Chapter 268

Volume 2 Ch 11: The Mana Recovery Plan

Ryan’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍current physical condition was, in truth, the result of that beyond-the-limit eruption of Mana in the ruins.

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the time, faced with certain death, he had wrung himself dry without reservation and, in a manner far beyond what his body could bear, forcibly drove the two newly inscribed Gospel core arrays that had not yet fully fused with him—those magical structures beneath his shoulder blades that resembled two precise, violent engines.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍torrent of Mana that exploded forth in that instant had been terrifyingly powerful, but it had also acted like the fiercest catalyst, nearly igniting and consuming not only all the Mana stored within him, but even the latent potential of his body and his vitality itself, all within an extremely short span of time.

That ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had led to a dangerous aftereffect: his Mana had been completely drained, and his body had fallen into a state of extreme Mana starvation.

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for the two Gospel arrays, after being driven into overloaded output, they had also become like exquisitely crafted machines jammed for lack of sustained Mana fuel and proper guidance. Their rotation had slowed, and there were even faint signs that they were slipping into dormancy, perhaps becoming difficult to restart at all.

That ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the fundamental reason why Ryan currently could feel no Mana moving inside his body, and why his entire body felt so hollowed out with weakness.

Fortunately, the vast and chaotic body of knowledge that old bastard Serandil had forcibly poured into his mind—though it contained countless mad theories and dangerous warnings—also systematically explained the principles, structure, and Mana circulation pathways of the Gospels, as well as the methods for starting, guiding, and even repairing damaged or stalled arrays.

That mad sage seemed to have anticipated every possible condition an inheritor might face. Or perhaps, more accurately, he simply delighted in seeing his experimental subject test the limits of his creation under every extreme condition imaginable, and so had handed over the whole of his knowledge without reservation. Ryan still had no idea what Serandil’s true purpose was, but from the knowledge system he had obtained, it genuinely felt as though the man had been in desperate haste to find a successor who could carry on his “great research”—even if that meant planting a time bomb in the successor’s body that could go off at any moment.

Seen that way, Serandil had not actually lied when he tried to lure Ryan in.

Excellent temperament. Strong natural affinity. A mysterious tie to the elves. Extremely high magical talent.

Setting everything else aside, if you planted a death curse like this inside such a person, there was no chance he would simply give up and lie down waiting for death. He would exhaust every possible method in his attempt to find a way to contain it. So from Serandil’s point of view, strapping his knowledge and inheritance onto such a person like a ticking bomb was the perfect move. If the inheritor managed to puzzle out a way to survive, then excellent—his research had been passed on. If not, then at worst it would simply be lost, which was not all that different from its fate already.

Damn that old bastard. If Ryan ever saw him again, he sincerely felt he ought to punch him.

But he had to admit that, even though Serandil had dragged him onto this deranged carriage—one headed God knew where—through a mixture of deception and manipulation in a desperate moment, the knowledge the man provided as fuel was both real and unbelievably precious.

It was like being handed a detailed manual that recorded the entire structure, principles, and even maintenance methods of some deadly weapon. The only problem was that the weapon was strapped to your own body and would continuously consume your life as it was used. But at the very least, the one wearing it knew how to make it function, and even, to a certain extent, how to “maintain” it for the moment and slow the pace of its backlash.

As for Serandil’s deception, Ryan did not feel much grievance on behalf of himself. At the very least, resentment occupied very little space in the way he thought.

Under those circumstances, acceptance had been his only chance to survive afterward. Refusal had most likely meant immediate death on the spot.

The hope of the elves and the power to oppose calamity that Serandil had dangled before him might have been bait, but Ryan himself had indeed accepted the gift with the same mindset: even if it meant drinking poison to quench thirst, he still needed to obtain enough power in the short term to preserve himself and even retaliate.

As for the price...

Just as he had told Iruya, if the calamity of the Demon Race’s invasion truly descended several years from now, then without power, he would still be dead.

Weighing one harm against the other, he had chosen the more dangerous road—at least the one that allowed him to hold some measure of initiative in his own hands.

Now, all that had changed was that he understood more clearly just how cruel the price really was.

Once he had fully analyzed his own condition, Ryan immediately thought of the key to solving the problem, as well as the most suitable resource already at hand.

The Philosopher’s Stone fragments—the two crystals containing incomparably pure Mana and immense spiritual power.

Mana was the fuel that drove the Gospel engines, while spiritual power was the key medium for guiding and controlling the circulation of Mana, especially when it came to safely channeling such immense, refined energy into the half-stalled arrays and awakening them.

The more powerful the mage, the stronger the spirit usually was as well, because spirit was the bridge by which one communicated with and commanded external Mana.

And the Philosopher’s Stone fragments happened to contain both.

As for a guide—Ryan himself currently had no Mana left. His spiritual power remained, but if he tried to independently guide the energy of the Philosopher’s Stone safely into himself, the risk would be enormous.

He needed someone with fine Mana control, powerful spiritual strength, and, above all, someone he could trust.

And right in front of him stood an almost perfect candidate.

Elves were born with extraordinary affinity for and control over Mana and spiritual force. As an elven princess, Iruya’s skill in that regard was beyond question.

More important, however, was trust.

The two of them had rescued one another in the ruins. After he fell, Iruya had not fled alone. Instead, she had turned back and risked herself to save him. Later, she had shown no greed toward the Azure Tempest, and even just now, she had shared everything she knew about the Transgressor and the Gospels without holding back.

All of that had allowed Ryan, in an extremely short amount of time, to establish a considerable degree of trust in her.

That trust might not yet have been deeply rooted, but for now, it was enough for him to place part of his safety in her hands.

...

“So your plan is to use those two Philosopher’s Stone fragments as a powerful ignition source and guiding medium, and with my assistance, channel their power into your body to reactivate the two Gospel arrays that have fallen into stagnation because of Mana exhaustion?”

After hearing Ryan’s concise analysis and request, Iruya frowned slightly. Light shifted in her violet eyes as she rapidly weighed the feasibility of the plan and its risks.

“That’s right.” Ryan nodded. His tone remained even, but his gaze was serious. “Given my current condition and the resources available, this is the most direct method, and the one that appears to have the highest chance of success. In my head, I still have the specific schematics Serandil left behind for the guiding arrays and the energy pathways. That should minimize the risk as much as possible. What I need from you is precise control over the energy output of the Philosopher’s Stone fragments. And while I guide the Mana into the array cores, I need you to provide additional spiritual stabilization and fine-tuning, so the energy does not run wild.”