Chapter Sixteen — The Kingdom of Anfrida
Leon continued his explanation in a didactic tone:
"Mana, as you know, does not come from nothing. It exists in stones called mana stones, which you can buy in the kingdom's market, and then you begin the process of refinement."
"The purpose of devouring a Heart of Orne is to increase the completion percentage of your magical circles. You are only at the beginning — you have done nothing yet. Therefore, you do not even have a way to store Refined Mana. But that will change now."
Leon took three small, gray, glassy spheres from his bag, no larger than two centimeters across, and placed them before them slowly, as if setting down something sacred.
"Take these."
He said, "These spheres are False Hearts of Orne. Each one is Level One — suitable for you."
Suddenly a transparent screen appeared in the air, showing precise details about the spheres:
> [False Heart of Orne — First Circle]
[Used to strengthen the original Heart of Orne in the devouring process]
[Press here to view details of the devouring procedure]
Leon resumed in a more serious tone:
"When you succeed in the devouring process, the completion percentage of your first circle will increase. Do not forget that after devouring, the heart weakens temporarily, and controlling mana becomes harder than usual — this is due to the sudden rise in total mana. But don't worry; these symptoms are nothing compared to what accompanies the transition to a higher mana circle."
"And when you leave here and buy mana stones for yourselves, you will begin the refinement process, and mana will flow into your bodies automatically. The body can, by nature, store mana, but because it is of a lower rank, we use Hearts of Orne. So, keep refining mana until the body reaches its limit, and then... begin the devouring process using Refined Mana. Only then will you know the true meaning of power."
He paused, then raised his hand again.
"Now, let us move to the second path of power, aside from Hearts of Orne and Eira... that is: hybridization."
The single word brought tension to the room; some eyes widened with suspicion at what they heard. Leon continued in a darker tone:
"Although hybridization is permitted in the Empire, using humans as experimental samples is strictly prohibited. There are many laws and regulations governing this process, and anyone who wishes to perform hybridization on a human body must adhere to them literally. That is precisely why the madman was considered a dangerous criminal."
"Hybridization? Monster cells inside human bodies? What kind of mind would accept that?" Sanjay asked.
"It is true that hybridization sounds horrific — who would want their cells mixed with those of a beast? — but the reality is the allowed degree of hybridization is relatively small so it does not overwhelm the mind. The host remains in control of their body and can even display or conceal the hybrid cells' abilities at will."
He stopped briefly, then added slowly:
"However, like everything in this world, this power carries a fatal flaw: after hybridization, a person cannot use natural elements other than those the hybridized beast possessed. So you must think carefully before choosing a beast, study its advantages and disadvantages, because every trait — even the negative ones — will be transferred to you in varying degrees."
"And so... every step in this world comes with a price. There is no path without flaws."
"In this small kingdom, there are no specialized facilities to assist with hybridization. If you truly want to pursue that path, you must go to a higher-ranked kingdom."
Now, he turned to explain the political and hierarchical system within the Empire.
"First, you should understand that this kingdom where we stand is classified as a lowly third-tier kingdom, which means it lacks many of the resources larger realms possess. It has no dependable standing army and receives little investment in the fields of power, research, or industry related to Eira — which negatively affects the opportunities for individuals to develop here."
"One of the major drawbacks of this low rank is the tight restriction on the development paths available to people, especially regarding the use of Nira. Only a few individuals can own or use Nira, and those are limited to very specific social classes because of its extremely high price relative to an average person's wage. Still, there are a few professions that genuinely require these powers and through which one might buy Nira — among them: Order Knights, wall guards, noble mercenaries, and a handful of other roles. This is due to both organizational motives and pure economics. The copied Eira traded in this kingdom come only from the royal family and five noble houses; they monopolize the trade of these magical tools."
"For that reason, we do not find what is called 'true mercenaries' here as in higher kingdoms; instead they have been replaced by what are called 'noble mercenaries.' These mercenaries actually belong to the five noble families, serve their interests, and no one can obtain a copied Eira unless they join them and meet their specific demands."
"These five families are as follows:
— House Valdrin: specialists in selling Nira of the Lightning element.
— House Ismara: specialists in selling Nira of the Water element.
— House Drakovin: specialists in selling Nira of the Earth element.
— House Teralon: specialists in selling Nira of the Air element.
— House Nemaris: specialists in selling Nira of the Fire element."
"First — these are not noble branches from a first-tier kingdom.
Now, let's take a quick look at the capabilities of each Nira you could obtain now:"
House Valdrin (Lightning).
— Nira: Lightning Strike — Rank D: A high-penetration attack against enemies; if directed at the mind specifically, it can be instantly lethal.
— Nira: Neural Paralysis — Rank E: Temporarily paralyzes the enemy's movements for a few seconds, granting the user an opening to attack or flee.
House Ismara (Water).
— Nira: Water Rope — Rank F: Forms a water rope that is not easily cut, used to bind opponents.
— Nira: Drowning Skill — Rank D: Summons a viscous amount of water launched at the enemy's face that attempts to drown them.
House Drakovin (Earth).
— Nira: Earth Wave — Rank E: Releases an earth wave similar to a water wave to disorient and encircle an opponent.
— Nira: Rocky Skin — Rank D: Hardens the skin like metal, protecting the user from direct attacks.
{The name "Nira Hardened Skin" has been changed to "Nira Rock Skin."}
House Teralon (Air).
— Nira: Wind Blade — Rank D: Produces a sharp blade of air hurled at an enemy, causing deadly cuts.
— Nira: Wind Steps — Rank C: Doubles the user's running speed, granting great battlefield mobility.
House Nemaris (Fire).
— Nira: Burning Fist — Rank E: Heats the user's hand intensely, amplifying the power of physical strikes.
— Nira: Fire Orb — Rank D: A powerful fireball used for direct attacks.
"It is important to know that each Nira requires different amounts of mana to activate, depending on its type, complexity, and strength. Not all Nira consume mana equally, and some cannot be activated without precise mana control. The price of Nira in this kingdom is very high, and there is no profession through which one can easily afford Nira except the noble mercenary role."
"This profession, unlike others, is available only to those bold enough to risk it — it is among the most dangerous jobs. A mercenary is expected to leave the kingdom's borders and undertake real missions fighting monsters..."
"What I have explained here is only a brief summary of the power system and the political structure in this kingdom, so that you can understand your current reality and begin to think seriously about how to survive and advance within it."