TBATE - Never Ending

A/N:

Don't mind the cringy dialog.

AND I forgot to mention that he shifted his Mana Core just a bit below the sternum because the two Cores were to close to one another, pulling each other apart.

Or just reread the chapter "Implications".

________

// Third Point Perspective //

*wack

*thud

The impact of flesh on flesh in the open courtyard, as the morning sun lit up the sweat that flew between exchanges.

Not exactly an exchange though. More like just Arthur landing blows on Virion while he tried to dodge and block. Virion was barely able to keep up in between his flukes. Luckily for him though, they were only limited to physical capabilities.

Otherwise, Arthur would've demolished him. The difference between experience was just to large, adding Mana into the mix was just criminal.

His Mana Heart bothered him more than actually helping him. So he had to keep his breathing in check more than Arthur's fists and legs just to slow his heart rate and ease the pain.

He could only hope this gets better.

Will he be able to properly receive the benefits of his second Core in his adolescence?

Virion backs away, surrendering with his hands up. "Can we take a break?"

"But you don't even look that tired." Art tilted his head. "Something on your mind then?"

"You could say that." Virion let himself down, leaning back on his arms.

"Is it the Princess?" Arthur tried to fluster him.

"Not really." he waved it off.

"You may be a fast learner but at this rate you won't catch up to me." he advised. "You have to keep up the consistency."

"I'm not trying to catch up to you." he is just trying his best under these conditions. Arthur, however, didn't know this so he couldn't help but frown a little at his brother's lack of motivation.

Before he could say anything, Virion interrupted.

"Let's continue." Virion heaved. "This time with Mana though." Pushing himself of the ground.

"I have no problem but why the sudden change though?" Art probed.

"I told you I just needed a break. And besides I wanted to explore my nee limits."

It clicked.

"So you have now progressed another stage." Arthur smiled. "Remind me, what stage you are on?"

"You are pretty forgetful of your siblings as the bigger brother." Virion clutches the cloth around his heart, faking his hurt in a comical manner.

"Very funny."

"I know." he played along with Art's sarcasm. "Anyway, I'm at Dark Orange."

Three stages down in only a year and few months after his awakening.

"That's impressive, Virion."

"I suppose this is what you would call 'consistency', huh?" Virion mocked his brother.

"But can you beat me in fight though?" Arthur augmented himself and sprung at Virion, smiling. His fist grazing his brothers cheek, Virion had barely managed to dodged that. He didn't have time to be stunned though and with a flick of his wrist, he blowed them apart.

Skidding to a stop, he ducked under Arthur's kick. Now that Arthur was augmenting himself, he was much easier to pick up on. It was more like a muscle twitch, he could tell how he was molding and directing the flow of Mana in hid body.

Which was weird since Virion never noticed he had such a keen and handy sense. Maybe he just never bothered to notice the people around him? He always relied on his eyes and was very proud of it because it allowed him to do amazing art in his past life.

Maybe it's time to let go of this bad habit?

Virion pushed of his one leg, rotating on his heel, pushing his other one out to perhaps sweep Arthur. But he was to slow and Arthur jumped, bending his leg and retracting the extended leg.

While mid air, he kicks Virion on the back of his shoulder. The impact made him roll over.

"Never turn your back against your opponent." he instructed, landing on his two again.

"That was a bit harsh, don't you think?" Virion stood up, rolling his shoulder that got stepped on.

"It's part of my duties as your older brother." Arthur shrugged with a mischievous smile plastered on his lips.

Frankly, Virion was at a disadvantage. Arthur was a former King with two or three decades under his belt. He has the practical insight over Mana.

While Virion only had his theoretical insight due his research (reading novels) that all shared similarities regarding the usage of Mana. It took time but he had a good grasp over it now and awakened some more of his latent affinities.

The basics of Conjuring was to supplement your Core with ambient Mana to exert force on the surrounding objects. All these steps were molded together with a formula or an incantation to "better" focus your intent.

Virion just skipped over the formula though. If you had the necessary insight, you can. This is the only thing Virion had over Arthur right now.

With sweep of his arm, he conjured ice columns in Arthur's general direction. Arthur responded by blowing it apart with fire. Setting of steam, blocking their sight from each other.

Arthur saw this as an opportunity to attack, channeling Mana to his legs, he launched himself in a zigzag maneuver out of the steam but ran into a whirlwind parallel to the ground. Blowing Arthur back and clearing the steam.

Arthur used wind to help orient himself in the air, landing safely on his two feet.

Virion didn't relent though, channeling Mana through his body using the miniscule veins (from his Mana Core) he had developed through strenuous training in his alone time. (the Mirage Walk)

He jumped forward, but also conjured wind to suspend himself in the air. Allowing him to make that extra distance to Arthur. He lift his leg over his head preparing for an axe kick.

"Consider this payback."

Arthur reinforced his arms and blocked it.

"You are a lightweight." He then grabbed his ankle, carrying his momentum over into a full rotation before letting him go. It launched him a few meters away, Virion couldn't properly orient himself and fell on his back.

"Was that payback?" Art mocked his brother much to his discomfort.

"Yeah, yeah." Virion stood up, dusting himself off. "Anyway, I'm gonna go clean myself now." he waked off leaving Arthur to his own devices.

"Did I over do it?" he mumbles while stating at Virion's back.

He has gotten alot better with conjuring. And even if he only casted one spell with ice, it was still better than anything he could do with it (without his Beast Will).

But when has he acquired a Deviant? Is there more perhaps then?

"It doesn't really matter though." he waved it off.

He smiled.

His little brother had sparked some sort pride in him, for him. But he couldn't let him know that, of course.

.....

// Virion Leywin //

Phew.

I almost died there but I feel refreshed now that I have taken a nice cold dip and changed into some new clothes.

"Hmm." I look over at my study desk on the other side of the room with miniature versions of my family, resting on top of it.

I already have three elements under my belt including one Deviant (ice). Now that I have developed my veins a bit more, I can move on to the other elements.

I learned that although Conjures had a natural inclination towards their element, that doesn't necessarily mean that their veins are strong enough to exert such force even if their Mana Core can.

But anyway, which one is the question?

"Gravity magic it is then." Earth was the easiest element to get used to along with wind so it just seems logical.

Now, there wasn't much exploration or explanation in the novel regarding this type of magic. The Mages using this Deviant just dubbed it as a talent. That they didn't really need to understand it in order to use it.

But this all comes back to the supposed scholars of this world.

Maybe I should step up as a scholar. I mean, I'm from the "future" after all.

Moving on, I focused on one of the sculptures. Rasing my open palm in their direction.

Now, I'm not a physicist but gravity is just field of sorts that pulls in stuff. I mean, this is after all basic knowledge.

And also, it doesn't really push but just pulls. It is the result of mass bending the space. So technically by manipulating the curve at which it bends or the mass of an object, I should be able to achieve gravity magic.

Right?

"So let's see here."

Imagine that sculpture has a gravitational field relative to its mass (which is pretty weak). If I just... manipulate... those lines I should be able to "increase" it's mass therefore bending space.

So instead of having the lines concave, I push them out till they convex.

"Come on." I said under my breath, focusing intensely on the sculpture. It has been a solid few minutes since and I'm starting to feel the strain.

Suddenly the sculpture rattled. It wanted to float but the force I was exerting wasn't enough. It was like a tumbling plastic glass that you knocked over while sneaking around the kitchen at midnight.

"Just a little more." I pushed.

*thud

Turns out, I pushed a little to hard and now it burried itself in the ceiling. Fuck. It doesn't seem like it went too deep though.

How will I explain this to mom and Aunt Helstea?

I'm scared.

But at least I can do gravity magic now, right?

At least.

I internally cried.

"I should pull it out though." I just need to pull it out and then bend it out again so that it doesn't come down full force.

Although I could just use earth magic but where would be the fun in that? I mean, with no risk there will be no gain. And in my case, I need to practice gravity magic.

I focused again, bending the curve shaper (concave).

*whomp

*crash

It crashed into the table, breaking it in half. The sculptures slid down and met in the middle with loud thuds.

I'm pretty sure everyone could here this.

"Now I'm fucked."

"Virion!"