The forest… it didn't look anything like it did a few hours ago. The ground was torn up, trees were scorched and broken, and the air reeked of burnt wood and something sharper—like ozone. I was drenched in sweat, covered in dirt and ash, and my arms ached from overexertion. Every breath I took felt thick, like I was inhaling smoke.
That's when I saw her—Mili, finally back.
And she wasn't alone.
Beside her walked a tall, slim guy with sharp glasses and an air of calm detachment. The moment he laid eyes on the wrecked field, I caught a flicker of surprise. Even he hadn't expected this.
— "JOHN!" Mili shouted, her hands firmly on her hips. "I told you to train calmly, not to blow up the entire forest!"
— "You're finally back? I ALMOST DIED!" I snapped, more relieved than I'd admit.
Her eyes widened.
— "What do you mean?!"
— "Three bandits came out of nowhere. Fire magic, nonstop. I barely got out of it."
— "What did they take? Are you hurt?!"
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
— "If they took anything, it was a coffin. One of them's probably chatting with the angels by now."
— "YOU BEAT THEM?!"
I gave her a smug nod.
— "Obviously."
She blinked like I'd just told her I fought a dragon.
— "No way..."
Before she could continue freaking out, she gestured toward the guy beside her.
— "Anyway. John, this is Max. He's a Divergent. Ah, wait—you're an idiot, I need to explain. Divergents aren't manipulators or destroyers. They have unique mana abilities. Max's skill is assessing a person's mana potential and current flow. Go ahead, Max."
Max adjusted his glasses politely and stepped forward.
— "Let's have a look, then."
His eyes started to glow softly—golden and warm, like the glow of a lantern in the dark. He studied me quietly for a moment, then tilted his head.
— "Strange… You say he can use mana?"
Mili crossed her arms, nodding firmly.
— "Of course. I saw it with my own eyes. And look at the state of the forest!"
— "That's the thing… his mana channels are still damaged. I honestly don't understand how he's using mana at all. John, can you show me?"
— "Sure."
I took a deep breath, focused on the energy inside me, and started gathering mana into my palm. For a moment, everything felt fine.
Then—BOOM.
A burst of raw force exploded from my hand, throwing dust into the air.
Max's face lit up like a kid at a festival.
— "FANTASTIC! He can use mana even with damaged channels!"
Mili narrowed her eyes.
— "What does that even mean?"
Max's tone turned analytical, eyes still glowing.
— "He started as a Destroyer. But after his mana channels were damaged, his body adapted—he now functions like a Manipulator. But here's the catch: he doesn't manipulate his own mana. He draws from the ambient mana around him. However, because his internal mana is still destructive in nature, it clashes with the external mana. That's what causes the explosions."
Mili stared at me like I was some kind of ticking magical time bomb.
— "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
— "It's… rare," Max said, almost in awe. "No one I've ever seen can use mana like this. But I don't know how to train someone with that condition. The only path I see is through real combat. His body might adapt naturally through battle."
— "Wait, what?" I blinked. "You want me to learn by fighting?"
Mili rolled her eyes.
— "You really are dense, aren't you? I've told you—feeling mana is like breathing. If your lungs are damaged, your body will try to adjust and keep you alive however it can. Mana works the same. Since your body already can use it—just differently—it'll keep adapting the more you use it."
— "But how am I supposed to do that?"
She gave me a devilish smirk.
— "Well… I have an idea. But it'll only work if you don't die."
— "WHAT DO YOU MEAN DON'T DIE?!" I practically yelled, stepping back in panic.
Mili didn't answer—she just kept walking, Max quietly following her.
I let out a heavy sigh and looked around one last time at the damage I'd caused.
Then, I followed.
We headed toward the small house nestled deep in the forest—where, apparently, my next stage of training (or slow death) was about to begin.