The Wrong Summon: Flaw Repair Guide

Mana Control

Allows the user to get a better understanding of mana

Beginner Proficiency: 0%/100%

Do you choose to accept skill? Yes|No

"Yes." Jacob accepts. As soon as he agreed, a burst of knowledge flowed through his head. Suddenly, he was enlightened! The problem was his entire circulation method. His mana wasn't using the proper channels that he should've been circulating his mana in and that the pathways he was using wasn't nearly as efficient. It felt as if his body was correcting itself and the mana inherently knew where to go to hit peak efficiency. 

But the process of self-correction was slow and he had to get used to this new way of gathering mana.

…

Strike. Slash. Feint. Dodge. 

He repeated the mantra like a heartbeat as he faced Rowan, the wooden sword gripped tightly in his calloused hands.

There it was! An opening! Rowan's right side was completely exposed. 

Jacob's muscles tensed. Mana flooded his arms, cleaner and sharper than before, and the wooden blade shimmered brightly with a white aura. He lunged with as much speed as he could muster but was stopped with a firm kick on his stomach.

THUD

Pain exploded through his stomach. His body folded inward as air violently left his lungs.

Jacob staggered back, barely managing to stay upright. His breathing was ragged, sharp gasps clawing at his throat as he looked up at Rowan's calm, unreadable face.

"Cover all sides, don't blindly run in. Although my side was open, you should know by now that I'm much faster than you and would've been able to either dodge or attack first. Also, only my side was exposed but for you? Your front was. If I couldn't hit your stomach, I could've gone for your lower part." The gray-eyed man explained.

"Playing dirty." Jacob mumbles.

Rowan smirked. "When are fights ever fair? It's do or die and I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, but you will if you keep this up."

More time has passed since Jacob unlocked his new skill. His mana hurdle was dealt with and he had a much better understanding on how to use it. His sparring with Rowan evolved from just plain sword fighting to incorporating mana and other tactics. He could feel that he was close to another awakening, but what else could he do to level up?

He stretched, feeling the satisfying pull of his tired muscles. The sound barrier around him wavered slightly, distorted. His ears twitched. He could finally feel the ripple of mana disturbances, just like Rowan did when Jacob first entered the training room. 

His head turned as footsteps approached. Elaina was coming down the stairs.

"Done with training?" she asked, her voice casual.

"Pretty much," Rowan shrugged, running a hand through his damp hair. "Why?"

"Mary needs Jacob for something."

Jacob blinked. "Me? Okay, coming."

His legs still ached, but he jogged up the stairs, following Elaina's lead until she veered off and left him alone in front of Marinette's room.

Jacob rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. "Can I come in?"

"You may," Marinette's voice drifted from inside.

Jacob stepped in, taking in the space. The room was wide, much larger than he expected. Bookshelves lined the walls, papers stacked neatly on the desk. Dust floated lazily in the soft, golden light filtering through the half-drawn curtains. It smelled like ink, paper, and something faintly sweet. Maybe tea.

Marinette sat at her desk, her gold-rimmed glasses perched low on her nose as she scribbled something with a quill.

She didn't look up. "Close the door behind you."

Jacob did as told, stepping further inside.

"Jacob. How confident are you in your skills now?"

Jacob scratched the back of his head. "Right now? Amateur with a sword. Mana control's coming along decently. Why?"

"What's your rank?"

"Still F. But I'm close to awakening."

She gave a small hum of thought, then leaned back slightly. "Do you want to get real experience? I'm talking about the kind you can't get here."

Jacob's interest piqued. "Depends. What's the catch?"

"There's an underground tournament in a few weeks," Marinette explained smoothly. "Illegal, but widely known. Humans, demi-humans, low-level demons. Fighters looking to push themselves without the restrictions of rank or guild politics. The brackets are fair. Low ranks fight low ranks, high ranks fight high ranks. I want you to compete in the F rank bracket."

Jacob's heart thudded in his chest. A tournament?

His lips pulled into a grin. "And you want me to win it, huh?"

"I want you to try," Marinette corrected, eyes narrowing slightly. "Win or lose, you'll grow from the experience. But if you do win…" she smiled faintly, "the prize money and other rewards wouldn't hurt."

"Oh, and the crew will also be competing in their respective brackets," she added casually. "Besides Elaina, of course."

Jacob raised a brow, interest peaking further. "Really? Guess I'll have to drop by and see how you guys hold up."

"If you have time," Marinette said with a small smirk. "There are only a few rules. No drugs, no potions."

"Sounds fair." He could already feel the excitement buzzing in his chest. A real fight with real stakes. Not training swings in an isolated room, but opponents with different skills and unknown tactics.

"We'll need to get you new armor and at one or two skills before the matches," she added. "You'll need every edge you can get."

Jacob's eyes lit up. "I'm down for that."

Marinette leaned back in her chair again, satisfied. "Good. We have a few weeks to prepare, so get ready" 

He left her office with a quiet thrill running through him.

A tournament, huh?

Guess it's time to see where I really stand.