sword it wasn’t the same.

The creature’s claws were still locked against his blade.

But its body began to ripple like a reflection on disturbed water.

Aoi’s eyes widened.

"W-What..."

The Derat Thorn slowly smiled.

Its figure suddenly blurred.

Then a second Derat Thorn stepped out from the first.

Reiji’s calm expression finally changed. "...What?"

The second one smiled.

Then a third figure began stepping out as well.